Warhammer 40k Tier List: All Factions Ranked (11th Edition)

Choosing a Warhammer 40k faction is one of the biggest decisions in the hobby. It decides what you’ll build, paint and play for months or years. Pick the army you love the look and lore of first. But if you play competitively, you’ll still want to know which factions are winning right now. This tier list gives you that.

This is a snapshot as of November 2026, about five months into 11th Edition. It is based on tournament results collected by Listhammer from 30 September 2026, the date of the latest Balance Dataslate and Munitorum Field Manual points update, to 10 November 2026. The data covers 2,000-point singles events with at least 16 players and five or more rounds, with mirror matches left out. That window also includes the new Space Marine codex (with updated supplements for Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Black Templars and Deathwatch, released 30 September) and the new Adeptus Custodes codex (21 October). The Orks codex arrived on 7 September, just before the window. Every other faction is still using its 10th Edition codex, which stays legal until its 11th Edition book arrives.

Read this first:

• It will change. GW has said balance updates will continue quarterly in 11th Edition, and every new codex shakes things up. Treat this as a snapshot, not a verdict.
• Win rates come from good players. A faction’s tournament win rate reflects how strong it is in experienced hands. A practised player with a C-tier army will beat a new player with an S-tier army most of the time.
• Sample sizes matter. Factions with a few hundred games can swing several points in a single weekend. We give the game count next to each win rate so you can judge for yourself.
• Casual play is different. Around a kitchen table, these gaps barely matter. Play what you love.

What 11th Edition Changed for the Rankings

A few core rule changes shift how every faction compares, whatever codex it is using:

• Detachment Points. You get 2 DP at 1,000 points and 3 DP at 2,000 points, and detachments cost 1–3 DP. Factions with a deep pool of good detachments, Space Marines and their supplements above all, have the most room to build around their strengths.
• One stratagem per unit per phase. Command Re-roll counts as well. Armies that relied on stacking several stratagems on one unit lost some of their big turns.
• Cover is minus 1 to hit against ranged attacks, mainly for Infantry, Swarms and Beasts in terrain. Monsters and Vehicles no longer get cover just for standing in a terrain footprint. That is one reason Knight armies have slid down the table.
• Terrain-based objectives reward armies that can put durable bodies into terrain and hold it.
• 2″ engagement range and a reworked charge sequence favour armies built to get stuck in, which helps explain World Eaters’ strong start.

For the full list of changes, see our 11th Edition rules changes guide.

The Tier List at a Glance

Win rates are from Listhammer’s “since Dataslate” window (30 September to 10 November 2026). We grouped factions into tiers using those numbers, with some judgement where samples are small.

A healthy faction sits somewhere between 45% and 55%. By that yardstick 11th Edition is in decent shape. Only Sisters sit above 55% across the full window, while Chaos Space Marines, Thousand Sons and Astra Militarum are clearly below 45%.

S-Tier — The Top Dogs

These three armies have been winning most consistently since the September dataslate. They show up near the top of every weekend’s results.

Adepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle)

The surprise leader of early 11th Edition. Sisters are still on their 10th Edition codex, but Miracle dice give them a level of control most armies can’t match. Durable Battle Sisters and Retributor squads are ideal for holding terrain-based objectives, and Morvenn Vahl and their tanks give them a hard core to build around. Sisters have topped Listhammer’s win-rate table across the dataslate window and are also clearly overrepresented in top finishes.

Key strengths: Miracle dice reliability, good armour saves, strong characters, objective-holding infantry
Key weaknesses: Short-ranged firepower, struggles if Miracle dice generation is shut down, a prime target for the next balance pass

Adeptus Mechanicus

The Mechanicus have quietly become one of the best armies in the game. Their army rule lets them switch between aggressive and defensive postures, and skirmish units like Skitarii and Ironstriders suit the new objective game very well. Still on their 10th Edition codex, they are one of the clearest winners of the new core rules.

Key strengths: Flexible army rule, efficient shooting, fast scoring units, good detachment options
Key weaknesses: Fragile infantry, punishing if you mistime your posture, smaller player base so less published list advice

World Eaters

Khorne’s berserkers are the most-played army near the top of the table: more than 1,600 games in the window and still above 53%. The 2″ engagement range and new charge sequence suit an army that wants to be in combat by turn two, and Blood Tithe rewards keeping the pressure on. Angron, Eightbound and Jakhals give them several ways to reach combat fast.

Key strengths: Best melee in the game, fast and aggressive, Blood Tithe, simple game plan
Key weaknesses: Little shooting, vulnerable to screening and kiting, can run out of steam if the first charge fails

A-Tier — Strong Contenders

These factions win events regularly and sit comfortably above 50%. They are excellent competitive picks with no major holes.

Orks

The first army with an 11th Edition codex hit the ground running. Orks won Dragon Fall (3–4 October) with a 5-0 run barely a month after the book landed. Across the full window they sit just under 53% from almost 1,900 games. The Waaagh! remains a huge one-turn power spike, and the new book supports several builds. Expect their numbers to drop as opponents learn the matchup: in the most recent weekend they dipped below 50%. See our Orks codex guide for details.

Key strengths: New codex, numbers, Waaagh! turn, several viable playstyles
Key weaknesses: Swingy, low individual model quality, can be picked apart by efficient shooting

Space Marines

The new codex dropped on 30 September and Space Marines are the most-played faction in the data, with more than 2,400 games, at just over 52%. Commentary after the first codex weekends agreed: strong but not broken. Wargamer’s 12 October write-up of a Reddit analysis of 19 events had them at 54%. The real strength is depth. No other army has as many detachments to mix under the Detachment Points system.

Key strengths: New codex, huge detachment pool, answers for everything, forgiving stats
Key weaknesses: Good at everything but best at nothing, rewards careful list building

Space Wolves

The strongest of the Space Marine supplements over the whole window. Wolves combine the codex’s core datasheets with fast, aggressive Chapter units and detachments that suit the new 2″ engagement range.

Key strengths: Strong melee characters, mobile Chapter units, access to the full Space Marine toolbox
Key weaknesses: Less shooting depth than vanilla Marines, punished if the charge goes wrong

Leagues of Votann

The space dwarves are steady winners rather than flashy ones. Judgement tokens make focused fire brutal, and tough Hearthkyn and vehicles hold terrain objectives well. Votann took the top spot at the Lone Star Open 2026.

Key strengths: Judgement tokens, efficient shooting, durable infantry and vehicles
Key weaknesses: Slow, limited model range, can struggle with board coverage

Death Guard

Nurgle’s chosen are the immovable object of 40k, and terrain-based objectives suit an army that wants to sit on ground and refuse to move. Contagion effects grind opponents down over the game. Death Guard have stayed just above 51% for most of 11th Edition.

Key strengths: Excellent durability, contagion debuffs, holding objectives
Key weaknesses: Slow, limited long-range firepower, can be outmanoeuvred

Dark Angels

Dark Angels sit at 51.4% across the full window, but they are trending sharply upward. Over the most recent weekend (5–10 November) they topped Listhammer’s table at 58.4% from 303 games. Deathwing and Ravenwing give them both a durable and a fast option, and they share the Space Marine codex base. Watch them closely: they could be S-tier by the next update.

Key strengths: Deathwing durability, Ravenwing speed, Space Marine datasheet depth
Key weaknesses: Expensive elite units, can be outnumbered on objectives

B-Tier — Solid but Not Dominant

These factions sit around the 47–51% mark. They can win events, but they need tighter list building or have more difficult matchups than the armies above.

Adeptus Custodes

Custodes got their 11th Edition codex on 21 October, so most of the games in this window were played with the new book. Their win rate since release has been just above 50%. They also have a very good matchup spread on Listhammer, but they convert to event wins less often than you’d expect. Model quality is outstanding, but the low model count makes the new objective game hard work.

Key strengths: New codex, elite durability, devastating melee, cheap to collect
Key weaknesses: Very few bodies for objectives, every casualty hurts, vulnerable to massed fire

Tyranids

Tyranids hover right on 50%. Swarm infantry love the new cover rule, while monster-heavy lists are a little more exposed without free cover in terrain. They had a hot weekend in mid-October, at 55% in Wargamer’s 12 October sample, which shows how much the faction can swing between events.

Key strengths: Flexible list building, strong monsters, board control
Key weaknesses: Reliant on Synapse, monster builds lost cover, some builds lack ranged punch

Emperor’s Children

Slaanesh’s Legion is now a standalone Chaos army and has settled just under 50%. They play fast and aggressive with strong melee and speed, but they don’t convert into top finishes as often as World Eaters.

Key strengths: Speed, strong melee characters, aggressive detachments
Key weaknesses: Fragile for an elite army, few event wins in 11th so far

Necrons

Necrons were the top faction in some September tracking, before the Space Marine codex and the 30 September dataslate. They have since settled right around 50%. Reanimation Protocols still make them frustrating to grind through.

Key strengths: Reanimation Protocols, strong vehicles, durable Warriors
Key weaknesses: Relatively slow, limited melee outside specific units

Blood Angels

The stars of the Armageddon starter set are slightly below 50%. Their speed and melee punch are real, and a Blood Angels list won Mektoberfest in October with a 5-0 run on tiebreakers. But they haven’t matched Space Wolves and Dark Angels so far.

Key strengths: Fast melee, strong characters, Space Marine datasheet depth
Key weaknesses: Lower durability than Dark Angels builds, rewards precise play

T’au Empire

The premier shooting army in 40k has had a tougher start to 11th Edition. Minus 1 to hit for infantry in cover blunts their firepower, and the new objective game rewards armies that can hold terrain up close.

Key strengths: Best ranged firepower in the game, strong battlesuits
Key weaknesses: Almost no melee, vulnerable to fast melee armies, hit hard by the new cover rule

Grey Knights

The daemon hunters’ teleport tricks still let them reposition dramatically, but a small model count and high points costs keep them a little under par.

Key strengths: Teleport mobility, psychic weapons across the army, good melee
Key weaknesses: Very few models, expensive, limited long-range shooting

Aeldari

The biggest faller compared with late 10th Edition. Fate dice still give skilled players control, but the army is fragile and the new cover and objective rules haven’t been kind to them. Still on their 10th Edition codex.

Key strengths: Fate dice, mobility, strong characters
Key weaknesses: Glass cannon, very high skill floor, struggles to hold terrain objectives

Genestealer Cults

A small sample of 230 games, so treat the number with care. Cult Ambush and returning units can still overwhelm opponents who aren’t ready, and a GSC list went 5-0 at Mektoberfest before losing the final ranking on tiebreakers.

Key strengths: Ambush deployment, returning units, strong mission play
Key weaknesses: Very fragile, relies on tricks working

Black Templars

The crusading Chapter has the full Space Marine codex behind it, but it trails its sister supplements so far. That’s despite showing up in top finishes slightly more often than its win rate suggests.

Key strengths: Aggressive melee, durable crusader squads
Key weaknesses: Limited shooting, can be kited

C-Tier — Challenging but Playable

These factions are below 47% in the current data. They can still win games and the occasional event, but the margin for error is smaller. Several are waiting on 11th Edition codexes.

Drukhari

The ultimate glass cannon. Drukhari had a strong weekend in mid-October, at 54% in Wargamer’s 12 October sample, but over the full window they sit closer to 47%. Speed and Power from Pain make them dangerous in expert hands.

Key strengths: Extreme speed, first-strike damage, excellent transports
Key weaknesses: Extremely fragile, unforgiving of mistakes

Chaos Daemons

Invulnerable saves across the army and powerful greater daemons, but inconsistent results. Mono-god and mixed builds both exist, and none has broken through yet.

Key strengths: Army-wide invulnerable saves, deep strike, big centrepiece monsters
Key weaknesses: Inconsistent, light on shooting, can be swept off objectives

Chaos Knights

Dread effects make nearby enemies worse, but like all Knight armies they have lost easy cover in terrain and have very few bodies for objective play.

Key strengths: Dread debuffs, huge individual models
Key weaknesses: Low model count, lost terrain cover, overwhelmed by hordes

Imperial Knights

Imperial Knights have been one of the harder-hit armies of the new edition. Huge model quality, but losing automatic cover in terrain and the shift to terrain-based objectives both hurt an army of a handful of giant walkers.

Key strengths: Massive individual model power, quick to play, cheap to collect
Key weaknesses: Very few models, struggles to hold several objectives, no easy cover

Chaos Space Marines

The dark mirror of the Space Marines is one of the weakest armies right now. That’s a big gap to their loyalist cousins with their new codex. Dark Pacts and a versatile roster haven’t been enough on the 10th Edition codex. If you play them, our Chaos Space Marines 1,000-point list shows how to build for 11th Edition.

Key strengths: Versatile roster, Dark Pacts, strong characters
Key weaknesses: Overcosted compared with new-codex Marines, swingy

Thousand Sons

The sorcerer Legion’s psychic weapons and abilities now work within the normal turn (there has been no psychic phase since 10th Edition), and Rubric Marines shrug off low-damage weapons. But they are near the bottom of the table and very rarely post undefeated runs.

Key strengths: Strong psychic weapons, durable Rubrics, strong characters
Key weaknesses: Limited unit variety, expensive models, poor current results

Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard)

The Guard have been at or near the bottom since 11th Edition began. Infantry gain from the new cover rule, but tanks lost easy cover, and the army struggles to trade efficiently with elite opponents. Wargamer’s 12 October sample also had them last, at 39%.

Key strengths: Mass infantry, Orders, powerful tanks, cheap objective holders
Key weaknesses: Fragile models, character-dependent, slow to play

Not Enough Data: Deathwatch and Imperial Agents

• Deathwatch: only 116 games in the window, at around 52.6%. The new Space Marine codex gave them an updated supplement, but too few players run them to rank them fairly.
• Imperial Agents: only 57 games, at about 40%. Most players use Agents as a small allied contingent alongside other Imperium armies rather than as a standalone force. In that role their characters and Assassins are still very useful.

How to Use This Tier List

1. Don’t choose your army based on tier placement alone. The meta will shift. Your painted army won’t. Choose the models, lore and playstyle you love.
2. Check current data. Sites like Listhammer update after every weekend of events, and the picture can move fast: compare Dark Angels’ most recent weekend (58.4%) with their full-window number (51.4%).
3. Think about your local meta. If your club is full of one army, how you match up against it matters more than overall tier placement.
4. Player skill is the biggest variable. Practice and list knowledge will do more for your results than switching factions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does the tier list change?

Every balance update and every new codex can shuffle it. GW ran monthly balance passes in the first months of 11th Edition (July, August and the 30 September dataslate). It has said updates return to a quarterly rhythm from here. With codexes still arriving one by one, expect bigger swings than usual through 2027. This is why we recommend choosing an army you love rather than chasing the meta.

What’s the easiest faction for beginners?

Space Marines are the most beginner-friendly faction. They have good stats across the board, so mistakes are less punishing. They also have a brand-new 11th Edition codex, a huge range, and they appear in the Armageddon starter set as Blood Angels. Necrons and Death Guard are also forgiving thanks to their durability. See our beginner collection guide for more advice.

What’s the cheapest faction to collect?

Adeptus Custodes and Knight armies (Imperial and Chaos) need the fewest models, so they’re among the cheapest to build a full army with. Horde armies like Orks, Tyranids (swarm builds) and Astra Militarum need many boxes and are among the most expensive to complete.

Should I switch armies if mine gets nerfed?

Generally no, unless you find your army genuinely unfun to play. Meta shifts are constant. Several of today’s C-tier factions are still waiting on their 11th Edition codexes, and a new book can lift an army overnight, as Orks showed in September. Selling a painted army and buying another is expensive and slow. Pick an army you love and ride out the balance waves.

Do these rankings apply to casual play?

Not really. They’re based on competitive tournament results, where players optimise every part of their lists. In casual games, list choices, player experience and dice matter far more than a few percentage points of faction win rate. Any faction is viable and fun in casual play.

How many Warhammer 40k factions are there?

Tournament trackers currently list 28 factions for 11th Edition. That count includes the five Space Marine supplements (Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Black Templars and Deathwatch) and Emperor’s Children as a standalone Chaos army. It also counts Imperial Agents, which most players run as allies.

What are the main groups of Warhammer 40k factions?

40k factions fall into three broad groups: the Imperium, Chaos and Xenos. The Imperium covers Space Marines and their Chapter supplements, Astra Militarum, Custodes, Sisters of Battle, Adeptus Mechanicus, Grey Knights, Imperial Knights and Imperial Agents. Chaos includes Chaos Space Marines, Death Guard, Thousand Sons, World Eaters, Emperor’s Children, Daemons and Chaos Knights. Xenos covers Aeldari, Drukhari, Orks, Necrons, Tyranids, T’au, Genestealer Cults and Leagues of Votann.

What is the most popular Warhammer 40k faction?

Space Marines, by a distance. They were the most-played faction in the 11th Edition tournament data, with more than 2,400 games since the 30 September dataslate. Behind them, Orks, World Eaters, Adeptus Custodes, Necrons and Dark Angels are the most common armies at events. Popularity and strength are separate things, though, so a common army can sit anywhere on this list.

Ready to start building your army? Check out our individual faction guides for detailed army-building advice, or visit our collection starter guide for step-by-step onboarding.