Hi there,
This is the third meta report on this page, this time covering the first half of 2025.
I had actually planned to write earlier. I had gathered tournament results, built tables, made some quick notes. But you know how it goes: the game moves on, and so does the world. A few weeks ago, Para Bellum released an update that rendered parts of the available data practically useless.
Not incorrect, but devalued. Reality is fleeting, especially in a game that constantly reinvents itself.
According to T3, there have been 14 tournaments in Germany so far in the first half of the year. That’s six more than during the same period in 2024, and we've welcomed over 60 new players. As mentioned in the two previous articles: with such a small dataset, even a single tournament with five players from the same faction can significantly skew the distribution. Still, here’s a neat table and a bit of speculative interpretation from me.
📊 Faction Distribution: H1 2024 vs. 2025 (percentage comparison)
| Faction | Share 2024 (of 120) | Share 2025 (of 187) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hundred Kingdoms | 10.0 % | 14.4 % | +4.4 |
| Spires | 18.3 % | 11.2 % | −7.1 |
| Nords | 15.0 % | 17.1 % | +2.1 |
| Dweghom | 8.3 % | 9.6 % | +1.3 |
| W'adrhŭn | 13.3 % | 15.0 % | +1.7 |
| Old Dominion | 17.5 % | 14.4 % | −3.1 |
| City States | 15.0 % | 10.2 % | −4.8 |
| Sorcerer Kings | 2.5 % | 3.7 % | +1.2 |
| Yoroni | — | 4.3 % | +4.3 (new) |
A look at the numbers reveals nothing too revolutionary, but a few subtle shifts. The “big four” (Nords, W’adrhŭn, Hundred Kingdoms, and Old Dominion) still make up the bulk of the field. Though I’ll go out on a limb and say Yoroni will eventually surpass them all and become the most-played faction. Sorcerer Kings remain unpopular in Germany.
As usual, much of the activity comes from well-established groups. Players from Bremen and Lübeck attend most events. A few folks from Stuttgart also participate regularly—often traveling long distances and delivering solid results.
Which brings us to the 14 tournament wins, mostly claimed by familiar names. The faction played often ends up being secondary, just like last year—though personally, the Slingers helped me a lot. Since they’ve now been heavily nerfed (like their whole faction), that army is now just “good.”
🏆 Tournament Wins by Faction
| Rank | Faction | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The W'adrhŭn | 5 |
| 2 | The City States | 4 |
| 3 | The Sorcerer Kings | 2 |
| 4 | The Spires | 1 |
| 4 | The Nords | 1 |
| 4 | The Yoroni | 1 |
| Total | 14 |
| The W’adrhŭn remain a powerful tool for competitive players. Their presence is high, their win count equally so, and I don’t think that will change anytime soon. The City States also prove they can win tournaments—or rather, Benny from Hamburg proves it, even if the faction as a whole sees less play. | |||
The Sorcerer Kings picked up two wins and will likely, along with the Yoroni, continue to take down events on a regular basis—at least until the inevitable nerf rolls in. What’s interesting is the spread of wins. Six factions managed to take home tournament victories, despite occasional voices complaining about certain factions being “broken.” In the end, it’s still a player-driven meta. If you look at the names of players who go 3–0 at events, they’re usually the same. Most of them are high-frequency players—because, like in all things: practice makes you better. In my view, Conquest is in a stable and exciting phase. Balance is healthy, many factions are viable. The scene is active, even if most of the momentum still comes from a few core regions. Whether there will be major shifts in the second half of the year depends less on new unit profiles and more on the players themselves. But now, let’s get to what most of you came for: Power RankingFor the ranking, I’ll be using the following tiers:
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Hundred Kingdoms – B TierBefore their faction update, the Hundred Kingdoms were one of the most unbalanced armies in the game. Now, after the overhaul, they’re internally one of the best-balanced factions out there. The four keywords and their sometimes overlapping synergies open up a ton of new list-building options. Even pure infantry lists are now viable—though personally, I still think you're best off combining infantry and cavalry. The Imperial Officer warband is especially strong: up to three units with Flank are possible, and if the Officer is your Warlord, a large chunk of your infantry gets Vanguard (5). With the Flank Mastery, Reinforcement rolls become almost a non-issue. This lets you apply pressure early and actively score as soon as round two. Even without him, four-stand light regiments (or three with a character) can now effectively secure scenario points. What’s tricky is the faction’s strong dependency on keywords for rule distribution. If you're not well-versed in the faction, it’s easy to lose track of which buffs are currently active. That can be frustrating for new or casual players. What bothers me the most right now is that Flank is restricted to cavalry. Large cavalry builds would really benefit from more access to Flank. And since infantry often lacks enough offensive punch on its own, cavalry is still seen frequently—though they start sweating when facing Nords with heavy Linebreaker presence. So overall, the Hundred Kingdoms have gained a lot of solid tools, but they still lack raw attacks and wound saturation. In my opinion, they remain a solid B-tier faction: competitively viable, but far from dominant. Spires – B TierWith the recent Directorate nerf, the Spires took a noticeable hit. Compared to other factions that have undergone steady reworks, you can really feel the age of the original Spire army book—even though it still contains some of the most outrageous balance violations in recent memory. But the current meta—shaped more and more by Sorcerer Kings and Yoroni—is moving in a direction that doesn’t favor Spires: fast, durable lists with strong model efficiency and aggressive scenario pressure. And those are exactly the areas where Spires currently struggle. The new Pteraphon Surveyor is at least an interesting addition to the Sovereign Lineage. He can reliably bring the Incarnate block into position and allows for a slightly off-meta playstyle that can catch opponents off guard. Still, the go-to build remains the same: Directorate with Siegebreaker, two solid ranged units, some light troops for scenario control, and a Brute Drones block to hit hard. Whether Spires will receive another update in 2025 remains to be seen. They’ve definitely earned one. Dweghom – C TierRight now, Dweghom have two, maybe three viable builds that are fundamentally strong. The classic “Tokencastle” setup—centered around a Fire or Magma Sorcerer who stalls and slowly melts the enemy off the board—has been steadily losing effectiveness. Especially against Nords, who storm the field with 8+ attacks (including impacts) and Linebreaker, this kind of static defense crumbles. Nords score earlier, ignore much of the defensive tech through sheer volume, and with Evasion (2) and Tenacious, they're nearly immune to most of Dweghom’s high-quality attacks. Now with the Yoroni entering the scene—fast, lethal, and hard to tie down—a second faction creates similar issues. While this build still works well into many other factions, it performs poorly into the current meta’s top dogs, making it less appealing for most Dweghom players. The Hold Raegh build fares a bit better: more scoring, more aggression, more potential in today’s fast-paced game. It can keep up with Nords and Yoroni, but gets shredded by heavy ranged firepower. Ironic, considering this used to be the faction known for doing exactly that to others. A major faction update is just around the corner, and with some luck, it’ll bring back the tools Dweghom need to stay competitive. Until then, they sit just below the average for me. Solid, but with too many rough matchups to place them higher than C tier at the moment. Nords – A TierFollowing the last update, the Nords have evolved into one of the strongest and most versatile factions in the meta. What used to revolve around a few power builds has now expanded into a wide range of viable lists. I’ve seen at least half a dozen very different Nord armies at tournaments recently—and all of them delivered solid results. That speaks to both internal balance and the faction’s continuing rise. What really stands out is their combination of speed, scenario pressure, and brutal charges. Raiders have become almost mandatory as scoring lights. Two regiments with Captains are practically auto-includes: they block, score, and reliably annoy the opponent. Add Gotrl and the newer Steelchosen with Linebreaker, and you’ve got units that apply both physical and tactical pressure. Even Bowchosen are showing up in competitive lists more often now, highlighting just how deep the faction’s toolkit has become. Personally, I prefer running a Volva as Warlord, since she anchors the army, provides buffs, and keeps key MSU pieces alive. But other builds work too—even heavy Jotnar usage isn’t rare on the German tournament scene anymore. That’s partly because the Mountain Jotnar is now Medium. What’s important is that Nords no longer feel like a one-dimensional rush army. They play like an aggressive control list that dictates the scenario through smart positioning and early board pressure. Of course, there are tough matchups—some scenarios don’t favor early scoring, and high-volume attack spam can slow Nords down. But that’s exactly where they show how far they’ve come: they can hold their own in difficult games too. In my eyes, the Nords are currently among the most versatile and dangerous factions in the game. If you master them, you’ll consistently get results—and in many different ways. | |||
W’adrhŭn – A TierOh, you poor, poor W’adrhŭn. The nerf hammer hit you square in the knees—and then, just to be sure, someone chopped off a hand too. And still they stand, those stubborn super-soldiers. Because even though many of the changes hurt, the faction remains strong. Just... strong in a different way. The nerfs to Slingers and Veterans were expected, though I now feel both units are slightly over-costed. What really stung, however, was the adjustment to the Chant system. Parts of the community wanted the chants to be more thematic, but I never saw the issue with the old +2 Move and Seizing combo. That said—changes have consequences. W’adrhŭn lost many of the little tricks that used to let them outmaneuver and outscore opponents. On the plus side, the new Scions and their associated Chosen introduced four new unit options that really shake up list-building. Especially the Chosen of Death have caused quite a stir internationally. Some see them as the worst balancing offense since old-school Dweghom Sorcerers. Personally, I think they fit well into today’s high-attack meta: Flurry, six attacks, Tenacious (2) vs. ranged attacks—that’s solid. But Evasion (3), Scion of Death synergy, and five wounds don’t make them unstoppable. None of my three test factions struggled particularly with them, and that’s reflected in tournament results—most of the top lists don’t even include them. Instead, Speaker- and Tribe-based builds continue to dominate. It’s particularly striking how prominent the Scion of War has become in Speaker lists. Paired with a Winglord, he can give it, the Quatl, or even a Tontorr Cleave (1), Tenacious (1), and Terrifying (1), pushing these units’ offensive power to a whole new level. For the Tribes, the Warbred buff has been a game-changer: they now benefit from the Chieftain’s free Vanguard, essentially replacing the old Veterans in many lists. If they’re instead in a Scion of War warband, they retain Vanguard and Trample (1), and can potentially gain Flank and rerolling 1s to hit thanks to Visions. This build is overall weaker than the old Slinger-Veteran core, but still dangerous and arguably much fairer. Warbred are tanky, fast, and hit like a truck—absolutely tournament-worthy in the right list. In short, W’adrhŭn no longer feel as dominant as they did a few months ago, but they still have everything needed to hang with the best. The lists are a bit more complex now, a little less intuitive, and require stronger positioning. But for those who know what they’re doing, W’adrhŭn are still winning games. Old Dominion – B TierWhat was once considered an almost unstoppable faction has taken a significant hit in the last update. Old Dominion is still playable—solid, even, with a strong foundation—but the shine of top-tier dominance has definitely worn off. The Strategos, long the backbone of many successful builds, was “buffed” in a way that actually sidelined him—and with him, a large chunk of the faction’s flexibility and power. Add to that the increasing presence of Linebreaker across multiple factions, and suddenly the good old Praetorian block starts to look a lot less appealing. The Strategos used to feel like a free pass to just about any list. Superfluid Formation was a skill-based ability that scaled beautifully with player experience and allowed excellent board control. Now, he has to be on the field to activate his new effect, granting Vanguard (3) to incoming regiments and a T1 tier bump to others. Sounds decent, but in practice it’s clunky. His Supremacy isn’t as predictable or useful when it matters most. That’s why many players are now switching to the Xhiliarch, whose Supremacy gives more practical on-field flexibility: Move, Charge, Clash for his Warband, or double Clash. Not revolutionary—but reliable. Especially in Athanatoi lists. On top of that, the once-dominant spirit army has also been toned down. Moroi and Kheres can’t cast until Tier 2 anymore, which removes the tempo-rush aspect they once thrived on. Without early spells and with the Overrun removal from cavalry, many of the scariest tools OD used to dominate with are now gone. What’s left is a tough, predictable army with solid tools—but also obvious weaknesses. Sure, Legionnaires with a standard still hold zones well, Athanatoi hit reliably, and Praetorians are strong on paper. But compared to the speed and explosiveness that Sorcerer Kings, Nords, or W’adrhŭn are currently putting on the table, most OD lists just feel sluggish. Old Dominion still has a broad toolbox, great aesthetics, and a strong player base. But right now, it’s missing that extra something needed to compete at the very top. Whether that changes with the upcoming update and the two new monsters remains to be seen. For now, though, B Tier feels appropriate—even if you can absolutely still win tournaments with them. | |||
City States – B TierThe City States took a couple of heavy hits in the latest update. The most significant change? Chariots and Talos lost Flank and gained Vanguard instead. At first glance, that might seem like a fair trade—but it really isn’t. To be clear: the change was justified, even necessary. Vanguard is a strong ability—no question about it. It allows for early presence and scenario pressure. But it doesn’t replace the tactical reliability of Flank. Without it, City States have lost a key element that previously let them establish dominant board positions in Round 2. Now, Reinforcements are riskier, and controlling the tempo of the second round becomes a lot less dependable. That significantly reduces the faction’s burst potential. Their tactical depth is still there in principle—but harder to access and, in my opinion, now too inconsistent to justify an A-tier ranking. A single reliable Flank source—be it through a rare unit or a new Mastery—would’ve been enough to preserve strategic balance. That said, City States are still perfectly viable. Thorakites, even without fixed Fluid Formation, remain one of the best scenario units in the game with Move 6, Tenacious (2) vs. shooting, and Vanguard. Agema, Talos, and Chariots are still efficient, durable, and dangerous. The real issue lies in how lists are evolving: Many players are now gravitating toward Thorakites/Agema/Wagon/Talos spam. It’s very effective—but also very predictable. A classic "good stuff" approach: high output, minimal risk, but not much variety. The faction’s real breadth and depth is rarely showcased at a competitive level anymore. Sorcerer Kings – S TierThe Sorcerer Kings update was, without a doubt, the strongest we've seen in the past 12 months. It turned a niche faction into one of the most dangerous armies in the current game. While other factions are still waiting for their balance patches, the Sorcerer Kings received two new Courts, a reworked Ritual system, and arguably the most powerful set of buffs in the game—all in one go. It’s the third overhaul of the ritual mechanic, and easily the most effective and user-friendly version so far. Mages no longer need to stand in zones to cast rituals, which eliminates a ton of frustrating positioning issues. At the same time, the ritual effects themselves were massively buffed—Fire in particular has become the dominant element, thanks to its new mechanics and the current lack of viable models in the other Courts. For the first time, the faction has meaningful Flank options and tools to score in Round 2. They just don’t want to—because scoring would cut into their damage output. Right now, Fire is the only truly competitive element. Wind still suffers from lack of models, poor synergy, and unattractive profiles. Fire, on the other hand, offers just about everything: a third action per round, area healing, auto-charges with Juggernauth, tons of attacks—and often all of that at once. Combine that with the mono-element bonuses encouraged by the army book, and you get a force that explodes onto the board by Round 4 and takes control. The newly updated Efreets benefit enormously: fast, aggressive, and with potential Cleave, they’ve become real melee threats. That said, many of the old weaknesses technically still exist. The faction remains heavily reliant on its Mages, who are both the core of the Rituals and the main buff engines. Losing one is devastating—but often avoidable through clever positioning. Early game also remains shaky, due to a lack of fast Lights. An opponent who pressures early and isolates the Mages can still win. The problem? That’s easier said than done. In practice, this results in a very one-dimensional—but currently extremely effective—playstyle: three Mages, full Fire, Efreets, Flamecasters, Juggernauth—go. Wind, Rajakur, Sardar, hybrid lists—they’re not bad, but they’ve vanished from the meta because they just don’t matter right now. The Sorcerer Kings aren’t playing a flexible game—but they are playing a brutal one. And right now, they’re winning a lot of games, simply because they do too much at once. That will change—once the meta adapts or Fire rituals get nerfed (and they will). But until then, alongside Yoroni, this is the faction to beat. Yoroni – S TierThe Yoroni burst into the game with full force, bypassing the usual growing pains of a new faction. From their very first release wave, they’re a fully operational S-tier army, equipped with a toolkit that doesn’t just keep up with the current meta—it dominates it outright. Their Light regiments are among the best in the game, not only enabling early board presence but also scoring with characters—granting a level of scenario flexibility that few factions can match. Combined with reliable Flank access and a Fluid Formation Supremacy, this makes for a faction that rewards clean planning and tactical foresight. Once you’ve mastered the deck mechanic, you can begin dictating the tempo of the game as early as Round 2. Tengu, with their absurd movement and threat projection (Fu + Vanguard lets them fly 20" onto the table), and strong offensive profiles, are easily 10% too cheap for what they do. The Bushi obliterate knights on 1s and 2s, and the ranged units function like flying chariots—both incredibly frustrating to deal with. Defensively, the faction is no slouch either. The Kami block is an unbreakable fortress: huge wound pools, Tenacious (2) with Character, Indomitable (2), and Evasion (2). Add in the spider (still Medium for now) that heals them and pushes them to Defense 4, and you’ve got a late-game anchor that reliably secures central objectives with ease. And it doesn’t stop there—almost every unit has relevant output, whether through movement, sheer volume of attacks, or synergistic effects. But most critically, Yoroni consistently force tough choices on their opponents. What do you take out first? The Light controllers? The fast birds with high output? The indestructible Kami block? Or the cheap characters who are scoring right now? Almost every answer feels wrong—and Yoroni always have the tools to flexibly adapt, especially because they subvert the basic assumptions of the deck mechanic. Simply put, the faction lacks meaningful weaknesses—or rather, their weaknesses are so minor that smart list construction and deck planning can completely negate them. And judging by the models and mechanics yet to be released, there's no sign of them slowing down. Right now, very few factions can keep up with this combination of speed, efficiency, and flexibility. The Yoroni aren’t just strong—they’re setting the bar. | |||