How to Build a Scoring-Focused 10th Edition Army (Faction-Agnostic)

The biggest mindset shift in 10th edition, objectives are the game. Killing models is only useful if it:

• removes a scorer
• clears an objective
• denies a secondary

If your list is built around damage first, you’re working harder than you need to.

Step 1: Start with objectives, not units

Before picking units, answer these questions:

• How do I hold my home objective?

• How do I protect my expansion objective?

• How do I contest midfield objectives on turns 2–4?

• Which units can score while under pressure?

• What happens if I go second?

Write answers first. Units come later.

Step 2: Redundancy beats optimisation

Busy players don’t have time to memorise perfect lines.

Instead of: one amazing scoring unit

Take: two or three good enough scoring units
Redundancy forgives mistakes, bad dice, and fatigue.

Step 3: Mobility is more important than toughness

In 10th edition:
A fast unit that scores twice > a tough unit that scores once

Late-game movement wins more games than early damage

Prioritise:

• advance-and-score units

• deep strike or redeploy options

• small units that can flip objectives late

Step 4: Build for turn 4 and 5

Many games are decided after the flashy units are gone.

Ask yourself:

• What units will I still have on turn 4?
• Can they score without support?
• Can they survive indirect fire or chip damage?
  If the answer is “probably not”, adjust the list.

Step 5: Tech pieces — keep it simple

Tech units are useful, but:3 is a liability
Busy-player rule:
If you forget to use it in game one, it doesn’t belong in your list.

Final checklist before locking a list
Before submitting a list or printing it out, check:

✅ One tech piece is good

✅ At least 3 independent scoring units

✅ At least 1 unit that can score late game

✅ At least 1 real threat

If you tick all four, your list will perform better than most.