The LGT: Players to watch

The London Grand Tournament is almost here, and with the lists now locked in, we can start looking at some of the players who could make a serious impact this weekend.

With Mani, Ben and Ross (the current top three in the 2025/26 UKTC season) all heading to the LGT, the season finale promises to be a huge one. Could we see the three of them go head-to-head before the weekend is over?

The Faction breakdown

Adeptus Custodes lead the faction count at the LGT, with 79 players, followed by Orks on 72, Space Marines on 68 and Dark Angels on 64. With thousands of players and a huge variety of armies taking to the tables, the LGT gives us a particularly valuable look at where the meta has settled at the end of the 2025/26 season. With the new Space Marines Codex also on the way, it may be one of our last chances to see the current landscape at an event of this scale. You can read the full Faction Breakdown here.

Now lets get into the ones to watch themselves:

mani cheema - glasshammer

Still sitting No. 1 in the 2025/26 rankings, Mani Cheema heads into the LGT with the top spot firmly in his sights. His Dark Angels bring plenty of resilience and hitting power to the table, giving Mani the tools to put pressure on opponents throughout the weekend. With the season coming down to its final event, can he finish on top?

Mani's List

Detachments: Company of Hunters and Darkflight Pursuit

Samael and a Ravenwing Command Squad leading a group of Outrider Squad

Lion El'Jonson

3x Land Speeder

3x Land Speeder Vengeance

2x Nephilim Jetfighter

Ravenwing Black Knights

Scout Squad

Storm Speeder Thunderstrike

With a combination of Detachments that gives Assault to almost all of his units, we can expect a highly mobile list capable of extending its threat range considerably. This should allow Mani to apply pressure across the table and remove key units before they even get the chance to reach the Fight phase.

The list is also heavily loaded with vehicles, making it difficult for opponents to remove his key units efficiently. With plenty of Land Speeders in the army, Mani can also take advantage of their mobility to move, shoot and then reposition into a safer location, increasing their chances of surviving into the following turns.

Meanwhile, Lion El'Jonson and Sammael give Mani powerful tools for contesting key objectives. Lion's auras can support the army around important areas of the table, while Sammael's ability to Advance and Charge gives him another highly mobile threat capable of applying pressure where it is needed most.

Ben jones - Vanguard tactics

Sitting No. 2 in the 2025/26 rankings, Ben Jones heads into the LGT with his sights firmly set on the top spot. After taking part in the Manchester Summer, Ben put together another strong showing, but it wasn’t quite enough to overtake Mani Cheema in the rankings. Now, with the season coming down to its final event, his Orks give him one last opportunity to close the gap.

Ben's List

Detachment: Dread Mob, Shoota Boyz and Wreckas

Mek leading a group of 10 Flash Gitz

Mek leading a group of 5 Tankbustas

Big Mek leading a group of 5 Tankbustas

2x Big Mek Dakkarig

Big Mek in Mega Armour

Warboss

Trukk

2x Gretchin x10

2x Killa Kan x6

Kommandos x10

Unlike at Manchester, Ben is heading to the LGT with a larger number of units, bringing him closer to a true green tide across the table rather than relying on some of the bigger hitters in the Ork arsenal.

The combination of three one-point Detachments allows Ben to spread useful benefits across the army, creating strong synergies between his different units. With his infantry able to Advance and Shoot, while his Walkers can boost their Attacks, Strength or AP during the phase where Ben needs it most, the list looks capable of putting out serious firepower before the Fight phase even begins.

He also has the ability to re-roll hit rolls of 1 with his Flash Gitz and Tankbustas when targeting units on objectives, or units that are close to claiming one. This gives Ben another way to increase the efficiency of those units, helping him focus fire on key enemy threats and remove them before they can make an impact.

ross tully - secondary objective

Sitting No. 3 in the 2025/26 rankings, Ross Tully heads into the LGT with a chance to make a late push for the top spot. With Mani Cheema and Ben Jones currently ahead of him, Ross will be looking to maximise his own points while hoping his rivals leave some points on the table.

Ross's List

Detachment: Experimental Prototype Cadre and Kroot Hunting Pack

Kroot War Shaper and a Kroot Flesh Shaper Leading a group of 20 Kroot Carnivores

Kroot Flesh Shaper and a Kroot Tail Shaper Leading a group of 20 Kroot Carnivores

Darkstrider

Kroot Lone-spear

4x Kroot Carivores x10

2x Kroot Farstalkersx10

2x Kroot Houndsx5

3x Kroot Rampagers x6

3x Kroot Riders x3

Vespid Stingwings

Ross will be representing the T'au Empire at the LGT, with his army built around the Kroot. His list brings a high volume of units and models to the table, allowing this Kroot horde to occupy large portions of the board and contest Take and Hold objectives through sheer presence.

With the Kroot Hunting Pack Detachment, his Kroot can improve both their Hit rolls and Wound rolls, while also gaining tools to increase their survivability. With so many units on the table, even small defensive advantages can add up quickly, making Ross's army difficult to shift and allowing him to maintain pressure across multiple objectives throughout the game.

Didn’t make it to this tournament?

Coventry, our three-day tournament, is just around the corner. As the first UKTC event of the new season and the first tournament to feature the new Space Marines Codex, it will be one of the first opportunities to see how the competitive landscape develops after the LGT. Tickets are available now for anyone looking to get their new season underway.

📅When: October 23-25

📌Where: Sports Connexion Leisure Club

🎫Buy your ticket here

Buy yours now and secure your place!