Thousand son competitive list without cultist/tzangors...

[BolterZorro]

I like the design of TS units (and also their coulour sheme). I like magnus mini. I like the sorcerers. And the Chaos armored stuff.

So, is it possible to build a competitive army with this, centered around rubic/scarabs/armorer....? (and as a bonus, daemons princes and magnus?) with the new points drops?

 

this is an open question as I'm thinking about my next army and TS is a good contender.

[Paladin777]

You can definitely make a decent army that will likely do reasonably well at even a semi-competitive environment, but against a fully competitive environment you are likely going to struggle a bit. I’m at work now, but I’ll give more later when I’m on lunch.

[WarriorFish]

I think so, especially as practically speaking struggling against the top tier stuff is what most armies do by definition Psychic powers can go a long way to helping out here - more so against weak/no psykers (a free phase in the case of the latter). It's a shooting man's game as much as it's a hordes on so Sons have that going for them as a mostly shooty army

 

However I think you may be a bit limited in options/plays if you want to tackle the more competitive games in a semi-competitive setting, but I'll let those with more experience tell you about this

[Sonoftherubric21]

While I own a 8000+ point Thousand Sons army with every option in the codex being accessible my "go-to" list is a 20-30+ Rubric list with Exalted Sorcerers (and usually Ahriman) leading it. 

 

I like the goats, but not for every game. We also have a huge plethora of big nasty engines and all the standard chaos marine tanks to look at. 

 

My vote is yes, definitely. Due to having so many spells and the ability to swap on the fly using a strategem we have incredible levels of variability in a game and turn-to-turn. Building a list centered around Rubrics just got better as they shot down in points a fair bit recently. A standard unit that used to cost 220 now costs 194. So a substantial savings on a fairly tough unit with scary guns. 

Note: Rubricae suck at melee, make note of this when designing a list. 

[Tokugawa]

Rubrics are not part of competitive 8th 40K.

 

The only work they do well, is killing marines. But every competitive list in 8th is also good at killing marines.

[Heliomanes]

I think that in discussions like these we'll have to specify what we mean by "competitive". A rubric based list can do well in local metas, and in what I'd call "semi-competitive" tournament settings - but we don't see them in the most competitive settings.

[Raven1]

Currently marines in general are not a part of the competitive meta. Their points and thier options just arent up to snuff with the other choices. Thats including all codexes loyalist and heretic. With Chapter Approved that could change but i think they will pop up as Deathwatch Veterans can for the old points cost have a 3+/3++ or codex: space marine Primaris whose players are running the specialist detachment.

 

If you want to run competitive chaos power armor DG/TS is where it is at, but certainly at a disadvantage because we currently dont have a specialist detachment...assuming they are actually useful in competitive play. LVO will probably show what is good competitively post CA2018.

 

You aren't going to make to top tables most likely, but its not an entire push over. It could deal with hordes with the inferno boltguns, but the big problem as with power armor armies is reliable anti-tank. To kill big knights or buffing characters. Another problem is LOS ignoring weapons. I think they will continue or at least in ITC with "enclosed" ruins increase in importance which means you might have to ally at least renegade guard from FW to get mortars or basilisks.

 

In short Good yes. Semi-competitive/local tournaments depending on the local meta probslably. Top tables at major tournaments still a no without allies of some sort.