Vanquish is the flagship “GT” run by Bristol Vanguard each year, the event pairs a competitive GT with optional bounties, to reward those players who enjoy taking a side quest, ensuring that everyone has something to play for throughout all 5 rounds.
This year we shall be using the Vanguard terrain suitably based and adjusted to align with the GW maps from the Chapter Approved Tournament Companion.
Vanquish is one of the longest (if not longest) continuously run Warhammer 40k event in the UK and one we as a club a rightly proud of.
The Essentials
| System | Warhammer 40k 10th Edition |
| Tickets | £35 Ticket sales link |
| Location | Bristol Independent Gaming (BIG) 16 Cater Road, Bristol, BS13 7TW Please note, no outside food and drink is permitted within the venue. BIG link |
| Battle size | 2,000 pts Strike Force Matched Play |
| Mission types | Chapter Approved 2025-2026 |
| Terrain | GW terrain layouts, but using Vanguard terrain sets to make beautiful tables. |
| Rules Cut off date | Midnight Saturday 1 week before the event 4th April 2026 |
| List submission | List submissions on BCP by midnight 4th April 2026 https://www.bestcoastpairings.com/event/DHA6EsClt1KU |
| What to bring | * Your Dice * Dice * Tape measure * Objective markers * All relevant rule publications – if you are relying on digital rules please ensure you have enough charge to last the day. * Tablet or phone to run the Best Coast Pairings app * Chapter Approved 2025-2026 Mission cards or Tabletop Battles App |
| Tournament awards | Our traditional Vanguard Bear Trophies will be on offer for: 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place Wooden Spoon Most Sporting Bounty Awards: The Vanquisher – Highest Overall Bounty Total The Vindictive – Highest Bounty Total in One Category Painting Awards – by public vote except for Judges Choice: Hero 1st Place Hero 2nd Place Open 1st Place Open 2nd Place Best Army 1st Place Best Army 2nd Place Best Army Judges Choice |
Event Schedule
11th & 12th April 2026
| Day 1 Start | End | Activity |
| 9:00 | 9:20 | Arrival and Registration |
| 9:20 | 09:30 | Event Briefing |
| 09:30 | 12:30 | Game 1: Hidden Supplies – Crucible of Battle (GW Terrain layout 1) |
| 12:30 | 13:20 | Lunch Painting Competitions |
| 13:20 | 16:20 | Game 2 – Linchpin – Search and Destroy (GW Terrain layout 1) |
| 16:20 | 1630 | Break |
| 16:30 | 19:30 | Game 3 – Scorched Earth – Crucible of Battle (GW Terrain layout 1) |
| Day 2 Start | End | Activity |
| 09:30 | 09:50 | Arrival and Registration |
| 09:50 | 10:00 | Day 2 briefing |
| 10:00 | 13:00 | Game 4: Terraform – Sweeping Engagement (GW Terrain layout 5) |
| 13:00 | 14:00 | Lunch and Best Army competition |
| 14:00 | 17:00 | Game 5: Purge the Foe – Dawn of War (GW Terrain layout 5) |
| 17:00 | 17:15 | break and TO calculation time |
| 17:15 | 17:30 | Results and Awards |
Army Composition
- 2000 points limit
- In accordance with the latest Warhammer 40k Matched Play rules (10th Edition).
- Chapter Approved Mission Rules (or Latest Grand Tournament Pack) and Strike Force army construction rules.
- Note that any published (general release) codexes, supplements, dataslates, white dwarf content, FAQ documents that are available prior to 4th April 2026 will be legal for this event.
- Legends units are not permitted
- Units from Imperial Armour supplements (formerly know as Forgeworld units) are permitted
Army Modelling and Painting Requirements
All armies entering Vanquish should be fully assembled, appropriately based and with their chosen wargear appropriately modelled. Full WYSIWG is not required but any differences within a unit should be clearly identifiable and not confusing to a reasonable opponent. If unsure whether a model is acceptable or not, please contact the club before the event.
All players should attempt to have their forces painted to a “Battle Ready” standard. Those that are not fully painted will lose 10VP each game from the mission objectives. Any questions over whether a model is fully painted should be referred to a TO on the day. As a competitive focused event this will be strictly enforced.
Extensively converted or kit bashed units or even armies are welcome, and can be very cool, but it should always be clear to your opponent what the unit and wargear is intended to be. Conversions should be of an appropriate size for the rules used (i.e. not using a Rhino conversion as a Land Raider) and consistent in appearance (i.e. all lascannons should look the same) across the army. If in doubt, or if your army is highly converted, please email the club some photos ahead of the event.
Missions
All five Missions are taken from the latest Grand Tournament Pack. Currently assumed to be the Chapter Approved Mission pack. The current plan is given below but may be subject to change in response to FAQs/Dataslates etc. Any such changes will be communicated vie the Facebook event page and club discord. The final mission selection will be shared via email one week ahead of list submission:
- Game 1 – Hidden Supplies – Crucible of Battle (GW Terrain layout 1)
- Game 2 – Linchpin – Search & Destroy (GW Terrain Layout 1)
- Game 3 – Scorched Earth – Crucible of Battle (GW Terrain Layout 1)
- Game 4 – Terraform – Sweeping Engagement (GW Terrain Layout 5)
- Game 5 – Purge the Foe – Dawn of War (GW Terrain Layout 5)
The 10 Victory Points award for “battle ready armies” is in use for all games. If there is any doubt about whether an army meets that standard, please consult with the TO whose ruling is final.
Vanquished Bounties
In addition to the standard GT mission rules players may compete in a bounty competition. This is purely optional.
- Bounties are generated before each game by selecting two different categories listed on your score sheet.
- At the end of the game tally up the number of opponent’s units destroyed that game which meet the selected category.
- Have your opponent sign the scored tally at the end f the game.
- You may select each category only once across the weekend.
- Across the weekend you may play your joker in one game, if you do so you may select a single category you’ve already picked in previous games.
- At the end of the weekend tally up your totals and return your score sheet to the TO.
The score sheet will hold 12 different categories and be released after the list submission deadline.
Sportsmanship Scoring
At the end of the weekend, you will be asked to identify the most and second most sporting opponent from your games. As part of your event pack, you will be provided with a QR code linking to sportsmanship scoring form.
A trophy will be available for best sporting. In the event of a tie from the voting the player with the lower score will be awarded the trophy.
Sportsmanship Policy
Thankfully we’ve never had issues at our events but any harassment, bullying, poor sportsmanship or unpleasant behaviour will not be tolerated. We hope that any issues would be resolved between players at the table but if you feel uncomfortable or unable to resolve issues, please inform a TO as soon as possible.
The TO will usually provide a warning and guidance on what needs changing. If this warning is not heeded, or in cases of serious deviations from expected standards of behaviour, the TO may force a player to withdraw from the event and venue. Such decisions are at the TO’s complete discretion and are final on the day
Painting Competition & Awards
The painting competition will run across Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes (display and voting).
All entries should be your own work. Please respect the time and effort other entrants have put in by refraining from submitting commissioned armies.
In addition to the traditional best army, two extra categories are available for submission and each player may make one submission per category. Unless otherwise stated, entries for these must be of your tournament army. Feel free to bring your favourite 40k miniatures from the year and submit them. Entries for Best Army must be your tournament army.
- Hero – Your WARLORD model.
- Open – Any single model – This can be any model in your collection and does not need to be in your tournament army.
If in doubt over what category a unit can be submitted to please either contact the TO beforehand via email or on the Saturday morning at registration.
Entries for the Hero and Open categories will be displayed and voted on over lunchtime of the Saturday. Best army display and voting will occur during Sunday lunch time.
The following awards are available.
- Hero 1st Place
- Hero 2nd Place
- Open 1st Place
- Open 2nd Place
- Best Army 1st Place
- Best Army 2nd Place
- Best Army Judges Choice