Vae Victis – 19th September 2026
Vae Victis returns for 2026 and a new edition of the game. In keeping with previous years, smaller armies encourage quick games, perfect for getting a handle on the new edition or a new army.
The Essentials
| System | Warhammer 40k 11th Edition |
| Tickets | Tickets are available to purchase here £20 per ticket |
| Location | Bristol Independent Gaming (BIG) 16 Cater Road, Bristol, BS13 7TW Please note, no outside food and drink is permitted within the venue. https://www.bristolindependentgaming.co.uk/ |
| Battle size | 700 points |
| Mission types | TBC |
| Terrain | A mixture of our terrain to balance |
| Rules Cut off date | Saturday 12th September |
| List submission | Saturday 12th September |
| 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 2026-27 Mission cards, Tabletop Battles App or official GW 40k App |
| Tournament awards | Our traditional Vanguard Bear Trophies will be on offer for: * 1st Place * 2nd Place * 3rd Place * Most Sporting * Wooden Spoon * Best Painted Army – Public vote * Best Overall – combination of sporting/painting votes and placing * Middlest Player * Best Newcomer * Best in Faction Imperium/Chaos/Xenos |
Event Schedule
19th September 2026
| Start | End | Activity |
| 9:00 | 9:15 | Arrival and Registration |
| 9:15 | 9:30 | Event Briefing |
| 9:30 | 11:00 | Game 1 – Mission TBC |
| 11:15 | 12:45 | Game 2 – Mission TBC |
| 12:45 | 13:45 | Lunch and Painting Competition |
| 14:00 | 15:30 | Game 3 – Mission TBC |
| 15:45 | 17:15 | Game 4 – Mission TBC |
| 17:30 | 19:00 | Game 5 – Mission TBC |
| 19:00 | 19:20 | Awards and wrap up |
Army Composition
Armies are to consist of 700 points, using the latest points from the Munitorum Field Manual as of 12/9/2026. The event will use the army building rules for Incursion sized battles (which can be found in section 25 of the Core Rules in the official app), with the following additions:
- No models with a Toughness characteristic greater than 11
- No models with a Wounds characteristic greater than 14
- No one unit may cost more than 200 points (note that this includes enhancements and/or upgrades, but leader and support units will be counted separately)
- A maximum of one Epic Hero
A Note On Missions
The edition has only just landed and dispositions have added a whole new dimension to list building, primary missions, and terrain layouts. In previous years, Vae Victis has used Matched Play rules scaled down to a half sized board (44″ * 30″). As the new missions also dictate terrain layouts with specific terrain dimensions, this is no longer simple. We feel that being on the smaller board is key to the identity of Vae Victis. At the moment we are considering a few options, including but not exclusive to:
- taking inspiration from the Combat Patrol format
- fixed missions drawn from the 15 available
- fixed missions in the style of previous editions
The usual tactical secondary cards will be in use. A draft full mission pack will be available no later than the 12th of August, and then finalised on the 19th after an opportunity for feedback. Our aim is to encourage diverse, balanced lists over spam, which you should bear in mind when finalising your list.
Army Modelling and Painting Requirements
All players should attempt to have their forces painted to a Battle Ready standard. Those that are not considered fully Battle Ready will not gain the 10 Victory Points for it at the beginning of the battle.
Key considerations FOR CONVERSIONS AND PROXY MODELS are:
- Conversions should be of an appropriate size for the rules used (i.e. not using a Rhino chassis for a Land Raider)
- Base size should be those detailed in the Base Size Guide found in the latest Chapter Approved Tournament Companion
- Weapons modelled should be consistent in appearance (i.e. all lascannons should look the same) across the army.
If in any doubt or if your army is highly converted, and to avoid any potential issues at the time of the event, please email the club with any questions and pictures of examples ahead of the event, so the event organiser can provide a ruling .
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