GBHL Masters 2026: Gaming Masters List Breakdowns (Part 2)

A look at the field heading into one of the biggest event of the GBHL calendar

With the first half of the field already broken down, it's time to turn our attention to the remaining competitors. More veterans, more dark horses, and one reigning champion to close things out.

Jamie Wiggins returns to give us his verdicts on the second half of the field:

Thomas Seccombe | Battle of Fornost

List Rating: 6/10

The second of our Toms at this event, and what a story his qualification has been. Having the South East spot snatched from his grasp towards the end of last the season, Thomas showed real character in bouncing back to secure his place through an 8th place league finish, no small achievement in a field of this quality.

Thomas has shown considerable range across his tournament career, with results including 96 points at Bertacon 2: The Great Bertle Of Our Time and 93 points at City Of Kings, alongside strong finishes at One Ring To Rule The Bubbles, March To Mordor, and Bonds of Fellowship. His list history reflects a player who has spent considerable time with the Army of the White Hand and Assault on Lothlorien setups, so the move to the Battle of Fornost represents a genuinely interesting change of direction.

Thomas has also recently become the latest player to win their first GBHL 100, and if that milestone tells us anything, it's that the ceiling for this player is high.

He'll be bringing Glorfindel and Earnur as his heavyweight pairing, with 42 models on the table but only 4 cavalry. The question, much like with David Farmer's take on the same list (spoilers!), is whether those two heroes can do enough heavy lifting to carry the army through a full day of competition.

One final note: Thomas may be seen wearing a Finland shirt on the day. I can assure you he is a proud and committed member of Team England.

"He's one of ours. Mostly."

Tom McConnell | Minas Morgul

List Rating: 8/10

Speaking of snatching the South East, our third Tom in the field is the man who did exactly that, winning last year's GBHL League Finale to claim the regional spot and finishing 7th in the overall league standings. He is also the fourth member of the Team England 2 setup from this year's Nations Cup, which tells you everything about the regard in which he is held on the international scene.

Tom's tournament record is seriously impressive, headlined by 100 points at the GBHL League Finale 2025 and 97 points at The Wolf's Lair III GBHL100, with further strong performances at Don't Be Hasty, The Lemon Cup, WAR Of The Ring, and Ardacon. His list history is a fascinating read too, spanning Depths of Moria, Moria, Minas Morgul, and Radagast's Alliance, marking him out as a player of genuine versatility.

Which makes his choice for this event all the more interesting. In what many will consider an unexpected twist, Tom has set aside his usual suspects and aligned himself with Sauron's deadliest servant: the Witch King of Angmar and his mighty host from Minas Morgul.

The list brings 52 models to the table, including the Witch King on Fell Beast, accompanied by a second Ringwraith for good measure. A double caster combination can spell absolute misery for enemy heroes, and with Orcs wounding on Courage rather than Defence, this list can punch clean through even the most stubborn shieldwall.

A bold choice, brilliantly executed. Don't be surprised to see Tom near the top of the standings come the end of day one.

Alastair King | The Black Gate Opens

List Rating: 9/10

I had to dive deep into the records to find any mention of this player. I believe he was considered quite good a few years ago.

All joking aside, Ali King needs absolutely no introduction. A former GBHL winner, ex-GBHL coordinator, a well-known name on the international scene, and a regular presence on British shores for as long as most can remember. His tournament record reflects a player at the very highest level, with 100 points at City Of Kings, 98 points at The 7th City Grand Prix, and 95 points at both One Ring To Rule The Bubbles and Ardacon: Singles. His list history is dominated by the armies of Durin's Folk, with Erebor Reclaimed and the Kingdom of Khazad-Dum featuring heavily across his recent career.

Which makes his list choice for this event genuinely surprising.

checks notes

Yes. That does indeed say The Black Gate Opens.

Ali has left the Dwarves at home and instead arrived with the super troll, backed up by a second troll and the Mouth of Sauron for good measure. Two Fight 8 monsters on the table is a problem that most lists simply do not have an answer to, and with enough supporting models to actually contest and win scenarios, this is not just a fun novelty, this is a genuinely dangerous list.

The one question that hangs over the whole thing is how Ali will cope with being limited to 6 inches of movement per turn. For a player accustomed to the nimble aggression of Dwarven forces, this could be an adjustment.

But if anyone can make it work, it's Ali King.

John Partridge | Men of the West

List Rating: 7/10

John plays this game very well for someone who insists he is just a painter. Don't let the beautiful models fool you.

His tournament record backs up the talent. A 5th place league finish last season, multiple appearances representing England, and results including 98 points at the GBHL League Finale 2025, 96 points at City Of Steel, and 95 points at Into The West 2025, with further strong finishes at One Ring To Rule The Bubbles, Heroes Of The West, and The Wolf's Lair III GBHL100. His list history is as varied as you would expect from a player of his experience, covering Depths of Moria, Halls of Thranduil, and the Army of the White Hand among others. And the models for every single one of them have undoubtedly been stunning.

For this event, John has brought Men of the West, led by King Elessar, Legolas, and Gwaihir. 34 models in total, and a list that does exactly what it needs to do. It hits hard, it has genuine board presence, and in the right hands it wins games.

Now, I will say this clearly: Gwaihir is too cheap. There. I said it.

Mirror matches against Kyle Bate and Connor Morris may create some awkward moments, but this list will win games, and John is more than capable of piloting it to a strong finish.

A quiet contender who should never be underestimated.

Connor Morris | Men of the West

List Rating: 7/10

Connor Morris is a player whose name has been one of the most talked about on the circuit over the past season, and for good reason. Despite having GBHL 100 glory seemingly snatched from his hands on a regular basis, he still managed a remarkable 4th place finish in the league. Make no mistake: a 100 win is a matter of when, not if, for this gentleman of the game.

His tournament record is outstanding, featuring 98 points at The Guardians Call To Rivendell, 97 points at the Warhammer World Grand Tournament, and 95 points at Lord Of The Imps, with further strong finishes at Of Dice And Men, Gates Of Gondolin, and City Of Kings. His list history tells a fascinating story of evolution, with Halls of Thranduil dominating his earlier results before a brief and slightly alarming flirtation with Usurpers of Edoras suggested he was branching out.

He then turned to the dark side with the White Hand of Saruman. But thankfully, Connor has found the light once more.

He will be piloting Men of the West at the Masters, though with his own distinctive twist. His heroes are mounted, giving the list a different dynamic to the other Men of the West builds in the field, and one of those mounted heroes is Gandalf the White. With only two warbands, scenarios like Maelstrom or Divide could present real challenges, but the raw power in this list is hard to ignore.

35 models and two elite heroes make for a compelling combination. Connor is a player to watch not just at this event, but throughout the entire season ahead.

Stephen Denbigh | Ugluk's Scouts

List Rating: 8/10

Our first representative of last year's GBHL podium, Stephen Denbigh is the current GBHL coordinator, a frequent event podium winner, and a man whose identity is almost entirely inseparable from one particular army.

His tournament record is exceptional, with 100 points at The Lemon Cup, 100 points at Bertacon 2: The Great Bertle Of Our Time, 98 points at Lord Of The Imps, and 97 points at Of Dice And Men, alongside strong results at The Scouring of Stirlingshire and One Does Not Simply Walk Into Steelies. His list history is, shall we say, focused. Ugluk's Scouts. Ugluk's Scouts. A brief and presumably reluctant appearance of Men of the West and Ravagers of the Shire. More Ugluk's Scouts.

He claims his favourite mission is Recon. I can't imagine why.

Stephen has, in a development that will surprise absolutely nobody, brought Ugluk's Scouts to the Masters. And he has brought a lot of them. 66 models, making the Scouts the largest army in the entire field, surpassing even Matt Light-Barnett's Usurpers.

If the right missions come up, it is genuinely difficult to bet against Stephen. The man knows this list inside and out, and 66 bodies on the table in the right scenario is a nightmare to deal with.

The most predictable pick in the field. And quite possibly one of the most dangerous for it.

Jakub Krochmal | Battle of Five Armies

List Rating: 8/10

Coming second two years in a row. Jakub Krochmal is no stranger to the pinnacle of competition, a frequent name on winners' podiums both here and abroad. What makes his achievements even more remarkable is the context: last season, Jakub brought a different list to every single GBHL 100 event he attended, and still managed a second place league finish. You can read more about that particular adventure in another blog article, but the short version is that it takes a very special kind of player to compete at that level with that kind of variety.

His tournament record reflects exactly that quality, with 100 points at One Does Not Simply Walk Into Steelies, 100 points at Gathering At The Grey Havens, 100 points at Battle Of Clydewater, and 100 points at He Eats It By The Block, alongside 98 points at Into The West 2025 and 92 points at The 7th City Grand Prix.

For the Masters, Jakub has gone with the Aussie inspired soupy delights of the Battle of Five Armies, bringing two mighty monsters to the table whilst still fielding sizeable numbers through the ranks of Lake-town Survivors. 36 models in total, including Legolas, Beorn, and Gwaihir.

I should have banned the bird.

All three of those named heroes specialise in killing enemy heroes, and if removing key pieces from the opponent's army becomes the focus of a game, Jakub has the tools to do it better than almost anyone else in the field.

Look for Jakub towards the top of the card. He's been second twice. This might finally be his year.

David Farmer | Battle of Fornost

List Rating: 8/10

THE REIGNING. DEFENDING. UNDISPUTED. GBHL CHAMPION.

Dave Farmer broke records on his way to last year's title, becoming the player with the most GBHL 100 wins in the history of the event. Four consecutive league podiums tells you everything you need to know about the calibre of player we are dealing with here. At most events, Dave is the bettor's favourite, and for very good reason.

His tournament record is frankly absurd, featuring 100 points at City Of Steel, 100 points at Battle For Greenhollow, 100 points at The Great North Rhun, 100 points at One Ring To Rule The Bubbles, 100 points at Numbers Beyond Reckoning, 100 points at Lord Of The Imps, and 100 points at The Scouring of Stirlingshire. His list history spans Men of the West, Depths of Moria, Usurpers of Edoras, Radagast's Alliance, Moria, and the Army of the White Hand. In short: Dave wins with everything.

For this event he has chosen the Battle of Fornost, bringing Glorfindel, Earnur, and 2 Rangers of the North across 48 models. It is a strong and well-constructed list, though as with Thomas Seccombe's take on a similar setup, the question remains whether the heroes can do enough heavy lifting to carry the army through a full tournament day.

Hard to bet against Dave with any list. Genuinely hard.

Sixteen incredible competitors, sixteen fascinating lists, and one trophy up for grabs. May your dice roll true. See you on the other side.