need help making a Harlequin army.

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**JohnnoM**

I was thinking of making a fluffy type army for Harlequins. I was wondering how I could go about doing this, and how to make that
a) the army doesn't all look at same
b) is playable?

ideas?

Thanks!

**ShadarLogoth**

Eldar or Dark Eldar?

**JohnnoM**

doesnt really matter, but normal Eldar probably.

**InquisitorVaron**

I played against an anoying one that had that shroud thing.
If you can't shoot them dead then they're going to rip you to shreads :(

**GimlisonofGloin**

Check out this guys harlie army, its fluffly and has won about 75% of its games.

Link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5hcjZodqa4&list=PLA192750D25034DC6&index=6&feature=plpp_video

**chewielight**

I use the exact same list and have done very well with it. Its a VERY unforgiving army to play and be prepared to lose a lot until you learn distances well.

As a matter of fact I have been considering take my Harley army to a major tournament. Its not uber competitive but has done well in all the others I have taken it to.

**Hollowman**

I love that army, always recommend checking him out to new players interested in harlies. I win with it pretty regularly.

That said, it might be worth waiting until 6th drops to buy up all those models. Changes to cover, or a percentage based FoC, or some other change no one has thought of, might all make that particular list obsolete or at least require some major tweaks - I think small changes can hit such a specialized list pretty hard. Hopefully it doesn't though!

**Iranna**

I had quite a prolonged PM exchange between another member regarding this, I'll give you all the same advice (He wanted an Alaitoc army, but it is a Harlequin army):

Iranna wrote: As I'm sure you know, it is very difficult to play competitively with a thematic list, especially for Eldar due to the price of our units. However, you've picked perhaps one of the easiest Craftworlds to form a list around due to it's rather 'general' approach to signature units. Basically, it's not like Saim-Hann which necessitates Jetbikes nor is it like Ulthwé which requires a Seer Council to be thematic.

Reading over the Alaitoc fluff, your 2 thematic units are Pathfinders and to a lesser extent, Harlequins. Unfortunately, I can't comment on Void Dragon Corsairs because I know very little about them and their playstyle.

Here's a list that may catch your fancy:

1. Farseer - 140pts.
w/ Runes of witnessing, Spirit stones, Fortune, Doom.

2. Farseer - 140prs.
w/ Runes of witnessing, Spirit stones, Fortune, Doom.

3. Harlequin Troupe - 286pts.
w/ 10 members, Shadowseer, Troupe Master, 10x Harlequin Kisses, 2 Fusion pistols.

4. Harlequin Troupe - 286pts.
w/ 10 members, Shadowseer, Troupe Master, 10x Harlequin Kisses, 2 Fusion pistols.

5. Harlequin Troupe - 286pts.
w/ 10 members, Shadowseer, Troupe Master, 10x Harlequin Kisses, 2 Fusion pistols.

6. Ranger Squad - 120pts.
w/ 5 Pathfinders

7. Ranger Squad - 120pts.
w/ 5 Pathfinders

8. Ranger Squad - 120pts.
w/ 5 Pathfinders

9. Fire Prism - 160pts.
w/ Holo-fields, Spirit stones

10. Fire Prism - 160pts.
w/ Holo-fields, Spirit stones

11. Nightspinner - 160pts. ( Rules can be downloaded here, however, there is a typo it should read "Large Blast" not Blast:http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?aId=15100016a)
w/ Holo-fields, Spirit stones

Total = 1978pts.

Now, this list is very... tricky to use, to say the least. You have a very small Margin of Error, meaning that you need to be on form the whole game. Here's a guy who runes a similar list, you can check him out and see if you can pick up any of his tactics as he is quite knowledgeable when it comes to Harlequins:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA192750D25034DC6&feature=plcp

You really don't need to camp with the Harlequins, thanks to the Shadowseer's Veil of Tears power. The trick with them is, goading your opponent to come forward to get into the Harlequin's charge range (anywhere from 13-18" with Fleet). Alternatively, you can use the fusion pistols on a transport and assault the contents; you must be careful however, because you can't doom things in a transport so you'll have to rely on Volume of Attacks over Rending in this instance.

Yes, this list is all about you manipulating your opponent (very Eldarish I would say ) Use the Nightspinner to bog down things such as Paladins and Nob Bikers etc and because it's a Twin-Linked barrage, you can hide it out of LOS and just plink away with it. With those opponents slowed, you can advance your Harlequins up until they're able to swamp whatever it is.

also, don't worry if you have to throw 2 or even 3 groups of Harlequins at something like a Paladinstar or an equally hard unit; veil of tears will keep you relatively safe from return fire and fortune with keep them going. Just remember to keep the Farseers neer the back so that they can't get singled out!

Yup, Wraithlords work quite well; the only problem being Wraithsight. If you're confident you won't fail it then sure, Wraithlords can fill that gap quite well. As for War Walkers, they really need guide to be one of those "omfgwtfbbq" units; without a Farseer babysitting them, in my opinion, they arn't worth the cost.

Like I said, the list is very difficult to master; you need to be on form with your guess-ranging for assaulting and you also need to be good at manipulating assault results to favour yourself. When you do get this list to work, it should roll over most opponents; not much can take a Harlequin charge and survive!

The list works best with what I call "dual elf magic"; i.e double fortune on 2 Harlequin groups. However, if you were wanting to use Scatter Walkers there are a couple of things you could do:

1. Outflank them and try and get your Farseers in place for Guide-support next turn.

2. Babysit them with a basic Guideseer in the back. If you do do this I would highly recommend switching the other Farseer with Eldrad. Yes, the Harlequins he is with will lose their ability to fleet however, Eldrad can pump out 2 Fortunes and a Doom a turn for Harlequins.

Iranna.

**JohnnoM**

I was looking more for a pure Harlequin army, with Harlequin HQs etc.

**Iranna**

JohnnoM wrote:I was looking more for a pure Harlequin army, with Harlequin HQs etc.

Considering there are no "Harlequin HQs", you may have some difficulty there.

Iranna.

**JohnnoM**

In the fluff there is, Cegorach's Eldar form, Solitares could be, Head troupe masters, Head Shadowseers etc.
Plus, isn't there are WD Harlequin codex?

**Hollowman**

I have my wraithlords modeled up as harlequin wraithlords, and the harlies obviously fit. Maugen-Ra could be modeled as a super Death Jester for HQ; leaving you with a few Alaitoc pathfinders as non-harlequin units... and as wanderers with ties to the harlequins, they seem to fit pretty well.

So that would be Maugen-jester as HQ, 3 full harlequin units (with jesters!), 3 wraithlords and 2 pathfinders. That's a solid list with a good track record. At 2k I also use Eldrad, but that's a lot harder to work into the fluff.

In the original list harlies have jetbikes, so maybe some harlie jetbikes in reserve could round out the list and steal objectives late-game, but I wouldn't count on them surviving. Not having a farseer will hurt, but it's doable.

**JohnnoM**

would these units need transports?

**BlapBlapBlap**

Get the DE Codex. Wyches as Harlequins. Succubus as Harlie HQ. Anything in between for filler.

**Arkon**

If you want a total Harlequin army, you might want to go here.

**Hollowman**

JohnnoM wrote:would these units need transports?

No - the idea of that particular list is to force the enemy to come to you, and pounce onto them as they approach. Basically you have Harlequins (can't be targeted until within assault range due to veil of tears), pathfinders (2+ cover save), and wraithlords (ideally in cover for a 3+/4+ cover save, 3 wound, toughness 8 model - very tough to kill, immune to small arms fire). Put your IC's into harly squads and they also benefit from Veil of Tears. A farseer can give Wraithlords or Pathfinders re-rolled cover saves, to make the enemy shooting phase even more frustrating.

Meanwhile you are popping transports with death jesters, Maugen Ra and wraithlords. Hit MC's or just annoy the enemy with pathfinders. There is essentially nothing for them to shoot while you pepper them with shots, and sooner or later they will get frustrated and come to you. At that point your harlies come into their own, charging through cover and slaughtering units, bouncing away from anything they can't kill in one shot with hit and run. Your zone becomes a killing field for the harlies. The key is getting down distances - you need to be able to play right on the line where the jesters can shoot without the enemy getting past veil of tears, and then you need to be good at judging when to position your harlies for the assault, and when to back off and hide them to avoid being shot. Always stick to cover, since it slows the enemy and harlies ignore it - plus it gives that 4+ save. As said elsewhere, you will lose until you get distances down, and it will take a few games (misjudge one inch, get rapid fired, and lose an almost 300 point unit in one turn. whee!). Practice on your own. Once you get it down, it is almost certainly the best use of harlies out there.

Anyways, transports go against the whole idea - it is easy to kill a transport at range, and you are not trying to go to the enemy, you are trying to make him come to you, where you have the advantage. Beyond that, being in an exploded transport is a good way to lose half a unit of harlies or pathfinders in one go.

**dæl**

You should check out this thread, it is not my work (I Wish)

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?284691-Speedfreek-s-Harlequinade-Macabre-Dark-Eldar-WIP&highlight=harlequins

**wuestenfux**

GimlisonofGloin wrote:Check out this guys harlie army, its fluffly and has won about 75% of its games.

Link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5hcjZodqa4&list=PLA192750D25034DC6&index=6&feature=plpp_video

Eldrad
2nd Farseer or Maugan Ra

3x 10 Harlies

Pathfinder units (numbers vary on pt size)

3x Wraithlord

Well, not really impressed by this list. Too many issues. The world is mech, today. Tank shocking is an issue this army hardly can counter. Once, the Harlies are close they get blasted away.

**JohnnoM**

How hard is it to paint harlequins well?

**wuestenfux**

Well, I'd consider a paint scheme (colorful please) different from that of GW. It almost needs a Golden Daemon winner to paint them well with all those tiny checks.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
The above player of the Harlie army (at youtube) normally lets his Harlies to stay back and bring the enemy forward shooting him with 3 Wraithlords (with eml's and brightlances) in cover and a set of Pathfinders.
Generally, against a mech army, this fire power will hardly be enough.
Wraithlords need fortune (if in cover) and guide (for increased BS).

**DX Nin**

Harlies don't have much by way of HS... Wraithlords are a somewhat proactive solution especially with brightlances and EMLs. An alternative might be to bite the bullet and fluff up your list with Corsair HS and FA options. You'd be going a bit more mech and to field it legally you'd hafta swap out the rangers for corsairs but with EMLs you can still be a pinning troll although you won't have the benefit of rending.

Anyway under these circumstances, wasps and hornets would be fieldable (more EML/ShuriCannon/SL spam.. Or even Pulse Laser!). Not to mention the beautiful Nightspinner (more pinning and forces dif/danger terrain tests making them think twice about moving)... And the Prince can give you night fighting for your whole army for a turn. Then you paint everything Harly style and demand that everyone bow down to your superior speed and pinning spam and while the backs of their necks are exposed, you lightly brush their hackles with the Harly's Kiss and they get to live forever and eat cake.

Ahem..

Anyway you get the idea.

**wuestenfux**

In fact, Wasps and Hornets would be decent add-ons to a Harlie army.

**Hollowman**

wuestenfux wrote:
Eldrad
2nd Farseer or Maugan Ra

3x 10 Harlies

Pathfinder units (numbers vary on pt size)

3x Wraithlord

Well, not really impressed by this list. Too many issues. The world is mech, today. Tank shocking is an issue this army hardly can counter. Once, the Harlies are close they get blasted away.

I play that list - well, with Maugen-Ra as well at 2k. I've never had too much trouble with most mech - between the wraithlords, jesters, and Mauggy rhino/razors evaporate pretty fast, and they can't shoot back for the first few rounds even if they do want to get close. When they are close, harlies are more maneuverable and can take them apart with rends... but really, I can't recall the last time I had to assault a vehicle with harlies. Against Marines, pod armies are a worry, mech is a medium to low threat enemy.

IG chimera spam is a bit tougher, being AV12 base - but the units available can handle it, mostly because guard are not built to rush up close. Necron AV13 spam, though, is a really tough match up. It really all comes down to your wraithlords in that instance, since most of your anti-tank is strength 6 and can't do anything to AV13.

**wuestenfux**

Well, mech Eldar based on Serpents would also be tough for a Harlie army. Serpents could get into range almost unhindered Wraithlords are downed by Fire Dragons and Harlies are shot to pieces by scatter lasers and shuricannons. Finally, Pathfinders will be assaulted by small DA units.

**revackey**

I've been playing a Harlequin army lately with some good success.

First game I face a Battlewagon rush, I was able to immobilize his BW's to hinder his mobility, only one got through unscaved, and I pulled back and fed them a pathfinder squad (That was the only target they could hit). I then murdered the mob with two Harlequin units. The Pathfinders were great at pinning the lootas and picking them as well. The rest of his army came in on foot which was easily countered by 3 wraithlords with flamers, along with Harlequins. I ended up winning 6-1 in KP's.

Second game was against a Crimson Fist Player, he had one big squad of sternguard which combat squadded into a Devastators/Their Rhino. Then two small Sternguard Squads with Lascannons. His shooting was ineffective, and I was able to pick off his Rhinos slowly since they only move 12". I ended up winning 1-0 in Capture and control (Thanks to GJB)

I feel like this list does well vs a lot of armies, but is extremely weak against some, Mechdar and Wych Cults standing out. I like it though. I would describe more but I ran out of time!

**JohnnoM**

Hmm, it seems more and more like this army could be very interesting to play. Tell me, do I have to use the GW Wraithlords, or is there a cheaper option?

**Hollowman**

Well that's up to your opponent - you could use soda cans as wraithlords if the guy you are playing is fine with it.

if you want to play in GW stores or tournaments though, it'll probably have to be a GW wraithlord.