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So, I'd like to buy some harlequins and the new book to make a neat little band of merry space- elf murder clowns for small games (under 1000). As I normally do when I start thinking about buying a new army, I check out as much as I can on Battlescribe before I invest in the new book, but I can't tell if the files are glitched or I missed something. I only get error messages unless I fill out every slot in the Masque FOC. What's that all about?

Also, my painting skills are up to par, but not great, and I only ever paint with brushes and spray- prime; I understand that this is a painter's army and want to do the models justice. Can someone give me a candid run- down of the skill level and techniques required to paint them adequately?

I also am a bit lost on what to build an army out of; should I take three troupes? they look like the bread and butter of the book, but from what I can tell, they get expensive, and it seems to me that Harlequin jet bikes are one of those gems where the point- cost and not the actual cost of the models will prevent needing to buy a lot of them. And then, there is the elites section of the book. The solitaire seems like the obvious choice to me, but only because I like glass cannons. What do the death jester and shadowseer bring to the table?

As I said at the beginning of this post, I intend to use my harlequins in small games because I want to use them, but am not keen on also buying 2000 points of normal Eldar to field them in large games. Has anyone had the time to playtest them in this capacity?

Thank you, fellow dakkanaughts!

Playtested them with a 20/80 mix of real models and proxy (have other projects that takes priority) and so far, it's fun but holy gak is it restrictive. You don't realize how restrive list building is, until you find out that you need to think of many strange and alternative ways to shoehorn in units or upgrades. I played the big formation (the one that lets you reroll 1's and charge after run moves, after turn 2) + dark Eldar allies, with succubus + armour of misery and WWP and 9 reavers with maxed caltrops.
The storied sword is worthless. Gegorach's rose is not bad but still expensive. The starmist raiment is my favorite item, mostly because it looked worthless to me on paper, until I realize that if you put it on a 2W model (who will run 90% of the time anyway) and you get a 3++, re-rolling 1's, that's actually quite decent.

For under 1000 points though? Sheesh! This brings us back to one of my first points: restriction.
Try using the serpent's brood formation. That's 3 troupes, with their dedicated transport each, 2 units of skyweavers and 1 unit of voidweavers. The bare minimum will cost you 770 points, which will leave you with 230 points for extra options.

Worst FOC idea ever. Been playing unbound at small points at the moment.

Models are amazing. They arent too bad to play either.

Just the fact that you must obey the formations or go unbound really sucks.

The army only really functions when used with the formations.

Personally I really just hate the concept of formations as they're currently implemented (free special rules and abilities for zero additional points cost), so that turns me off, strictly speaking to myself.

Additionally, formations/detachments are often restricted at many events, further hamstringing the Harlequins capabilities.

I think overall they're very similar to Dark Eldar, they're very good at engaging the big scary type things, and really bad at dealing with large volumes of mid-strength shooting. I'd expect them to do very well against things like Grey Knights, Nidzilla, Daemons, etc, and very poorly against Tau and IG. The three or so games I've seen with them thus far seems to confirm that.

So, in order to use the masque, I would need to take 3 troupes, 2 units of bikes and the big flyer? I can't actually take a mix of some models and not others?

They are formations, to to take the masque you MUST take all the options listed.

Only way around this is unbound or take a different formation.

I love the rules, the look, the effect they would have on the tabletop and how amazing fly they would mesh with my specific Eldar/Dark Eldar list but the required units just makes it worthless to me. Too many Troupes when all I want is one, a Solitaire and some Voidweavers. Huge let down that I'd have to use Unbound or just not play my Eldar/Dark Eldar since I play more 1250 than 2000pt games. The Harlequins almost define 'monobuild' with their stupidly strict requirements.

They are restrictive, but their bane is actually small arms fire. I've had 6 games with them so far, and it's only when I am I charge range that they start to fall down. The primaris power for the phantasmancy discipline should keep you safe until you get within 18" after that, you he their clean house, or start getting shot to pieces.

They play differently than my other melee armies( Orks and spacewolves) because they don't wan them all bunched up towards the center of the table, they want to spread out near the edges. It limits return fire, and the deathjester's ability to make people run any direction is so good for clearing away support elements that would be a danger to your harlis when they get done kicking in some poor saps teeth, or even just scaring them off the board!

Just had my first game using them yesterday, and I'm quite happy with them. They're fast and full of surprises, but you need to figure out ahead of time how you're going to get them where you need them. Shadowseers are pretty essential.

If you want to play them as their own force at under 1,000 points, you're going to have a bit of trouble. Between the upgrades you'll be wanting for your troupers and the importance of their elites, you'll probably want to be playing at least 1250. My game yesterday was 1500, and I was still wishing I had a few hundred more points to play with.

Keep in mind, however, that harlequins make fantastic allies for their fellow eldar or even for tau. If you buy a solitaire, shadowseer, and death jester, you can sprinkle in some harlequin goodness for about 250 to 300 points. If you go with the Cast of Players formation (death jester, seer, and a single troupe), you can bring a smallish force of harlies to help out your eldar and dark kin friends. If you like the bikes, Cegorach's Jest isn't a bad way to go either.

I've tried them and see zero reasons to spend the points on them over serpents, WK and war walkers. They're fragile and great at close combat, last I checked that isn't a great combination of attributes in this edition.

It is all fine and dandy outside if 24" with Veil, but as soon as they get into rapid fire range, it is done. With only a 5++ and T3, you can count on at least one dying if you charge a 10man Tac squad. If you charge around 20 boys, you might as well take them of the table. They handle Elite units just fine but veil is no guarantee, neither is getting that reversed invisibility.
My bet goes on Telepathy. Shrouded is awesome, Invisibility is awesome and their negative Ld modifiers work great with Terrify and Scream.
I consider Coven to be great allies. All units have 12" -1Ld modifier and Grotesques in boosting Raiders make a great distraction and way to eat Overwatch.

 Vaktathi wrote:


Personally I really just hate the concept of formations as they're currently implemented (free special rules and abilities for zero additional points cost), so that turns me off, strictly speaking to myself.

You do realize that every detachment (including CADs) also give free special rules for zero additional points cost right?

 CrownAxe wrote:

 Vaktathi wrote:


Personally I really just hate the concept of formations as they're currently implemented (free special rules and abilities for zero additional points cost), so that turns me off, strictly speaking to myself.

You do realize that every detachment (including CADs) also give free special rules for zero additional points cost right?

Yes.... the same rules as everyone else gets... Unlike formations were eldar have near none (a WraithConstruct one?) and then Necrons have a bunch etc. Bound armies getting rerollable warlord traits and objective secured FOR EVERYONE is pretty fair, rather than various formations of varying goodness and size etc.

Eldar are a 6th ed book though when the formations were still coming soon. You also sacrifice obsec and reroll traits when you run formations or race specific detachments in most cases.

The formations are rediculous.

If you want a bound Troupe in a Star Weaver, you need an Voidwaver and a unit of Skyweavers. And can't give them a SS or DJ unless you add 2 more Troupes. Wth.

You can take a Troupe without those, but must take both SS and DJ, which are then part of that unit all game. So, 7 bodies. Can't hop in a Starweaver.

And, iirc, you simply can't take Skyweavers at all while bound, without taking at least one Voidweaver.

I really hope that this and the Decurion are just things they're trying and they back off. But it fits their overarching pattern too well. We aren't allowed to make an army. We can only field one of their pre-mades. Forge *A* naritive? Nope, forge *the* narrative or gtfo.

I really hope that changes.

(I've got Falchu's Jest and Path of Heroes ready for tonight! Can't wait!)

Bharring wrote:
The formations are rediculous.

If you want a bound Troupe in a Star Weaver, you need an Voidwaver and a unit of Skyweavers. And can't give them a SS or DJ unless you add 2 more Troupes. Wth.

You can take a Troupe without those, but must take both SS and DJ, which are then part of that unit all game. So, 7 bodies. Can't hop in a Starweaver.

And, iirc, you simply can't take Skyweavers at all while bound, without taking at least one Voidweaver.

You're sort of right. If you want a bound troupe in a star weaver, you do need a single void weaver, but not skyweavers. Starweavers are FA options as well as dedicated transport options, so taking two star weavers satisfies the requirements of the Masque detachment. You can't do this detachment without adding two more troupes, sure, but if you're using the masque, it's probably because you like harlequins and want to use more than a single squad of them. Other formations let you take a more limited number of bodies.

As you say, you can take a single unit of troupers with a shadowseer and death jester as a formation. This is close to how harlequins appear in the eldar codex and the old dark eldar codex. It is too large a squad to stick in a starweaver, but this formation is specifically intended for use with craftworlders or dark eldar. Which means you can stick them in the wave serpent someone else isn't using or in that raider you took as a fast attack option.

In regards to their survivability, small arms fire is their biggest weakness, but it isn't necessarily a death sentence. Sure, the veil stops being especially protective once you close the gap, but then dance of shadows can give you a 2+ cover save if you're in ruins. Remember, you aren't slowed by terrain at all thanks to your flip belts. Anything that ignores cover is pretty scary though, and I see Tau being the hardest counter to harlies. I'm also thinking of having a shadowseer or two roll on sanctic for a chance at sanctuary. Hammer hand, gate of infinity, and vortex of doom wouldn't be terrible ones to grab either.

Perilling on any doubles is scary. But at least the Seer has more than one wound now.

(Masque requires FA, but many formations explicitly require Skyweavers, not just FA. I really like my Skyweavers, much more than my Voidweaver, so its less of an issue.)

From pure reading, it was clear to me that this army was a nice fluffy addition, an improvement for the Harlequins, but nothing usable for competitive play.

I'm waiting to be proved wrong though, but if anything ever works out, it'll be some really dirty combo with either or both of the battle brothers.

 Swastakowey wrote:

 CrownAxe wrote:

 Vaktathi wrote:


Personally I really just hate the concept of formations as they're currently implemented (free special rules and abilities for zero additional points cost), so that turns me off, strictly speaking to myself.

You do realize that every detachment (including CADs) also give free special rules for zero additional points cost right?

Bound armies getting rerollable warlord traits and objective secured FOR EVERYONE is pretty fair

That's not a bonus for bound armies. That a bonus for using a Combined Arms Detachment. A army of all formations is also a bound army.

I think this army is going to infuriate a lot of the "competitive" armies in the game. With their primaris, the sheer amount of warp charges, and weapons that cause wounds on successful HITS your long range, hyper tough, high strength, and low ap units are wasted points against harlis.

The answer to minimum objective secured and msu armies in general is the solitaire. Caresses in a 6 man unit can possibly drop an imperial knight in one go, while having the same survivablity to its retaliation as terminators! Not to mention the ability to run and assault on the same turn from an open topped transport that can (turn one) give itself a 4+ invulnerable save means you should have no problem getting into combat turn two.


In short, these guys are going to be treacherous.