Regular Dakkanaut
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Yes, it was Harlequin on Harlequin crime!
Game 3 had the following Objectives:
Primary Objective: Capture & Control
Secondary Objective: The Scouring
The lists:
Harlequins
Primary Detachment: Harlequin Masque
TROOPS
Troupe (9) w/ 8x SP, 8x Embrace, Haywire Grenades
- Troupe Master w/ SP, Embrace, Starmist Raiment [Warlord: Once per game 24" move]
Troupe (9) w/ 8x SP, 8x Kiss
- Troupe Master w/ Kiss, Crescendo, Haywire Grenades
Troupe (6) w/ 5x Neuro-disruptor, 5x Caress
- Troupe Master w/ ND, Storied Sword
ELITE
Shadowseer w/ ML2, Laughing God's Eye, SP [Veil of Tears, Shards of Light, Fog of Dreams]
Shadowseer w/ ML2, SP [Veil of Tears, Laugh of Sorrows, Peal of Discord]
Death Jester
FAST ATTACK
Starweaver
Skyweavers (3) w/ 3x Haywire Cannon, 2x Zephyrglaive, 1x Star Bolas
HEAVY SUPPORT
Voidweavers (3) w/ Prismatic Cannon
Formation: The Heroes' Path
Solitaire w/ Cegorach's Kiss, Haywire Grenades
Shadowseer w/ ML2, Mask of Secrets, SP [Psychic Shriek, Invisibility, Hallucinations]
Death Jester
Harlequins/Eldar
Primary Detachment: Cegorach's Revenge
Troupe (5) w/ 4x SP, 4x Caress, Starmist Raiment
- Troupe Master w/ SP, Caress [warlord: 4++]
2x Troupe (5) w/ 4x SP, 4x Caress
- Troupe Master w/ SP, Caress
Skyweavers (2) w/ 2x Haywire Cannon, 2x Star Bolas
Skyweavers (2) w/ 2x Shuriken Cannon, 2x Star Bolas
Solitaire
Shadowseer w/ ML2, SP, Mask of Secrets [Veil of Tears, Laugh of Sorrows, Peal of Discord]
2x Shadowseer w/ ML2 [Veil of Tears, Laugh of Sorrows, Peal of Discord; Veil of Tears, Laugh of Sorrows, Fog of Dreams]
3x Death Jester
Voidweaver w/ Prismatic Cannon
Allied Detachment: Eldar
HQ
Farseer w/ Eldar Jetbike [Psychic Shriek, Invisibility, Terrify]
Warlock w/ Eldar Jetbike [negligible as he never cast any of them]
TROOPS
Windriders (4) w/ 1x Shuriken Cannon, 3x Shuriken Catapult
Dire Avengers (5) w/ Wave Serpent (TL-BL)
No Night Fighting.
I won the right to go first. I deployed the Kiss Troupe w/ the DJ and a SS 12" from my long board edge, 18" E of the left board edge and 6" S of a large rock formation. The Warlord Troupe w/ the Laughing God's Eye SS set up 6" E of the Kiss Troupe position, 12" N of my long board edge but out in the open (terrain was sparse on this board). The Voidweavers set up 3" E of the Warlord Troupe w/in 12" of the LGE SS and behind a neutral Sky Pad as a regular ruin terrain. The Skyweavers set up behind the Voidweavers and w/in 12" of the LGE SS. The Starweaver w/ the Caress Troupe set up behind the Kiss Troupe. I infiltrated the Heroes' Path.
He set up the Shuriken Skyweavers 4" E of the short board edge and 8" S of his long board edge. He set up his Haywire Skyweavers to the E of a small ruin terrain immediately E of the Shuriken Skyweavers and 8" S of the long board edge. He put a SS and a DJ in every Troupe. The first Troupe set up 4" E of the right Skyweavers. His Warlord Troupe set up on a hill directly on the longitudinal centerline 9" S of his long board edge. His Solitaire set up between his left Troupe and the right Skyweavers 12" S of his long board edge. The Voidweaver set up 6" from the longitudinal centerline and 4" S of his long board edge, directly N of the right side of the hill upon which the Warlord Troupe was deployed. The third Troupe set up 6" E of the Voidweavers, 12" S of his long board edge. The Wave Serpent w/ the Dire Avengers on board set up 4" E of the right Troupe. His Jetbike unit set up behind the left side of the Warlord Troupe hill, 3" S of his long board edge.
I put all three of my infiltrators on the S side of the large rock formation, approximately 20" S of his left Troupe and 3" N of my Kiss Troupe.
He failed to steal the initiative.
TURN 1
Harlequins
In Movement, the Kiss Troupe moves 6" NW towards the Skyweavers' position. The solo DJ and Mask SS move in a 6" right-to-left U-turn NNW to the other side of the rock formation while still being in the terrain feature to get LoS on his units. The Warlord Troupe moves 6" N. The Skyweavers move 12" NNW to the left side of the Sky Pad. The Voidweavers move 12" NE to get LoS on the right Troupe. The Starweaver moves 12" NW to get LoS on the Skyweavers.
In the Psychic Phase, the Warlord Troupe gets off Veil of Tears. With 10 Warp Pool to start, he easily denies everything else.
In Shooting, the Voidweavers use the Lg Blast profile against the right Troupe, reducing the numbers to 5 and killing a DJ in the process for First Blood. The Skyweavers shoot at the Voidweaver and wreck it. The Kiss Troupe runs 5" N. The Starweaver shoots at the Shuriken Skyweavers, killing one (makes Morale). The solo DJ shoots at the left Troupe and kills 1. Despite having -4Ld, the left Troupe makes its Morale check.
The Skyweavers Assault move 11" SSE behind the Sky Pad.
Harlequins/Eldar
In Movement, the Farseer Jetbikes advance 12" S to get in front of the Warlord Troupe. Both Skyweaver units advance 12" forward to get LoS on the Kiss Troupe. The Wave Serpent moves 4" WNW to get some dstance from the Voidweavers. The right Troupe moves 6" WSW. The Solitaire moves 12" S to get into the left side of the rock formation on the same side the Kiss Troupe is on.
In the Psychic Phase, he gets off Invisibility on the Farseer Jetbikes. He tries to get off Terrify on my Warlord Troupe but the Laughing God's Eye pays off, giving me a 4+ Deny to cancel it. He tries to get off Laugh of Sorrows on the Mask SS but gets denied on that one, too, again thanks to the Laughing God's Eye.
In Shooting, he fails to make distance on the Warlord Troupe. The Skyweavers shoot at the Kiss Troupe, reducing them to 6 models, including the Troupe Master and SS but not the DJ that was too far forward. The Wave Serpent fires upon my Skyweavers, destroying one Zephyr bike (make Morale). His DJs try to fire upon my Mask SS but fail to do anything thanks to 2+ cover.
In Assault, both of his Skyweaver units retreat N to his long board edge.
TURN 2
Harlequins
The Warlord Troupe moves 6" towards the Farseer Jetbikes. The Solitaire moves 12" in a right-to-left U-turn so it's 8" SE of the left Troupe. The Kiss Troupe moves 6" NNE towards the left Troupe. The Voidweavers move 10" W to get within 20" of the right Troupe. The Skyweavers move 12" NNW to its previous move position in preparation of assaulting the right Troupe. The Starweaver moves 8" NW to get range on the Skyweavers and left Troupe.
In the Psychic Phase, nothing goes off.
In Shooting, the Voidweavers wipe out the right Troupe with the Lg Blast profile on the Prismatic Cannon. The Skyweavers shoot at the Wave Serpent, inflicting one glance. The Kiss Troupe runs 4" to close distance on the left Troupe. The Starweaver and solo DJ shoot at the left Troupe, reducing the unit to 5 models, including the Troupe Master, DJ and SS. The Solitaire shoots a Haywire at the left Troupe, killing none. The Warlord Troupe runs to close distance on the Farseer Jetbikes.
In Assault, the Kiss Troupe charges the left Troupe, losing 1 to Overwatch. The Solitaire tries to charge into the same unit and fails. The Warlord Troupe charges into the Farseer Jetbikes, losing one to Overwatch. The Skyweavers try to charge the Wave Serpent but fail to make the 11" distance. The Kiss Troupe Master challenges and his Troupe Master accepts. I didn't realize he had three I7 models to my two, so the battle doesn't go very well in my favor. He kills my Troupe Master but I only inflict 1 Wound in return. My unit is reduced to just the SS with 1 wound while he has the Troupe Master, a SS and a Player. I make Morale and stick in the combat. My Warlord Troupe gets off 20 (!) HoW on the Farseer Jetbikes, resulting in the death of all but the Farseer. I'm too far away to get in base contact with the Farseer, so he goes last. His one attack does nothing. He fails Morale and I sweep 5" N to line up along the S base of the hill upon which his Warlord Troupe stands.
Harlequins/Eldar
In Movement, his Skyweavers advance S to get LoS on the Solitaire. The Dire Avengers disembark 6" W from the Wave Serpent to get good range on my Skyweavers. The Wave Serpent moves 3" E to get improved shots at the Voidweavers. The Warlord Troupe moves an inch S to get right up against my Warlord Troupe. His Solitaire advances on my Solitaire.
In Psychic, nothing goes off.
In Shooting, he causes 1 wound to the Star Bolas Skyweaver w/ the Dire Avengers. He wrecks one Voidweaver with the Wave Serpent. The Skyweaver units fail to do anything to the Solitaire. His Warlord Troupe fires upon mine, killing 4 including my Warlord, leaving 5 Players and my SS.
In Assault, the Kiss SS challenges him. I wind up killing his Troupe Master before succumbing to the rest. His Warlord Troupe charges my Warlord Troupe. I wind up winning combat with 3 Players and 1 SS remaining vs his two Players. He makes Morale but I Hit & Run a few inches away. In the Solitaire battle, he uses the Caress while I use all Cegorach's Kiss attacks. I suffer 1W while he suffers 2. I Hit & Run out and move 6" NW to get between his left Troupe survivors, his Warlord Troupe survivors and his Solitaire.
TURN 3
Harlequins
I advance the Skyweavers 6" NW to get within 5" SW of the Dire Avengers. The Voidweavers maneuver 6" to get shots on both the Wave Serpent and Dire Avengers. The Warlord Troupe moves 6" to get in prime position to fire upon his Warlord Troupe. The Starweaver moves 6" and the Caress Troupe disembarks to get within charge range of both the bigger Skyweaver unit and his left Troupe. The Mask SS moves to get within 12" of both Skyweaver units, the left Troupe and Warlord Troupe.
I fail to get off any Psychic Powers.
In Shooting, the Starweaver destroys the solo Skyweaver. The Caress Troupe unloads into the left Troupe reducing it to just a SS. The Warlord Troupe reduces his Warlord Troupe to just one Player. The Voidweavers kill three Dire Avengers. The Skyweavers kill the rest.
In Assault, my opponent recognizes the situation and decides to concede.
Final Score: 10-1
CONCLUSIONS
It was weird facing another Harlequin army. I believe focusing solely on the Harlequins gave me a decided advantage. I had larger Troupes, more specialization and the added bonus of bearing the Laughing God's Eye. That Enigma worked wonders for me. He jokingly called me a hateful person because of its presence in my list and its central location. He wasn't able to cast psychic powers because of my improved denials. I couldn't cast because of his 67% greater number of Warp Dice at the start of the Psychic Phase. Though it didn't pay off in my first two matches, it most certainly worked out in the third. Well worth its points to include standard, just in case.
The DJ-Mask combo didn't do much purely because of sheer luck. By all rights my opponent should've been Falling Back more often. Though I did get the Sweep of his Farseer because of it, there were numerous other circumstances where it should've worked out. The Mask, especially, was nullified by hot dice. We had mutual Fear tests in close combat. He was routinely rolling Ld 8 on Fear checks but kept making them. I should've gotten more out of it than what I experienced in this particular game. Not that I should complain given the outcome. Just wanted to point out the statistical anomaly.
The Solitaire on Solitaire fight was interesting. Given the fact AP2 and S6 didn't matter, I decided to go for Master-crafted and Shred on my attacks, a decision that worked out quite well. I do like Cegorach's Rose against T3 and T4, soft armor units. More volume of wounds to save that way.
The Voidweavers did very, very well in this match. Going with the S3 AP4 Lg Blast was a solid choice and revealed how they might perform vs horde armies. This was also the first time they survived the entire game. Weird having them around that long.
TOURNAMENT WRAP-UP
All in all, I wound up 1W-0T-2L and lost the VP count, 13-19. Had I had one break in the second game with the game ending on Turn 6, that would've been 1W-1T-1L with a total VP count of 16-15 in my favor. Had I not been an idiot in my first game and had the last Scout run towards my Solitaire instead of towards his long board edge, I would've had the VP count become 17-14 in my favor, though still 1W-1T-1L coupled with the Turn 6 ender in Game 2. A little more would've had to go my way in order to win the first game, so I'll just chalk that up as a general loss no matter what.
I can't complain too much. The army didn't fail me and was quite competitive. It generated some buzz about its potential, so that was a positive. Psychic Powers are critical for its success against MEqs with lots of firepower. And the Embraces were champs in every match-up. Moving forward I may decide to reabsorb the Heroes' Path back into the Harlequin Masque Detachment. But I must say having three solos Infiltrating to get up close and disrupt immediately did work out well at times. I just have to be more prudent about when I do so.
Apologies to everyone for not having photos. As it was my first tournament I didn't have time to do anything. It was frenetic trying to keep everything straight, let alone pause to take pictures.
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