Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi thinking of starting up a harlequin army love their models but I’m not a big fan of their transports / fielding a lot of transports in general. Anyone have experience with foot slogging quins or are they just too squishy?

Just too squishy in general. That transport gives them so many advantages, biggest one being speed. If you dont take them your looking at 8+1d6" movement on t3 guys that need to get within 12" to do anything, and that 4++ isnt going to save them. I tried running my harlies on foot only and it was a disaster. You need some in transports to just keep enemy firepower busy so the foots can get up close.

If you are really set on including harlequins on foot, your best bet is to run a patrol detachment alongside either CW or DE, with a big troupe squad and a shadowseer. The shadowseer can at least give them a bit of protection, and along with stratagems, you should be able to protect them long enough to get across the board.

Otherwise I would agree, they are way too squishy to be walking.

As others have said, it just doesn't work. The best you can do is take one unit and Webway strat deploy them, even then Banshees do it better. Starting on the board with multiple units is suicide though. After the Flip-belt nerf close combat focused Troupes in general are questionable, and fusion based Troupes absolutely require a transport to function. In theory you can Twilight Paths one of them to get across the board, but it also requires a Shadowseer, and it's essential that you get the spell off or that unit is toast. And again, that's only a single unit and completely outclassed by Skyweavers doing the same thing or Craftworld counterparts.

The other option, the Webway Gate fortification thing, is an interesting concept, but the way it's rules are written makes it impossible to even deploy it in a meaningful way.

 Creeping Dementia wrote:
As others have said, it just doesn't work. The best you can do is take one unit and Webway strat deploy them, even then Banshees do it better. Starting on the board with multiple units is suicide though. After the Flip-belt nerf close combat focused Troupes in general are questionable, and fusion based Troupes absolutely require a transport to function. In theory you can Twilight Paths one of them to get across the board, but it also requires a Shadowseer, and it's essential that you get the spell off or that unit is toast. And again, that's only a single unit and completely outclassed by Skyweavers doing the same thing or Craftworld counterparts.

The other option, the Webway Gate fortification thing, is an interesting concept, but the way it's rules are written makes it impossible to even deploy it in a meaningful way.

(Sidenote, banshees do not do this better. People think they get their +3" Charge ability thing, but they don't, they only get that if they advanced in the movement phase. Foot banshees definitely do jumping across the board on foot to tie something up better, though, as they exercise a 27.5" average threat range popping out of a transport turn 1, and have access to a double move spell if they need it, and ignore overwatch.)

I was thinking more of no overwatch and the Court of the Young King strat can make Banshees a better candidate, but otherwise yes that is correct.

francieum wrote:
Hi thinking of starting up a harlequin army love their models but I’m not a big fan of their transports / fielding a lot of transports in general. Anyone have experience with foot slogging quins or are they just too squishy?

quite suicidal on a 72x48 table, but I've recently had a good time with a single 12 man troupe in smaller games on half a table, supported by a shadowseer. Prismatic blur is a must (so always advance, which means fusions make no sense), as well as Veil of tears and Twighlight on a seer. Not bad taking them Frozen stars with a seer as warlord with Our kin shal rise again - surprisingly, this 6+ fnp comes in very handy.

This gives you a troupe in -1 to hit (-2 under Lightning reflexes), -1 to wound, 3++, 6+++, and quite capable of 28 - 30 charge turn one (which is ok for a small table). This way they're much more survivable than skyweavers, with -1 to wound, fnp and being 1 wound a model.

I usually take 3 - 4 guys with blades to run a tail to the seer/master for the auras, the rest a mix of caresses and kisses to deal with things. Caresses work well in general. Kisses is a must to deal with multi-wound models, especially under +1 to wound Frozen stars stratagem. Deploy agressively if you're for the first turn, as you can do Hundred swords of Vaul if opponent wins/seizes. And don't forget you can move a seer 7" more in shooting phase with Fire and fade, to keep up with guys after Twighlight ))))

Running one max troupe can work as you can either DS them and hope to get lucky on a charge, or use LOS (if enough of it exists) to hide them on Turn 1 and then Twilight Pathways them into position. Running multiple squads probably means you're going to have a bad time.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 elk@work wrote:

francieum wrote:
Hi thinking of starting up a harlequin army love their models but I’m not a big fan of their transports / fielding a lot of transports in general. Anyone have experience with foot slogging quins or are they just too squishy?

quite suicidal on a 72x48 table, but I've recently had a good time with a single 12 man troupe in smaller games on half a table, supported by a shadowseer. Prismatic blur is a must (so always advance, which means fusions make no sense), as well as Veil of tears and Twighlight on a seer. Not bad taking them Frozen stars with a seer as warlord with Our kin shal rise again - surprisingly, this 6+ fnp comes in very handy.

This gives you a troupe in -1 to hit (-2 under Lightning reflexes), -1 to wound, 3++, 6+++, and quite capable of 28 - 30 charge turn one (which is ok for a small table). This way they're much more survivable than skyweavers, with -1 to wound, fnp and being 1 wound a model.

I usually take 3 - 4 guys with blades to run a tail to the seer/master for the auras, the rest a mix of caresses and kisses to deal with things. Caresses work well in general. Kisses is a must to deal with multi-wound models, especially under +1 to wound Frozen stars stratagem. Deploy agressively if you're for the first turn, as you can do Hundred swords of Vaul if opponent wins/seizes. And don't forget you can move a seer 7" more in shooting phase with Fire and fade, to keep up with guys after Twighlight ))))

The problem with this strategy on a full size table is that going second means they squad is likely gone unless you can hide them. 4++/6+++ with a -1 to wound and the potential of a -1 to hit for 2 CP is not likely to save the squad. I do appreciate your Frozen Stars love though, that's the Masque I play!!

You are walking 13-20pt T3 4++ guys... no it doesnt work.

Thats why we need "players" 7pt troops with 1 in 5 upgrades and 2 attacks base, still flip belt and holo-suit, just gives harlequins an option to have bodies.

 Amishprn86 wrote:
You are walking 13-20pt T3 4++ guys... no it doesnt work.

Thats why we need "players" 7pt troops with 1 in 5 upgrades and 2 attacks base, still flip belt and holo-suit, just gives harlequins an option to have bodies.

Hard pass. That turns them into a horde army and invalidates most people's armies (I have 2 base players per 12 man squad. It's unlikely that they get more survivable, but increasing the transport capacity to 7 or 8 would be a huge boon

Well, footslogging is a slow way to die. They are too squishy with their T3.

while I completely agree on "hard pass" and "slow way to die" (rather, a fast way to die ))) ) on a big table, a single big foot slogging troupe with melee loadout and proper support works quite well for me in smaller games on half a table