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Hello!
Question from a newbie (me), whay are the pros and cons, and who's best between Harlequins, Striking Scorpions and Warp Spiders?
Thanks.

As with all Eldar units you have to use these units in the right way at the right time. Eldar are an army of specialists and are only good at one thing each. However they are very good at that one thing. All are T3 so vulnerable to damage but this is the same for all of them so I will not mention it again.

Personally I use Scorpions and Spiders but have not used Harlequins. However I know a lot of Eldar players swear by Harlequins. Spiders cannot really be compared to the others as they are a fast shooty unit (and fast attack) whilst the others are assult, infantry units (and elites). A better comparison would be to compare Howling Banshees to Scorpions and Harlequins. Of these it really depends what you are facing. If you are facing well armoured opposition like space marines I would suggest Howling Banshees, if you are facing lightly armoured opposition such as imperial guard or orks I would suggest Scorpions and if you are facing an enemy made up of lots of small units then you might find Harlequins are better. There is no obvious choice I am afraid. You choose the right tool for the right job. Harlequins have less of an obvious job in an Eldar army as they are not from the craftworlds so there is a bit of overlap with them and the other two (a half way house).

Harlequins - (assault vs small enemy units)
Pros - they are hard to target with a shadowseer and are a decent assault unit with access to rending harlequin's kisses, ignoring difficult terrain and S4 if they charge. They also have a high initiative (6) and lots of attacks.
Cons - Very hard to paint well, basic S3 attacks, if close can be shot apart with ease (only a 5++ save). Will struggle against well armoured opponents unless you can roll lots of sixes!

Striking Scorpions (assault vs lightly armoured enemy units)
Pros - Always S4, can have move through cover and infiltrate, 3+ save, lots of attacks, exarch has some nice weapon options.
Cons - No AP on their attacks unless you give the exarch a powerfist. One of the few Eldar units that is not fleet.

Warp Spiders (shooting against infantry and vehicles)
Pros - Jump infantry with deep strike and hit and run options. Can stay out of assault range with a 3D6 move in the assult phase after shooting. 2 S6 shots each (more for the exarch if you want). 3+ save.
Cons - Range of weapons is only 12 inches so you have to get close (but you can then move away in the assault phase). No AP so everyone gets a save (but vehicles are no longer a bit safer thanks to 6th edition changes). Expensive in points (but so are all Eldar really).

Howling Banshees (assault vs 3+ save units)
Pros - Fleet, maximum initiative (10) in the first turn of assault (I5 after that) power weapons (traditionally swords so AP3). Exarch powers can give them counter attack and make opponents WS1 if they fail a Ld test. Exarch has some very nice weapons also.
Cons - Only a 4+ armour save (not terrible I know but worse than Scorpions). Only S3 so causes less wounds (however they do have power weapons so no saves from them). 6th edition made them less good against 2+ save opponents (but against 3+ save opposition they are still deadly).

I hope this helps. I have been playing Eldar for nearly 15 years. As long as you ask your units to do the job they are designed for they will not let you down. However it takes a little while to master what each unit should be doing.

Tip: Make sure that you take out whole units when you attack. Don't make the mistake of leaving the last 2 or three models in a unit. Eldar are so fragile that remnants like that can still hurt you and if you have lots of remnants they can hurt lots of your army. (It is better to leave one full strength enemy unit and wipe out two others completely than to damage all three. That would leave three of your units vulnerable to retaliation rather than just one.)

Thanks. I really appreciate the feedback. Due to "economic constraints" I'll have to build my army slow. I like the sneaky and/or hit-and-run assassination approach, and was thinking Spider or Scorpions for starters, but everyone says Harlequins are the sh@t, that's why I posted... Maybe I'll try Warp Spiders, I like hit-and-run and I like the way the look (I also love the looks on the Scorpions, kinda reminds me of the Predator...)

I will add my voice to the chorus of praise for harlequins.

However, be aware that they take a while to get the hang of. if they get rapid fired out of cover, they are screwed. Once you figure out how to move them and when to assault, they are terrifying.

Ghawhaar wrote:
I will add my voice to the chorus of praise for harlequins.

However, be aware that they take a while to get the hang of. if they get rapid fired out of cover, they are screwed. Once you figure out how to move them and when to assault, they are terrifying.

Thanks for the help on Harlequin strategy... Any tips for Scropions and Spiders?

I'm new to both those units as well (I'm primarily a Dark Eldar player). I'm impressed with how much punishment scorpions can take. 3+ armour saves are great! I think the way to play warp spiders is similar to tau crisis suits. Jump over a wall, shoot a unit, jump back behind cover.

Just curious, but what style of Eldar are you looking at playing? Mech, jetbike, or foot are the primary types I've seen.

Scorpions are not as easy to use now that you cannot assault from outflanking. However they can infiltrate or outflank into cover then launch an assault the next turn. The trick is not to isolate them. Use them in combo with other units that can soften up a target before they charge, or take out other enemy units that could then charge them next turn. I have also used them to guard my deployment zone quite successfully. Holding them back to protect my shooty units and springing out when the enemy get too close.

Spiders can deep strike in, shoot, then back off all in one turn. From then on they can jump from target to target, retreating behind cover or out of charge range in the assault phase. They are quick enough to get side/rear armour shots on vehicles like predators or vindicators and they don't have to be a suicide unit like Fire Dragons can sometimes be as they can still retreat from retalliation for taking out a tank. Alternatively they can start on the board and by jumping, running and jumping again in the assault phase they can move a maximum of 36 inches in one turn so can move to wherever you need them.

As with all eldar units, try to finish off any enemy near them as they are fragile at T3. However a 3+ save and ability to withdraw from combat with an exarch power make them more survivable than most eldar. Also having an exarch with two power weapons will make some enemies think twice before assaulting them.

Ghawhaar, I plan on using foot troops... I imagined kinda of a lost craftworld with assassination specialized Eldar...

monkeypuzzle, thanks! My father-in-law gifted me with a Farseer with his Warlock bodyguards and a unit of Dire Avengers... I think for now I'll forget about Harlequins... Just have to devide between getting Striking Scorpions for Dire Avengers' protection, or Warp Spiders for hit-and-go-(a bad word)-yourself...

Hey, monkeypuzzle, I checked your Necrons... How did you make the base? (again, a question from a noob)

I've been using my Striking Scorpions in conjunction with a band of Pathfinders to make a small beachhead that holes up in cover and bunkers down for a turn, allowing the rest of my army (mostly transport-mounted) to zoom up and start beating on the enemy, with the Infiltrators in position to support them.

I use harlequins almost every game I play with eldar. My friend always groans whenever I bring them out, and often the fear factor alone is enough to use them as an area denial unit. As long as they're in an area, he doesn't want to get anywhere near there.

 GimbleMuggernaught wrote:
I use harlequins almost every game I play with eldar. My friend always groans whenever I bring them out, and often the fear factor alone is enough to use them as an area denial unit. As long as they're in an area, he doesn't want to get anywhere near there.

Terror tactics... I like it...

I assume you mean the eldar under the tomb stalker? It is a fire prism turret with some forge world eldar engines and missile launchers added, nothing special. It is supposed to represent a small one man interceptor that has been shot down.

 monkeypuzzle wrote:
I assume you mean the eldar under the tomb stalker? It is a fire prism turret with some forge world eldar engines and missile launchers added, nothing special. It is supposed to represent a small one man interceptor that has been shot down.

I was talking about something much simpler... the black dirt under the Necrons feet...