From the Void- Dark Eldar Tactica for 7th Codex

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**Frozocrone**

Catacomb Command Barge allows re-rolling Fear, Morale and Pinning tests to units within 12", 18 if it is the Warlord and has a specific Necron Trait

Like last edition, Canoptek units (Wraiths, Scarabs and Spyders) have Fearless.

Other than that I can't see anything in my Codex.

**sweetbacon**

The Praetorians have Fearless and they have one codex Warlord trait that gives them Zealot and one that lets them re-roll failed morale tests if the unit is within 12 inches (I think) of the Warlord. The Catacomb Command Barge has this same Special Rule, also. Other than that, I didn't see anything giving them Fearless or Zealot.

**vipoid**

Actually, Nemessor comes with the Zealot warlord trait - so he and his unit are effectively Fearless.

Also, he can change his warlord trait as the game progresses. He can't pick the same one again once he's switched it out, but he can pick the 'Fearless and IWND' one from the rulebook.

**mercury14**

Death Jesters. I think DE can really use these guys. BS5/WS5, I7, 3A, 2W fear, fleet, furious charge, 5++ save. Independent character. He can also take Harlequin relics which are good, one being a -2Ld bubble.

If he kills even one model, the target must make a morale check as if it lost -25% of the unit AND that check is made with -2 Ld. He has a shuriken cannon that hits on a 2+ as well as a freaky shrieker ammo round that's good vs targets with a 5+ save, less reliable vs MEQ. And if the target fails morale the Jester gets to pick which way the flee. So they can run off a side map edge or even your own.

Couple that with armor of misery and/or Coven units and whatever he shoots has a scary-good chance of running away. And there's a lot of battlefield control here since people will be afraid not only to stay on their own baseline but near the sides of the board.

Thoughts?

**Denizen of the Dark City**

mercury14 wrote:
Death Jesters. I think DE can really use these guys. BS5/WS5, I7, 3A, 2W fear, fleet, furious charge, 5++ save. Independent character. He can also take Harlequin relics which are good, one being a -2Ld bubble.

If he kills even one model, the target must make a morale check as if it lost -25% of the unit AND that check is made with -2 Ld. He has a shuriken cannon that hits on a 2+ as well as a freaky shrieker ammo round that's good vs targets with a 5+ save, less reliable vs MEQ. And if the target fails morale the Jester gets to pick which way the flee. So they can run off a side map edge or even your own.

Couple that with armor of misery and/or Coven units and whatever he shoots has a scary-good chance of running away. And there's a lot of battlefield control here since people will be afraid not only to stay on their own baseline but near the sides of the board.

Thoughts?

I'm with you on this.
Lately I have been using units that cause negative modifiers to leadership.
Seems to be working out well..I can see the Death Jester fitting in nicely.

As we all know we have some nice wargear that effects leadership..but doesn't do squat against ATSKNF.
Stacking negative mods gets around this nicely..unless they have stubborn/Fearless or the above.

Run away and die tired.

**Red Corsair**

I'd take a gortesquery with a succubus + AoM and a seer with the mask and flat out turn 1 to lower their infantries LD by 5 in the overlap and 3 on the flanks then start forcing moral checks, using the DJ's first stacking for -7/-5. Should be able to route anything not in a tank first turn.

Does next to nothing against nids, orks and demons or anything mounted in vehicles. Pretty much auto win vs Tau and Bike armies however. Its on units we would take anyway as well so it's not overly gimmicky, just another tool.

Edit: did we ever have trouble with bike armies though? lol.

It would be hilarious vs pods if you made them run off your edge

Unrealistic though as you'd need to leave massive hole in your line to bait them and it would ruin you after they drop.

**blaktoof**

The thing worth mentioning regarding harlequins is to get these HQS you have to buy the entire mask for a battle forged army.

That means 3 troupes, 2 FA, 1 HS and then you can start looking at the elite ICs.

Is it worth it?

3 min troupes no upgrades is 255pts, 2 min FA is 100 more, 1 min HS is 75 more, thats 430pts before any ICs. You probably will also want to buy DTs for the squads somewhere, and some squad upgrades etc.

I just don't see buying -LD modifier stuff as a worthwhile investment in a TAC tournament list, if you know your opponent is playing a list that isn't fearless/stubborn/ATSKNF then maybe but in other settings...not really worth it.

**Red Corsair**

blaktoof wrote:
The thing worth mentioning regarding harlequins is to get these HQS you have to buy the entire mask for a battle forged army.

That means 3 troupes, 2 FA, 1 HS and then you can start looking at the elite ICs.

Is it worth it?

3 min troupes no upgrades is 255pts, 2 min FA is 100 more, 1 min HS is 75 more, thats 430pts before any ICs. You probably will also want to buy DTs for the squads somewhere, and some squad upgrades etc.

I just don't see buying -LD modifier stuff as a worthwhile investment in a TAC tournament list, if you know your opponent is playing a list that isn't fearless/stubborn/ATSKNF then maybe but in other settings...not really worth it.

You can buy the transport as the FA remember.

**ryuken87**

What's the best way to ally in DJs? I.e. A detachment with a few DJs and the least amount of tax? I know about the Masque and the six formations but none of them does the job, will there be anything else?

**Red Corsair**

ryuken87 wrote:
What's the best way to ally in DJs? I.e. A detachment with a few DJs and the least amount of tax? I know about the Masque and the six formations but none of them does the job, will there be anything else?

With out the book we know as much as you.

**Mushkilla**

In someways I'm glad shenanigans are being limited by preventing the shadow seer/death jester from being acquired cheaply to buff non harlequin units.

On another note I have written another guide:

The Pragmatic Realspace Raider: Screening with Reavers

Hope it's helpful.

**ryuken87**

Red Corsair wrote:
ryuken87 wrote:
What's the best way to ally in DJs? I.e. A detachment with a few DJs and the least amount of tax? I know about the Masque and the six formations but none of them does the job, will there be anything else?

With out the book we know as much as you.

Cool, thought I might have missed something in the rumour thread. The more I read about the new Harlequins the more frustrating it seems as there are some nice units and abilities, not to mention great models, but as of yet there doesn't seem a good way to integrate them into a DE force.

**blaktoof**

Red Corsair wrote:
blaktoof wrote:
The thing worth mentioning regarding harlequins is to get these HQS you have to buy the entire mask for a battle forged army.

That means 3 troupes, 2 FA, 1 HS and then you can start looking at the elite ICs.

Is it worth it?

3 min troupes no upgrades is 255pts, 2 min FA is 100 more, 1 min HS is 75 more, thats 430pts before any ICs. You probably will also want to buy DTs for the squads somewhere, and some squad upgrades etc.

I just don't see buying -LD modifier stuff as a worthwhile investment in a TAC tournament list, if you know your opponent is playing a list that isn't fearless/stubborn/ATSKNF then maybe but in other settings...not really worth it.

You can buy the transport as the FA remember.

That doesn't necessarily save much points, assuming you spend the two FA slots on transports that is 470pts min(fast attack goes from 100min points to fill out to 140pts) without any upgrades for anything and you still have 1 footslogging troupe.

It is possible to pick up raiders/venoms from DE fast attack, and since this is a DE tactica thread would make sense

. Even still you will probably want to give up a FA slot from a DE force org to get the third troop into a venom/raider. So you are looking at a two source list so far, with 470pts spent on the masque before you even buy a shadowseer, deathjester, or upgrade anything in the masque. It is definately doable, but you are looking at spending 800pts to ally in a 'decent' not even great, harlequin troupe +2 harlequin characters. Some people may find that worthwhile, but it doesn't leave many points for other things and is dedicating a lot to what are essentially slightly better bloodbrides.

**Corollax**

Just a clarification regarding a couple rumors that have been going around...

Yes, the Masque is a particularly obnoxious detachment to include, but there are various formations available as well. The most useful to us is probably the one that includes a Shadowseer, a Death Jester, and a unit of Troupes.

Remember that the Death Jester cannot take the -2 Leadership artifact, but the Shadowseer can. Better yet, it makes the Shadowseer Fearless. This is a fantastic asset for something like a unit of Sslyth, which have only 3 leadership and few attractive ICs to escort them in our own codex. (Sslyth don't have Power from Pain, so a Haemonculus doesn't help much.) The Shadowseer's psychic potential helps, as well.

As far as the Troupes are concerned, I like buying them a Starweaver and a set of neuropistols, then putting the Death Jester with them. That volume of Fleshbane AP2 is attractive even to a codex full of poison. The Starweaver's pair of Shuriken Cannons are nothing to sneeze at, either.

**MasterSlowPoke**

The single squad formation doesn't allow you to split off the ICs, unfortunately.

**Corollax**

I had missed that note in that formation's sidebar. That is quite a significant problem for Harlequin inclusion. So much for that, then.

**blaktoof**

I think there is one formation that is not too expensive that gives eldar/dark eldar nearby crusader. Which I think is the one we are discussing above

3) "company of actors"
1 Troupe, 1 DJ, 1 SS

Restrictions:
- all models from this formation must deployed as a single unit. DJ & SS can't leave the unit

Special rules:
- crusader
- heralds of the Laughing's God (any models with the Eldar or Dark Eldar faction (friend or foe) within 6" from one or more models of this formation gain the crusader special rule)

Which although the ICs cannot be split off, you could take, at 7 models, and add DE HQs to it, and put them in a raider. Or just buy a raider from FA. This is assuming they are battle brothers.

Dj is 60, SS is 60, you can get 5 harlequins for 95 so 215 before upgrades. Not a bad investment for a force multiplier unit. Since it says dark eldar faction it would affect literally everything in the DE books that can run, talos/cronos/grots/wyches/etc. the bonus sweeping advance is also nice to push some of the not so high I coven units up a bit for SA.

**vipoid**

Does it specifically say that those models can't leave the unit?

If so, does that mean that the Haemonculus in a Dark Artisan formation can break off (since no such restriction is given)?

**blaktoof**

It supposedly states the SS and DJ may not leave the unit, nothing about other ICs attached not being able to leave/join

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Follow Me, My Children!: All units in this Formation must be fielded as a single unit, even though this is not normally allowed. Models with the Independent Character special rule cannot join this unit.

I guess it depends on what 'fielded' means.

I assume it means they start the game together as one unit, but its ambiguous if that means they must remain together throughout the game.

**blaktoof**

Some further thought on harlequin allies for Dark Eldar. One of the tactical options Dark Eldar lost was being able to stuff an IC+Trueborn/wracks/bloodbrides(it could have happend..) into a venom because they had an old squad size of 3 models. Now the squad sizes are 5 models. Of course there is the raider option, but the venom offered a very small footprint and had good firepower, often complementing the squad aboard firing.

IE trueborn with blasters pop a transport venom shoots contents. The reliability of a single dark lance from a raider popping a transport and the models aboard the venom killing the contents are a different picture that is much less attractive.

With harlequins comes the starweaver, it is the size of a venom and with the stock 2 splinter cannons puts out a good amount of anti infantry fire power, more importantly its transport capacity is the magical number 6. Allowing for trueborn to be put into a small anti infantry fast skimmer again along with an IC. Although the starweave does not have deepstrike, an attached DE IC with WWP would extend it to the vehicle as per the rules for WWP.

One could take 3 troupes, 2 starweavers as fast attack, and a void weave from HS for a masque, which would run a min of 500pts before upgrades, but would offer some nice things to a DE list.

hard to speculate on list, as there are also a ridiculous amount of a characters from elites you can add to a masque, but the DE list could be something like-

[Realspace Raiders Detachment]
HQ
Archon- Blaster WWP 110
Archon- Blaster WWP 110

Elites
Trueborn x5 Blasters x4 115
Trueborn x5 Blasters x4 115

Troops
Warrriors x10 splinter cannon x1 95
: dt Raider, Dark Lance, Night Shields, Splinter Racks 90

Warrriors x10 splinter cannon x1 95
: dt Raider, Dark Lance, Night Shields, Splinter Racks 90

Fast Attack
Scourges x 5 Haywire Blaster x4 120
Scourges x 5 Haywire Blaster x4 120

Detachment Cost : 1060

[Harlequin Masque]

Troops
Troupe x5 5 Kisses 120
dt Starweaver 70
Troupe x5 5 Kisses 120
dt Starweaver 70
Troupe x5 5 Kisses 120
dt Starweaver 70

Fast Attack
Starweaver 70
Starweaver 70

Heavy Support
Voidweaver 1x prism cannon 80

Detachment Cost: 790

total: 1850

Essentially this list replaces Venoms for Starweavers.

Archon+trueborn each go into one of the FA starweavers from the masque.

This army could beta strike in Archon+Trueborn in the starweavers, along with the haywire scourges on any heavy armor or juicy transport targets. Even without them all the str6 Shots have a decent chance to open up light transports, along with the dark lances from the raiders.
Raiders have stealth and start with the RR detachment bonuses,harlequins supposedly can give d3 of their detachment units scout/infil/deepstrike so you can do some shenanigans with the three mounted troupe units, but probably want to start them on table for a turn 2 charge.

Army has:
2 Dark lances
10 Blasters (split up in two squads of 5 shots)
8 Haywire blasters
2 splinter cannons
A bunch of twin linked splinter rifles
15 harlequins kisses(split into 3 units of 5)
1 prism cannon
12 shuriken cannons
a few random pistols+rifles

Could add 1-2 harlequin elites to bring to 2k, or another unit of scourges with haywire blasters.

**Hollismason**

Harlequins are a good add as they can fill the role of Wyches previously. So taking multiple squads is not a bad idea at all. So that special detachment is actually quite excellent.

You have to take two troops but just take the bare minimum and then fill out the rest of the list with Harlequins.

It's going to work even better with Real Space Raider detachment because then you can purchase Raiders with those Fast Attack Slots , so now you can have 10 Harlequins in a Assault transport.

**mercury14**

Anyone have any experiences with the new necrons? Two players in my FLGS tournament of 14 people used the decurion thing last week and rolled everyone. The only game one of them lost was against the other Cron player in the finals. It's horrible to watch, their whole army is as durable as terminators.

**sweetbacon**

(Thankfully) no firsthand experience yet, but spent a lot of time this week reading/watching new Necron battle reports and I don't think I've seen them lose a game yet. And they don't seem to be just squeaking by either. Most of the games have been decided rather convincingly in the 'Crons' favor by Turn 2 or Turn 3. From what I've seen, it doesn't matter what lists they face, to include Knights, Draigostar, Eldar, Tau, TWC spam, it's super hard to kill enough of them to make a difference. What they can't outright kill, they can neutralize through tarpitting. I'm not saying they are unbeatable, but so far their army-wide resiliency is giving the meta lots of fits.

**vipoid**

I've only played them once so far, in a 2v2 (DE and GK vs Necrons and Orks). Their resilience seems a bit nuts, to be honest. My Venoms basically spent the entire game shooting his immortals, and managed just a handful of casualties between them.

Possibly the defining moment for this was his unit of 20 flayed ones, with Orikan and an Overlord with Res Orb.. At one point, he had to cluster them to go through a bottle-neck in the terrain. my flier came on and unloaded all 4 Monoscythe missiles into them. All four hit, for a total of 78 hits and 58 wounds. After saves and popping his res orb, that amounted to... 4 dead flayed ones. Later on, most of my army shot them (venoms, warriors, various dark lances and blasters), along with a GK squad and DK. I don't think we even reduced them to half strength. It was only a combined charge from both the GK squad and the DK that finally got them.

**Hollismason**

I posted it in the Harlequins thread but this formation from the book

1) 3 Troups, 3 DJ, 3 SS, 1 Solitaire, 2 units of Skyweavers, 1 unit of Voidweavers
Restriction: none
Special rules:
– outstanding performace (you may reroll inv saves of 1 for all the models of the formation)
– emissary of Cegorach (if the troup master is your warlord, you can reroll his harlequin’s warlord trait)
– pressing Crescendo (from the beginning of turn 2, all units in this formation with the Fleet special rule can Run and Charge in the same turn) <– this is huge!

Paired with a Real Space Raider Detachment is insanely good. Just use your fast attack to take Raiders for the Harlequins, then take 3 Squads of Grotesques and stick Shadowseers in the units so that they have hit and run.

Take a Archon super beast and put 5 Harlequins with him in a Venom.

Stick the 3 Death Jesters in 3 Squads of 5 Man Warriors in Venoms

Take Razorwings in the Fast Attack for FMC and Flyer control.

If points allow take Ravagers in H. Support.

Here is a beast of a Squad

4 Incubi w/ Klaivex
Shadowseer
Venom

Congrats your incubi now have hit and run.

**lessthanjeff**

mercury14 wrote:
Anyone have any experiences with the new necrons? Two players in my FLGS tournament of 14 people used the decurion thing last week and rolled everyone. The only game one of them lost was against the other Cron player in the finals. It's horrible to watch, their whole army is as durable as terminators.

I've fought them twice and won both times. Once using my dark eldar (but it was down to the wire and he made a couple tactical mistakes I don't expect him to repeat ever again) and the second time using my Tau (which I won pretty decisively but it was a small purge the alien game). They are tough as hell and neither game even had the Necron using Wraiths (because they didn't have any before now but probably will soon) and they weren't using the decurion because luckily tomb blades have been unavailable for purchase and are a requirement to use it.

Hopefully GW takes their time restocking supplies on the tomb blades lol. My immovable object was a large lychguard unit with several characters which require ungodly numbers to displace.

**blaktoof**

The new necrons are super durable.

Even the basic warrior is Toughness 4, 4+ save, and has a RP of 4+ with a possible reroll or rerolls of 1.

Venoms don't do so great here, we average 9 hits, 4.5 wounds, they save half of those, and then get a 4+ RP on the rest with a possible reroll or reroll of 1s.

Venoms net below 1 kill on average against warriors.

**Hollismason**

Venoms don't do great however we havea basic transport that's AP2 ST5 so that's something at least.

**vipoid**

With regard to the new Necrons, do you think there's anything that would work well as allies for a DE army?

**Frozocrone**

Necron Allies? I guess Immortals in a Nightscythe for Objective Secured end game steals and some AA would be cool. Bit expensive per unit though, 215 each, not including the HQ..

Alternatively you coud go Deathbringer Flight, but Deathray...meh.