Harlequins Codex Tactics - The Laughing God play time!

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**yukishiro1**

The much bigger nerf is that being inside a ruin won't block LOS any more the way it does under the ITC rules that everybody has adopted; instead, you need to be fully behind the ruin. This is massive nerf to melee infantry, unless everyone agrees it's stupid so we'll just pretend that being "inside" the ruin only means physically on the ruin's walls, and that if you're standing in the ruin behind one of the walls, you're actually behind the ruin, not inside it.

The more we see these rules, the more they seem stacked against melee.

**Twilight Pathways**

Looks like the new character targeting rules kill mono-quin Death Jesters stone dead? Unless we waste another unit to babysit it, the enemy can freely target the DJ. I used to enjoy having my Solitaire sneak around too, looking for the perfect moment to strike, but looks like will be a *lot* trickier now.

**Tiberias**

I'm not a harlequins player (yet), but I am really sad that you won't be able to play a solitaire with the suit of hidden knives and a -4 to hit modifier....its only a gimmick I guess, but such a cool one! Well, was....

**yukishiro1**

Harlequins are so totally boned by the 9th edition rules we've seen so far that I have to think they're going to get some ability to ignore them, the same way they ignore a lot of other rules of the game.

For example, holosuits could not only give you a 4++ but also prevent you from being targeted unless you really are the closest target, restoring the old character targeting rule just for quins.

**Amishprn86**

Twilight Pathways wrote:
Looks like the new character targeting rules kill mono-quin Death Jesters stone dead? Unless we waste another unit to babysit it, the enemy can freely target the DJ. I used to enjoy having my Solitaire sneak around too, looking for the perfect moment to strike, but looks like will be a *lot* trickier now.

Its the big concerns for many mini stand alone heroes.

**sweetbacon**

I’ve been holding off commenting about the 9th edition leaks because we don’t have the full picture yet, but The new Look Out Sir rule seems to be an obvious nerf to Harlequins, particularly Solitaires and DJ’s (and to a lesser extent character hunting TMs) who now need babysitters and can no longer work independently as scalpel units. With points cost going up and Harlies being already arguably overcosted (except for DJs) having to take units just to screen characters now feels like a kick in the teeth. On a related note, this makes the Yncarne all but unplayable in his current configuration. My enthusiasm for 9th has definitely waned a bit barring somethings we haven’t seen yet that mitigates this.

**wuestenfux**

Well, the new rules of the 9th ed will give Harlie Troupes a harder time.
Its good news that overwatch can no longer be given mandatory.
But the ordering of ''who hits first in cc'' will change so that the defender will hit first.
This will give Harlie troupes a hard time. Want to try to charge an Intercessor squad?

**Sterling191**

wuestenfux wrote:
Well, the new rules of the 9th ed will give Harlie Troupes a harder time.
Its good news that overwatch can no longer be given mandatory.
But the ordering of ''who hits first in cc'' will change so that the defender will hit first.
This will give Harlie troupes a hard time. Want to try to charge an Intercessor squad?

That only applies to post-charge fights when two units are still stuck in. Charging squads still fight first.

**wuestenfux**

Sterling191 wrote:
wuestenfux wrote:
Well, the new rules of the 9th ed will give Harlie Troupes a harder time.
Its good news that overwatch can no longer be given mandatory.
But the ordering of ''who hits first in cc'' will change so that the defender will hit first.
This will give Harlie troupes a hard time. Want to try to charge an Intercessor squad?

That only applies to post-charge fights when two units are still stuck in. Charging squads still fight first.

Thanks. That's good to hear.

**Lythrandire Biehrellian**

Honestly with the ability to only have one unit fire overwatch, the changes to terrain, and the smaller board size, I think we may be better off in the new edition than we were in 8th.

Honestly I wasn't expecting all of our random shot weapons to get the "blast" special rule (dispersed cannon sure, but not focused and the haywire gun)

**wuestenfux**

Well, Voidweavers seem to get a boost by the new blast rule,
since their main cannons (haywire, prisma) are now blast.
Not a bad move since I've recently painted up three Voidweavers.

**Goobi2**

Oh yeah! Death Jester's Death is not Enough rule could actually be pretty awesome at cutting unit coherency and therefore killing many more models!

**Lythrandire Biehrellian**

Looks like our points didn't change too much. Player with a fusion pistol is 19 points.

Gotta throw a list together tomorrow and see what's what. I normally max out hq options with three each, so it'll be a balancing act to try and keep the new command points I just got since we lost the supreme command detachment.

**rollawaythestone**

Am I reading the FAQ rght that the Solitaires Blitz no longer works with the Flip Belt because it's not a Normal Move it's a Blitz Move? Those other pivotal roles seem more attractive now.

**Goobi2**

Yes, that is sadly what the FAQ says. I do not think they thought of that, sadly, even though the two new entries are right next to one another. So, for now, no Blitzing through terrain or models.

**wuestenfux**

Anybody moved a bit further into list building?
Skyweavers and Troupes got more expensive but overall it appears that other factions got nerfed a bit more than Harlies.

**Amishprn86**

wuestenfux wrote:
Anybody moved a bit further into list building?
Skyweavers and Troupes got more expensive but overall it appears that other factions got nerfed a bit more than Harlies.

Troupes didn't go up as much as you might think b.c some of their weapons went down, over all my 90pt units are now 95pts or 100pts, so 10pts more, over 3-4 units thats 30. Yes Skyweavers went up, but only to what they were 1.6yrs ago and its not that big of a difference. I'm still taking 12 skyweavers. What really changed for me is instead of 6 troupes and 3 DJ's, i now have 5 troupes and 2 DJ's. I really only went down a couple cheap units, over all its 170pts more than what i was playing (or close to that).

My go to list for now is

SS
TM - FP, fang
TM - FP, Caress
Troupes x5, x5 gear melee
Troupes x5, x5 gear melee
Troupes x5, x5 gear FP
Troupes x5, x5 gear FP
Troupes x5, no gear
DJ
DJ
Solitaire
Skyweavers x6, x6 HWC, x3 Glaives
Skyweavers x6, x6 HWC, x3 Glaives
Starweaver
Starweaver
Starweaver
Starweaver
Starweaver
Starweaver

1997pts

**wuestenfux**

With 6 character models and the new character rules, it gets harder to keep them safe.
Any plans?

**Bossdoc**

I really wouldn't go for full 6 skyweavers - 5 don't loose much punch and you don't help those enemy smasha gun/ Plasma cannons etc. getting more shots...

**vipoid**

wuestenfux wrote:
With 6 character models and the new character rules, it gets harder to keep them safe.
Any plans?

In particular, what do you do with Death Jesters? Given that they're basically lone snipers, they seem royally screwed by the new character rules (mOsT pLaYtEsTeD eDiTiOn EvEr).

**Goobi2**

Death Jesters probably try to stay in the cars and take pot shots. The relic weapons they can get are pretty nasty and there are a couple ways to bump up the amount of hits they can get with them, so they are pretty nasty.

Even if you dont take those weapons (such as in the list above) being able to make sure an overwatch doesnt happen and the ability to choose the first model to flee from morale can be brutal. Definitely keeping a couple in my lists for those reasons.

**the_scotsman**

Here's what I'm looking at running for Harlequins (and pals) in 9th to start:

Spoiler:

Foot troupe gets zooped up the middle by the spiritseer, one jester chills by the Voidweaver to keep character protection, other jester pops into the 3x fusion weaver. The Alaitoc detachment is mostly what I have painted up as Harlequin Mimes for some spooky shooty support.

May drop the mask of secrets as I think 1cp is better than another -ld aura, but I still want to get a feel for how useful ld shenanigans in 9th are. My thought currently is "boy, I hope some new rules adjust the numbers on attrition tests" because while morale shenanigans can be a good way to get some wounds on MSU units, it's much worse vs hordes.

I suppose if someone does take 30 ork boyz I can go "Kerblam, nobody expects the 30 haywire shots to the face! You thought it was just for vehicles?"

**wuestenfux**

Well, the inclusion of ''Mimes'' is fluffy.
They appear in the experimental codex of Gav Thorpe.
Or did they appear earlier elsewhere?
In said codex, there is also a Harlie Wraithlord.

**popisdead**

vipoid wrote:
wuestenfux wrote:
With 6 character models and the new character rules, it gets harder to keep them safe.
Any plans?

In particular, what do you do with Death Jesters? Given that they're basically lone snipers, they seem royally screwed by the new character rules (mOsT pLaYtEsTeD eDiTiOn EvEr).

With Harvestor of Torment and Cecorach's Lament you can kill 10 guardsmen a turn. that's a straight trade and gravy after that.

They are terrible snipers cause they cannot ensure a full dead character a turn.

They will get LoS from the Webway since it's a vehicle that is a 3+ T8 14W 5++ for 95 points of defence mid board.

I put mine in Skyweavers and just add shuriken cannon stat fire.

**vipoid**

popisdead wrote:
vipoid wrote:
wuestenfux wrote:
With 6 character models and the new character rules, it gets harder to keep them safe.
Any plans?

In particular, what do you do with Death Jesters? Given that they're basically lone snipers, they seem royally screwed by the new character rules (mOsT pLaYtEsTeD eDiTiOn EvEr).

With Harvestor of Torment and Cecorach's Lament you can kill 10 guardsmen a turn. that's a straight trade and gravy after that.

They are terrible snipers cause they cannot ensure a full dead character a turn.

They will get LoS from the Webway since it's a vehicle that is a 3+ T8 14W 5++ for 95 points of defence mid board.

I put mine in Skyweavers and just add shuriken cannon stat fire.

Just to clarify, by "lone sniper" I meant that they'd tend to sit in a ruin or such on their own and fire from their (hence, there would typically not be any friendly units near them).

I didn't mean that they were specifically character assassins.

**tulun**

Hey folks,

Think I'm going to start a Harle force. I have a bunch of Eldar from back in my 3rd/4th edition hayday and have been largely playing a different faction on my return.

The Harlequin style and models seem so cool, and their white dwarf update was bonkers.

I think I would do a mixed force (Warlord and majority being Harlequin) with Aeldari allies. Is this thread more focused on mono faction?

**Niiru**

I have come up with a couple of (mostly) harlequin lists for an upcoming crusade, and would like some feedback as I'm not sure which one I prefer or might actually work lol. The only prerequisite I had was to try and cram in some fun units... I wanted to throw in an Avatar, but that became problematic at this points level, so I've ended up with a wraithseer in both lists (not in the harlequin detachment, obviously).

Ignore any 'illegal' relics or warlord traits, stuff like that is taken care of by the crusade, its mostly just placeholders in battlescribe I missed.

Harlequins with Wraithseer

Spoiler:

Harlequins with Ynnari

Spoiler:

Edit: A third variant, trading some harlequins for a slightly more robust Craftworlds detachment. (Basically trading a shadowseer and some Players for a Farseer and some dire avengers)

Spoiler:

**wuestenfux**

Haven't seen any Skyweavers in your lists.
Skyweavers are the best units in the Harlie codex.
Fast, deadly and rather durable.

**Niiru**

wuestenfux wrote:
Haven't seen any Skyweavers in your lists.
Skyweavers are the best units in the Harlie codex.
Fast, deadly and rather durable.

Also expensive, and from what I've seen for 9th they're no longer all that great. Or at least, they're no longer a bargain unit. Even voidweavers are getting higher praise from some sources like the goonhammer guys. Though a lot of this hasn't shaken out in real matches yet.

For the price of those troupes I could get maybe 3x bikes. 6x bikes if I change to an outrider and have no troops at all. Its an option, just not sure if it's a good one.

**Leo_the_Rat**

What, if anything, do Harlies use as their "anchor piece"? That is a heavy but mobile unit like a Wraithlord or a Dreadnaught that holds a position and can still deal out serious damage.