Harley DarkEldarson - is it worth adding harlies to the list?

CAD (780):

Lhamean in Venom: Splinter Cannon - 75
2 x 5 Warriors in Venoms: Cannon on Venoms, Blasters - 120 each
Razorwing - Dark Lances - 140
Raider - Aethersails, NS - 75
2 x Ravager - 3 x Dark Lances, Night Shields - 140 each

Corpsethief Claw (625):
5 x Talos with Chain-Flails: 125 each

The CAD is a rather mobile list with tons of dakka and I have Talos Star to walk around and look menacing, while being shooty and punchy. They start on board, the rest comes from Reserves. I stuffed one Razorwing for aerial support and tried to balance between poison shots and crapload of anti-tank/anti-teq dakka.

I plan to expand this list with Harlequins to test them out. I will probably play against Necrons. I was thinking about picking the Path of Heroes and a Cast of Players (and a Raider for them) formations. Any of you had any experinece from Path of Heroes and/or harlies usefulness against Crons?

Here is the Harlies part:

Cast of Players - 306 points

Shadowseer - Haywire - 65
Death Jester - 60
Troupe - 6 players, Troupe Master, everyone has a Caress - 181

Heroes Path - 285

Shadowseer - Haywire, Crescendo - 70
Death Jester - Haywire - 65
Solitaire - Haywire - 150

This looks like a fun list to play. I wouldn't give every one in the cast a caress, you are going to lose at least one before they get to CC so I would leave one as a regular ccw to act as a martyr.

In the heroes path I wouldn't give the shadow seer crescendo. I feel to make the most of them you would want to use their grenade launcher to attempt to pin in the shooting phase. This can save you from overwatch. The extra points from removing these might allow you to add an extra body to the cast, or might allow you to put a mask on one of your seers (probably the cast to make the squad fearless).

I would also make the troupe leader your warlord because I think they have the most fun traits in the game. The Light path particularly has some fun options.

I find that Freakshow tactics are the most favorable way to combine these two, but that doesn't seem to be your intent here. I think you're missing out a lot though by only being ML 1 in your psykers.

Well, this is a test list - I also miss not having enough points for lvl 2 psykers, but you have to cut corners somehow. As for caresses - they are the most universal weapon in a troupe weapon loudout, also I am playing against Crons, so it will be very useful and I really don't mind losing that 8 points if it means I can destroy a unit of Immortals or Praetorians. I picked Crescendo because it's a pretty nice weapon and I doubt there will be much use for the Launcher against all round 10 ld and fearless in Crons. I will probably make the Troupe Master a warlord, Lhamean is taken as a tax.

Edit: I modified the list, droping a Razorwing. Here it is:

CAD (780):

Lhamean in Venom: Splinter Cannon - 75
2 x 5 Warriors in Venoms: Cannon on Venoms, Blasters - 120 each
Raider - Aethersails, NS - 75
2 x Ravager - 3 x Dark Lances, Night Shields - 140 each

Corpsethief Claw (625):
5 x Talos with Chain-Flails and TL Heat Lance: 130 each


Cast of Players - 306 points

Shadowseer - Haywire, Psyker 2, Mask of Secrets - 105
Death Jester - 60
Troupe - 7 players, Troupe Master, everyone has a Caress - 204

Heroes Path - 310

Shadowseer - Haywire, Crescendo, Psyker 2 - 95
Death Jester - Haywire - 65
Solitaire - Haywire - 150

I thought to myself: I am gonna be in CC most of the time anyway, so I don't really need anti-air that much and one Razorwing never worked for me anyway.

I love razorwings, but I agree that it would be a good option to cut out of your list. The caress should be the go to option for troupes I think, with the kiss or embrace added for flavor rather than effect. The reason I suggest not equipping all of them with caress is so that you have spare models to absorb wounds with greater point efficiently. You're almost definitely going to lose a harlequin or two getting into combat, but if you don't have a better place to spend the points then go for it.

The level 2 seers offer a lot from my experiences. I would recommend that the one in the cast of players roll on the Phantasmancy table, while the lone shadowseer rolls with Telepathy. If you're looking to get some points back the lone shadowseer could also be downgraded to level 1. They tend to die often.

I still like the grenade launcher over Crescendo, but you make a good point about the it having limited effect against necrons. Also remember that it is strength 1 so wounds them on a 6, seems silly I know, but I like to force every save I can. You can also through a plasma grenades which are strength 4 ap 4, its handy against warriors.

For what its worth necrons are not fearless for the most part. So be sure that they take fear tests. I always forget about it, but it may help.

I was gonna go with Telepathy for solo Seer, hoping to get Invisibility to toss at my Talos Star. And  Level 2 gives me 50% more chance to roll it, even if the seer might die quickly. Good thing they get Stealth/Shroud from formation, so that's 4+ Cover Save bare bones and I plan to screen her most of the time. Thanks for feedback, will post a video commentary on my channel after friday's game.

Edit: Turns out I am playing against Daemonkin, not Crons. Maybe I'll drop the heat lances then.