Harlequins, the red headed step children?

So I was looking at the Harlequins lately as a viable option in a wwp list. However, the point sink for a unit like that seems outrageous. Is this the general census on these guys? Or is it functionality as well?

The "general" issue with Halies is simply that most people run very aggressive mech lists and Harlies really don't fit into that type of army optimally. Theri cost is certainly a deterrent to some I suspect, but the lack of ease in fitting into lists is the bigger one in my opinion.

Yeah, I can see the issue there. 3 Elite slots and the need to kill mech lists are certainly high on the priority to be filled by AT. However, have you (or anyone) ran the Harlies in a WWP list?

I have a squad of 5 with Shadowseer and Kisses in my WWP list. It's untried at the moment but I am playing next weekend and am hoping to give them a run to see what they can do.

I think incompability with mech lie in fact they can't take any dedicated transport, making them... well, looking like morons when everything else sits in Raiders and Venoms (funny, Venoms origins lie in old Codex: Harlequins).



and yes, beeing unable to make them good in two codices is design fail by Phill Kelly.

I think with WWP or loose transport they may work tho. Not like I would put them higher than *cough* Incubi, but...

Dethdispenser wrote:

Yeah, I can see the issue there. 3 Elite slots and the need to kill mech lists are certainly high on the priority to be filled by AT. However, have you (or anyone) ran the Harlies in a WWP list?

I think Kwi has done this, or was at least planning to.

They are a trixi unit to use, bit wow, are they fast once they reach combat. At first they move like a footslogging talos, so they won’t se combat before the third turn. But with an I 7 ans S4 and rending, they hit like a hammer. And with ther hit and run they can on mediocre dice roll move 10 after combat, these 10 inces+ 6 for movment and 3 for fleet and another 6 for assault men that they can assault a unit 25 inches away, like longfangs and devastator squads.
Long story short, yes they can do stuff, if you like them try them out.

It's the fact that they can no longer sweep into combat like they could in 4th edition. They relied on being in combat and wiping out whatever they charged so they wouldn't take a hit. Now though, they kill a unit and are left standing there with their T3 5++ ready to die with ease.

They needed to upgrade their save to a 4++ and give them a points drop. Oh, and let them have a venom, just because they invented it. Generally the Shadowseer means the lack of transport isn't too bad, but they get left behind by Dark Eldar whereas they have the right pace for Craftworld Eldar.

Oh, also, Dark Eldar don't have fortune or doom.

I find they're best as "army colour" - kind of like Mandrakes. You use them because you think they're cool rather then exactly useful in most circumstances (well I use them because I think they're cool, and I'm the only one who I've seen playing fielding them other then and Eldar player whose idea of "heavy support" was Striking Scorpions (it was his muck-about list)).

Oh, good that one popped out. Recently Stelek made list that I liked. Take a look:

1 Haemonculus, 85 pts (Webway Portal x1)

3 Kabalite Trueborn, 146 pts (Blaster x3)
1 Venom (Splinter Cannon)
3 Kabalite Trueborn, 146 pts (Blaster x3)
1 Venom (Splinter Cannon)
9 Harlequin Troupe, 198 pts (Harlequins Kiss x9)

4 Wracks, 105 pts
1 Venom (Splinter Cannon)
4 Wracks, 105 pts
1 Venom (Splinter Cannon)
5 Kabalite Warriors, 130 pts (Blaster x1)
1 Raider (Flickerfield)
5 Kabalite Warriors, 130 pts (Blaster x1)
1 Raider (Flickerfield)
5 Kabalite Warriors, 130 pts (Blaster x1)
1 Raider (Flickerfield)
5 Kabalite Warriors, 130 pts (Blaster x1)
1 Raider (Flickerfield)

3 Beastmasters,6 Razorwing Flocks 126 pts
3 Beastmasters,6 Razorwing Flocks 126 pts
3 Beastmasters,6 Razorwing Flocks 126 pts

1 Ravager, 105 pts
1 Ravager, 105 pts
1 Ravager, 105 pts
Total Roster Cost: 1998

I must say, this is pretty impressive.

Thor665 wrote:

I think Kwi has done this, or was at least planning to.

I have used them 4 or 5 times now and really do not have a problem using them as a wwp escort. I play very non-traditional lists and typically I put an Archon with a wwp in with them most of the time but especially when I have 2nd move in a game or the other portal is on a raider.

I have also played them wrong in my last game and let my opponent IG mortar squad fire indirectly at them before I noticed the Eldar FAQ - if you run them be sure to print that FAQ out or you will have dead harlies splattered everywhere on the first turn.

One game (Dawn of War I think) where I put them in the portal - by the time they came out there was an empty raider within 8" of the portal so they entered it immediately. Unfortunately they had the raider blown out from under them that next shooting phase and became pedestrians again (such is their fate).

My most common squad configuration was a Troupe Master w/fusion & power weapon, Shadowseer w/ Fusion & Kiss and 4 more Troupes with all Kisses.

Archon and Harlies would normally move forward 6" and drop the portal. Portal units were usually bikes, scourges and beasts so they really didn't need to get deep with the portal - everyone functioned just fine.

If you are a big nightshield user you will find the ShadowSeer's Veil of Tears to be a real treat! I have taunted Longfang squads by placing them 24" away on turn one daring them to take a chance and even gotten Bjorn to lose a turn of shooting to boot!

After deploying the portal they have not had any problems getting into CC. Usually they will advance with some of the CC elements coming out of the portal. I often times combo charge with wyches however the Archon usually separates and charges else where.

I think one of my funnest uses was with them in a Urien/coven them where I was doing the Karnival of Pain (of course the harlies were the clowns and Urien never let them forget it either). I think I must have really scared my opponent as I often would have a dialogue between Urien and the Harlies (a hate/hate relationship) where one is trying to outperform the other. To date the Harlies are winning that battle and Urien is eager to even the score, fuking clowns (as Urien would say).

I love using the Harlies, I do not really need to experiment with them much as they are a "known" quantity to me and can make them work. You just have to think of them as a small squad of wyches that have a better defense against shooting than they do in CC!