Here come the clowns. New Harlequin rules in WD

[Psilence]

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/05/12/white-dwarf-new-harlequins-rulesgw-homepage-post-3/

 

Looks like some fun stuff.  I’m excited to see the rest.

[Psilence]

Here’s a teaser:

 

[Tamwulf]

I can't believe the digital version of White Dwarf costs $9.99 vs. $9.00 for a physical copy. WTF. That makes no sense at all.

Everything posted so far about the Harlequin rules is very exciting! This is a proper update for an army. Now, if they could just do this for the Ynnari...

[Mulgrok]

3 hours ago, Tamwulf said:

I can't believe the digital version of White Dwarf costs $9.99 vs. $9.00 for a physical copy. WTF. That makes no sense at all.

Everything posted so far about the Harlequin rules is very exciting! This is a proper update for an army. Now, if they could just do this for the Ynnari...

They probably want to encourage enough physical sales to make it worth the effort of printing and shipping them.

[Psilence]

Borrowed from spiky bitz.

[Munkie]

If I could figure out how to make links turn into pictures on this website, I'd post the rest of the content.

The stratagems and relics have been leaked too and there is some NASTY stuff in there. The new relic shrieker cannon "Cegorach's Lament" renders poor Curtainfall (which was solid) largely obsolete. It's 36" range, AP -3 (both profiles) shrieker cannon, with a damage 3 wail mode!

With the Harvester of Torment pivotal role, you can hit units with 3 damage 3, AP -3 (or 4 if you roll a 6 to wound) shots, which cause D3 mortal wounds per model killed! So you can potentially kill 3 models and inflict 3D3 mortal wounds, then lower their Ld by additional -2. So if you kill 3 models and roll average on the mortal wounds, that unit will be taking their Ld modified by -11! 

The other 2 pivotal roles for Death Jesters are amazing too, especially if you make them Dreaming Shadow. The DS unique stratagem allows you to count each hit as 2 hits (or 3 if you roll a 6 to hit). With Jest Inescapable, he becomes an excellent sniper. If firing shuriken mode, he'll usually hit 6 times with a strength 6 sniper rifle. Every 6 to wound does a mortal wound and another wound at AP-4. Humbling Cruelty is amazing too. No overwatch and -2 Mov on a unit as long as he hits with one of his 3 2+ shots. So good.

The other big winner is the Troupe Master. My goodness. The new relic blade replaces his harlequin blade (or power sword) so you don't even have to pay for a weapon upgrade to replace! 60 points for an absolute monster in CC. The relic blade is basically all 3 harlequin weapons rolled into one, AND gives you extra attacks equal to the game turn. So, 6 attacks with str 5, AP-3, D2 on turn 1, but 12 attacks if you make it all the way to turn 7.

Add to that Darkness' Touch pivotal role and he just deals 2 mortal wounds to somebody he fought, every time he fights. Again if you make him of the Dreaming Shadow masque, he can fight again with 1 attack, and deal another 2 mortal wounds on a 4+ (CP re-roll this if it makes the difference). So whatever character can survive between 6 and 12 multi-damage attacks and 2 guaranteed mortal wounds, and manages to kill a 60 point character, is probably not going to survive the additional attack and 2 more MW.

If you're really desperate, or just want to go full auto, don't forget the 3CP Wardancer stratagem to swing again. Theoretically could deal 56 wounds in a single fight phase (provided he dies, a measly 52 if he lives) 😳

 

The only "loser" in this is the Solitaire. He's no longer better in combat than a Troupe master, not even close. He's also 38 points more than a much bigger threat. His only advantage is his speed, and trading out the speed and 2 additional attacks of Blitz for just different kinds of speed or a pointless defensive ability just doesn't seem worth it to me. A side-grade at best.

As a Drukhari player, I look at harlequins as allies and there are a couple options that look tempting.

Either a Dreaming Shadow Vanguard of: 

-Troupe Master w/ relic
-DJ w/ relic
-DJ
-DJ
-6 haywire bikes

Or a Silent Shroud Supreme Command of:

-Shadowseer
-Troupe Master w/ relic
-Troupe Master
-DJ w/ relic

The 2 troupe masters and Shadowseers would form a little combat cluster and brutalize sections of the battlefield at a time. Silent Shroud pair really nicely with Drukhari because they have stacking Ld drain rules to reliably put a unit at -4 or -5 Ld before wounds dealt and rolling 2 dice and picking the highest on combat shock tests. It's situational, but really opens it up as a dirt cheap utility detachment.

 

Sorry about the wall of text, I'm just really excited about these rules. Hopefully some of the more coherent sentences will provide some food for thought!

[ZeroStride]

I am most excited about the Shadowseer. So remember, there's also a 1 CP strategem to *add* a Pivotal Role, and you get to keep your original ability.

So I'm looking at Shadowseer warlord, with added Veil of Illusion (you count as being 6" farther away from enemies for the purposes of shooting) and then the Shadowstone relic, increase psyhich range and aura range by 3", using the Player of Twilight trait for CP regen. So now it's a 9" bubble of -1 to Wound, counting as 6" farther away to shoot, and then your strategem to make the -1 to Wound for infantry count for everything gets more powerful, your psychic abilities get longer range.

I'm thinking I'll definitly have a Drukhari battalion for 204 points to get a cheap 5 CP and access to Agents of Vect.

[Munkie]

Yeah, when I play again, I think I'll try that Supreme Command first. The plan with the Shadowseer would be to stick with Shield from Harm on the army list and use the stratagem on Veil of Illusion most games. Especially for its impact on over watching flame weapons. Safely charging from 3" away!