First contact: Harlequins

[Psilence]

A friend and I got a game in the other evening to try out his new harly army/dex. It was a learning game (for fun) and the first time for the eldar on the table. Thought I'd do a quick write up.

 

Game was 1850.

Maelstrom mission: contact lost. Draw 1 card for each objective you control, max six cards. Win by completing the most card objectives.

 

Harlequins: formation with 3 troupes, 3 shadow seers, 3 death jesters, a smattering of transport vehicles and support skimmers and mister solitaire. All units had a good combination of shooty and assault weapons.

 

I.G./Grey knights: an I.g. CAD with company command sqd, 1 platoon, vets, 2 auto cannon hvy wep teams. Nemesis strike force with 2 bro caps, termies, pallies, 2 nemesis dreads, and draigo. Set up for a mini deathstar with caps/pallies/draigo.

 

Harlies deploy/go first. They set up spread across the board ready to advance on the imperial positions. I.g. and gk refuse flank and castle in a corner on 1 objective.

 

Imperial fail seize.

 

Early game saw the eldar take a swift lead through their VASTLY superior mobility, claiming 5 of 6 objectives turn 1 (man can they move) Shooting was light with the army having to reposition, with most of the xenos forces closing for mid game assaults.

 

Mid game the imperial forces moved out from their castle (the I.G. and nemesis dreads getting mauled in the process), and engaging soft targets (av 10 skimmers/t3 harlies) successfully with shooting and assault, fighting and winning a war of attrition.

 

End game played out with some last min maneuvering by the eldar forces, and the imperials advancing to claim/score objectives.

 

Final:

Eldar 6

Imperial 7

 

First impression of the harlequin book.

Strengths:

Super fast. With eldar bikes and skimmers they can be EVERYWHERE at once.

 

Good control. War gear (concussive/fear) mid ranged mid str/volume shooting and psi powers (defensive vs enemy shooting/blind/quasi invisibility) combined with the armies mobility allows them to try to dictate engagements.

 

Naughty in close combat. High initiative paired with wargear/psi powers means they become blenders if they can hit your units unmolested.

 

The solitaire is just a pimp. Look him up :)

 

Should ally into eldar and dark eldar well :)

The new model range (all plastics, boo ya!) is amazing.

 

Weakness's:

Frail. T3 and a 5++ don't like getting shot at by anything. Ditto for av10 skimmers.

 

Armies with decent psi defense will give all harli armies issues trying set up engagement control.

 

Too good in assault ;p Leaving close combat at the wrong time (by killing everyone) will leave them exposed to enemy fire and ruin their day.

 

Summary:

The army is beautiful on the table, looks fun to play, and with experience behind it I think it should do very well. Used with finesse it should dance circles around many opponents.

[Romans832]

SICK!
Thank you

[dalmer]

Hello there,

 

Thank you for taking the time to post up your first impressions.  Looks like fun was had and some intel gained.

 

Stay safe,

 

don

[Psilence]

No problem :) Glad some are interested.

 

Highlights included:

 

Solitaire 26" blitz move in one turn. Followed up by 10 attacks on the charge (part of the blitz rule) stripping all but 1 wound off a dread knight, surviving the str10 hits back (eternal warrior) and finishing the NDK off neatly next turn.

 

Ap2 concussive flesh bane single handed weapons on the shadow seers... Ouch ;p

 

Veil of tears. 2d6 times 2 to "see" the unit. Black sun filters and the like wont help you here. :)

 

Las guns actually doing damage to enemy models! ;p