40K: Harlequin Rules Tidal Wave – The Preview Continues
The Harlequin book is going up for pre-order this weekend and Games Workshop has opened the flood gates. Come check out a preview of their Stratagems, Warlord Traits, Relics, and Psychic Powers!
I hope you’re ready to get your face painted because GW has unleashed the Harlequins with a massive rules dump today. Let’s see if we can piece together how these servants of Cegorach will function on the tabletop.
New Stratagems
Worried about units running out of close combat? Well with Cegorach’s Jest you can punish them by pumping them full of bullets, Harlequin style!
If you’re losing Harlequins and you’re unsure if they are going to get where they need to, Isha’s Weeping will up their Invulnerable Save by 1 until the end of the turn. That should help them make it through the close combat phase – just remember to use it as soon as you can!
Was your Death Jester not doing the damage you were hoping for? Well Shrieking Doom helps make it a bit deadlier by upping the Strength by 1 and the Damage to D3.
Heroes’ Path is a straight-up switch-a-roo for your Death Jester, Solitaire, and Shadowseer. As long as your run them within 6″ of each other they get the change to re-deploy at the start of any Movement Phase.
Great Harlequin is a nice boost for your combat consistency. It’s a shame this is a 2 CP stratagem and not just an ability that comes standard on the Troupe Master. Then again, maybe something else will trigger off the Great Harlequin Keyword…
We all know what Webway Assault does, right? It gets your Dark Reapers Harlequin Infantry or Bikers where you want them.
Warlord Traits
There are 12 Warlord Traits for the Harlequins to choose from, 6 “generic” traits, and 6 Masque specific ones.
Soaring Spite: Skystrider is a pretty great ability because it breaks a core rule of the game. Any time you can do that, you should sit-up and take notice. On the down side, it’s only your Warlord that can disembark after the transport moves. On the up side, I’m betting Harlequin Warlords are pretty deadly in close combat and getting to exit a transport AFTER it’s moved could prove to be bad news for your opponent.
Player of the Twilight is similar to the other Warlord Traits that give you a re-roll once per battle and allow you to attempt to re-cycle Command Points. The catch (because it’s Harlquins) is that your dice roll has to exactly match the number of Command Points spent – but you’ll get ALL those points back. Are you feeling lucky?
Player of the Light isn’t bad either – re-rolling failed charge rolls for your Warlord and <Masque> units within 6″ is helpful. I wonder if the Harlequins are going to be able to charge after advancing…
Relics of the Harlequins
This is one fancy masterwork shuriken pistol. D6 shots, 2 damage per wound and a possible AP -3? That’s nothing to laugh at!
This one is pretty specific! It makes a single transport better and when it get’s blown-up, the passengers don’t have to roll to see if they are slain. In fact, it doesn’t even go BOOM. I guess it just sort of stops, everyone exits normally, and then it falls part. Sounds like a clown car to me!
The Mirrorstave uses the targets own BS/WS to cause a wound roll. That’s…weird. But you’re reflecting the attack back and it’s call the Mirrorstave – Clowns aren’t known for the subtlety.
Psychic Powers
Codex: Harlequins has 6 total psychic powers, 3 of which are brand new.
Veil of Tears will help keep your unit alive by subtracting 1 from hit rolls for attacks targeting that unit.
And how about some “Feel No Pain” buffs to go around. Webway Dance is a 6″ bubble that will help keep your Harlequins in the fight.
Shadowseers are still going to be able to access 2 powers each. On top of that, they will also know 2 powers from the Phantasmancy Discipline. You’ll only need 3 Shadowseers to get access to all 6 powers – which is good because of the limits from the rule of 3.
What do you think of these Previews? Seems like the Harlequins are still going to want to get up close and personal to me…
