These are not the good old days. These are the bad old days....
So what were they like?
I get this a bit; “what were the Harlequins like back in RT?” So I thought in an effort to shed some light on this and show how the game has actually progressed since then, I would do a rough draft of how things have changed since then.
Now, a LOT has changed, including the way you build armies, so in order to make this a bit more understandable, I will forge it into the format of 5th ed. Otherwise this would be a mess.
This is a simple “translation” of the Harlequin List from the Warhammer 40k Compendium (red book). It does not include the Mimes, even though their statlines are given in the article, no armylist entry was made for them at this point.
It does also not include the Benathai and the Wraithlord/Spiritwalker/Dreadnought, which turned up in CJ later on.
I have neglected to put out pointcosts, because they do not track anymore. I mean, 6 Harlequins were 250 poinsts without upgrades, a single deathjester 135 points at minimum, and so on. So I won't try. I will just do the two HQs and the Troupe, but trust me, the rest is just as horrible.
Ah yes, these things were fast. In 5th ed they would move normally, then D6” extra, then run AND shoot, and then assault. That fast.
Here we go
HQ
1 High Avatar
Type WS BS S T W I A Ld
Minor 6 6 4 4 2 8 2 9
Major 7 7 4 4 3 9 3 10
Rictusmask (opponents have to roll LD to charge, or when they are charged. If they fail when charging, they stop, if they fail while being charged, they only hit on 6s), Holo-suit (-1 to be hit, -1 to spottingdistance, unless opponent passes Ld-check harlequins gain Preferred enemy for that turn), Shuriken pistol, close combat weapon
3 Psi-powers, level 1 (see below)
Options:
Either add Force weapon and Conversion field (4+ invulnerable save and anyone hitting him in assault gets -1 to WS until end of next turn) for X points
OR
Roll 1-2 times for Close combat weapon, 0-1 for basic weapon, 0-1 Heavy weapon, 0-2 Grenades, 0-4 bionics and/or 0-4 times for armor (each roll costs X points)
Substitute shuriken pistol for Harlequin's kiss (which was really really nasty back then) for X points
D6 roll for Jokaero Digital weapons for X points
Become psi-level 2, with 3 level 2 powers for X points
Add D6 level 1 psi-powers for X points
0-1 High Warlock
Type WS BS S T W I A Ld
High Warlock 7 7 4 4 3 9 3 10
Holo-suit, shiuriken pistol, Mini-greande launchers (works as photon, plasma, hallucinogen, krak and melta grenades, up to D6” away)
Level 3 Psi, 3 powers per level
Options:
Conversion-field, Powerfist for X points
OR
Roll 1-2 times for Close combat weapon, 0-1 for basic weapon, 0-1 Heavy weapon, 0-2 Grenades, 0-4 bionics and/or 0-4 times for armor (each roll costs X points)
Add Harlequin's kiss for X points
Upgrade to level 4 Psi with 3 powers for X points
Add D6 powers to any psi-level for X points
Troupes
6 Harlequins
Type WS BS S T W I A Ld
Harlequin 4 4 3 3 1 6 1 8
Avatar 6 6 4 4 2 8 2 9
Troupers: Holo-suit, Additional 5++ save, Shuriken pistol, close combat weapon
Avatar: Rictus mask, Holo-suit, Conversion-field, shuriken pistol, close combat weapon
Avatar may becomes level 1 psi with 3 powers for X points
He may then get D6 extra level 1 powers for X points
Any member may substitute shuriken pistol for Harlequins kiss for X points or Powerfist at X points
Grenades: Upgrade all troupers with the same type of grenade, or avatar with a single one, from the following table
[This list is long. 18 entries t be exact. It includes all grenades currently in the game including the vortex (not for troupers, sadly) and adding things like smoke, scar gas, radioation, choke, and so on]
Weapon options
Now these tables took up a page. Allow me to summarize
Close combat weapon
[Anything you can swing, stab or jab at someone with, including Sword, Autopstiol, Chainsword, Webgun, powerweapon, Neuro-disruptor and Forceweapons of four kinds]
Basic weapons
[Autoguns, flamers, lasgun, bolter, melta, plasma, catapult, that sort of deal]
Heavy weapon
[Autocannon, heavy bolter, plasmacannon, multilaser, multi-melta, lascannon, D-cannon, Conversionbeamer, Scatterlaser]
Grenades
[See troupe-entry above]
Bionics
[Limbs/parts to replace, all added bonuses to character; ears gave better spottingdistance, legs more movement, lungs ignored gas-grendes, eyes had scanners in them, arms gave +strength, and so on]
Equipment and armor
[Things like 6+ save, 5+, 4+ 5++, 3++ teleporter, Jump infantry, Medi-kit, 3+ powerarmour, Stasisfields, and Phase-fields, most nasty]
and finally, as if you didn't have enough weapons
Jokaero digital weapons
[Mounted on your fingers, like laspistols, flamers and such, and of course yo ucould fire these in close combat, or after firing your normal weapons]
And then Psi-powers...
I will only do about half of level 1, because these tables were big, and had loads of Bad things in them
[3++ save, Medi-kit, S8 4” blasmarker centered on model, Pin any enemy infantry anywhere, Re-roll any failed LD of any friendlies on the field, Teleport]
And that's just level 1. Level 4 had things like “Oh yes, your Inquisitor is now on my side. Hand him over. Thanks” and “I am going to be invulnerable for four turns. That alright? Thanks” and the ever-popular. “The people I can see all take a LD-test with -4. Those who pass take a wound. Those who fail, die. Thanks”.
Now you may think "Holy flying spaghetti-monster! They were KILLERS!" The thing was that every army in teh gmae had options like this.