Topic: 'Counts As' Experiences

[Ian Wood]

A kind of companion thread to Mellchia's 2000pt list, this is a more general thread about running Harlequins using the new Eldar codex, and your experiences with such armies.

Anyway, to get things rolling here are a couple of lists, and how they fared. Oh, note that I missed pretty much the whole of 3rd ed, and am still getting to grips with the massive changes since 2nd ed...

First List 1500pts

Jain Zar as a High Harlequin

Two big troupes of Harlequins with a few kisses each and a single Fusion Pistol, Shadowseers but no leaders.

One small troupe w. Shadowseer and Death Jester.

2 x 3 Guardian Jetbikes w. Shuriken Cannon in each unit - I couldn't really think what to do about Troops, and just chose the cheapest option. 

4-strong Shining Spears representing Harlequin Bikers.

5-strong Death Jester/Dark Reaper unit.

Wraithlord w. Wraithblade & Shuricannon

Vyper/Venom w. two Shuricannon


Game One
Eldar w. multiple DAs, 2 Wraithlords, Falcon plus FDs, Wraithguard and a Farseer.
Recon mission on a relatively built-up urban board.

The learning curve started, and included mistakes such as moving Harlequins into the wide building in the middle of the table, rather than sitting behind it. Leading to that unit getting shot up and falling back.
The other big unit moved up through buildings into a Bladestorming unit of DAs, having just about survived without being wiped out, they then charge the DAs, reducing them to one model in the opponent's CC phase. Time to hit-n-run, placing them next to the Wraithguard. Fusion pistol takes out one of them out on the way in, but not enough rending hits happen for a decisive result.
The High Harlequin/Jain Zar by this time has taken out one of the Wrathlords in CC, surviving due to the anti-ID rule.
The Jester/DR unit spend most of the game moving around, as their LoS was too obstructed by the wide building in the middle. The actual Death Jester got shot early on due to being the only model in the troupe that was in LoS of the unit he'd just shot at. Oops.
My Wraithlord and the Spears get tied up with the Falcon and it's Dragons on top of the other mid-table building, eventually wiping them all out.
The game ends up with a huge melee in the middle involving the remaining Harlequins and High Harlequin, and the opposing Banshees, Wraithguard, Farseer and Wratihlord. The Banshees take out most of the Harlequins and then get minced by Jain Zar.

The game is finally won by my turbo-boosting unit of Guardian Jetbikes, as none of the opposing units got over the half-way line of the board. Very messy, all in all.

Game Two
Nids with a mix of horde and warriors, as played by the local expert player.
Cleanse mission, but only three turns played due to time constraints.

After the mistakes with sending the Harlequins forward too fast in the previous game, I was too hesitant in this game, and the whole thing was a bit inconclusive. The Spears misjudged their movement and quickly got swamped by gaunts, while Jain Zar was having problems finding anyone to hide behind. She then ended up standing in the open, having shot at a unit of gaunts, with the removed casualties taking them out of charge range. Doh!
One troupe spent the game playing peekaboo with a large number of Stealers, as nobody wanted to get charged by the other side.

More to come later...