Are Harlequins an elite army?

Harlequins are a faction within the Aeldari (Eldar) army in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. They are known for their speed, agility, and devastating close combat potential. But are they truly an elite army choice compared to other factions? There are several factors to consider when evaluating their effectiveness on the tabletop.

Harlequin Lore and Background

Harlequins are mysterious Aeldari warriors that serve Cegorach, the Laughing God. They form traveling troupes that enact ancient Aeldari myths and legends through elaborate masquerades and performances known as The Dance Without End. This allows them to preserve their culture and history amidst the decline of their once great empire.

In battle, Harlequins utilize their athleticism and agility to outmaneuver their foes. Their holo-suits distort their image and employ advanced technology to enhance their combat abilities. Each masque (troupe) fulfills a specific battlefield role, from close-quarters combat to psychic warfare. So while few in number, Harlequins combine artistry and lethal skill to devastating effect.

Harlequin Unit Analysis

Here is a breakdown of the core Harlequin units:

Troupe

– The basic infantry, armed with close combat weapons like Harlequin’s Caress or Harlequin’s Kiss. Very fast and skilled in melee.

Troupe Master

– An elite Troupe leader, stronger in close combat. Provides leadership bonuses.

Death Jester

– Specialist ranged infantry. Armed with Shrieker Cannon to snipe characters.

Shadowseer

– Psyker unit. Provides psychic buffs and can deny enemy powers.

Solitaire

– Extremely deadly close combat fighter. Hits very hard but not very durable.

Skyweavers

– Fast attack jetbikes. Equipped with Haywire Cannons or Zephyrglaives for anti-armor.

Starweaver

– Dedicated transport for infantry. Fast and well-armored but lightly armed.

Voidweaver

– Heavy support gunship. Has powerful Prismatic Cannon for anti-tank firepower.

So in summary, Harlequins are highly specialized with a focus on mobility and close combat potency. They lack long-range firepower but make up for it with speed and melee hitting power.

Harlequin Tactics

Here are some of the common tactics employed by Harlequin armies:

Using mobility to outflank and envelop the enemy.
Charging with Troupe units to engage in melee quickly.

Using Starweavers and Skyweavers to deliver units rapidly across the battlefield.
Casting psychic powers to increase mobility or resilience.
Sniping enemy characters with Death Jesters.

Hitting the rear armor of vehicles with Haywire Cannons.
Combining firepower of Starweavers and Voidweavers to take down heavy targets.
Using Solitaires and Troupe Masters to take on elite enemy units.

Harlequins aim to isolate parts of the opponent’s army through misdirection before striking from an unexpected angle with a focused assault. This requires finesse and practice to execute properly.

Harlequin Army Strengths

Here are some of the main strengths of Harlequins:

Extreme speed and mobility – With many fast units like jetbikes and transports, Harlequins are very agile.

Potent close combat abilities – Armed with lethal weapons, Harlequins hit hard in melee.
Powerful character sniping – Death Jesters are great for taking out enemy HQ units.
Resilient transports – Starweavers have a 4+ invulnerable save, making them tough to kill.

Access to psyker powers – Shadowseers provide psychic utility the army otherwise lacks.
Army-wide invulnerable saves – Holo-suits provide a constant 5+ or 6+ invulnerable save.
Stratagems and abilities – Have useful tricks for mobility, combat, and survival.

These strengths make Harlequins a very agile force ideal for seizing objectives and delivering overwhelming melee attacks.

Harlequin Army Weaknesses

Harlequins also have some weaknesses:

Low model count and troop choices – Harlequin armies are often outnumbered.

Minimal long-range firepower – Limited heavy weapons beyond Voidweavers.
Expensive point costs – Units tend to be very expensive, limiting army size.
Lightly armored – Not as durable as tougher armies when caught in the open.

Overreliance on melee – Grinding down shootier armies can be difficult.
Limited psychic defense – Only Shadowseers provide deny capabilities.
Struggle against horde armies – Large volumes of weak units can swamp Harlequins.

To compensate, Harlequin players must expertly maneuver their forces and choose engagements carefully. A few mistakes can seriously jeopardize the army.

Are Harlequins Cheese?

A common debate is whether Harlequins are a “cheese” army in the Warhammer 40k meta. Cheese refers to armies or combinations perceived as unbalanced, unfun, or requiring little skill.

There are a few factors contributing to these perceptions:

Powerful stratagems and abilities that boost charge distances.
High movement letting them strike anywhere on the board.
Capable of killing expensive units quickly in melee.

Difficult to screen against or prevent charges.
Can feel oppressive or uninteractive to play against.

However, Harlequins certainly have counterplay:

Susceptible to weight of fire and poor in drawn out fights.
Careful positioning and screening can limit their mobility.
Killing Shadowseers helps remove their psychic support.

They rely on combos, so disrupting key units helps greatly.
Not as dominant in missions requiring holding objectives.

So in summary, skilled opponents can still challenge Harlequin players, requiring them to finesse their overall strategy. But the army certainly exploits mobility and melee to a very punishing degree.

Harlequin Codex Strength

Harlequins have recently received a new codex in Warhammer 40k 9th edition. This updated rules set has provided them with some powerful new abilities:

More stratagems and relics to enable trickery and manipulation.
Upgraded rules for pivitol units like Troupe Masters and Death Jesters.

Ability to Fall Back and Charge in the same turn.
Better Craftworld synergy through Masque forms.
Enhanced psychic disciplines for Shadowseers.

Overlapping Fields of Fire stratagem to improve shooting.

Overall, the new codex has made Harlequins an even more lethal and mobile force when played correctly. The increased synergies and combo potential rewards experienced players highly for mastering the faction.

Harlequin Win Rates and Performance

Harlequins have boasted some impressive competitive results since their 9th edition codex released:

Tournament	Faction Win Rate	Top 3 Placings
SO Cal Open 2022	61%	2 lists in Top 3
WarZone Atlanta Major 2022	64%	1 list in Top 3
Adepticon 2022	60%	2 lists in Top 8
Bay Area Open 2022	62%	1 list wins 1st place

This data shows Harlequins performing very well competitively, with win rates around 60% on average. They have consistently placed highly at major events since early 2022.

Top Harlequin players like John Lennon, Andy Alvarez and Mark Crombleholme have won or placed in numerous tournaments with expert piloting. So the faction has demonstrated its elite potential in the right hands.

Are Harlequins Beginner Friendly?

Despite their power, Harlequins are not necessarily an easy army for beginners for a few reasons:

Require careful positioning and movement each turn.
Getting charges off can be tricky.
Knowing when to commit vs stay elusive is key.

Requires learning combos and synergies between units.
High model count armies are unfavorable matchups early on.
Easy to make mistakes that cost you the game.

More elite and durable armies like Space Marines or Necrons are often better for learning the core rules of the game.

That said, Harlequins can be a good second or third army once you have some experience under your belt and want a more finesse based playstyle. Their mobility makes them very fun to pilot once mastered.

Are Harlequins Fun to Play Against?

Harlequins are generally viewed as a less fun army to play against competitively. Reasons for this include:

Their speed and threat range can feel oppressive.
Ability to strike from any angle tests screening and positioning.
Seeing expensive units deleted in melee feels bad.

Limited interaction besides just trying to kill them first.
Losing control of the game when charges get through.
Having to castle up and play hyper-conservatively.

More casual players tend not to mind them as much. But many competitive factions see Harlequins as a challenging matchup that pressures you constantly. Depends greatly on player mentality and the particular Harlequin list.

Are Harlequins Overpowered?

Based on their competitive results and gameplay, arguments could be made that Harlequins are overpowered currently:

High win rates show they outmatch other factions consistently.

Extreme speed and threat range is inherently strong.
Massive damage potential in melee.
Tough to counter with many armies.

High skill ceiling allows great players to dominate.
Codex pushed them over the top into top tier.

However, no faction has remained on top forever in 40k. Harlequins do have counters:

Tanky gunline armies can weather their assault.
Other mobile factions like Eldar can outpace them.
Quantity of attacks brings them down.

Ignoring objectives leaves them stranded.
Terrain blocks charges and movement.

GW will likely tweak their power level in future balance passes. For now they are clearly a dominant force in the hands of a great pilot. Not necessarily game-breaking, but still very strong.

Conclusion

In summary, Harlequins are currently one of the most lethal and mobile factions in Warhammer 40k competitive play. Their speed, melee threat, and resilience make them highly capable of deleting key targets and controlling the battlefield. Played well, they can beat almost any opponent through superior finesse and placement.

However, they have a high skill ceiling and specific weaknesses to exploit. Adept players can still challenge Harlequin dominance through smart counters and target priority. But in the hands of an expert, Harlequins are clearly an elite, dominating army in 9th edition, evidenced by their tournament results. Their updated codex has pushed them over the top into top competitive tier for now. For players wanting a fast, tricky army that rewards skill and practice, Harlequins are a great choice.