HARLEQUIN RULES

The very presence of Harlequins has been known to throw strong enemy armies into retreat. The arrival of a Harlequin Masque in the middle of a battle is often able to turn the tide from bitter defeat to outright victory. The Harlequins represent the cream of the Eldar fighting forces and owe no allegiance to any Craftworld. A Harlequin force can appear anywhere at anytime, responding to their own plans or whims.

The Harlequins have one great overriding passion, to make war on Chaos. When the first space hulk carrying Genestealers appeared in Eldar space it was seen as a challenge to the ideals of the Harlequins. Since then Harlequin Masques have always appeared to deal with Genestealer incursions. How they know when and where they will occur remains a mystery to the leaders of the Craftworlds but they are very grateful. The stories of these fights against such a deadly foe are full of heroism and valour and have only served to increase the awe surrounding the Harlequins.

Deathdance

A deathdance is a special manoeuvre performed by Harlequins who are faced by a foe many times their number. The Harlequin performs a swirling melee of acrobatics and deadly close assault attacks, cutting cruel blows with his weapons while his opponent's weapons seem to pass right through him.

To enter the deathdance a Harlequin must pay 3 APs. For the duration of the dance the Harlequin receives +1 to his close assault rolls. The Harlequin can now attack an enemy in an adjacent square in close assault without paying any APs. If the Harlequin wins the close assault then he may follow up and move into the recently vacated square without paying any APs. The Harlequin may now attack another target in an adjacent square, if one is present. This process continues until either a combat is drawn, the Harlequin is killed or there are no targets left to close assault. The entire deathdance is so quick that it only counts as one action once it has finished. Therefore, enemy models will only be able to take one overwatch shot once the Harlequin stops the dance.

Close Assault Abilities

Harlequins are superior close combat fighters and can never be attacked from the rear. They are always able to whirl around and face their attackers before any dice are rolled. In addition, suitably armed Harlequins may also enter a defensive stance to guard against wave attacks of close assault. These two abilities make a Harlequin lethal in close quarters as it is always able to turn and face its attacker with a poise that even Genestealers can not match.

Leap

Harlequins may leap one square over an intervening obstacle, or even over another Harlequin. The direction of the leap is not important, but the Harlequin retains the same facing in the new square as that which he had before he performed the leap. Unlike a Hormagaunt's leap, a Harlequin can not avoid overwatch fire, as it is still a sufficient size for overwatch to target and activate. The square being leaped into must be empty, otherwise the Harlequin can not perform the leap.

Solo Actions

Harlequins do not have command points like Space Marines. In battle Harlequins fight in a very open, flowing style, more of a linked series of individual actions rather than a cohesive attack. In the confined corridors of space hulks and building complexes this becomes even more extreme. At the start of each turn the Harlequin player has the option to choose one model to perform a solo. The Harlequin player places a solo marker next to the chosen Harlequin, granting it an extra 3 APs, for a total of 9 APs to use during that turn. At least l AP must be used to attack the enemy player by engaging an enemy in close assault.  The Harlequin player can not simply move the model nine squares or stand and fire nine times. The Harlequin may not end his solo on overwatch or assume defensive stance.

A Harlequin may only be selected for a solo if it is able to spend at least 1 AP in close assault with an enemy. The Harlequin who is performing the solo must make every attempt to close assault an enemy during his solo. The Harlequin player can not declare a solo and then not even try to engage an enemy in close assault. If at the end of his solo the Harlequin did not spend 1 AP in close assault, then the Harlequin player can not perform a solo on his next turn and the Harlequin who failed his solo does not get any APs on his next turn. Great shame is brought to the Masque when a solo is uninspiring and the penalties are heavy for failure to dance death over an enemy.

The same Harlequin is not allowed to perform consecutive solos, the act must be shared around the Troupe. If only one Harlequin remains, then it will no longer be able to perform any solos.

Introducing Troupers and Troupe Leaders A typical Harlequin Masque consists of Troupers who are lead by skilled Troupe Leaders. These are the standard Harlequin that enter battle for the dance and for the kill. Troupers dress brightly and are uniquely flamboyant. They are only lightly armoured, however, their natural acrobatic skill combined with their anti-gravity flip belts makes them extremely difficult to hit with targeted weaponry. Dancing between bullets and incoming blows is the greatest dance of all on the stage of life and battle. Troupe Leaders act in a similar role as Sergeants, overseeing the battle and lending their consummate experience to the fray. They are often armed with the Harlequin's Kiss, having sufficient experience in the use of the deadly weapon during close quarters fighting. Image: A Harlequin Trouper armed with a shuriken pistol and a chain sword. Painted by Luke Wilkinson.

Introducing Death Jesters Death Jesters are the heavy weapon specialists of the Harlequin Masque. They are as agile as all other Harlequins and combined with their Flip Belts, they are able to move and fire unrestricted. A Death Jester armed with any heavy weapon may make move and fire actions as per the AP table for Harlequins. Ignore the usual move and fire characteristics of the Missile Launcher when it is being carried by a Death Jester. Death Jesters are immune to the effects of terror.

Image: A Death Jester armed with a shuriken cannon. Painted by Luke Wilkinson.

Image: A Death Jester armed with a missile launcher. Painted by Luke Wilkinson.

Blistering Speed

A Solitaire may move two squares with blistering speed for 1 AP. The direction of movement is not important but the movement must not be interrupted by any other action. The Solitaire can not fire while moving at blistering speed. Not only is the Solitaire able to move further than most other models, blistering speed also allows the Solitaire to move so fast that it can avoid some overwatch fire. If the Solitaire is crossing a junction that is guarded by an enemy model on overwatch, he can run at blistering speed past the junction too fast for the enemy to fire. However, if the Solitaire is running towards an enemy model on overwatch with blistering speed, then the enemy model is still able to take a shot every second square that the Solitaire moves. In effect, blistering speed allows the Solitaire to move a free square before it pays 1 AP for the second square moved. While in the free square the Solitaire is safe from overwatch fire.

Death Step

A death step is similar to the deathdance, but it is only an action that a Solitaire can perform due to his phenomenal speed. During the Solitaire’s turn if he defeats an enemy in close assault, then he is allowed to step into the square that the enemy occupied for 0 AP. The death step is still counted as an action and the Solitaire can be fired upon by enemy models in overwatch. The death step must be performed immediately after the victorious close assault, otherwise the Solitaire loses the opportunity to do so. The death step allows the Solitaire to continuously charge into melee as he chooses. Note that the death step does not give any close assault bonuses as it is merely a free movement action. A Solitaire can perform a deathdance like all other Harlequins if he chooses.

Soulless

Solitaires are immune to all forms of terror as they have no mortal soul to frighten. They are also immune to certain psychic effects as listed on the Ranged Weapons Table.

HARLEQUIN WARGEAR

Domino Field

Worn by the most powerful of Harlequins, the Domino Field creates a more complex distortion pattern than a normal Harlequin Holosuit, shattering the wearer’s image into a cloud of blindingly brilliant shards of multicoloured light. The wearer is harder to hit with ranged weaponry and in addition, any model attacking the wearer in close assault must subtract 1 from each dice roll.

Dread Mask

The Dread Mask contains a psychic pickup that detects the worst fears of the wearer’s enemies and amplifies them, sending shivers of terror through them. A model wearing a Dread Mask projects an aura of horror about him and is able to strike terror in enemy models that gain LOS to the Harlequin wearing the Dread Mask.

Force Claw

A Shadowseer is always armed with a single Force Claw, allowing him to channel his psychic energy into his close assault blows. The Force Claw is similar in all other respects to other force weapons and is subject to the same rules that affect force weapons. Some Shadowseers practice a technique where they charge their Force Claw with an incandescent glow and wave it rapidly before them. Onlookers see an extremely bright curtain of energy that drips colourful balls of power. They usually don't see much more after witnessing the Shadowseer's creative display as their mesmerised minds are too slow to react to prevent their own deaths.

Harlequin Plasma Pistol

Harlequins have advanced technological knowledge that even the Adeptus Mechanicus can not fathom. They are able to harness plasma weapons with greater efficiency than other races. A Harlequin armed with a Plasma Pistol can fire once per turn, rather than waiting for the weapon to recharge on the next turn. Once the Harlequin has fired the Plasma Pistol place the green recharge counter next to the model. At the start of the next turn remove the counter and the Harlequin may fire once more. The Harlequin Plasma Pistol is a far deadlier weapon than that used by other races. It packs a similar punch to most other plasma puns, however, it does not give any close assault bonuses to the Harlequin.

Harlequin’s Kiss

This terrifying weapon is the Harlequins' trademark. It consists of a slim tube, generally strapped to the back of the forearm, which fires a long stream of monofilament wire. In close assault the Harlequin thrusts the Kiss at any opening in the opponent's armour. The long tube penetrates deep into the target's body where the monofilament wire streams out of the Kiss, where it twists and coils killing the target from the inside. Then the wire retracts and the victim simply collapses, dead! Because it is such a deadly weapon the Harlequin's Kiss gives a close assault bonus of +2.

However, the Harlequin's Kiss is a weapon with a drawback, sometimes the wire gets caught inside the victim's body and can leave the Harlequin wide open. After killing an opponent the Harlequin player rolls a dice. On a score of a 1 the Kiss gets caught inside the victim and the Harlequin must spend l AP to free it. If it happens during the opponent's turn place a jammed marker next to the Harlequin, the Kiss can not be freed until the Harlequin player's next turn and the Harlequin will lose defensive stance. The Harlequin's Kiss is not a fast weapon and therefore is not of great use in a deathdance where speed of the blows counts. This double-edged weapon, a danger for opponent and wielder alike, typifies the Harlequin ideal.

Phase Field

Harlequin Warp technology allows the wearer of a Phase Field to shift between real-space and the Webway. The wearer can use the Phase Field once per turn by paying at least 2 APs. The wearer can then shift through the Webway and teleport through the space hulk at one square per AP point spent. The Phase Field is able to teleport through any section effect, except a Miasma. The exit square must be empty for the wearer to step out of the Webway. The wearer can choose to step into a section effect but will immediately suffer the consequences of being in an affected section.

Shuriken Cannon

The heavy version of the shuriken weapon is the favoured armament of the Death Jester. Laying down a devastating hail of discs, the Death Jester gracefully twists and turns leaving destruction and death in his wake. On the battlefield Death Jesters have earned a fearsome reputation. Death Jesters provide vital long range support during an assault on a space hulk, covering the Harlequins advance and checking flank attacks by the enemy. The great agility of the Death Jester combined with the use of Flip Belts enables them to make every move look effortless.

Shuriken Pistol

The Shuriken Pistol is another favoured weapon of the Harlequins. The Shuriken Pistol works by using a gravitic reaction to propel circular discs with mono-molecular cutting edges. These discs slice through armour or bone and every burst of fire catapults a hail of the discs at the enemy.

Tanglefoot Grenades

Used by the Harlequin, these grenades cause a micro negative gravity effect over an entire section. The gravity disruption violently shakes like a mini earthquake and unsettles the balance of all models on the section. Models that are ‘hit’ by a Tanglefoot Grenade are not killed, instead they are immediately knocked prone. A common tactic for many Troupers is to throw a Tanglefoot Grenade into a section before they whirl into close assault and dance death over the fallen enemy.

Vortex Grenades

Vortex Grenades erupt with a split second burst filling the section with raw Warp energy. Models that are hit are dragged into the Warp and rent asunder from the chaotic forces around them. Survivors barely manage to keep a firm grip of their souls in normal material space. A Vortex Grenade instantly removes any other normal section effect marker but has no effect on psychic markers.

HARLEQUIN TURN SEQUENCE

• Declare solo

• Use APs (Main Phase)

• Roll to move vortices

• Roll for additional section effect damage

• Roll for decay of psychic effects

• Dispersal of psychic effects

• Remove next player's overwatch counters and section effect markers

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Last revised: March 31, 2006.