Not one, but TWO new factions on the way….wow! There’s a LOT here, so check it out and let us know what you think.
GW posted a ton of info over on their community site about the upcoming Harlequins and Night Haunts for 40k and AoS respectively. Harlequins look fantastic and the new Night Haunt models are awesome. Which are you most excited for?
Next week, a new codex is coming – and with it, a plastic kit that brings an iconic piece of the Aeldari lore to life…
In less than a year (it’s hard to believe just how new the new edition of Warhammer 40,000 really is!) we’ve seen the Aeldari brought to life through a series of codexes – from the varied armies of the Craftworlds to the much-vaunted Drukhari book.
Now, it’s the Harlequins’ turn to receive an awesome codex of their own – and just as Codex: Craftworlds and Codex: Drukhari were designed to reflect the unique nature of their respective armies, Codex: Harlequins gives the Harlequins greater depth and tactical flexibility than ever before. In the codex, you’ll find some of our most unusual faction rules ever with the Masque Forms, from the sinister morale-manipulating powers of the Silent Shroud to the warriors of the Dreaming Shadow – who turn death itself to their advantage:
We weren’t kidding! It’s not just faction rules – inside, you’ll also find Stratagems, Warlord Traits, Relics and rich lore that explores just what the servants of the Laughing God have been up to since the Cicatrix Maledictum opened and the Yncarne was born.
If you’re a truly dedicated worshipper of Cegorach, make sure to pick up the Collector’s Edition – a lavishly realised version of your codex featuring a soft-touch cover with unique art. You won’t want to miss out on your Datacards, either – an invaluable in-game resource that makes tracking your Tactical Objectives, psychic powers and Stratagems simple.
The Harlequins codex was the perfect chance for our designers to bring an iconic piece of Aeldari lore to life. For years, the webway and webway portals have been a key part of the Aeldari background, and now, you’ll be able to add one of your own to your collection thanks to a magnificent new multipart plastic kit!
The Aeldari Webway Gate is HUGE – you’ll be able to comfortably fit a Wraithknight between the two halves. You may be wondering how you add this piece of terrain to your games. We’re keen to make sure that every Aeldari army gets access to the Webway Gate, and so, as well as finding rules and matched play points in Codex: Harlequins, you’ll also be able to find the datasheet in the box.
You’ll be able to add a Webway Gate to your Drukhari, Craftworlds and Harlequins armies, and you can use it in-game to deploy your units up close to enemy lines – imagine using it to drop in a clutch of Talos Pain Engines, or a pack of Howling Banshees…
You’ll be able to pre-order your Harlequins codex and Webway Gate next week – let us know on the Warhammer 40,000 Facebook page what you’re most excited about.
Codex: Harlequins – Masque Forms
Nobody goes to war quite like the Harlequins, a faction so mysterious that they make their cousins in the Drukhari look like forthright, honest chaps. In the new Harlequins codex, this is reflected by a choice of six Masque Forms that provide some powerful – and unusual – bonuses to your Harlequins army.
True to form, the Masque Forms are among the most distinct and unique faction rules we’ve seen in the game so far, each opening up a host of new tactical possibilities when it comes to customising your army and confounding your foes.
Today, we’re revealing ALL of those Masque forms to help you decide which you’ll use when the codex comes out – and perhaps, to tempt you to service of the Laughing God…
The Midnight Sorrow are warrior acrobats, using their immense physical dexterity to confound their foes at close quarters. On the tabletop, this is represented by The Art of Death, a Masque Form that makes you nightmarishly difficult to pin down once you hit the enemy lines.
Consolidating up to 6″ means that, when you blitz through an enemy unit, you’ll likely be able to chain into another one, proving very disruptive for any force that relies on shooting. Falling back an additional D6″ also has a variety of benefits; remember, with your Flip Belt and Rising Crescendo abilities, you’ll be able to move over models as if they aren’t there, before charging. Defensively, you’ll be able to put a LOT of distance between anyone that tries to pin you down, while offensively, you can wreak havoc behind enemy lines, using your Fall Back moves to get to the heart of your enemy army.
The Veiled Path revel in trickery, misdirection and deception – traits represented on the tabletop by an appropriately sneaky Masque Form:
With a 4+ invulnerable save and a range of ways to mess with your opponent’s hit rolls, Harlequins can be surprisingly durable, with Riddle-smiths making you even harder to attack in close combat. If you’re looking to make your Harlequins last longer on the battlefield, this is the Masque Form for you.
If you’re looking for a simpler – but no less effective – Masque Form, the Frozen Stars allow you to make the most of your Harlequins’ close-combat prowess with Hysterical Fury:
Remember – Harlequins can Fall Back and charge, meaning you’ll be able to benefit from this several times during the game. By gearing up with powerful melee weapons like the Harlequin’s kiss (it’s a lot less nice than it sounds), you’ll be able to blitz through enemy units before they even have a chance to strike with a hefty 5(!) Attacks per Player on the charge for your Troupe units.
We’ve looked a lot at the Harlequins as a close-combat army, but these guys are no slouches in the Shooting phase, capable of wielding a variety of deadly Pistol weapons. The Masque of the Soaring Spite is the perfect pick for players looking for an airborne shooting army:
Troupes mounted in Starweavers will be very powerful with this Masque Form – as well as allowing you to fire your Pistols on the move, your shuriken cannons won’t suffer any reduction in accuracy for firing on the move.
The Harlequins of the Dreaming Shadow are among the darkest of their kin, imbued with a grim sense of purpose. On the tabletop, this translates into a Masque Form that punishes your foe for any losses they inflict:
With this Masque Form, you’ll be able to throw your Harlequins into dangerous foes, safe in the knowledge that your casualties could well swing the conflict in your favour. We’d recommend taking larger squads of Harlequins, kitting them out with as many deadly pistols as you can and getting them into range as soon as possible – any foe looking to take them out could be in for a nasty surprise.
The Silent Shroud are the most terrifying of the Harlequins, and allow you to make the most of your Morale phase with an interesting Masque Form:
In an army composed entirely of Harlequins, this will work superbly with your Death Jesters, whose shrieker cannon can reduce the Leadership of target units, but where it really comes into its own is in a mixed Aeldari army. By combining a Detachment of Hemlock Wraithfighters with some choice Drukhari units from the Dark Creed Haemonculus Coven, you’ll be able to drop enemy Leadership by as much as 9 – enough to transform every single casualty into a devastating rout.
As you can see, the Harlequin Masque Forms allow you to create a diverse and unusual range of army builds for your Harlequins – and we haven’t even gotten into new psychic powers, Stratagems, Relics or Warlord Traits yet! Come back later in the week when we’ll be looking at these in detail – or start your Harlequins army with a Troupe, available in the FLG web-cart!
Faction Focus: Nighthaunt
Welcome to Faction Focus – a daily series on Warhammer Community examining the various armies battling for supremacy in the Mortal Realms. For new players, we’ll be looking at just why you might want to make any given army your own, while if you’re a veteran, this is where you’ll find in-depth insights into what the latest rules changes mean for you…
In this Faction Focus, we’re checking out the Nighthaunt – sinister, incorporeal spectres who despise the living and haunt the Mortal Realms in pursuit of vengeance…
In the Mortal Realms, the dead do not rest easily. Those departed souls too wicked to join Sigmar and too fearful and craven to join Chaos find themselves in the kingdoms of Nagash, the God of Death. Appointing himself their eternal jailor, Nagash arms the Nighthaunt with a portion of his power and sends them forth into the realms to prosecute his will, turning their immense bitterness and fury at the living into a weapon of war.
Implacable in Defence…
Nighthaunt armies are great for catching opponents unawares. All Nighthaunt units ignore your opponent’s Rend stat, so they’ll stand up against just about any weapon your foe throws at them – even Ghal Maraz itself will struggle to displace a Spirit Host.
…Terrifying in Close Combat
Offensively, the Nighthaunt tear through foes with a deluge of mortal wounds, whether at range or with their Frightful Touch. No matter how armoured your foe is, you’ll be able to take them out.
Tyler Mengel is a Golden Demon-winning painter, keen player, master converter and longtime friend of Warhammer Community. As the commander of a substantial Nighthaunt army, it’s safe to say he’s pretty excited about what the new edition might bring:
What attracted you to Nighthaunt?
Tyler: I’ve always liked the Death range for Warhammer Age of Sigmar but had already painted legions of Skeletons, so I was looking for something different. Back when the plastic Spirit Hosts came out, they immediately became some of my favourite miniatures. Not only are they great-looking models, but they can be incredibly easy and quick to paint, while still looking fantastic!
There’s just something undeniably cool about an entire army of ghosts. It’s a truly terrifying idea if you think about it from the perspective of the lowly Freeguild soldiers who will have to hold the line against them.
What are your top tips for Nighthaunt players?
Tyler: The Nighthaunt army is extremely durable – with most models in the army having a 4+ save that can’t be modified in any way, they can take a lot of punishment. Spirit Hosts make a great shield unit, as with 3 wounds each and their Ethereal rule, it’ll take a lot for the enemy to chew through them. I typically run at least two units of six to be the anvil upon which I smash the opposing army. Hexwraiths are great as objective grabbers – as one of the fastest units in the army, I typically use them as outriders and run them along the flanks of the battlefield to harass weaker units. With their increased mortal wound output, they can dish out the damage pretty effectively as well.
What advice would you give to a new Nighthaunt player?
Tyler: Spirit Hosts, Spirit Hosts, Spirit Hosts. These guys are worth their weight in gold. They form the solid core of your army and look great as well. Though I would suggest picking up at least one of everything from the faction since they all have a unique role to fill. With all of these exciting new models coming out, the options available to you will only expand! If you’re wary of jumping in fully, try building a 1,000 point army first, you’ll be surprised at how quickly that fills up, as well as how quickly you can get it on the tabletop fully painted. From there, it’s only a short hop away from a larger army and eternal damnation and servitude to Nagash… er, I mean, from having a really fun army to play that looks great on the tabletop and chills your opponents’ very souls.
As previewed at Warhammer Fest, Nighthaunt fans are in for a treat this June, as the ranks of the unquiet dead are bolstered by a vast wave of reinforcements. You can look forward to fielding a whole new range of units and heroes including some of the most spectacular (and spooktacular) Citadel miniatures ever made. And of course, you’ll have a brand new battletome to go with them.
Chainrasp Hordes
More often than not, the souls that find their way to Nagash are of a somewhat middling quality – the poor schmucks who weren’t good enough to be reborn as Stormcast Eternals or evil enough to dedicate themselves to Chaos. Gathered together in vast, unhappy hordes, these souls are eternal prisoners of Nagash and take sick delight in bludgeoning enemies with the various chains and manacles that bind them in service to the Grand Necromancer.
Glaivewraith Stalkers
Nagash has a twisted sense of justice, and each member of the Nighthaunt is shaped to reflect their crimes in a previous life. The Glaivewraith Stalkers were those who hunted men for sport and pleasure – now, they still work as huntsmen, drifting slowly and unstoppably towards their quarry, pursuing them for months (or even years!) if they have to.
Grimghast Reapers
Grimghast Reapers are the souls of schemers, plotters, assassins, and those who murdered through subterfuge in their former lives. Nagash has punished these souls by turning them into frenzied, indiscriminate murderers, blind to their foe and attacking with wild, unfocused slashes.
Lord Executioner
In their former lives, Lord Executioners were hangmen and headsmen who knowingly dispatched the innocent, or simply enjoyed their work a little too much. Nagash now employs them in permanent service to ensure none escape the justice of Shyish.
Guardian of Souls
The Guardian of Souls is a first for the Nighthaunt – a Wizard! The Guardian of Souls acts like a lure-light for the rest of the Nighthaunt, drawing them towards living prey…
A new Knight of Shrouds
Finally, we got to check out the new, mounted Knight of Shrouds – the perfect hero for keeping up with your Hexwraiths, or any other fast-moving Nighthaunt units that might be on the way…
Spirit Torment
Of course, we saw a lot of these models at Warhammer Fest this weekend, but what do they bring to the army? We know you’re itching to see what these units do in battle, so here’s one of their Warcrolls – the Spirit Torment: the chain-bound essence of a former jailer, tasked by Nagash with ensnaring the souls of his enemies. Especially those pompous golden ones…
We’ve just scratched the surface of what’s on the way for the Nighthaunt – check out the official reveal trailer to see if there are any other units you can spot:
There are still many more exciting reveals to come – if you’re hungry to learn more, check back tomorrow for another Faction Focus, and some news about some upcoming rules changes…
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
