A Drukhari detachment was not on my radar today, that’s for sure. This one is all about bringing a half Drukhari half Harlequin force. With the detachment letting you take up to 1000 points of Quins.

The detachment rule itself is some of the most fun design in the whole game. It’s really neat, and I’m glad it’s not another flow of magic or Gladius rip off.

It’s called Callous Competition and is straight forward:

Your boys are having a bet: Who can kill more.

If Drukhari we’re the last to destroy an enemy unit, they’re winning the wager. If they’re winning, Harelquins are losing and it works the other way if Quins destroyed an enemy unit last.

Whoever is losing gets re-roll 1’s to hit and wound.

This is super fun and has you bouncing back and forth in a super flavorful combining of narrative and mechanical play.

The only problem is that Quins, frankly, mostly suck.

If Quins get better with the release of the Aeldari book, this detachment could get pretty crazy and we’ll see why.

Enhancements

All the enhancements help the army do what it wants to do. There’s very little if any waste in the design here, which is always a good feeling. No Naruto filler episode type enhancements.

Archraider is 15 points and goes on a Drukhari or Quin model. If the bearer starts inside a transport, that transport has scout 9″. Melee army closes the gap fast is kind of what these two armies have historically been about. A+

Webway Walker is another 15 point enhancement that goes on either a Harlequin or Drukhari model and gives the bearers unit Deep Strike. As a bonus, if that unit is losing the wager they get to re-roll charges out of Deep Strike. Melee armies closing the gap and having mobility options. What else can you ask for. A

Reapers Cowl is for a Quin model only and is 25 points. It gives the bearer’s unit Stealth and Infiltrator. Melee Army gets up board quicker. Are you seeing a trend here? This ones slightly more expensive, so take that into consideration, and quins aren’t exactly killing anything without Yvraine and Visarch. Until they get buffed, B.

Conductor of Torment is 20 points, metal as hell, and goes on a Drukhari model. And lets you do one of two things in your command phase.

• If Drukhari are losing the wager, gain a pain token. You’re now winning the wager.
• If Drukhari are winning the wager, lose a pain token. Quins are now winning the wager.

This let’s you reset tempo if needed, or give one side of the army re-rolls in a pinch. It really good for what it is, in it’s own context. And 20 points seems like the sweet spot. A

Stratagems

Buckle up because these are all generically good. With some tools which are a lot harder to access in Drukhari, pretty cool.

Malicious Frenzy lets you get lethal or sustained hits 1 in your shooting or fight phase. On demand either of these with Pain Tokens slaps. Wyches with Lelith very much enjoy access to lethals. A+

Fateful Role gives you a 4+ fight on death, which becomes a 3+ if that side of the army is losing the wager. Games Workshop sure loves their fight on deaths. Which I mean, in an army where you need to be getting constant kills to bounce the buff around, might be good for a last ditch effort. Clearly wanting you to save it for the unit which would bounce it back on the kill. Shame Drukhari don’t hit crazy hard half the time. Those poor datasheets. A-

Murderer’s Circus is your lightning fast but only in the fight phase, subtracting 1 from the enemy units hit rolls. Lightning fast saves many Aeldari lives. Don’t drink and lightning fast. A

Shorten The Odds is advance and charge. Buddy. This use to be our faction rule. I miss 9th sometimes. S+

Scintillating Tempo was awful to type fast and makes it so you can’t be overwatched. Say it with me, “Melee army has tools to get into melee and up the board” Hell yeah. S+

Dance Macabre is the classic “If an enemy unit gets within 9″, redeploy D6″ ” With the twist that if you’re losing the wager, it becomes flat 6″ instead. Making Aeldari, once again, the only army without a flat 6″ redeploy option. Man I’m sad. A+

These are all so freaking good. It’s just how anemic some of these units hit which hold it all back.

Lists

Jeremy, master of swapping the 2 and the 4 in his win record with the army every other tournament (almost like he’s winning/losing the wager) has offered his insights, and they’re pretty interesting.

Jeremy “Guys I’m playing Thousand Sons instead” Ib’s List and Thoughts

Lelith Hesperax (95pts): Lelith’s blades
Archon (85pts): Huskblade, Blast Pistol
Conductor of torment(25pts)
Archon (85pts): Huskblade, Blast Pistol
7x Beastmaster (120pts)
Death Jester (90pts): Jester’s Blade, Shrieker Cannon
Death Jester (90pts): Jester’s Blade, Shrieker Cannon

10x Kabalite Warriors (110pts)
10x Kabalite Warriors (110pts)
10x Wyches (90pts)

5x Mandrakes (70pts)
5x Mandrakes (70pts)
5x Scourges (120pts)
5x Scourges (120pts)
2x Skyweavers (105pts)
2x Skyweavers (105pts)

Cronos 50 pts
Cronos 50 pts
Talos x2 140 pts
Venom (70pts): Bladevanes, 2x Splinter Cannon
Venom (70pts): Bladevanes, 2x Splinter Cannon
Venom (70pts): Bladevanes, 2x Splinter Cannon

“I’m about to use Microsoft dictate hold on”

“The new Drukhari detachment reapers wager has an excellent stratagem suite as well as a fairly good detachment rule. The detachment rule requires you to have both harlequins and Drukhari units in your army.

The ability to re-roll one hit and one wound is quite good, but to get this ability on Drukhari units you’ll need secure kills with harlequin units. This is easier said than done. Harlequin units are currently lacking in output however, we are expecting a new Aeldari codex in the new year and at that time this this detachment may get much better.
Aside from the detachment rule the strategem in this detachment are also quite good. Drukhari players at the highest level were already running Realspace Raid purely for its strategies.

The strategies here are very good to say the least and what consideration running this detachment even if you’re not running Harlequin units.
Keep your eyes on this detachment, its likely about to get much better.”

Final Thoughts

This detachment is both super cool, and flavorful. With everything it offers being useful in some kind of way.

It rocks.

But Quins suck and Drukhari damage is as reliable as Edmontons weather on a good day. So, yeah, that should tell you everything you need to know.

Damn. Please release the codex.

Tomorrows Orks. Get ready for that, it’s going to either be the end of times or just another Saturday.

Waagh.