Harlequins — Combat Patrol

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How to Use This Guide (click to collapse)

This guide is a scaffold — not instructions.

This reference exists to help you learn what your Combat Patrol can do. Warhammer has many timing windows, abilities, stratagems, and scoring rules that can happen in different phases. Because of that, this guide may repeat certain reminders in multiple places.

These reminders are NOT commands. You do not need to use everything listed in every phase. You can skip entire sections if they are not relevant to the current situation. This guide shows your options, not the "correct" play.

Use as much or as little as you need. On your first game, you might follow the reminders closely. On later games, you may only skim or ignore sections entirely. That is normal — the goal is to reduce how much you depend on this guide over time.

You will make mistakes — that's part of learning. Spending CP too early, forgetting an ability, or using a stratagem at the wrong moment is expected for new players. This guide gives you the opportunity to try these tools so you can learn from your own decisions.

When in doubt: keep playing. If you're unsure about a rule, timing window, or reminder, keep the game moving and look it up after the turn. This guide is meant to support play, not slow it down.

Part 1: Game Setup Checklist

Use this checklist before the battle begins.

1. Create Battlefield & Choose Mission

  • Work with your opponent to create the battlefield (44"×30") and set up terrain.
  • Determine the mission (e.g., "Clash of Patrols"). This sets your deployment map and Primary Objective.

2. Determine Attacker/Defender

Roll off. The winner decides who will be the Attacker and who will be the Defender. This determines your deployment zone.

3. Make Your Army Choices

4. Declare Battle Formations

  • Transports: Secretly decide which units start embarked.
    • Starweaver can carry units.
  • Both players reveal their choices simultaneously.

5. Deploy Armies

  • The Defender sets up one unit first, then alternate placing units one at a time.

6. Determine First Turn

Both players roll off. The winner chooses who takes the first turn.

7. Army Rule: Battle Focus

Timing: Start of battle round (gain token) / Various phases (spend)

Gain 1 Battle Focus token at start of each battle round. Spend tokens to trigger Agile Manoeuvres: Swift as the Wind (+2" Move), Flitting Shadows (enemy can't Overwatch), Fade Back (D6+1" move after being shot). Unspent tokens lost at end of round.

Part 2: Turn-by-Turn Guide

Follow this during the game. Check each phase for reminders.

YOUR TURN

1. Command Phase

• Gain 1 CP

• Check Battle-shock: Test any units Below Half-strength (roll 2D6 vs Leadership).

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Insane Bravery — Use if one of your units fails a Battle-shock test.

2. Movement Phase

• Move your units. Each unit can make a Normal move (up to M"), Advance (+D6", cannot shoot or charge), Remain Stationary, or Fall Back (if in Engagement Range).

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Mocking Flight — Until end of turn, your unit is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in a turn in which it Fell Back.

3. Shooting Phase

• Select your units and shoot. Declare targets, then resolve attacks (Hit → Wound → Save → Damage).

• (Reminder: Vehicles and Monsters can shoot even if they're in Engagement Range — Big Guns Never Tire)

• (Reminder: Units in Transports with Firing Deck can shoot from inside)

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Command Re-roll — Re-roll one Hit, Wound, or Damage roll.

4. Charge Phase

• Declare and make Charge moves. Select a unit, declare target(s) within 12", roll 2D6 to determine charge distance.

• (Reminder: Units that complete a charge get [FIGHTS FIRST] for this turn)

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Tank Shock — Use when a VEHICLE makes a Charge move to deal mortal wounds.

5. Fight Phase

(Players alternate fighting, starting with the player whose turn it is NOT. Units with [FIGHTS FIRST] go first.)

• Select units to fight. Pile in 3" → Make attacks → Consolidate 3".

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Weakness as Strength — Until end of phase, if attack Strength is greater than your Toughness, subtract 1 from Wound roll.

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Epic Challenge — Use when a CHARACTER fights to gain [PRECISION].
1CP
Command Re-roll — Re-roll one Hit, Wound, or Damage roll.

End of Your Turn

  • Check Secondary (Fates Unmade): Score 5VP if you control one or more objective markers that your opponent controlled at the start of that turn.
  • Remove any abilities/effects that last "until the end of your turn".

OPPONENT'S TURN

1. Command Phase

• Your opponent gains 1 CP.

• (Reminder: Make sure your opponent checks Battle-shock for their units Below Half-strength)

2. Movement Phase

• Watch for enemies moving into range or within 24" of your units.

• (You can Fire Overwatch when an enemy starts or ends a move within 24")

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Mocking Flight — Until end of turn, your unit is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in a turn in which it Fell Back.

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Fire Overwatch — When an enemy starts or ends a move within 24", shoot at them (hits on 6+).

3. Shooting Phase

• Make saving throws for your units. Roll saves (including any invulnerable saves) and allocate damage.

• (Reminder: Units with [STEALTH] are -1 to be hit from more than 12" away)

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Go to Ground — Use when INFANTRY is targeted. Gain 6+ Invuln and Benefit of Cover.
1CP
Smokescreen — Use when a SMOKE unit is targeted. Subtract 1 from Hit rolls.
1CP
Command Re-roll — Re-roll a key saving throw.

4. Charge Phase

• Watch for enemy units declaring charges against you.

• (You can Fire Overwatch when an enemy declares a charge or ends a charge move)

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Fire Overwatch — When an enemy ends a Charge move within 24", shoot at them (hits on 6+).
1CP
Heroic Intervention — At the end of the phase, one of your units can make a 6" counter-charge move.

5. Fight Phase

(You fight first since it's your opponent's turn — unless they have [FIGHTS FIRST])

• Make saving throws and allocate damage when your units are attacked.

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Weakness as Strength — Until end of phase, if attack Strength is greater than your Toughness, subtract 1 from Wound roll.

Core Stratagems:

2CP
Counter-Offensive — Use just after an enemy unit fights to 'cut in line'.
1CP
Command Re-roll — Re-roll a key saving throw.

End of Opponent's Turn

  • Check Secondary (Fates Unmade)
  • Remove any abilities/effects that last "until the end of the turn".

Part 3: Unit Datasheets

Solitaire

★ Warlord
1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
12" 3 6+ 4 6+ 1 4+
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Solitaire weapons PRECISION
Melee 9 2+ 6 -2 2
Enhancement

Illusive Killer

Once per battle round, this unit can perform an Agile Manoeuvre without spending a Battle Focus token. Doesn't prevent other units from using the same manoeuvre.

Abilities

Core: Fights First Lone Operative Stealth
Faction: Battle Focus
Blur of Movement

This model is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced.

Keywords: INFANTRY, CHARACTER, EPIC HERO, AELDARI, SOLITAIRE

Troupe

6 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
8" 3 6+ 1 6+ 1 4+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Shuriken pistol ASSAULT PISTOL
12" 1 3+ 4 -1 1
Neuro disruptor ANTI-INFANTRY 2+ ASSAULT PISTOL
12" 1 3+ 4 -2 1
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Power sword DEVASTATING WOUNDS
Melee 5 3+ 4 -2 1
Harlequin's special weapon DEVASTATING WOUNDS
Melee 4 3+ 4 -1 1
Harlequin's blade DEVASTATING WOUNDS
Melee 5 3+ 3 -1 1

Abilities

Faction: Battle Focus
Dance of Death

Select one ability: Hero's Prowess (re-roll Hit rolls of 1), Villain's Doom (+1 to Wound), or Trickster's Grace (enemy -1 to Hit).

Keywords: INFANTRY, AELDARI, TROUPE

Skyweavers

2 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
14" 4 4+ 3 6+ 2 4+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Shuriken cannon LETHAL HITS
24" 3 3+ 6 -1 2
Skyweaver haywire cannon ANTI-VEHICLE 4+ DEVASTATING WOUNDS
24" 2 3+ 3 -1 3
Star bolas
12" D3 3+ 7 -2 2
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Close combat weapon
Melee 4 3+ 3 0 1
Zephyrglaive
Melee 4 3+ 6 -2 2

Abilities

Faction: Battle Focus
Acrobatic Grace

Each time an attack targets this unit, subtract 1 from the Hit roll.

Keywords: MOUNTED, AELDARI, FLY, SMOKE, SKYWEAVERS

Voidweaver

1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
14" 6 4+ 6 6+ 2 4+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Prismatic cannon - dispersed pulse BLAST
24" 2D6 3+ 4 0 1
Prismatic cannon - focused lances
24" 2 3+ 12 -3 4
Shuriken cannon LETHAL HITS
24" 3 3+ 6 -1 2
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Close combat weapon
Melee 4 3+ 3 0 1

Abilities

Core: Deadly Demise 1 Stealth
Faction: Battle Focus
Keywords: VEHICLE, AELDARI, FLY, VOIDWEAVER

Starweaver

1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
14" 6 4+ 6 6+ 2 4+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Shuriken cannon LETHAL HITS
24" 3 3+ 6 -1 2
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Close combat weapon
Melee 4 3+ 3 0 1

Abilities

Core: Deadly Demise 1 Firing Deck 6
Faction: Battle Focus
Keywords: VEHICLE, AELDARI, TRANSPORT, DEDICATED TRANSPORT, SMOKE, FLY, STARWEAVER