With the release of the new Harlequins codex I picked up the stunning new Webway gate. With a few extra models painted and the gate I completed my Harlequin force and added them up to a surprising 2500 pts exactly! It's a massive allied force to my Ulthwe warhost.
I've gotten in a few games with them, tabling an Imperial Soup army consisting of Greyknights and Gulliman. I tabled them in turn 4. An opponent using 1ksons conceded halfway through his shooting phase on turn 1 as I played the 2 CP Stratagem to get them -1 to hit, on top of the psychic power.
For people excited to try out the "Great Harlequin"Stratagem... I've found it overpriced for its effect. I expect in future games I'll skip it and make use of the CPs in game. If it had a more profound effect, or only cost a single CP I'd reconsider and use it again.
Sky Weavers with Haywire Cannons are surprisingly versatile and I highly recommend them. Neuro Disruptors are still disappointing and should wound on a 2+ against infantry.
One of the things I did in these games is test out the Webway Gate. It's a beautiful model, but it's rules are a hot mess. These are the problems and solutions as I see them -
Issues:
1) Asuryani and Drukhari do not ave access to gate stratagems.
Give them access to generic versions.
2) deployment for gate is too restrictive.
Reduce distance from other terrain features to 1" rather than 3" and reduce the 12" distance from enemy deployment to 3", as it becomes all but impossible to actually place on most boards.
Reduce distance from other terrain features to 1" rather than 3" and reduce the 12" distance from enemy deployment to 3", as it becomes all but impossible to actually place on most boards.
3) deployed units are stranded with no protection and are unlikely to contribute.
Allow units to move after deploying as if they disembarked from a transport.
4) gate has no use beyond first or second turn as it provides no cover.
Make gate offer aura of protection, +1 to save, for units wholly within 3"
5) it's too easy to cheaply prevent large models like Wraithknight from entering play with a single cheap model.
Instead of deploying "wholly within" 3" change the rule so that all deployed models must be within 3", this forcing an opponent to have a tough choice about how they're willing to stop you deploying.
No single one of these changes is really sufficient to make the gate attractive. It really needs all 5 to make it viable for play.
Allow units to move after deploying as if they disembarked from a transport.
4) gate has no use beyond first or second turn as it provides no cover.
Make gate offer aura of protection, +1 to save, for units wholly within 3"
5) it's too easy to cheaply prevent large models like Wraithknight from entering play with a single cheap model.
Instead of deploying "wholly within" 3" change the rule so that all deployed models must be within 3", this forcing an opponent to have a tough choice about how they're willing to stop you deploying.
No single one of these changes is really sufficient to make the gate attractive. It really needs all 5 to make it viable for play.
