New Eldar Harlequin Jetbikes & Rules Spotted For 40k [Updated!]
February 3, 2015 by brennon
Games Workshop look to be flying high with the Harlequins this weekend as some new Jetbikes get leaked online for Warhammer 40,000. See what you think of the new look designs HERE...
Update: Rules have popped up online too HERE!
The rules for these Skyweavers have now popped up online and they are quite an interesting unit. You get two of them for the points cost and as you might imagine they are deadly in close combat. They also get an increase in toughness which is nice! Four more Skyweavers can be added to the squad for additional points and they come with a range of interesting weapons too.
The Star Bolas, the big swinging thing they have on the back with the second rider, is the main event being a 12" range weapon that has Strength 6 and AP 2 with Blast 1. They also get a bonus when they charge with their melee weapons, the Zephyrglaive.
The new design isn't too dissimilar to the one you can see above. The canopy is still raised above the gun underneath and it still has the familiar look of the regular Eldar Jetbike. The changes come in the fact that it's lost the leering face from the whole canopy and instead just been given it at the top near the rider.
As well as that it has a bit more of a Dark Eldar feel to it in the sense that you can have two riders on the back of one of these. One of them is the driver of said Jetbike while the other holds on behind with a weapon held out to attack unfortunates. One of them seems to have a whip of some kind which looks like it would be a pain to transport and the other a glaive or polearm of some kind.
Not a bad looking kit but nothing overly impressive either. I think the poses of the riders is what's making them look very regular and not as dynamic as they could be.
What do you think?
"The changes come in the fact that it’s lost the leering face from the whole canopy and instead just been given it at the top near the rider."
I like harlequins a lot, but there’s something really dull and lifeless about those sculpts. They just look bland, which sucks as I was looking forward to them!
I thought they’d have done more with the front canopy. What a boring release and another missed opportunity.
There is a whiff of reused body parts as the back rider has the same pose and similar weapon to the Dark Eldar Hellions 🙁
The great thing about the weekly release schedule is you get to type the same thing each week instead of once in the month. Decent sculpts, lack the character and dynamism of the originals.
This ^
Couldn’t agree more, feels like a friday afternoon job.
Not sure if it is the camera angle but the arm with the boleros looks very odd The jet bike is spoiled by the mask which looks like it has been stuck on as an afterthought to distinguish it from other Eldar jetbikes. Sorry to be so negative, but as much as I think the overall design is good the concept has no appeal While I appreciate many will find it cool, the idea of someone standing up at the back onto a wind of whatever speed the bike is doing and making a successful strike against the flow is… Read more »
I really like them. My first 40k army was Harlequins and I had several of the original bikes back in the day and I may do a bit of greenstuff sculpting on the front of one of these but I’m quite happy with how they look also. I think I’ll be getting a small harlequin force very soon 🙂
the original jetbikes did not have the gun underneath like that, ut just looks like ot from the angle of the picture,
Instead, it was asymetrically sticking out of the left hand side, and that was just so cool.
too bad it looks like they also lost that distinguishing feature in the new version.
They really missed opportunity to make it look so different compared to Eldar or Dark Eldar jetbike but no. Besides that whole grinning face in front was kinda what gave previous one that Harlequin feel.
I like them alot, I think you can def see the influence of the JEs Goodwin prototype jetbike that was seen more than a few years ago.
I really wanted to like the Harlequins but they’re another dud.
IMO of course.
When we said “GW do too many skulls” that did NOT mean “GW do too much detail, I wish they would make their models bland and toy like”.
ffs. Why bother. I see a lot of fanboys from other sites praising these bland models which makes me think they must be 14 year olds with no memory of the quality GW had produced in the past; or people with no knowledge of what other companies are doing.
Shhh! Don’t tell them there are other companies out there. It will break their hearts when they realize how badly they’ve been duped.
BTW, meant to give you a thumbs up @poosh, but hit the wrong button. You will surely feel the wrath of GW loyalist thumbs now lol.
Mwha ha ha. This has been a very lazy 40K release. I wonder if they’ve moved all their good sculptors/designers to Fantasy for Warhammer 9th.
No, they’ve moved all their good sculptors/designers to other companies :-). After the last few fantasy releases I’m not holding my breath.
What an original respons from poosh en pauls……just keep repeating, that your opinion is the only truth….. It is not even funny any more….
Im pretty sure it will be repeated until GW starts making decent models, or start pricing their stuff more in line with actual quality. The bikes are good imo, the harleyclowns are posed badly and the masks look atrociough. Its as if they are not a part of the model or the clothes, its been greenstuffed on top of a flat face by someone just trying it out for the first time. GW have done better harlequins before, theres picture and material proof of it.
atrocious though*
We’ve both received Platonic educations, so we’re more attuned to the true nature of art and beauty.
That’s a The Republic reference btw!
“ffs. Why bother. I see a lot of fanboys from other sites praising these bland models which makes me think they must be 14 year olds with no memory of the quality GW had produced in the past; or people with no knowledge of what other companies are doing.”
Congratulations! You have just won wild, sweeping, d*ck comment of the month!
We look forward to your entry for next month!
The internet would be a better place with more wild sweeping duck comments imho
Waterfowl opinions are far too under represented.
Personally, I’d cry ‘fowl’ if I was a wild sweeping duck.
next month? 3 weeks of releases before then mate.
I don’t see why people complain
Personally I find that having to think up new sarcastic comments for every release is a challenge and keeps me on my toes.
JOKE! I’m only joking of course
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.
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Thinking up sarky nonsense comes very naturally! lol
http://www.solegends.com/citrt/Wd107p15EldarHarlequinJetBikex-02.jpg
LOOK at the artwork on that. It occurs to me that the Harlequin’s are quite clearly partly inspired by Comic Book villains (so extra shame in the GW sculptors for not realising this, GW workers should not their history unlike us plebs).
Note the QUESTION MARKS (Riddler), the Joker and Green Goblin elements, mixed with the deck-of-cards theme.
Such a wasted opportunity.
Should have left the face like it was in the old metals.
The new face is too small and boring.
But, I do like flying Harlies!!!
Looks pretty much exactly the same as the Rogue Trader bike….the canopy is the Rogue Trader jet bike.
http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/images/thumb/b/b7/RT-1989-Harlie-Jetbike.jpg/684px-RT-1989-Harlie-Jetbike.jpg
Should read the article first…..thought the picture was the new bike.
Don’t like the proper new one, prefer the old one. The little mask just looks silly
hehe
I like the new models a lot! They seem cleaner—the old masks were maybe a little over the top. For me at least. I’m not an Eldar player but maybe I would be much more inclined to buy the new models.
The bikes look cool, but as someone mentioned, they’re more or less recycled from another figure, so nothing new there. The figures on them are the typical lazy CG creations we’ve come to expect. I don’t get a sense of motion in the bike from looking at the people on it. And then there’s that silly melee weapon again. Try clipping along at 100mph and taking a swing at something out your car window. Chances are, if you connect, your arm will be ripped out of its socket… provided you can hold on to both the weapon and the sissy… Read more »
If you’re going to poke holes in it being unrealistic to have a guy with a melee weapon on the back, then I’d like to know where you draw the line when it comes not just to 40k, but almost every other sci-fi setting. What is the justification of nearly all females in Infinity wearing high heels? It being strongly based on the Dark Eldar Jetbike is a fair enough complaint, although I’d argue it shouldn’t be a tremendous surprise to see similar looking tech between the different Eldar factions (if we ever get Eldar Bikes, they’ll probably be similar… Read more »
Well, now that you mention it, Infinity women in heels is stupid as well (never noticed actually), but that’s not the subject at hand. I’ll be sure to mention it in the next Infinity news item :-).
All the women in heels is the least of the sexist sins seen in the Infinity range on a regular basis. Just compare the two versions of the Caledonian volunteer model from the Ariadna range – one male, one female, and yet the guy gets a reasonable combat pose and something approaching clothing, and the woman gets… I don’t even know how to describe that, beyond perhaps that the entertainer at a local stag party got caught up in a battle, tossed a grenade launcher with no training in how to use it, and was told ‘welcome to your new… Read more »
That’s basically the reason why I steer clear of Infinity.
Say what you will about it, but 40K is logical about females and war. Sisters of Battle aren’t there for silly, PC, progressive BS reasons. They’re there for very logical historical reasons which are absolutely tied into the lore, and they’re given power armour to boot.
That’s a great female model as a piece of art outside of the game – but to actually use it in a game where she’s gonna be killed, butchered etc? There’s something unhealthy about that sort of thing.
I would never use the term ‘PC’ or ‘progressive’ with regard to that infinity sculpt – it is old school miogynist sexual objectification pure and simple. The Sisters have a better claim to progressivism than that does. I agree with you that placing highly sexualised imagery of women in a combat scenario where violence, injury and death are likely is rather disturbing. At least the Sisters not only wear something approaching clothing for the most part (apart from the unfortunate choices with regard to the Sister Repentia), but are actually equipped with armour almost on a par with that of… Read more »
A clever bit of deflection shooting. I thought the issue at hand was the GW tripe on parade, and not Infinity’s questionable treatment of women in sculpture.
Wouldn’t defend high heels for any character in any setting where that character is supposed to be highly active, and when I say active, let’s keep it clean, this is a family show! lol
I would make an exception for the Emprah as he does bugger all so is not going to sprain an ankle. 😛
No thread is ever safe from those who fear female sexuality and think fictional games of make believe should be realistic and believable.
Yeah
The sexualisation of women in a 30mm figure that is supposed to go into battle as a warrior with a mini skirt and high heels when all males are wearing goodly armour scares the shit out of me.
But hey, that’s okay because the non realistic game stats give to poor woman a chance because… erm… because…ovvvv….erm…irrational reasons
We don’t “fear” female sexuality, we are just bored with a 60 year old aesthetic and misogynistic attitudes
There is already plenty of candy pop females. The miniature world is awash with them. We don’t need any more.
In the interests of being fair, Infinity has gotten better with regards to how it depicts its females nowadays (the link to the Caledonians is of old models that hopefully get replaced), although I’d personally feel uncomfortable painting some of the bootleg TAG infinity pilots if say my wife was in the room. Infinity is strongly anime themed and the most recent female sculpts are in line with that (I’d rather we had less of them pointing over there all the time). It’s just if you’re going to complain about it being unrealistic to fight from the back of a… Read more »
@fleety
I don’t understand your point here.
Infinity have been taken to task as you acknowledge, and the SOB were praised for their depiction by GW
So it contradicts the claim that all the negative criticism is reserved for GW.
Cannot comment on the Judge Dredd tank having not seen it
A ton is a lot of cash to drop on any toy tank imho
It better had be bloody good! lol
As Chibi says, a rejection of outmoded misogynistic objectification of women is in no way a ‘fear’ of female sexuality, but rather a desire to see female agency represented in wargaming, rather than just seeing every sculpt depict women as different flavours of ambulatory sex toy. This is the important difference between a woman choosing to present herself in a sexual fashion voluntarily, and imagery that sexualises women and womanhood while eliding women’s sexual agency entirely. The prevelance of objectifiying imagery in society is so utterly ubiquitous that it is insufficient to say ‘this is just fiction, so its OK’… Read more »
@ Chibi The point I was making in the recent post, was that I can go almost into any news topic on BoW, and there will typically be more (mostly negative) comments on it than other news threads. If I took a shot for every comment that said the paint job was horrible, the sculpt was poor, the price was completely over the top, etc, all the while from people who claim to no longer play any of the GW system, I’d have died from liver poisoning long a go. And yet, when I go into news stories about models… Read more »
As I see it, there is a problem with the appreciation of GW products when it is still in part based upon the notion that, “GW make the best minis”. They don’t if one is aware of other models. They only make the best models if you play GW. Pound for point they are not good value. The painting of their wares is not as good as it used to be. The quality of sculpting has been surpassed The concepts of GW models are often ridiculous If you set your company to be the biggest and the bestest and don’t… Read more »
*like a gamer scorned
It is a fear. Because Women do not fear being seen as attractive. Hence why women’s magazines/news and models are portrayed in such ways. Its also a fear because you never hear anyone raising hell over “Unrealistic” male models. Aka: the entire model range of the new conan game with its mostly naked men and so on in big lumbering poses designed to make them look powerful or dare I even say….attractive (its a model, not sure if that word even works there). So one must deduce they have a phobia targeted at only females. And how about the girls… Read more »
This is not so much about fear of of woman as a need for you to justify your own attitude towards the depiction of women
As such there is not a lot more for me to say on the matter.
Whatever floats your boat. As said, there is plenty of that sort of stuff produced already, and it continues to be so.
What is less prevalent in the industry is a portrayal of women in fantasy and sci-fi in practical costume. Leaving aside gender politics, I am just bored to tears of the same unimaginative cliches.
your inchage may vary
I’m sorry but we are the sorts that demand flying models are aerodynamic…what do you expect :p
Heaven forfend that a ventral stabilising fin should have to be aerodynamic when a slab with a leading edge 6″ thick will suffice
Loincloth clad, over muscled barbarian minis and sexualised minis of women are not equiviIant; the barbarian minis are not sex fantasies of men for consumption by women – they are power fantasies of masculinity for consumption by other men that, while related to the sex fantasy representation of women in miniature form, are in no way the same thing. Both are expressions of the male gaze. Both are created to appeal to men, not women. Just look at the poses. Even a male barbarian mini wearing nothing but a loincloth will be in a combat pose; they will be depicted… Read more »
Oh no “Social” “Justice” W**kers strike again with their gender studies deceptions. Women have it so hard because OMG the games of TINY PLASTIC SOLDIERS aren’t marketed at them…. Barbarians aren’t male power fantasies (LAUGH OUT LOUD) they are references to BLOODY CONAN who is an archetype barbarian that signifies easily various characteristics. Same with a Dwarf. Same with an elf armed with bow. I cannot believe the outright snotling shite that spews from these fake feminists. Yawn. Mess up video games if you want, please stay away from miniatures … or before you know it we’ll have ranks of… Read more »
@fleetey Games Workshop get slated correctly because they release bad or average products – whilst we know GW produce some of the best models in the world.
There are plenty of cases of GW releasing models, and people praising them. If GW made a model that was, say, not crap or just average, people would – and do – praise it.
They are not being negative just for the sake of it. I’m sure if you visit the Nagash release page or the new Storm Troopers you’ll see lots of praise – certainly from me!
An easily identifiable set of traits has an advantage of a short cut.
It gets you to your destination quicker, but being hasty is not always for the best.
Just ask Treebeard! lol
I am surprised Conan has time for adventures tbh
He must spend most of it in the gym keeping himself buff! lol
I could do with a short cut here though.
My goodness this discussion is getting hard to navigate lol
You are, of course, entitled to your opinion @Poosh. That said, might I suggest actually engaging with the arguments in future, before venting off about ‘social justice warriors’? Incidentally, using that particular form of language is something of a tell, since it is not a term social justice activists use to describe themselves, and is the exclusive invention of their opponents within the laughably entitled ‘men’s rights movement’. The phrase does inevitably lead one to ask why someone would be opposed to social justice? What is so objectionable about creating a more equitable society? Unless one’s goal is to maintain… Read more »
When I think of a barbarian, what I don’t see is Tarzan of the North.
That all Barbarians are depicted in that guise is nothing to do with archetypes but everything to do with stereotypes, possibly informed by dubious notions of “the noble savage” (read Hollywood “Redskin”)
Vetruviangeek’s comment is valid.
I asked Arnie and he agreed
“Who vouden vant to be me!” he said
Well I suppose “trope” was more appropriate, the word matters not. Stereotypes will do. The point is it coveys quick and easy characteristics without any need for elaboration (because it saves ink). The Hero Quest “famous four” are carefully selected: you can hazard a guess as to their stat line and skills from merely looking at the models, before you actually see the rules.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BarbarianHero
Of course there is also “barbarian” i.e. goths etc. which are entirely different and bring about some very different attributes.
I’ll have to see these in full rotation before I give any firm opinion, but at the moment I definitely prefer the polearm to what seems to be a bolas of some sort. I must admit that I would have imagined a pinion riding Harlequin would be armed with something more like a long, mono-whip that can lash out to dismember victims as it passes by. It would be heinously difficult to weild, but you get away with that by referencing the skill and ridiculous physical conditionng of the Eldar in question. As a mono-whip, it would also cut through… Read more »
The bike is toting a rather large gun as well, why you would like to get into melee range with anything is beyond me … guns in 40k is just there so we can call it 40k, its actually all about the melee weapons. In what situation would it be smarter to charge a target and hit it with a sword instead of training that enormous cannon on it? Sorry couldnt help it, but GW puts melee weapons on goddamn everything. everything 😛
It’s the whole, “Drive me closer, I want to use my sword” syndrome.
Anyone for a PhD paper on a Freudian reading of 40K? lol
It would be fine if it could be explained better, but its hard to buy the “lost technology” argument when the relics from the glory days are still turning out to be melee weapons with super duper power cores. Even if you dont happen to have the blueprint for that golden day super phaser cannon thingy, theres bound to be a master crafted ultra storm hammer to knick a power source from. Put it to work through a shooty weapon and youre laughing 🙂 okok ill stop, its not meant to be rational .. its just that scifi has matured… Read more »
Maybe ’cause the ammo will run out?
Maybe ’cause the sick clown freaks get off doing it “up close and personal”.
Something about what the Joker says in the Dark Knight and why he likes knives…
did they get the mask idea watching clockwork orange?
would have been better if not the full mask them leave it smooth I think so the front can be personalised easier.
It seems to be detachable so you can choose to keep it off. As for the poses, they do look rather odd and I say its the hair that makes the movement seem slow.
I guess these enable you to get the models onto objectives when it suits but also toughens them up to being knocked off since they have two wounds and some chance in combat and/or hit and run? Also, the haywire cannon may give them a chance at knocking out a vehicle?
I think the new harlequins need more colourful paint jobs though and more varied “acrobatic” poses.
I am very much looking forward to the Starweaver…..please let it be cool!!!
The paint jobs GW put out on their miniatures are the standard they are, so they can most likely teach those who are less than stellar, how do it in one of their (and I will say great) painting videos.
As great as it is to see Angel Giraldez’s work for Infinity, it is rather….intimidating or perhaps daunting knowing your own paint jobs will not come close.
Are the miniatures poor so people can learn to sculpt them themselves?
I mentioned the masks in that context :p
@ Cpauls1
I think you must be looking at the wrong page if you think the jetbikes are poor sculpts; you must have some Mantic models on your screen instead.
Obviously GW should post a guide on how to paint which costs £100’s of equipment and years of experience so as to closely match their pictures.
I never said the jetbikes were bad @fleetey. I like them… what I said was, the figures on them are lazy CG trash. The reason there aren’t as many negative comments on other threads is because, generally, the community reaches a consensus fairly quickly on whether something is flawed, or outright garbage… like Mantic’s sci-fi stuff, as you mentioned. But what saves it is that Mantic offers value for money, and free rules. You can get into their sci-fi game in a fairly big way for under $100, and have money left to split a six-pack with your opponent. They’re… Read more »
@fleetey
It’s mostly perception, rather than actual sculpting quality.
Corvus Belli, for example, is 10x more guilty of lazy, “lifeless” and uninspired CAD/digital-(re-)sculpts, also almost always vastly inferior to the stuff they made 5 years ago.
But they pay BoW through the nose so @warzan & co brownnose the community in their stead, bombarding it with constant propaganda, so they get better “press” despite the inferior product.
It’s the madness of the modern world.
Oh dear
Way to bring down upon your head a ton of trouble
My advice would be to offer an apology, since there is no editing function
I have been a member of BoW a long time and seen much passionate and heated debate. Some descending into unpleasant territory.
I hold my hand up and confess to being a guilty party
But I have to say that is the first time I can recall anything truly libellous
@torrent There are currently three GW related threads in the news feed, and none relating to Corvus Belli. There is one Infinity piece in the billboard at the top, where older relevant stories end up. There’s no Corvus Belli advertising on the current page. ????
Thats a load of bull torrent tbph, just about every word in that post .. that calls for some type of medal though
“Thats a load of bull torrent tbph, just about every word in that post .”
A torrent of abuse, perhaps?
Maybe the Wild Sweeping Duck medal?
Eh. BoW peeps TORE into Mantic on several occasions. We’re not pro-mantic or pro-Infinity. We’re pro-miniatures.
Riders masks are waaaaay too big for their heads, it makes them look stupid. The mask stuck on the jetbike looks really cheap. A missed opportunity to re-sculpt an iconic unit.
@pauls, it is because of people like you, yes you that GW stops communicating directly.
You think that you have the morale high ground and you are constantly insulting people who
Does not share the same opinion. You are not an current customer anymore of GW, you do not buy any more products of them, it is your right to do so. but stop calling people igonorant if they do. (You do this with every GW post), if you are truly such an activist just go to GW hq and confront your own frustations at them directly then boring everyone.
In other news.
Religion: Pope refuses to address the crowds in St Peter’s Square because Atheists
Sport. England to stop announcing line up until after the game.
Weather. Piscatatonic Pete refuses to come out of burrow.
A fiend reveals that the famous groundhog is upset by critics harsh words when the rodent reveals we are in for a prolonged winter.
*friend
Another typo, many apologies.
@kooipah, to address your comment on GW customer interaction. People saying negative things should never be the reason for companies to engage with customers – look at the blizzard forums some sections there are almost toxic at points, but they engage with customers, call out some and enter into discussion with others. They do this to maintain a community, to interact where they feel appropriate and to promote genuine discussion. They do not always get things right, and they also use it a a form of interaction to build a larger picture of the game. Other companies are great examples,… Read more »
I like them and i will buy them…. It is incredible what GW does with CG.
CG masterpieces……
GW bad. Every new women sculpt in heels bad. Meh, just teasing 😉
Hang on. Why are they called “Skyweavers” ? Is that like a card game or circus act? I’ve assumed that it is as such.
I think it’s because of their knitted sweaters.
You know, like Fair Isle, but from Skye?
Technically weaving is not the same as knitting afaik, but, fair dos, artistic license and all that.
More probably a reference to their drunk driving while zipping around on those jet bikes! 😛
I quite like tbh, a bit like War Dancers
I don’t mind the name as a name but surely the name must be in line with them theme i.e. cards, circus etc. Why pull this random name out of nowhere ?
I heard a rumour that they tried that, but Coco the Clown and his Carefree Cloudbusters was too long to fit on the side of the box
Think Cirque du Soleil with pointy things, and none of the grace, and you probably won’t be far off.
CLOUDBUSTERS lololol