Harlequin Dreadnought

Harlequins Portal

Harlequin Dreadnought (back left) as it first appeared in White Dwarf 106 (UK)^[3]

Harlequin Dreadnoughts or Harlequin Wraithlords are Harlequin Psychic Wraith-constructs^[2] like those of their Craftworld counterparts, Wraithlords^[4] which bear the souls of fallen members of the Harlequin Masque they fight beside.^[4]

Overview

When Harlequin heroes fall, they are mourned by all within the Masque and carried into the webway, to where and how nobody knows, but sometimes after this mourning a Wraith-construct bearing the soul of the hero emerges from the webway to rejoin the Masque^[4] fighting even after death, with the grim visage of the Laughing God^[1b]

Harlequin Wraithlord

Harlequin Wraithlords are equipped with a version of the Mask of Fear^[4] and exude a constant a Psychic Scream, which manifests violently in the minds of those who stray too close, and those struck by the scream are then infected with terror.^[2] Additionally, some Harlequin Dreadnoughts are able to manifest minor rudimentary Psyker attacks.^[2]

The Wraithlord's two arms are also equipped with Power Fists^[2] which each incorporate a Flamer or Shuriken Catapult, although one arm can be additionally equipped with several different weapons including the Harlequin Psycannon (a unique weapon which channels energies of the Warp into a destructive beeam)^[2], a Distortion Cannon^[2][4], a Lascannon^[2][4], a Scatter Laser^[2][4], a Missile Launcher with Frag and Krak Missiles^[2][4], a Brightlance^[4], a Starcannon^[4]. These weapons can be fitted to a Harlequin Dreadnought's shoulder mount instead, which each offer the Wraith-construct a 90 degree arc of fire.^[2]

The Harlequin Wraithlord, like other Harlequin units, is able to manifest a Holo-field from its Holo-suit, which distorts it's shape and prevents enemies from targeting it's most vulnerable locations.^[4]

Images

• 

  Patrick Short's painted Harlequin Dreadnought.^[1a]

• 

  Harlequin Wraithlord^[4], modeled by Patrick Short.^[1b]

• 

  Four-armed Harlequin Dreadnought variant, modelled by Tim Kohlmetz.^[5]

• 

  Harlequin Dreadnought at Warhammer World.^[6]

Development History

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

The Harlequin Dreadnought first appeared in the background of a spot illustration for the Harlequins army list in White Dwarf 106 (UK) in 1988, without a name, model, or rules.^[3]

Harlequin Dreadnought, modelled by Patrick Short.^[1b]

This Harlequin Dreadnought art piece inspired Patrick Short^[1b] to kitbash his own version of the Dreadnought, which would be featured in The Citadel Journal 17^[1a] in 1996 as a part of the recurring Dok Butcha's Klinik kitbash instructional column. Short's version included the body of an Eldar Dreadnought (the original name for the Wraithlord), the canopy of a Harlequin Jetbike as a head, and replaced the Bright Lance with the Psychic Lance of the epic-scale Warlock Battle Titan.^[1b]

Short's Harlequin Dreadnought was tremendously popular, and two issues later in The Citadel Journal 19 in 1997 it was given rules by Carl Phillips as a part of the Lucky Git promotion which allowed write-in rules which would be printed as official Warhammer 40:000 (2nd Edition) rules.^[2]

Rules for a Harlequin Wraithlord, using images of Short's Dreadnought model, would be included in the experimental 3rd Edition Harlequin codex expansion in The Citadel Journal 44 in 2001.^[4]

Sources

This article or article section is based on information from a Fanatic Press publication such as Fanatic Magazine or one of its predecessors (e.g. The Citadel Journal, Necromunda Magazine, etc.). These publications regularly featured articles submitted by hobbyists, and as such, their content may or may not be in contradiction to established background lore.

This article or article section is based on entries to the Golden Demon competition such as those featured on White Dwarf, or similar public events showcases (e.g. exhibits at Warhammer World and local GW stores, Armies on Parade, Warhammer Championships, etc.) published by Games Workshop. These showcases regularly feature miniatures and content submitted by hobbyists, and as such, their content may or may not be in contradiction to established background lore.

• 1: The Citadel Journal 17: ^{Fanatic Press}
  • 1a: Inner front cover
  • 1b: pg. 41 - Dok Butcha's Klinik
• 2: The Citadel Journal 19, pg. 17 - Harlequin Dreadnought ^{Fanatic Press}
• 3: White Dwarf 106 (UK), pg. 12
• 4: The Citadel Journal 44, pg. 38 - Codex Harlequins Update ^{Fanatic Press}
• 5: The Citadel Journal 39 - Inner back cover ^{Golden Demon}
• 6: Rogue Heresy Blog - Pilgrimage to Warhammer World 2018 (posted 17/12/2025) (archived from the original 30 January 2026, last accessed 14 February 2026) - see Harlequin Dreadnought/Sources ^{Golden Demon}