Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I recently started up an Altansar Eldar army, and wish to use Maugan-Ra in the army (as well as some dark reapers, obviously)

what is a good strategy for him?

And this may sound stupid: His weapon has a built-in executioner. What is that?

The only stupid thing about the Executioner is how GW has the page number reference wrong -__-;; It's on page 31, not 23. I had the same question when I first read his entry.

Basically, it gives him 2+ strength, and is a 2 handed power weapon.

Oh and from what I've seen, Maugan Ra is popular together with Harlies (Veil of tears means it's hard to shoot at them, so you can sit there "safely" and pound away).

Oh, awesome, thanks much!

Ok, here's a quick rundown of what Maugan Ra is good for.

While his stats may make him seem impressive in CC (WS7, init 7, 4 attacks, 6 str power weapon) it is not where he really shines. His lack of an invulnerable save, and his 4 toughness means that he can easily take wounds from units as humble as a tactical squad sergeant with a power weapon.

This is not to say that he can't be useful in CC, but beware that against most dedicated CC units, including most other armies much-cheaper HQs, he is nearly 200 points of dead elf.

So what makes him special? He is one of the only truly effective shooty HQs in the game.

His gun has a 36 inch range.

With use of the crack shot power, it can ignore cover saves.

With use of the fast shot power, it can have five shots.

It rends.

It pins.

So what's it good for?

Well, the str 6 plus rending means that it can pen any non-monolith-or-waveserpent vehicle in the game. The ignores-cover-saves means that a KFF or smoke launchers, or even a skimmer going flat out have no extra protection against it. Because of the lack of multimeltas, and the lackluster capabilities of bright lances, the Maugetar is actually one of the Eldar player's best tools against AV 14 vehicles, especially because of cover saves.

Fast shot means that against vehicles that don't have a cover save, he gets 5 chances to rend. With BS 7 (gets to re-roll misses, with success on a 5+ on the reroll) he gets the full five hits very often.

Against monstrous creatures, the re-rolls to wound from Crack Shot synergizes very well with the rending special rule: a lot of the time he'll get some pretty consistent wounds on MCs because while he might only wound on a 6, he also ignores armor and cover on a 6, and gets to re-roll all non-6 (assuming T8 MC).

Since he's str 6 and ignores cover saves, he can next-to-guarantee that he will kill an entire IG heavy weapons squad with one turn of shooting.

In short, he's the cure for what ails your Eldar army... but comes at a serious points premium, and takes up a valuable HQ slot.

Thanks much for the post willydstyle.

He is also great as a major distraction. Its not uncommon for your opponent to ask exactly what Maugan Ra does.....tell them. In gleeful detail tell them, and make sure that they know how dangerous he is to their army. Then put him in a unit of harlies and watch them turn their entire game plan into a way to kill him. Deploy him and the harlies as your first unit and take a bit of time making certain they are postioned just soooo.

They will kill him, and he is a good chunk of points, but if your opponent obsesses over him for a couple turns you have probably won the game by that point

It works even better if you play the same person frequently, because then you dont say anything at all about Maugan Ra the first time you use him. Hes likely to have a major impact on that game and you will likely find that the next few games Maugan is all that your opponent worries about.


Sliggoth

Oh, I forgot one of the most important aspects of Maugan Ra (you reminded me sliggoth).

Eternal Warrior.

It means you can effectively deploy him by himself, preferably in cover, and he can be a big, big distraction for your opponent.

I think I know the answer to this ("No :(") but just to be sure:
Can you re-roll armour pen. rolls with crackshot?