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If you’re anything like me, when you saw the new model reveals at the Las Vegas Open event, then you were impressed by the Avatar of Khaine, blown away by Ka’bandha, Daemon General of Khorne, intrigued by the Corsairs Kill Team, and maybe you cared a little about Interrogator. But one question was on your lips: Who is Maugan-Ra?

Maugan-Ra was clearly the coolest model that was shown at LVO ($400 resin Forge World daemons notwithstanding) but I, who have never played Aeldari or even really played much against Aeldari (because honestly: who plays Aeldari?) had never seen the likes of Maugan-Ra before I and I LIKED WHAT I SAW.

Now this isn’t completely fair. I’ve seen the likes of Maugan-Ra before, and that’s in the very original sculpts of the Harlequin Death Jesters, who are absolutely covered with skull and bones iconography from head to toe and even have guns that look somewhat similar. These models obviously have some crossover aesthetic that can’t be denied, event up to the scythe topping the Death Jester’s gun.

But if the Death Jester is an icon of death the Maugan-Ra was even more so I was enamored with him. I still don’t think that I am going to take a dive into an Aeldari army (it’s not on my Ovelist for 2022 and I’m booked pretty solid) but there’s no doubt that I am going to get one of these awesome Phoenix Lords and paint him with every bit of skill I possess.

It’s also worth pointing out that this is the existing sculpt of Maugan-Ra, which is in metal, which is from 1994. And that’s what they’ve still been using.

Who is Maugan Ra?

Maugan-Ra, aka The Harvester of souls, is the founder and Phoenix Lord of the Dark Reapers, who are known to be among the most feared and perhaps most brutally destructive Aspect warriors of the Craftworld Aeldari.

So let’s start with the first question:

What is a Phoenix Lord?

A Phoenix Lord is the leader of one of the groups of Aspect Warriors. They each founded an Aspect Shrine and is the living embodiment of Khaine. (We’ll get to Khaine in another article.) Phoenix Lords are more than just an elite Aeldari soldier–they are a sort of immortal, with their soul bound in a Spirit Stone in their armor. Now, a Phoenix Lord CAN die in combat, but when the armor is taken up by another Exarch the memories and soul of the Phoenix Lord will continue to live on in the new Exarch. There are nine known Phoenix Lords, one for each of the types of Aspect Warriors.

So the next question:

If Maugan-Ra is the Phoenix Lord of the Dark Reapers then who are the Dark Reapers?

The Dark Reapers just got some big press because new models were announced for them. Essentially, the Dark Reapers are the big guns, the long-range, big-boom technology. They are slower than most of their Aeldari kin, but that’s because they’re carrying such heavy weapons. The Reaper Launcher is a missile launcher that fires a single warhead that will split into multiple warheads and deal a decisive and deadly blow to the enemies of the Craftworld Aeldari. The small warheads that come off the big one have a high intensity armor piercing punch, and they can devastate just about anything. (The Reaper Launcher has two settings, Starswarm and Sharshot. Starswarm is Heavy 2, Strength 5, AP -2, D 2, and Starshot is Heavy 1, Strength 8, AP -2, D 3). But upgrading to the Aeldari Missile Launcher will give two shots as well, the Sunburst and the Starshot: Sunburst is Heavy D6, Strength 4, AP -1, D 1, and the Starshot is Heavy 1, Strength 8, AP -2, D D6). But the stats of the weapons belie their deadliness, because while they’re GOOD they’re not GREAT unless you can be assured they’re going to hit their targets. Dark Reapers have Crack Shot, which allows them to reroll 1s, and they have Inescapable Accuracy, which means they’ll always hit on a 3+ regardless of modifiers.

So now that we know what a Phoenix Lord is and what a Dark Reaper is, let’s get into:

Who is Maugan-Ra?

Maugan-Ra lived on the relatively small Craftworld of Altansar which survived the Fall of the Eldar. However, Altansar was too close to the Eye of Terror and was slowly sucked into the Warp. The Aeldari on Altansar fought bravely against the forces of Chaos, but soon the entire Craftworld was consumed and thought dead. However, one single solitary Aeldari survived and emerged from the Warp: Maugan Ra.

Maugan Ra had not always been so powerful, but when he was an early Phoenix Lord he was different from the others. His weapons were less Aeldari and more occult, weapons that were derived from the enemies of the Aeldari which were forbidden–except for a Phoenix Lord.

What is Maugetar?

Maugetar is the personal weapon of Maugan Ra, also known as the Harvester. A Shuriken Cannon with an Executioner Power Weapon built in (and Executioner is a huge power glaive that was used only by the Howling Banshees and is made to slice an opponent in two with one swing. Maugan Ra’s Executioner is shaped like a scythe attached to the tip of Maugetar, making him deadly in ranged and close combat.

What is Maugan-Ra’s Armor?

Maugan Ra’s armor is Phoenix Armor, a very ancient and intricately crafted armor. Maugan Ra’s armor is made from what was left of the Dark Reaper shrine on Altansar, appearing to be sculpted from golden bone with a skull helmet.

How Awesome is Maugan-Ra?

Pretty incredibly awesome. One need only learn of his actions on the planet of Stormvald in the Segmentum Tempestus, where Maugan-Ra fought single-handedly against a Tyranid swarm from Hive Fleet Leviathan and–again, single-handedly–fought them off, emerging victorious. And then to know that he did THE SAME THING again at the last stand of the Craftworld Iyanden when Hive Fleet Kraken appeared.

Retrieving Altansar

During the 13th Black Crusade, led by Abbaddon the Despoiler, Maugan-Ra was fighting alongside the Ulthwe Aeldari when he saw a chance to re-enter the Warp that he had escaped so many years before. He plunged into the Immaterium and, through powers unknown searched until he found what was left of Craftworld Altansar–and found that Aeldari still lived there! He succeeded in bringing the Craftworld out of the Eye of Terror and helped lead the battle against Chaos to send them back into the Warp.

Altansar was not… normal. Living in Warp had changed them and there were noticeable differences: they never removed their helmets to show their faces, and they only speak in whispers.

Conclusion

So that’s the story behind this incredible sculpt. One of the toughest Craftworlds Aeldari imaginable, and his new look is badass enough to fit his history and stats.