Power axes or power mauls

[Agramar_The_Luna_Wolf]

I was wondering about power weapons,and specifically about two of them.

I prefer use power mauls over power axes in my units, because I think is better to have more Strength(Power Mauls +2, power axes +1),than have more possibilities of scoring Breaching (6+ Vs 5+). But I play with SoH and I can use my power axes as Carsoran axes, plus 5 pts more(Same profile and rules as a power axe but adds Shred 6+). Quite interesting option. Carsoran Tabars are, I think, too expensive for extra 10 pts and lower too much the Initiative for just the improvement of Shred to 5+ and +2 to Strength.

 

Which one you think is better, in general and in the particular case of SoH, power mauls or power axes?

Edited October 16 by Agramar_The_Luna_Wolf
Forget a part of text

[arnesh88]

Probably power mauls, but the difference is not large enough to start ripping off axes to replace them. To me, the gap between Power Axes/Power Maces/Carsoran Axes is not nearly as large as the gap between Thunder Hammers/Power Fists in 2.0.

Most things with a 2+ save have an invul save as well (terminators, Command Squads w/ Combat Shields), making Breaching a little less necessary. Almost everything with a 2+ save also has more than 1 wound, making Shred that goes through their armour more valuable.

 

I just think that this is one of the times where the difference between the weapon options, in this case, falls to aesthetics being a bigger factor than what the math says.

 

Edited October 16 by arnesh88

[W.A.Rorie]

Mauls, but I am using them in Raven Guard. For you SoH If you have the points it maybe worth it but feel like it is not.

[Razorblade]

14 hours ago, Agramar_The_Luna_Wolf said:

I was wondering about power weapons,and specifically about two of them.

I prefer use power mauls over power axes in my units, because I think is better to have more Strength(Power Mauls +2, power axes +1),than have more possibilities of scoring Breaching (6+ Vs 5+). But I play with SoH and I can use my power axes as Carsoran axes, plus 5 pts more(Same profile and rules as a power axe but adds Shred 6+). Quite interesting option. Carsoran Tabars are, I think, too expensive for extra 10 pts and lower too much the Initiative for just the improvement of Shred to 5+ and +2 to Strength.

 

Which one you think is better, in general and in the particular case of SoH, power mauls or power axes?

Depends on who is carrying them but generally: If you want to kill anything tougher than basic power armor troops neither option is going to cut it, so go for the Maul, it's better at what their supposed to be doing. 

As for the carsorans: After paying to upgrade your power weapon you could have just taken a fist/Hammer which is much better at killing 2 wound targets and units without access to those will loose to any unit they'd need them against anyway so there's really no reason to bother unfortunately.

[Gorgoff]

5 hours ago, Razorblade said:

Depends on who is carrying them but generally: If you want to kill anything tougher than basic power armor troops neither option is going to cut it, so go for the Maul, it's better at what their supposed to be doing. 

As for the carsorans: After paying to upgrade your power weapon you could have just taken a fist/Hammer which is much better at killing 2 wound targets and units without access to those will loose to any unit they'd need them against anyway so there's really no reason to bother unfortunately.

Right on the nose. 

I can only add that the new power axes look terrible because they are absurdly huge like LARP weapons.

That's another reason to stricktly use Power Mauls.

(＾ω＾)

Edited October 17 by Gorgoff

[Agramar_The_Luna_Wolf]

15 hours ago, Razorblade said:

Depends on who is carrying them but generally: If you want to kill anything tougher than basic power armor troops neither option is going to cut it, so go for the Maul, it's better at what their supposed to be doing. 

As for the carsorans: After paying to upgrade your power weapon you could have just taken a fist/Hammer which is much better at killing 2 wound targets and units without access to those will loose to any unit they'd need them against anyway so there's really no reason to bother unfortunately.

 Well I was thinking in units like Despoilers,inductii, Assault squads or Destroyers, more than in characters,Termin,Reavers,etc

In few words,units that can take 2-4 depending of the unit and size.

In fact,I was thinking in this when I was upgrading some Destroyers and Despoilers...

[SlickSamos]

For those units I think Mauls are the general recommendation as they want to be facing off other WS4, T4, W1 & AS3+ models because 4 out of 5 of your models have Chainswords/axes.

 

Also generally avoid the Carsoran weapons as Razorblade suggests

 

Anyway I did some basic maths below and basically if you're going against Terminators don't bother unless you have a ton of Powerfists / Thunder Hammers as they are over 4 times better than any power weapon against them for +5 points...

 

WS4, S4, A2 vs WS4, T4, W1 & AS3+

Chainsword = 1/6 wounds inflicted per model

Chainaxe = 2/9 

Heavy Chainsword & Heavy Chainaxe = 5/18

Sabre = 5/18

Power Sword = 1/2 

Power Axe = 2/3 

Power Maul = 5/6 

Lightning Claw = 2/3

Paired Lightning Claws = 4/3 

Powerfist / Thunder Hammer = 5/6

Carsoran Axe = 2/3

Carsoran Tabar = 5/6

 

WS4, S4, A2 vs WS4, T5, W2 & 2+/5++

Chainsword = average of 3/36 wounds per model (1/36 regular wounds & 1/36 shred wounds)

Chainaxe = 4/36 wounds per model (2/36 regular wounds & 1/36 shred wounds)

Heavy Chainsword = 5/36 (3/36 regular wounds & 1/36 shred wounds)

Heavy Chainaxe = 6/36 (4/36 regular wounds & 1/36 shred wounds)

Sabre & Power Sword = 5/36 

Power Axe = 9/36

Power Maul = 7/36

Lightning Claw = 17/54 (~11.33/36)

Paired Lightning Claws = 17/27 (~22.66/36)

Powerfist / Thunder Hammer = 10/9 aka 40/36 (2 attacks each with 5/18 chance of wounding, eaching doing 2 damage, so 2*5/18*2=10/9)

Carsoran Axe = 13/36 (including shred wounds which count as two each)

Carsoran Tabar = 18/36 (including shred wounds which count as two each)

 

---

 

I did more maths!  I didn't realise how good Lightning Claws (even single ones) and Heavy Chainswords & Axes are for their points. 

 

It's a shame about Carsoran weapons' cost, but for units that can't take Powerfists or Thunder Hammers they could play an insurance role (as you can't guarantee that they won't end up against Terminators).  

Edited October 18 by SlickSamos
Did more maths