Ranged Weapons

Both a status symbol and puissant weapon, bolt pistols are rare in numbers but always feared. In the hands of an Imperial Guard Commissar, one can reverse a cowardly retreat; in the hands of an Inquisitor, it can stop a cult leader from summoning an unholy Daemon. Such is their power, both symbolic and physical, that many eagerly sacrifice all to possess one.

Boltguns, or bolters as they are often called, are the main weapon of the Space Marines, who carry versions so huge that few humans can easily lift one, let alone fire it. The lighter models others use to serve the Emperor are only slightly less destructive, but still powerful enough to destroy any who oppose His Will.

This huge weapon is rarely used outside of military forces, but sometimes is all that stands against some of the terrors of the Ruinous Powers. The larger shells carry additional propellant and stronger explosive charges, making them deadly against armoured foes at long ranges.

Storm bolters combine the firing power of two Boltguns into one compact weapon. They fire an unstoppable hail of metal that can tear apart groups of enemies in a single salvo, and can bring a furious charge to a dead halt in moments.

Graviton weapons,  exceedingly rare relics from the Dark Age of Technology, are jealously guarded by the Adeptus Mechanicus as sacred relics, who very rarely allow one outside of their armouries. Each fires arcane particles that disrupt the gravimetric fields surrounding the target, using the victim’s own armoured mass against him. The terrible, crushing force of the unnatural energies reduces targets to ruptured hulls and crumpled armoured forms. Most common are Graviton Guns, though grav pistols and grav combi-weapons can also be found in elite warbands and Mechanicum tech-heresy capture units.

Graviton: Hits from a Graviton weapon inflict the Stunned condition, Ignore all Armour that does not come from a Force Field or Psychic Power, and add the Armour value of the hit location to the inflicted damage.

In addition, Characters who openly wield such weapons without first developing a sufficient relationship with the Mechanicus (at least Influence level 3 with the Faction, or the reference of a Patron or contact who does) will almost certainly earn their ire.

Graviton weapons,  exceedingly rare relics from the Dark Age of Technology, are jealously guarded by the Adeptus Mechanicus as sacred relics, who very rarely allow one outside of their armouries. Each fires arcane particles that disrupt the gravimetric fields surrounding the target, using the victim’s own armoured mass against him. The terrible, crushing force of the unnatural energies reduces targets to ruptured hulls and crumpled armoured forms. Most common are Graviton Guns, though Grav Pistols and grav combi-weapons can also be found in elite warbands and Mechanicum tech-heresy capture units.

Graviton: Hits from a Graviton weapon inflict the Stunned condition, Ignore all Armour that does not come from a Force Field or Psychic Power, and add the Armour value of the hit location to the inflicted damage.

Needle weapons project a near imperceptible beam of light, along which they project a venom-tipped needle to strike their targets with stealth and precision — ideal for espionage and assassinations.

Needle weapons project a near imperceptible beam of light, along which they project a venom-tipped needle to strike their targets with stealth and precision — ideal for espionage and assassinations.

Web weapons, often called ‘glue guns’ fire a wide net of sticky fluid which constricts and solidifies on contact — making them perfect tools for Arbites officers or bounty hunters. Webbing material is designed to dissolve in minutes or hours after use.

Web weapons, often called ‘glue guns’ fire a wide net of sticky fluid which constricts and solidifies on contact — making them perfect tools for Arbites officers or bounty hunters. Webbing material is designed to dissolve in minutes or hours after use.

Also known as flame pistols or burners, these small weapons are ideal for close-range fighting, where their very short range and poor accuracy are less important than their furious effect.

A common weapon in many gangs and cults (who savour the smell of burning flesh), flamers are relatively easy to construct and maintain. They do not rely on expert marksmanship, and are ideal for attacking enemies in cover or confined spaces with indiscriminate conflagrations.

Large and terrifying, Heavy Flamers use two muzzles to create huge blasts of fire that can incinerate entire swaths of enemies in a single shot. Only the strongest can carry the weapon as well as the massive backpack of fuel it requires, but its presence has turned the tide against many a heretical attack.

Warr's Note: The listing above includes the Backpack Ammo Supply included with the weapon (effectively, the weapon has Mag 1 and Enc 3 without). Note that firing a shot with this weapon includes both the opposed test for the Blast, as well as applying the Ablaze condition as per the Torrent trait.

Compact and reliable, laspistols are a favourite weapon for Imperial officers and gang leaders alike.

Lasguns are the basic weapon of Astra Militarum troopers, and as such are the most common las weapon in existence. They come in many varieties and patterns, and the continued survival of the Imperium owes much to their reliability, simplicity of design, and ease of use.

A lighter, cut down version of the lasgun, the las carbine has a lower rate of fire and a shorter range but is easier to carry and aim, often coming with a folding stock.

Combined Arms: The pistol grip and folding stock allow a degree of tactical flexibility in the Las Carbine. Users can fire the weapon Two-Handed, using the Long Gun specialisation, or one-handed, using the Pistol Specialisation. It takes a free action on a creature's turn to change modes in this way.

The long las is a specialised version of the basic lasgun designed for snipers. The longer barrel and precise collimator allows for accurate shots at much farther ranges, with little of the signature loud crack of other las weapons. The barrel length and lack of a rapid-firing mode, however, make it impractical for close range operations.

Specialised variants of the standard las weapon design, hot-shot weapons use stronger power packs that provide extra energy for each shot. High ranking military officers and elite forces such as the Tempestus Scions use them frequently, but other Imperial agencies with sufficient means also favour the extra stopping power they provide against heretics and other threats.

Specialised variants of the standard las weapon design, hot-shot weapons use stronger power packs that provide extra energy for each shot. High ranking military officers and elite forces such as the Tempestus Scions use them frequently, but other Imperial agencies with sufficient means also favour the extra stopping power they provide against heretics and other threats.

Built for war, lascannons use huge power packs that provide enough energy to punch holes in the thickest armour even at very long ranges. Lascannons also require separate power packs, which is why they are often crewed by two or more people.

Often found mounted on vehicles as a counter to infantry and light vehicles, the multi-laser is a multi-barrelled gatling laser with an impressive rate of fire. However, its blasts lack the penetration of the Lascannon, making it less effective against heavy armour.

These pistols are nearly impossible to manufacture any more, and almost all that exist are ancient relics of ages long ago. Possessing an inferno pistol is a sign of status, and few but the powerful and influential have the honour of owning one of these valuable devices.

Meltaguns are a favourite weapon for anti-tank specialists, who use their close-range destructive power to cut through armour plate and heavy bulkheads alike.

Each of these small weapons contains the fury of a burning star. A hit can rip apart even heavily armoured enemies in a single incandescent blast, as if the Emperor had turned His gaze upon the foes.

Many plasma guns date back centuries or even millennia, and it is common for an ally to recover one rather than rescue its fallen user if there is no time for both. Despite the hazards a plasma gun can pose, those who carry one know it is a special honour few others can comprehend.

Rapid firing and compact, many veteran Militarum carry an autopistol to supplement their regulation lasgun or other, less reliable weapons. They are also popular in gang hierarchies, and have settled many underhive leadership disputes in a hail of shells.

While not as commonplace as lasguns in military formations, many local forces rely on these sturdy and inexpensive weapons to defend their home world from threats within or without. They use common, low-calibre shells in standardised clips, and can be set to fire in single, semi-automatic, or full-automatic modes making them as versatile as they are simple to construct and supply.

This stub gun variant concentrates on stopping power above all else. It is a huge and brutal weapon, and those who use it generally do not care about the state of their target after the shot. Hand cannons kick like a grox and, unless used with two hands or a Recoil Glove, impose a –10 penalty on Ballistic Skill tests.

Heavy stubbers are common both on the battlefield and in the underhive, as many times there is little difference between the two locations. Relatively simple to produce and maintain, they use standard ammunition that can provide a hail of suppressive fire against infantry and light vehicles. Few have the muscles to fire one, especially with its infamous recoil, so most users rely on a bipod or other support. Like all stub weapons, heavy stubbers come in many forms and use many ammunition intakes, such as long belt feeds, huge clips, or wide drums.

Shotguns are relatively easy to produce, and their wide area of effect makes them appealing for those unskilled in ranged combat. Their short range and low shot velocity can be detrimental in larger conflicts, but these qualities make them the perfect weapons for shipboard combat. The standardised shell construction also allows them to take a wide variety of specialised ammunition.

Shotguns are relatively easy to produce, and their wide area of effect makes them appealing for those unskilled in ranged combat. Their short range and low shot velocity can be detrimental in larger conflicts, but these qualities make them the perfect weapons for shipboard combat. The standardised shell construction also allows them to take a wide variety of specialised ammunition.

Less advanced than the elite Needle Rifles, sniper rifles are still very effective against most lightly armoured foes. When the gun is combined with a tripod brace and telescopic sight, a skilled marksman can easily turn the tides of a battle with a single shot.

Unlike the stub revolver, this pistol weapon can fire in rapid semi-automatic mode as well as single shots. Like the autopistol, it is easy to produce and maintain, but less accurate at longer ranges.

Revolvers use a rotary feed for fire single shots, with a small clip that must be manually replenished. Their open design makes it easy to load in custom rounds for special situations, and thus many bounty hunters and trackers find them useful backup weapons.

Autocannons are heavy, powerful weapons that can devastate light vehicles and armoured foes alike with long ranged firepower. They are commonly mounted on tanks or crewed with infantry teams in Imperial armies, but can also be found in the unclean hands of insurrectionists and heretical forces.

Bleeder rounds are a particularly cruel and effective form of projectile designed to induce catastrophic haemorrhaging in a target. These include intense anti-coagulants and other chemicals to keep even the slightest of wounds profusely gushing blood

These solid slugs contain tiny guidance cogitators that track targets, greatly extending the weapon’s range, while simultaneously making micro-adjustments to circumvent cover or locate weak points in armour. If Executioner rounds are fired from a Shotgun, the Shotgun loses the Spread Trait for that attack.

Hot-Shot Las Packs are overcharged magazines or bulky power packs that upgrade standard Las weapons with greater power and armour penetration at the cost of increased ammunition expenditure and reduced reliability. Hot-Shot Las Packs have a magazine size equal to half that of the weapon they are purchased for.

These shells contain partially stabilised flammable chemicals, igniting on impact to spread a gel of adhesive flame across the target.

Designed primarily to defeat personal protection, Man-stopper bullets are ideal when facing armoured foes such as Enforcers, Militarum troopers, and very successful criminals.

Tox rounds are coated or filled with lethal poisons, chemicals, and even local fungi. These ensure that even if a hit doesn’t take down the target, the harmful toxins will finish the job.