Refers to handheld weapons which are used at close range, normally relying wholly on the user's physical force.
Melee weapons cannot suffer from malfunctions (see Reliability & Maintenace Rules).
There are different types of melee weapons:
- Sidearms such as shortswords, daggers and knives possess the Last Resort attribute, making them excellent defensive weapons, and are always One-Handed.
- Bayonets, additionally, possess their own attribute (Bayonet)
- Longswords possess the Duelist's Choice attribute, making them particularly deadly when wielded by a skilled fighter. A select few may be One-Handed.
- Greatswords possess the Killing Blow attribute, making them extremely effective against large creatures and swarms.
- Axes possess the Splitting Strike attribute, making their critical hits particularly deadly, and negating the advantages of shields. They may or may not be One-Handed.
- Hammers possess the Forgewrath attribute, granting them a unique way of damaging armoured enemies. They may or may not be One-Handed.
- Polearms possess the Stand Fast attribute, making them effective at countering charges, and granting them greater range.
- Chainsaws possess the Eviscerator attribute, making them extremely lethal against creatures with no armour.