Weapons of the Imperium

The Imperium is a vast, galaxy-spanning empire in Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 fictional universe. There are several armed branches of the Imperium's military and police services, and much of their equipment is common to multiple branches.

The armed forces of the Imperium include, but are not limited to:
 * The Space Marines
 * The Imperial Guard
 * The three Ordos of the Inquisition
 * Numerous Planetary Defence Forces
 * The Adeptus Arbites
 * The Orders Militant of the Sisters of Battle
 * The Titan Legions of the Adeptus Mechanicus

This list will name the various types of weaponry and significant equipment used by the Imperium. Weapons and equipment taken from other races will be found under their own entries.

Note on names and descriptions
With the evolution of the WH40K setting over some 20 years, many weapons and equipment have been described in the various editions of the various games. Some of these are no longer in use in the most current editions.

Melee weapons
Simple, cheap, effective and quiet (usually), bladed weapons are there when the gun has blown up, been knocked out of reach, has jammed, or just simply run out of ammunition or for when the enemy reach a range denying the use of firearms. Bladed weapons have been around for millennia longer than guns, and so the art of crafting melee weapons has become as diverse as any school of art. Knives, arguably the most useful of bladed weapons, can be found in more shapes and sizes than there are worlds in the Imperium. Capable of being used for mundane, menial tasks as well as warfare, a knife is also easy to carry. Assassins proficient with knives can always be found with more than one, often of many varieties. Soldiers of the Imperial Guard are also regularly equipped with bayonets for use in close combat, though most Guardsmen loathe and fear the order to fix bayonets—mainly because they (with a few notable exceptions) are among the least effective melee combatants in the game.

Swords, larger cousins to the dagger or knife, can be found on any planet in the galaxy. Although well-balanced swords are ideal for combat, many Imperial warriors prefer heavy bladed weapons such as the Catachan 'Devil's Claw' that uses flowing mercury to increase swinging power.

Axes, although more commonly found in the hands of Orks, are used by some low-tech regiments of the Imperial Guard, either because they are more familiar with it than other melee weapons, or because they prefer the kind of damage an axe does to an enemy soldier.

In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, a melee weapon can be anything. Literally, anything: from a clawed limb of an alien, to a combat knife. Even a good sized rock, a rusty piece of metal, the butt of a rifle, or the soldier's bare hands can be thought of as a melee weapon.

Chain weapons
A chain weapon is a weapon that has motorized biting teeth that saw and slash through the enemy, in a similar fashion to chainsaws. The teeth themselves are fashioned to be incredibly sharp, in some cases carrying a monomolecular edge, and are capable of slicing through steel bulkheads.

The most common form of chain weapon is the chainsword, frequently carried by assault troops and low-ranking officers and NCOs of the Imperial Guard and Space Marines (including the Traitor Legions); but it is sometimes seen amongst other races, notably the Striking Scorpions of the Craftworld Eldar. Another common variant is the chain axe, which is usually carried by Chaos Space Marines (normally of the World Eaters Legion) known as Berzerkers of Khorne. Such is the skill of these Berzerkers and the weight of their massive chain axes that the axes are nearly as powerful as the much-feared power weapon (see below).

A larger, extended version of the chainsword, known as the Eviscerator, is usually seen in the hands of religious fanatics such as penitent Sisters of Battle or the zealous and fiery Redemptionists. Eviscerators, being large two-handed weapons, are generally powerful enough to have similar effects to the chainfists frequently seen carried by Terminators.

Other variations of the Chain Weapon are used all over the galaxy. Space Marine Terminators often replace their standard power fist with the chainfist for use against enemy armoured vehicles. The Space Wolves Chapter of the Space Marines use a chainsword or chainaxe that has been fitted with the teeth of a Kraken, a native beast of their world. This weapon is known as a Frostblade and is more powerful even than a power weapon.

Chain weapons are not just limited to swords and axes though. Existing in the galaxy are chain glaives as well as a multitude of other bladed weapons that have had their blades removed and replaced.

Power weapons
Power weapons, by comparison to regular weapons, utilise focused energy fields to increase the deadliness of the weapon, enabling it to pass through and penetrate armour with ease. Power weapons come in many forms, from the modification of a melee weapon such as a sword or axe, to the gigantic Powerfists and Lightning Claws.

The weapon uses a generator that sheathes it in a bluish haze of disruptive energy. Long-forgotten technological marvels allowed the energy field of a power weapon to be generated on its own, creating a weapon similar to Star Wars' lightsaber. Common power weapons need a physical basis for the energy to be wrapped around. Then, the two components work together to become extremely effective at carving through enemy armour.

One of the most notably effective use of a power weapon is the Chainfist, which is a combination of a Powerfist and a Chainsword which usually protrudes from the back of the hand, just above the knuckles. This weapon is capable of cutting through even the toughest of armour on battle tanks. Chainfists are so massive and encumbering (limiting their effectiveness against enemy troops), not to mention energy-inefficient, that they are normally only ever seen on Space Marines equipped with Terminator Armour.

The most powerful close combat weapon is the powerfist mounted on a Dreadnought. It is more powerful than its infantry equivalent since the dreadnought is unencumbered by its weight and is able to strike quickly, while it is also just as effective as the chainfist against heavily armoured vehicles. The Space Wolves Venerable Dreadnought Bjorn the Fell-Handed has a lightning claw instead of the powerfist usually found on other Dreadnoughts, but current game rules treat the lightning claw as the same as the powerfist.

Force weapons
Force weapons are close-combat weapons designed to channel the psychic energies of the wielder, thus energising the weapon and augmenting its potency above and beyond that of even power weapons. They are used mainly by Space Marine Librarians, Grey Knights and Imperial Inquisitors. Force weapons vary in design, but usually take the form of a bladed weapon, most commonly a sword. Force staves are also common amongst Psykers in the Imperial Guard and is also the weapon of choice of Tigurius, Chief Librarian of the Ultramarines. Grey Knights, elite Space Marines from the Ordo Malleus, use force swords and force halberds exclusively. Force weapons are each unique in their own right, as each is psychically attuned to its owner and thus cannot be effectvely wielded by anyone with a different psychic presence.

Las weapons
Las weapons are relatively easy to produce and maintain. No solid ammunition is ever used - only power cells which can be recharged and quickly swapped with a fully-charged power cell. This makes them ideal for distribution among large numbers of men, such as the Imperial Guard. While the accuracy of the laser bolt cannot be distorted by wind like slug ammunition, it can however be more quickly diffused by heavy particles in the air such as smoke and thus dissipate over long distances. Certain types of lasgun have specific uses, most notably the more powerful long-las which is the catch-all term for sniper variants because they bear longer barrels and range.

Small arms

 * Lasgun
 * The lasgun is the standard-issue weapon for all Imperial Guardsmen. It uses a small portable power pack to produce a focused pinpoint laser bolt, which is effective when used en masse, but considerably less effective when used singly (hence the "flashlight" jibe). They are, however, powerful enough to remove an unarmoured human limb in a single blast, although these shots are individually not as useful against durable alien bodies or heavy armour.


 * Lascarbine
 * The "lascarbine" is a carbine form of the lasgun, designed for special operations and units, usually employed by drop troopers or scout units of the Imperial Guard. It is light and compact, allowing it to be easily stowed away so that it does not interfere with the carrier's mobility. It was used by the Tanith First & Only, Elysian Drop Troops, Catachans and Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn.


 * Laspistol
 * The "laspistol" is a pistol form of the lasgun, suitable for quick use rather than firepower or range. It is often used in conjunction with a close combat weapon by officers. Most laspistols have power packs mounted in front of the pistol's grip rather than within the grip itself, so that heat from the power cell can be quickly dissipated and the power cell quickly changed when depleted. While it is more likely to be hit when exposed and cause a potentially debilitating explosion, the likeliness of this occurring is outweighed by the benefits.


 * Needlers
 * The needlegun and needle pistol (or needler in general) are silent and deadly weapons that uses both laser power and poisoned needles. The weapon fires a laser bolt like the lasgun, but, a millisecond later, fires a needle. The bolt melts and cuts through armour, leaving the flesh (or other vulnerable parts) vulnerable to the needle, which knocks out or kills the target.  It is a valuable weapon which needs specialized ammo and care - even more so than the sniper lasgun - and is therefore usually reserved for more elite troops or outfits.


 * Hellgun
 * A hellgun is an upgraded Lasgun which fires a substantially higher-output bolt, using a series of focusing lenses and a completely revamped power feed to give it a far greater armour-penetration factor compared the typical lasgun. However, the higher power output requires superior quality power cells or a backpack power supply to keep maintained, and the complex gun system requires more time and resources to manufacture and repair - as well as more training to get the most out of. This makes it more costly to field, so it is not generally issued to the average Imperial Guardsman. However, Storm Troopers and Grenadiers are always equipped with a hellgun as standard to take full advantage of their superior training and weapons expertise.


 * Hellpistol
 * The hellpistol corresponds to the laspistol the same way the hellgun corresponds to the lasgun - it is more deadly and only slightly heavier than the laspistol. However, it is correspondingly more expensive in terms of materials and manpower to manufacture and are usually found with grenadier or storm trooper sergeants, although higher-ranking officers also have access to this weapon by virtue of their higher rank. Some Inquisitors will also use this weapon as a matter of preference.

Heavy weapons

 * Multilaser
 * The multilaser is little more than a massively up-ended Lasgun, with multiple barrels and a rapid-fire heavy weapon profile, ideal for destroying lightly-armored vehicles or infantry formations. Due to its power requirements and weight, it is usually mounted on vehicles such as Chimeras or Sentinels, or platform mounted and operated by a Techmarine, an arrangement more often known as a Rapier Multilaser.


 * Lascannon
 * The powerful lascannon is one of the favourite anti-tank weapons of the Imperial Guard. Its high strength and armour-piercing ability make it a formidable weapon and when it is used in twin-linked mounts, it becomes even deadlier. However, it is very heavy and power-consuming, hence is usually installed on vehicles, and certain two-man teams are equipped with a single turret-mounted version. To accommodate the increased power output, the lascannon has become the largest man-portable form of the lasgun, the barrel being several times larger in diameter and length. Space Marines also make extensive use of the lascannon; it is used in heavy weapon squads (Devastators), Dreadnoughts, Predator Annihilators, and Land Raiders.

Vehicle only weapons

 * Turbolaser Destructor
 * A Titan weapon - usually seen on Reaver and Warhound patterns.


 * Defence Laser
 * The Defence Laser is an immense laser weapon and is normally in use only in fixed emplacements or on very large vehicles. The Imperator pattern Titan mounts one as an anti-aircraft cannon. The Defence Laser name was introduced in WH40K: Rogue Trader but in the more recent game editions it seems to have been replaced by the specific Volcano and Nova cannons.


 * Volcano Cannon
 * The Volcano Cannon is the most powerful ground vehicle-mounted laser weapon, and is used exclusively by Titans and the Shadowsword super-heavy tank. It is primarily meant to target huge objects and obliterate them with a single shot. Such targets usually include other Titan-sized opponents and minor hive cities.

Bolters
Bolters fire explosive, .75 calibre rocket-propelled rounds, and are similar in nature to the real life Gyrojet. They are more sophisticated technology than lasguns or slug-throwers, and more powerful than equivalent sized weapons in either case so are given to the more deserving or capable (e.g: the Adeptus Astartes). Each round contains a mass-reactive explosive payload, triggered milliseconds after contact with a target. Bolters are made in pistol, rifle, machine gun-like heavy bolter, and Gatling rotary cannon form. The Chaos Space Marine Legions also retain the bolters issued to them prior to the Heresy.

Boltgun
The standard weapon of a Space Marine is the boltgun, also known as a "bolter". A bolter fires semi-auto, four-round burst, or fully automatic fire. Bolters are more effective and more complex than the standard pattern lasgun, but are also different in that they are slugthrowers and so have incomparable operating conditions. Bolters are mainly used by the genetically engineered Space Marines and Adepta Sororitas, and less frequently by Imperial Guard veterans and officers.

There are many variants of the bolter (referred to as Patterns); including the Ultima, Crusade, Heresy, Fillienostos, Nostra, Godwyn-Deaz, and Astartes Umbra patterns. Bolters are also highly customizable, and can be equipped with a wide variety of different modifications, such as optical scopes or bayonets. They can even be used as sniper weapons, especially when equipped with the Stalker silenced shells and the M40 Targeter system.

Combi weapons
Some bolters are customized so that they combine a bolter with a small version of another gun. This grants the wielder some flexibility as they can choose to fire normal bolter rounds or the more specialized side weapon. These types of bolters are referred to as "combi-" weapons, with the name of the side weapon following- for example, a "combi-flamer" combines a bolter with a flamer. While the bolter carries its normal compliment of ammunition, the secondary weapon carries only limited ammunition and cannot be fired as often. A special Combi weapon, the Combi Bolter, does not use specialised rounds but fires extra shots to ensure the target is always hit. Combi Bolters are used by the Chaos legions as a substitute for the Storm Bolter, due to the latter being conceived after the Heresy, thus restricting access.

Bolt pistol
The bolt pistol is a common variant of the boltgun, and apart from the Space Marines, is also available to officers and seasoned veterans of the Imperial Guard- they are sometimes gifted to commissars, both for battling and field executions, leading to the weapon being nicknamed the "Bravery Bolter". A standard bolt pistol is capable of housing between 6 and 10 rounds of ammunition, and has a barrel diameter of .75 calibre.

Storm bolter
The storm bolter is a double-barreled version of the bolter. As it is designed for brutal assault, and consumes more ammunition than a normal bolter, they are not normally utilized by Space Marines in regular power armour. However, they are standard issue for Space Marine Terminators, and are often a tank's pintle-mounted weapon. They are also used by the Grey Knights as a gauntlet-mounted weapon with its feed sourced from the back of their armour. Like boltguns, Imperial Guard veterans and officers sometimes carry a storm bolter.

Due to high munitions consumption, and the lack of dexterity in Tactical Dreadnought Armor, most Storm Bolters are fed from a large box magazine, carrying approximately 100 rounds. These rounds are identical to those fired from bolt pistols and boltguns.

Before the Storm Bolter was created by the Tech Priests, Terminators were often equipped with special combi-weapons which were essentially two boltguns fused together. These "combi-bolters" were capable of a higher rate of fire than the Storm Bolter when at short range, but were less effective at longer range. Combi-bolters have been replaced by Storm Bolters in Imperial armies, but are still frequently used by Chaos Space Marines.

Heavy bolter
The heavy bolter is a support weapon. Unlike other bolter weapons, it is relatively common in Imperial Guard forces. It has a high rate of fire, and they are relatively cheap to field. It is used on tanks and a variety of vehicles as an anti-personnel weapon as well as on fixed defences.

Due to its size and weight, Imperial Guard infantry operate using a two man team. A single Space Marine, being physcially stronger, can carry both the heavy bolter and its ammunition alone. It is also referred to as the "Back Breaker" or the "Bruiser".

Mega bolter
The Vulcan mega-bolter is a super-heavy version of the bolter, mounted solely on Imperial Titans and other large war machines. It resembles two Gatling guns mounted on a large housing. Specialized "Vulcan Mega-Bolters" are sometimes used as the weapon on the chin turret of Imperial aero-space vessels.

Other
The Hurricane bolter is a weapon mount fitted to the Land Raider Crusader. An extremely effective anti-infantry weapon, it consists of three "twin-linked" bolters mounted as a single weapon system.

Ammunition
The Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus have developed many types of bolter ammunition over the millennia. The most common variants are:
 * Standard Bolts comprise the following components: Outer casing, propellant base, main charge, mass reactive detonator cap, depleted deuterium core, diamantine tip. The standard bolter shell is standardised at .75 calibre, whereas heavy bolter rounds are larger, at 1.00 Cal.
 * Hellfire Rounds have devastating results on organic matter, as the rounds are developed to combat Tyranids. The core and tip are replaced with a vial of mutagenic acid with thousands of needles that fire into target upon the shattering of the vial, pumping the acid into the target.
 * Stalker Silenced Shells are rounds with low sound signatures, meant for covert fighting and used in conjunction with an M40 targeting system and an extended barrel on a bolter to produce a sniping weapon system. A solidified mercury slug replaces the mass-reactive warhead for lethality at sub-sonic projectile speed. A gas cartridge also replaces both the propellant base and main charge for silent firing.
 * Inferno Bolts are designed to immolate their targets and destroy them with superheated chemical fire. The deuterium core is replaced with an oxy-phosphorus gel, known as Promethium. It should be noted that the Chaos Space Marine Thousand Sons have their own unrelated type of inferno bolts, which are actually psychically-bound slugs that release arcane energies; these slugs explode with sorcerous energies upon impact.
 * Ulysess Bolts are bolts which contain a tracking device. Fired into large objects, it will accurately report the target's relative position to a tracking device.
 * Metal Storm Frag Shells are best against multiple lightly-armoured targets. They detonate before impact and spray shrapnel, shredding their victims. A proximity detonator replaces the mass-reactive cap, and the diamantine tip and deuterium core are replaced with an increased charge and fragmentation casing. They are similar to flak rounds and are used against clusters of enemies.
 * Kraken Pattern Penetrator Rounds are powerful armour-piercing rounds. The deuterium core is replaced by a solid adamantine core and uses a heavier main charge. Upon impact, the outer casing peels away and the high velocity adamantium needle accelerates into the victim, where the larger detonator propels shards of super hardened metal further into the wound. These are effective against heavily-armoured infantry.
 * Psycannon Bolts are used by the Inquisition, primarily the Ordo Malleus and Grey Knights. They are very similar in nature to the rounds fired by their namesake, the Psycannon, and are similarly used against psychic and daemonic targets. Of all the rounds these are the most expensive, as each and every bolt is inscribed with runes on a microscopic level. The psychic nature of these rounds are not only effective at destroying daemonic targets but also highly efficient at piercing the powerful barriers created by forcefield generators(such as the Tau Shield Generator and the Imperium's own Iron Halo and Storm Shield).

Psycannons
The psycannon is a weapon created specifically to combat daemons. It is a more powerful version of the bolter, utilizing high-calibre psychically-charged ritually-inscribed silver-tipped psycannon bolts. The psychic charge and ritual inscription on every bolt allows it to pass through any defensive shielding, whether it is created by psychic energies or technology. The weapon has a suspensor to offset the weight and allows it to be fired on the move although at a cost of reduced effective range.

The Psycannon is a weapon used almost exclusively by the Ordo Malleus and its Order Militant, the Grey Knights Chapter of Space Marines. There are a few notable exceptions, such as Gideon Ravenor of the Ordo Xenos, whose armoured chair was fitted with a pair of such weapons. The Psycannon is generally wielded with both hands by the normal power-armoured Grey Knights and most other operators, although members of the Terminator squads mount the psycannons on their arm instead. The method of feeding ammunition is similar to that of a heavy bolter, being an ammunition belt running from the ammunition store located within their backpack.

High-ranking members of the Ordo Malleus may use bolt guns which fire downsized version of the psycannon ammunition. These are less effective than the Psycannon but more powerful than the same sized bolt weapons.

Auto weapons
Auto weapons are weapons which use solid-slug ammunition making them the equivalent of real world solid round bullets. They are found in pistol, rifle or cannon form. Auto weapons are still popular among soldiers of the Imperial Guard for reasons such as while having a similar calibre, the bullets are capable of causing bleeding whereas a Lasgun's beam cauterises wounds instantly. Also its noise and visual effects are more useful against Orks. It was the standard-issue weapon for the Imperial Guard until the 32nd Millennium.

While autopistols and autoguns are similar to their las-variants, autocannons are very unlike lascannons. Autocannons are rapid-fire heavy weapons designed to eliminate heavily armoured infantry or light vehicles, and are often used by Imperial Guard heavy weapons teams in battle, due to its versatility and reliability.

There are also sniper rifles which use solid slug ammunition - although, like other auto weapons, they are restricted by heavier ammunition. The advantage the Slugthrower has over its light based opponent is that fewer enemies will recognize the report of the rifle, as opposed to the long-las' ruby beam.

Flamethrowers
The Flamer and Heavy Flamer are flamethrower-type weapons that project an ignited stream of prometheum fuel over a wide area, igniting many enemies in a single shot. Flamers are infantry support weapons, given usually by officers to their most courageous soldiers as a sort of honour, but most troopers carry these with disdain due to the range of the weapon.

Heavy Flamers are larger versions of the weapon with two nozzles, producing a deadlier inferno. They are often used by specialists in dense conditions, such as jungle warfare, urban warfare or Terminators, who make good use of them in cramped ship-boarding actions. Sisters of Battle of the Adepta Sororitas often carry Heavy Flamers in their squads. Heavy Flamers are also seen mounted on armoured vehicles as secondary weapons, although the Sisters of Battle use twin-linked Heavy Flamers as primary weapons on the Immolator tank.

More powerful Flamer-type weapons, Inferno Cannons, are available to the Imperial Guard mounted on the Hellhound.

A form of the heavy flamer, known as the Incinerator, is used by the Inquisition, primarily the Ordo Malleus (Daemonhunters). These weapons are fueled by the purest consecrated prometheum, and, like psycannons, are useful against supernatural forces. These weapons are among the most effective in the imperial arsenal, forgoing the enemy's heretical armour, their cowardly cover, and their warp-spawned magics.

Assault cannons
The assault cannon is a six-barreled, self-loading automatic weapon, effective against infantry targets and light vehicles at close to medium range. The weapon's large size and tremendous fire rate require special means to sustain, so the assault cannon is normally mounted on vehicles or walkers such as Dreadnoughts, or specially damped and fitted to Terminator armour. It is also a rare privilege for the Blood Angels as their close assault Baal Predator tanks sport a twin linked assault cannon in the turret. The anti-infantry Land Raider Crusader has also has a similar dual assault cannon mount (while the standard Land Raider has a dual heavy bolter). Until 3rd edition, Imperial Guard Sentinels also mounted an assault cannon as standard, but this was revised to instead have them carry a variety of weapons more common to the rest of the Imperial Guard weapon list.

Although the assault cannon lacks the range of other rapid-fire guns such as the heavy bolter and the autocannon, its enormous rate of fire enables it to literally shred its way through most targets, punishing them with thousands of rounds per minute. Assault cannons are extremely potent at medium to close range, against armoured infantry and moderately armoured vehicles, while heavy bolters are only effective against lighted armoured targets and auto cannons have a slower firing rate. The assault cannon epitomizes the deadliness of elite Terminator squads who teleport behind the enemy's front line and open up full-automatic fire, spreading carnage and terror. In earlier incarnations of the game the assault cannon was notoriously fickle and prone to jamming, sometimes stopping with enough force to detonate the weapon and kill the user. In the 3rd edition, jamming has been reduced to a slight (1/216) chance and in the 4th edition of the game, the jamming rules have been removed, with additional hitting power known as rending. This could be due to refinement in the weapon's research, similar to the transition from the combi-bolter to the storm bolter.

Assault cannons are used by Planetary Defence Forces on rare occasions as a stand-mounted defensive weapon, and are also found on the Destroyer variant of the Marauder bomber.

Plasma weapons
Plasma weapons use magnetic fields to accelerate balls of extremely hot gases (plasma) towards the target. Although the guns themselves are quite temperamental, and technology has been changed or lost (sometimes to the point of near obscurity), plasma weapons find regular use throughout the armies of the Imperium. They are difficult to maintain, but they are worth the risk on the field, as they have a long range and quite high strength. Their power is countered by poor cooling, and they can build up dangerous levels of heat with continuous operation. On these occasions, they will explosively vent the built up heat, killing the operator.

They are found at three main sizes the Plasma pistol, the Plasma gun, and the Plasma Cannon which is a support weapon either carried in a squad or fitted to vehicles. The Executioner, uses a Plasma Destructor as a primary weapon.

Plasma weapons mounted on vehicles and war engines/titans include:
 * Plasma Destructor
 * Plasma Blastgun
 * Plasma Annihilator

Grenade/missile launcher
These launchers fire two types of grenade/missile, Frag and Krak. Frag projectiles (short for fragmentation) are designed to spray an area with shrapnel, making them useful against lightly armoured infantry. Krak projectiles cover less area but they have improved penetrating capabilities, making them useful for either heavily armoured infantry or moderately armoured vehicles. Grenades, naturally, are less powerful than missiles, but are easier to fire on the move. The  Cyclone Missile Launcher is a missile launcher fitted on the shoulders of terminator. It is connected to targeting systems on the terminator's gauntlet allowing the missiles and other terminator weapons to be fired more accurately, although the terminator forfeits a close-combat weapon.

Several Vehicles in the Imperium also mount remote controlled missile launchers. A variant of the Dreadnought, dubbed "Hellfire" in Dawn of War, mounts a missle launcher in place of its powerfist. This reduce the effectiveness of the Dreadnought in close combat(reduced strength, attacks and the loss of armour piercing) but allows for a dedicated long range fire platform. Imperial Vehicles can also mount a "Hunter Killer" missile. In essence this is a Krak Missle.

The Sisters of Battle also have a special launcher known as the Exorcist, which is solely mounted on its namesake vehicle (built on a Rhino frame). In some ways, it is similer to the Whirlwind launcher of the Space Marines, however, where as Whirlwind fires a large missile, the Exorcist fires many smaller ones that do not have the "Blast" rule and requires a roll on a D6 to see how many missiles are fired (some speculate this may be a representation of the weapon being extremely old and temperamental, while others claim/joke that this represents the Sisters of Battle enthusiasm of cleansing the Emperors enemies)

Chaos also mounts missile launchers (dubbed the Havoc Launcher) on the hulls of their vehicles. Unlike its imperial equivalent, the Hunter Killer Missile, the Havoc Launcher fires salvos of frag missiles.

Heavy stubber
A heavy stubber is a slug firing weapon based upon an old design (aesthetically resembling a .50 calibre machine gun), and is fairly common and reliable. Its high rate of fire makes up for its lack of strength and armour-piercing abilities. It is an ideal support weapon for low-tech worlds that cannot look after laser weapons through technological or resource limitations.

Heavy stubbers are often pintle mounted and used as close defence weapons on Imperial vehicles, when the rarer storm bolters are not available. The Heavy Stubber has relatively poor armor-penetration factor, as it simply fires large-caliber bullets, but it has overwhelmingly better range than the Storm Bolter, so it does continue to see use in even well-equipped armies.

The Lost and the Damned often steal these from planetary defenses and are a common sight in their shambling ranks.

Melta weapons
Melta weapons work by producing a small scale fusion reaction using a pyrum petrol fuel mix. This is projected as a blast of incredible heat. They have a short range but are very powerful weapons and are favoured for use against armoured targets. Slang terms for them include 'cookers', 'vape guns' or simply Melta.


 * The meltagun is commonly found as special weapon.
 * The multimelta is a larger version, in appearance two meltaguns fitted together though with greater range than a meltagun. It is a heavy support weapon carried by a squad or mounted on a vehicle.
 * The meltabomb is a grenade version of the technology
 * The Inferno pistol is a pistol version but is rare. Commander Dante, of the Blood Angels is the most well known but they are also used by the Ordo Hereticus and the militant arm of the Order, the Sisters of Battle.

Mortar
The mortar has the ability to bombard enemy positions from behind cover. As such the vulnerability of Guardsmen is reduced and they survive longer. Although with indirect fire abilities the mortar is not exceptionally strong against more powerful troops - and certainly not against tanks.

The rarer Griffon siege mortar has a rather larger explosive force than its man-portable variants, and is an excellent bunker-buster when equipped with specialist siege shells. It is usually mounted on chimera hulls to provide mobile support.

Conversion beamer
The Conversion beamer is a heavy weapon that fires a burst of energy that turns the material of the target into more energy. As such it is equally effective against large targets as small ones. On the other hand the beam has to be held very steady to achieve the effect so the weapon cannot be used on the move. The beamer was dropped from the WH40K games at the publishing of the 3rd edition of the rules.

Webber
The webber fires a "net" of sticky material and as such is intended to immobilize rather than kill targets. It was introduced in WH40K Rogue Trader but later dropped from the background.

Shotgun
An old weapon, much the same as the heavy stubber, which fires solid slugs that burst into submunitions to spread out over a wider area. Most Guardsmen that use the shotgun prefer the double-barrelled version, and its reliability makes it the mainstay of the Elysian Drop Troopers, who prefer it over the lasgun when entering hostile drop zones. The Adeptus Arbites also use the shotgun for crowd control and urban conditions and have developed special 'Executioner' shells for them.

Shotguns are commonly used by criminal lowlifes in the lawless regions of most hive cities, where a large variety of specialist ammunition is used, including man-stopper rounds, modified bolt rounds and incendiary shells.

Imperial navy ships carry shotguns for the crew to use during rare boarding actions or, more frequently, against uprisings by crewmen aboard the ship. Space Marine Scout squads are also known to use shotguns in their missions.

Ripper gun
Ogryns are equipped with the Ripper gun which is a shotgun built to their scale. It is a short range weapon firing several shells at once which helps combat the poor aim of the average Ogryn. They are fired to soften up the enemy before the Ogryns charge into close combat. Ripper guns are particularly robustly built so that they can be used as clubs. These guns can also have "Ripper Saws." These are one of the only weapons an Ogryn can use, due to the Ogryns' immense size and stupidity.

Battle Cannon
Battle Cannons, the standard weapon for the Leman Russ Battle Tank, are formidable and can deal significant damage from a long distance. The cannon devastates an area and may be fired from behind cover. The sheer power of this weapon makes it a good choice for most armies.

Vanquisher Cannon
A more complex variant of the Battle Cannon, the technology to create Vanquisher Cannons is held by only a few Forge Worlds. Its most obvious feature is that it is almost twice as long as the standard battlecannon. It uses specialised armour piercing shells to take down enemy tanks from afar. Vanquisher Cannon-armed Leman Russes are often used as command tanks, where the veteran crew's experience can make the best use of the weapon.

Mega Battle Cannon
The Mega Battle Cannon is a larger version of the Battle Cannon and fires rocket propelled ammunition. It is the main armament of the Baneblade tank.

Conqueror Cannon
The Conqueror Cannon is a lightweight alternative to the Battle Cannon used on Leman Russ tanks. Although the cannon has a shorter range and fires smaller shells, the drastic reduction in recoil allows the vehicle to fire with more accuracy on the move. Currently the only Forge World producing them in large numbers is Gryphonne IV.

Demolisher Cannon
Mounted on the Imperial Guard Leman Russ Demolisher and Space Marine Vindicator, the Demolisher Cannon is a weapon designed to get up close and personal before it is fired. It is among the strongest weapons fielded by the Imperial Guard at regiment level, the sheer damage it is capable of doing is enough reason to risk getting so close, as well as the improved armour on the tank to increase its survivability. It is most often used in a bunker-buster role, by driving up close to enemy fortifications and firing into them at very short range, and allowing allied forces to assault through the breach. They are also used in urban areas, where they are aimed at the base of an enemy held building and fired, causing the building to collapse.

Earthshaker Cannon
The Earthshaker Cannon is a very long ranged weapon, capable of bombarding the rear of the enemy camp without having to be anywhere near it. Its shells are packed with powerful explosives that will destroy nearly anything within a sizable radius. While it is not as strong as the Demolisher Cannon in terms of brute explosive force, its remains an invaluable weapon thanks to its range, and the ability to use indirect fire. Before being named as the Earthshaker cannon, the gun on the Basilisk self propelled gun was reported as the "Macro-cannon".

Plasma Destructor
The Plasma Destructor (sometimes referred to as the Plasma Destroyer) is a unique plasma weapon which is mounted in the Leman Russ Executioner. It is the most powerful plasma weapon aside from the ones mounted on Titans, occupying a middle ground between the Plasma Cannon and the Plasma Blastgun It is an extremely temperamental weapon that due to its massive power requirements, is often criticised by crew for being unable to operate in sustained engagements. However, it has the capabilities to penetrate most known armour and its extreme destructive potential is the reason that many Imperial Guard commanders include at least one Leman Russ Executioner in their armoured formations.

Plasma Blastgun
Among the largest versions of Plasma Cannons, these are mounted on the Stormblade Super Heavy Tanks. They are also commonly mounted on scout titans such as the Warhound, while battle titans such as the Reaver and Warlord may use them as well.

Plasma Annihilator
The Plasma Annihilator is the largest known plasma weapon, second only to the capital ship-mounted nova cannon. It is mounted on the Imperator Titan and delivers sufficient firepower to be considered a "Titan killer". Not much is known about these weapons, beyond their awesome destructive capability.

Deathstrike Cannon
A very large long ranged cannon weapon that was available on early-style Warlord Titans. It replaced the head potentially giving the Titan five weapon mounts, except that then a carapace mount position had to be given over to a fire control tower. (Citadel Catalogue 1991)

Inferno Gun
A massive flamethrower weapon used mostly on Warhound Scout Titans.

Whirlwind Missile Launcher
Whirlwind Missile Launchers are turret-mounted multiple-missile launchers used by the Space Marines as mobile artillery. The missile launchers are capable of firing ballistic missile that are effective against both infantry and vehicles, and can also be modified to rapidly deploy minefields via the specialist Castellan missiles.

Whirlwind launchers are always found on the Whirlwind tank used by the Space Marines, although there exists a special Land Raider variant, the Helios, which has been modified to carry a Whirlwind launcher.

Mole Mortar
The Mole Mortar fires a shell that travels underground to its target rather than through the air. It is useful for attacking burrowing vehicles and the foundations of buildings.

Thudd gun
The Thudd gun is a quadruple barreled short range artillery weapon on a mobile mounting. Also, as it was once out of production but forgeworld has recently released a new version with experimental rules for use in games of warhammer 40k.

Tarantula
The Tarantula is not an individual weapon but a weapon mounting that can be moved readily about the battlefield. It is able to mount two heavy weapons.

Rapier
The Rapier is again a weapon mount rather than a weapon. It is a small tracked mount that can carry a multi-laser - the multilaser being too large to be carried by a trooper in the same manner as the lascannon.

Mesh
Mesh armour is a bodysuit usually made from carbon-ceramic polyfibres. Phased out of the Imperial Guard in the 31st millennium, its use is &mdash; and always was &mdash; far more common in the hive gangs. The gangs preferred them as all a ganger needed to make one was a loom, water, and some powdered bone.

Flak
Made from high-tensile padded fabric, flak armour is usually designed as a vest or a sleeveless jacket which covers the upper torso. It is rather uncomfortable and unpopular although it is cheap to make and generally mass-produced. Really only useful for protection against shrapnel and low calibre weaponry (hellguns, bolters and pulse rifles will invariably pass right through it), the flak jacket may not exactly be the armour of choice for many but, like-it or lump-it, it is the only armour that most Guardsmen have access to.

Carapace
Comprised of rigid plates of armaplas or ceramite, carapace armour is made up of plates that are moulded to (loosely) fit the body. Usually a carapace suit will cover the torso and major joints with separate plates for the limbs along with a helmet, although it is also available in full-body suit form. Most wearers are in a relatively fit condition compared to other flak-wearing troopers, due to the armour being so heavy. Unlike flak armour it can realistically be expected to stop a large variety of mid-range weaponry. During periods of relative peace, and during training exercises, some Space Marines will don carapace suits- such garb befits a Space Marine during times of wait. Space Marines Scouts are only allowed access to Carapace Armour as they are not yet worthy enough to wear power armour and that their Black Carapace has yet to have grown in so they are unable to properly interface with the armour.

Power armour
Possibly the most prominent feature of the Space Marines is their power armour, a suit of ceramite plates with armoured fibre bundles and servos that replicate the wearer's movements and enhances a Space Marine's already superhuman strength, as well as allows them to easily withstand fire that could kill a normal human. The suit is coupled to the nervous system of the Space Marines via the Black Carapace.

There are eight known versions of power armour in use by the Space Marines:


 * Mk1 Thunder Pattern Power Armour; the first Power Armour created for the Space Marines. It was developed from the armour worn by the techno-barbarians that plagued Holy Terra near the end of the Age of Strife. It was used during the Emperor's campaign to retake and unite the Terran solar system before the Great Crusade. It was by no means unique to the first Space Marines - in fact, the techno-barbarian warriors the Emperor fought during the conquest of Terra wore it too, and the Emperor's forces were wearing it even before the first Space Marines were developed.  However, because it was designed with Earth-fighting in mind, it is not fully enclosed, with no means to support the wearer in a vacuum. Only the upper body is powered, due in part to the fact that during the Conquest of Terra, ranged weapons were difficult to make due to technological constraints, and so a warrior's upper-body strength was his most important asset.  It takes its name from the thunder symbol the Emperor had before adopting the double headed eagle.
 * Mk2 Crusade Pattern Power Armour; was developed towards the end of the Age of Strife and was used during the dawn of the Imperium during the Emperor's Great Crusade to retake the lost worlds of man. It was designed as a fully enclosed suit with life-sustaining systems that now allowed the Space Marines to fight in deep space and on alien worlds with hostile atmospheres or environments. The armour was made up of circular armour rings fitted under and over each other, making this armour relatively tedious to repair (see also Lorica segmentata).  These precious relics are still used during ceremonial procedures by some chapters and given to champions as battle armour in others.  These suits are also referred to as Crusader Armour.
 * Mk3 Iron Pattern Power Armour; it was soon realized that fighting in the tight corridors of spaceships was very dangerous.  The Iron suit was designed to give greater protection to the Marines.  The frontal armour was much thicker (thereby giving greater protection), but the rear armour was thinner to compensate.  The wedge-shaped helmet (designed to deflect incoming fire) formed the basis of the distinctive Corvus beak helmet.
 * Mk4 Maximus Pattern Power Armour; this armour was to be the replacement for the old Mk2 armour of the Great Crusade; it was the first armour to incorporate many components used in modern armour. However, it was made from rare alien materials, and when the Horus Heresy broke out soon after it was issued, it was discovered that most legions cut off from supplies could not find the materials needed to make it or repair it, and they often suffered irreparable damage by relatively minor battles.
 * Mk5 Heresy Pattern Power Armour; this armour was developed as a solution to the supply problems of the Horus Heresy. It was easily made from the most basic of materials, and it was easy to maintain. Almost all soldiers used spikes to hold the armour layers together, making the studs shown universally on all examples of this armour. In time, it became traditional for the studs to be found on the head, lower legs, and left shoulderpad of the armour. Due to the sub-standard materials used in the construction of this armour variant, it had a tendency to over-heat quickly, and many marines had to endure sub-standard performance by turning down the power output of their backpack to prevent intolerable heat build-ups.
 * Mk6 Corvus Pattern Power Armour; this classic variant can be traced back to the time of the Horus Heresy and is still commonly used in contemporary Chapters. It is characterized by the beak-like muzzle on the helmet and a studded Auto-reactive shoulder plate on the left shoulder of the armour.  The beak or muzzle led fans to nickname this variant "Womble armour" or "Beakie armour", and a dictionary of the Orkish language in the 2nd Edition Ork Codex listed Marines as "beakies". This was the style of the first Space Marine models released by GW and did not get its Mk6 terminology until after models with the Mark 7 styling were released. Models with this style were not part of new releases until the launch of the next range of 28 mm plastic models.
 * Mk7 Aquila Pattern Power Armour (also known as Imperator armour) is the contemporary variant most commonly used by the Space Marine Chapters. Characterized by the grim looking Vox caster (external vocalizer) on the faceplate, and the plastron displaying the Imperialis (a winged skull), which has given the armour different names such as Armorum Impetor or Eagle Armour ("Aquila" being the name of the two-headed eagle which symbolizes the Imperium).  A variant of the Aquila helmet is known to exist, yet is no different to the regular helmet, save an armoured trim around the external vocalizer.
 * Mk8 Errant Pattern Power Armour; this is an update to the Aquila pattern armour, and is distinguished by a raised collar at the front, and armoured plating for the torso cables. Full versions of this armour are almost never seen; however, it is common to find parts of it being used by officers and veterans on the battlefield.

One design feature of Mks 6 through to 8 is their adaptability; it is fairly common within most Space Marine chapters to see a suit combining parts originally created for three or four suits, salvaged from dead brothers on the battlefield. Mk 7 armour, in particular, was created with this simple modularity in mind.

The Sisters of Battle and several high-ranking members of the Inquisition also use Power Armour, but they are not directly linked to their suits in the way Space Marines are, which decreases the armour's effectiveness.

The above mentioned types are of standard issue armour. Commanders, Chaplains, Librarians, Inquisitors, and other important characters have access to a specialised version of power armour. Artificier armour is crafted from the finest materials with the utmost care. These afford protection equal to that of Tactical Dreadnought armour(see below) but keeps the relative freedom, thus allowing the wearer to ride bikes and wear jump packs. Artificier armour is afforded to characters, Techmarines, Veterans, and Chapter Champions. Ultramarine Honour Guards are also issued this armour and so is the Emperor's Champion of the Black Templars. Often these are combined with the Iron Halo and Jump Packs.

Terminator

 * See Tactical Dreadnought Armour

Tactical Dreadnought ('Terminator') Armour was developed for close-quarters fighting, where staying power was more important than maneuverability. The technology was originally developed to enable maintenance crews of space ships to operate in hard vacuum or in other adverse conditions. It was combined with power Armour technology and brought about the invention of terminator armour during the Great Crusade. It was hoped that it would replace Power Armour, but was relegated to its current role due to a lack of maneuverability.

It is manufactured from a ceramite plasteel alloy as an exoskeleton with servo assisted interfaces with the users own neurological and muscular systems to enhance movement. It is the heaviest armour in any Imperial arsenal, is able to withstand tremendous punishment, and serves as a solid heavy-weapons platform in open-field combat. The First Company of most Space Marine Chapters uses Terminator armour extensively, and only those Marines who earn the Crux Terminatus are permitted to wear it. It is also said that a piece of the Emperor's armor is built into the "Crux Terminatus" but in order to put a piece into each suit, only the most minuscule of pieces is put in.

Less frequently, high ranking members of the Inquisition have been known to wear Terminator armour. Notably, members of the Ordo Malleus can be seen wearing them.

Jump Pack
Jump Packs are bulky, vectored thrust engines that can be worn by a single soldier, designed to be attached to the Space Marine's or Sisters of Battle's existing powered backpack. They are used to make powered jumps across the battlefield, allowing the troopers wearing them to quickly engage their foes. Jump Packs are thus used by assault troops, primarily the Assault Marines of the Space Marine chapters, and the Seraphim of the Sisters of Battle. Jump pack equipped infantry are often dropped from low-flying Thunderhawk gunships and deepstrike into combat, as the jump pack also functions as a makeshift anti-grav parachute.

Medi-pack
Varying from a medikit to a diagnostic computer, the Medi-pack, generally helps a medic to heal wounded or ill troopers in a battlezone. Sometimes in particularly vicious and dangerous warzones, medics will have to scrounge for medical supplies and beg for drugs from aid stations and passing Munitorum cargo transports.

The Narthecium is a medi-kit/medi-pack used by Space Marine Apothecaries and are automated units. They carry drugs and equipment that is geared for the hardier constitution of a Space Marine, and thus can be dangerous to use on normal humans. They also include a Reductor, which allows the Apothecary to withdraw the precious gene-seed from a fallen Space Marine so that the Marine's gene seed returns to the chapter.

Sister of Battle Hospitallers have a down scaled version of the Space Marine narthecium, usable on normal human anatomy - and, in the service of the Inquisition, for torture. Many an Imperial servant has had reason to thank the gentle touch of the Hospitaller, and many an Imperial enemy has had bad experiences with this 'gentleness'.

Vox-caster
A communications array, similar to a radio, that can be as small as helmet mounted links to massive banks of equipment at the HQ. Usually a squad or platoon will have a link to HQ via one vox unit and smaller relays for trooper-to-trooper communications. Command units usually use more complex versions of vox casters-known as master voxes. These can receive and transmit on multiple frequencies at once, making them ideal for coordinating many squads at once. In absence of any vox communications, troopers are taught to sign to each other when in battle.

Space marines and Sisters of Battle (and high ranking members of the Inquisition, Adeptus Mechanicus) have miniature vox-casters built into their power amour (or cranium in the case of the Adeptus Mechanicus). Most of these are short ranged and used only for squad to squad communication.

Pintle mount
A pintle mount is an option to add an anti-personnel weapon to an Imperial vehicle. This weapon is used, either by the vehicle's commander or by remote control, to engage secondary targets and immediate threats while the gunner focuses the vehicle's main firepower against enemy armour or major objectives.

Storm Bolters are the most common weapon used with a pintle mount, although Heavy stubbers are also used by the Imperial Guard. The Black Templars deviate significantly from this usage, pintle-mounting multi-meltas to their Land Raider Crusaders. The Chaos Legions also use pintle-mounted weapons, usually a combi-bolter, although combi-flamers and combi-meltaguns are also used.

The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer
A small book issued to all guardsmen in the Imperial Guard that is full of prayers and descriptions of basic tasks an infantryman must perform. Regulations and forms are also part of the book to ensure each trooper has his own book. Troopers are encouraged to read and memorize most of the primer, while disgruntled regiments may refer to these books as "toilet-paper" (and occasionally use them as such). The Primer has been published by Black Library (but went out of print), and some sections appear to be subtle satire against the Imperium itself from a loyal, yet disgruntled guard writer, for example the sections on Duty to Commissars.

Note on Chaos Marines
It should also be noted that much of the weapons and equipment used by the Chaos Space Marine Legions also come from this list—especially the equipment wielded by Space Marines. Since the Horus Heresy, the Imperium has made some advances in technology; thus much of the Chaos Marines' equipment is of older design, or the Chaos Marines simply have restricted or no access to some of the items listed above.

For example, the Chaos Marines possess plasma weapons - however, their plasma cannons, being much older, are simply too large to be carried by a man; thus they are always vehicle-mounted. Rather than Stormbolters, which were designed around the time of the Heresy, the Chaos Marines possess older combi-bolters—which are essentially two normal bolters combined into a single gun, but the effect is not quite as effective as the Stormbolter. This has, however, given Chaos pintle-mounted combi-bolters a special utility unknown to Imperial vehicles: the weapon can be adapted to consist of a single bolter combined with a single-shot flamer or meltagun.

Further still, the Chaos Marines have extremely limited access to jump packs (which were designed shortly prior to the Heresy), and no access to assault cannons, psycannons or the special ammunition types for bolters (except inferno bolts), as all of these were invented after the Heresy.

However, some equipment is replaced by similar daemonic gear. For example, some Chaos Marines can be seen with mutated wings, which act similar to jump packs. While Chaos Marines do not have Artificer Armour (a type of power armour which is well crafted so that it affords better protection), they can have their armour mutated by the powers of Chaos, creating Daemon Armour, which is similar to Artificer Armour. Lastly, the Iron Warriors Legion is known for salvaging Imperial siege equipment, such as the Imperial Guard Basilisk (an artillery piece which carries the Earthshaker cannon) and the Space Marine Vindicator.