Plasma Cannon

Dscription
The Plasma Cannon is a heavy weapon that relies on plasma technology to deliver lethal energy blasts, but also has another setting to allow direct shots against tanks and other large targets. It is much longer-ranged than the plasma gun, and has a wider blast radius.

Change of Terminology
The term plasma cannon was first used to refer to the weapon during the third edition release of the Warhammer 40,000 rules set. Prior to the third edition, the weapons now referred to as plasma cannons were formerly referred to as heavy plasma guns.

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Weapon Deployment

As an Imperial plasma weapon, the plasma cannon is powerful but prone to overheating, wounding or killing its wielder. Because of this, only a select few infantry units are known to carry plasma cannons, including Space Marine Devastators, whose power armor can protect them from most malfunctions, and Gun Servitors, which are effectively expendable. Plasma Cannons are more commonly seen mounted on vehicles, such as in the improved side-sponsons of Leman Russ Demolishers.

Xeno Plasma Cannon
Analogs of this weapon found in other Warhammer 40,000 factions are the kustom mega-blasta of the Orks, the Dark Eldar disintegrator and the Eldar Starcannon, which while based on the same theory has a completely different in game effect, and suffers no chance of overheating.