Melta Weapons

Melta Weapons are a type of Imperial weaponry that make use of a miniature fusion reaction to produce a blast of intense, searing heat. The Meltagun and Multi-melta (also known as "Cookers" or "Vape Guns"), as well as the Melta Bomb, are formidable energy weapons that are primarily thermal in effect. Melta Weapons are incredibly destructive, but short ranged in nature, as their power drops off rapidly with increasing distance. A Meltagun works by inducing a minute, sub-molecular nuclear fusion reaction within a highly pressurised pyrum-petrol fuel mix located within an ammunition canister, and then projecting the result from the weapon's barrel as a blast of incredible heat. Melta usage is accompanied by a distinctive hissing sound as the beam boils away the water in the air, then a roaring blast as the beam reduces the target to charred scraps or molten slag. Meltas are the premier anti-armour weapons, and few if any armoured vehicles can withstand their power, particularly at very close range.

The heavy weapon known as the Multi-Melta resembles two Meltaguns fused together, with thermal beams that coealesce into a single powerful beam with a longer effective range than their smaller cousins. However, the increased size, weight and power requirements of the Multi-Melta mean that it is no longer man-portable by conventional human infantry.

The very rare pistol variant of the Meltagun known as an Inferno Pistol can vaporise foes of any kind with ease. Lord Commander Dante, the Chapter Master of the Blood Angels Space Marines, is the most notable of the few users of the Inferno Pistol in the Imperium, though among the Blood Angels the weapon is called the Infernus Pistol. Inferno Pistols are also favoured weapons, when available, of the Acolytes and Inquisitors of the Inquisition's Ordo Hereticus and its militant arm, the Sisters of Battle.

The Melta Bomb is a somewhat different application of the same technological principles. The reactive fusion fuel in a Melta Bomb has already been hyper-condensed and is no less devastating, designed to consume itself in a single burst of energy. The casings of Melta Bombs are usually designed with magnetic or molecular bonding mechanisms, allowing them to be clamped onto large targets such as vehicles or monstrous creatures. The surface contact detonation inflicts tremendous damage, easily turning even heavy armour plate into white-hot slag in a matter of moments.

Meltagun
The Meltagun, also called a "Fusion Gun," "Melter," or "Cooker," is a powerful, short-ranged anti-armour weapon that produces an intense, energetic beam of heat in the tens of thousands of degrees Centigrade. Metla Guns of various patterns and models are used by the Space Marines, the troops of the Imperial Guard and other military forces of the Imperium of Man such as the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas.

Multi-Melta
The Multi-Melta is a heavier version of the standard Imperial Meltagun, usually designed to project its intense blast from two closely-mated barrels. The Multi-Melta is also known, like other Melta Weapons, as a "Cooker" or "Vape Gun" and is a formidable anti-personnel and anti-armour weapon. Compared to other anti-tank heavy weapons in a similar size class, a Multi-Melta has a relatively short range but is very potent, and penetrates armour more deeply the closer it is when fired at a target.

Melta Bombs
Melta Bombs are used by infantry in close combat, they are clamped directly onto vehicle hulls, or the surface of enemy bunkers, or even onto monstrous creatures such as the largest Tyranid bioforms. They are lethally effective against even heavily armoured units, as the intense directional blast of heat produced by a the Melta reaction can burn its way through an armoured hull in a matter of seconds.

Colossus Bomb
The Colossus Bomb is a 10,000Kg heavy, Melta-based, guided bomb used by the Imperial Navy on the Marauder Colossus for high-altitude tactical attacks on heavily fortified enemy positions and fortified structures such as bunkers and more extensive subterranean facilities..

Inferno Pistol
An Inferno Pistol also called an Infernus Pistol amongst the Space Marines of the Blood Angels Chapter, is a small hand-held Melta Weapon that has an overall effective range that is only about 25% that of its counterparts, the Meltagun and the Multi-Melta. These rare and often exquisitely-crafted pistols are capable of cutting through almost any known type of armour.

Magna-Melta
A Magna-Melta is a heavy, vehicle-mounted, short-ranged, area-effect heat cannon. Magna-Meltas were originally designed for space assault craft to enable them to turn a large cubic volume of starship hull-plating into liquid slag. A weapon of this magnitutde's effects on less durable targets such as main battle tanks and living matter are simply catastrophic. The aptitude for use of this powerful weapon was not lost on the Tech-priests of Mars, who soon began mounting the Magna-Melta upon the turrets of Infernus Pattern Deimos Predators. This ancient pattern of Predator has now largely been replaced by the Land Raider Redeemer in many Space Marine Chapters.

Melta Cannon
A Melta Cannon is an Imperial Plasma Weapon that makes use of a miniature fusion reaction to produce a blast of intense, searing heat. This weapon system is commonly mounted on Reaver-class and Warlord-class Battle Titans, but also can be mounted on the carapace hardpoints of a massive Imperator-class Titan. A smaller version of this weapon system is also mounted upon the Devil Dog variant of the Hellhound.

Melta Torpedoes
Utilised by the forces of the Imperial Navy, Melta Torpedoes are even more feared by starship captains than standard torpedoes. Mercifully rare and extremely brutal, melta warheads detonate a precisely-organised series of melta charges upon impact with a target, burning through hull plating and consuming sections of the vessel's interior in a roiling conflagration. When used in orbital bombardment against planetary surfaces, they are equally capable of penetrating heavily fortified structures and incinerating the occupants and contents.

Firepike
A Firepike is a variant of the Fusion Gun used only by Eldar Fire Dragons Exarchs. These weapons are sophisticated Melta Weapons marked by a distinctive long barrel that can project its deadly Melta beam a considerable distance further than the standard Fusion Gun.

Fusion Gun
The Eldar possess an unsurpassed mastery of heat-based weapons, and take savage delight in the devastation they create. They utilise a deadly Melta Weapon known as a Fusion Gun, a weapon that is unique to the Aspect Warriors known as Fire Dragons amongst the Eldar. Though it can only be used at short range, it possesses a sophisticated targetting system, as befits high status troops like Aspect Warriors. Like most Eldar technology, the weapon is psychically activated, its resonant Wraithbone construction being sensitive to the Eldar's innately psychic mind. A Fire Dragons' Fusion Gun is linked to its targetter via its handle.

Fusion Pistol
A Fusion Pistol is a deadly Melta Weapon utilised by Eldar Autarchs and Harlequins.

Heat Ray
A Heat Ray is a Necron weapon mounted upon the enormous mechanical spiders known as Triarch Stalkers. These deadly weapons are capable of anti-tank and anti-infantry modes of fire. The Heat Ray can be fired in either a focussed or dispersed beam.

Fusion Blaster
A Fusion Blaster is a Melta Weapon utilised by Tau Battlesuit-equipped warriors as anti-tank weapons, and many pilots have become adept at stalking enemy armour, using their high mobility to outflank the enemy and engage their weaker rear armour.