Laspistol

A standard Laspistol

The Laspistol is the pistol version of the Lasgun and like that weapon fires a coherent beam of energetic photons that can burn through most materials. The Laspistol is powered by a miniature power pack that is usually placed within the grip. The Laspistol is used most often by officers or Commissars of the Imperial Guard in conjunction with a close combat weapon, often a Chainsword or Power Sword. The Laspistol was specifically intended to allow the user to fire one-handed and wield a melee weapon in the other hand. The Laspistol is also a favoured weapon of Tech-priest Enginseers and Sanctioned Psykers.

The Laspistol is capable of producing the same amount of damage in a skilled user's hands as the Lasgun, yet it has drastically reduced range as compared to its variant rifle form. The Laspistol lacks the Lasgun's selective fire options, having only the ability to fire single shots.

There is little standardisation in the design of Laspistols across the Imperium of Man, and most human worlds produce their own unique versions. These designs are distinctive enough that they can be used by an expert to determine the pistol's world of origin.

Despite its lack of killing power compared to the more potent weapons of the Imperial arsenal, the Laspistol remains the favorite sidearm of many an Imperial soldier, for it is rugged, solid, precise, can be used to club an opponent without risk of damage to the weapon, requires very little maintenance, is not temperamental and will not overheat. An added bonus is that the weapon's power cells can be easily recharged by exposing them to sunlight or thrusting them into a camp fire for a few minutes, ensuring that the user is never out of ammunition for long.

Lasgun Variants

• Accatran MG Variant Heavy Laspistol - One of the many laspistol designs produced on the Forge World of Accatran.
• Accatran Pattern Mark II - Another variant of laspistol produced on Accatran, this heavy laspistol design utilises the same powercell as the Accatran Pattern Lasgun. This pistol is standard issue to officer and specialists, and is commonly used amongst Elysian Drop Troops regiments.
• Belasco Dueling Pistol - While certainly lethal, Belasco dueling pistols more often serve as ostentatious displays of wealth and status than as field weapons. Most can only fire one powerful las-blast before needing a reload, but they are extremely accurate over longer ranges.
• Hellpistol - Sometimes also known as "hot-shot" weapons, Hellpistols are almost exclusively used by high ranking Imperial officers and elite forces who favour the higher power over regular las weapons. While hellguns are rarely seen outside of elite Storm Trooper units, hellpistols can be seen among many of the officer corps and Inquisitorial agencies where the extra hitting power they provide over a regular laspistol often means the difference between their life and failure to the Emperor. Lucius-pattern weapons use a 10 kg backpack power source rather than a standard plug-in pack, even for the smaller hellpistol. Larger power packs mean greater power behind each shot but make reloading more impractical, which is a trade off most are willing to take.
• Integrated Lathe-Laspistol - Part weapon system and part bionic replacement, these integrated weapons give the Adeptus Mechanicus guardians of the Lathe Worlds in the Calixis Sector a clear advantage over most conventional forces. Each Integrated Lathe-Laspistol is linked directly to a Potentia Coil, providing it with a near-endless amount of energy to draw from, and allowing these ancient weapons to deliver punishing volleys of fire without pause. Despite being the smallest of the integrated weapons in standard use among the Crimson Guard, the Integrated Lathe-Laspistol is no less deadly than its larger cousin. It has a good rate of fire and decent penetrative abilities, but lacks the range of the rifle.
• Kantrael MG Defender Pattern Service Laspistol - This laspistol is standard issue to non-commissioned officers and officers in the Cadian Shock Troops regiments.
• Lasburst Twin Lasgun - Considered old even among the ancient nature of most Imperial weapons, twin lasguns are a rare sight on the battlefield. First produced millennia ago, their design was never perfected as other patterns soon superseded the Lasburst's unreliable nature. Still some appear on battlefields, either as ancient devices or low-grade versions manufactured in lesser munitions factories. While not as dependable as a regular lasgun, Lasbursts offer a much stronger fire rate by literally doubling the normal firepower.
• Mark IV "Dervish" Laspistol - The Dervish laspistol was originally created by the Hox Conglomerate in the Calixis Sector as viable las-weapon alternative to the cheap and reliable slug-weapons produced in Gunmetal City on Scintilla. Although the weapon never truly caught on amongst the criminal underclasses, it did find a market amongst those travelling to Frontier worlds or unexplored locations. The Dervish offers them a combination of reliability and power that is appealing to those who do not have access to a steady supply of bullets.
• Mars Pattern Mark IV Command Laspistol - Presented to officers when they attain company commands, these are high-powered weapons designed for carefully placed shots at longer ranges. They have an extended barrel and are slightly heavier than standard service pistols.
• Roth Pattern Lightning Lasgun - An unusual pattern, the Roth "Lightning" has its ammunition plug set behind the trigger grip, allowing for a extended collimation barrel which provides greater ranges without increasing the overall size. Owing to their relative rarity, these weapons are often restricted to "sharpshooter" light infantry regiments and many are further modified into long las sniper rifles.
• Triplex Pattern "Fury" Assault Laspistol - This rare variant is most often utilised by elite assault squads and the Fury is the ideal weapon when facing a horde of foes. They fire in short bursts, designed to clear away enemies without slowing the advance.
• Voss Pattern Hellpistol - Utilising advanced techniques of manufacture and internal gyro-stabilisation, high power "hellguns" are the chosen weapons of the elite Inquisitorial Stormtroopers and Imperial Guard grenadier forces. Costly and difficult to manufacture, the primary source for these weapons in the Calixis Sector is the Takara Fane of Gunmetal City. Hellguns are far more energy-hungry than standard las weapons and fed from power capacitor backpack units. They may use standard las weapon charge packs, but consume four charges per shot.

See Also

• Lasgun
• Hellpistol
• Imperial Guard

Sources

• Black Crusade: Core Rulebook (RPG), pg. 153
• Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition), pg. 68
• Dark Heresy: Core Rulebook (RPG), pg. 131
• Dark Heresy: Ascension (RPG), pg. 138
• Dark Heresy: The Inquisitor's Handbook (RPG), pp. 172-173
• Dark Heresy: The Lathe Worlds (RPG), pg. 59
• Deathwatch: Core Rulebook (RPG), pg. 150
• Imperial Armour Volume Four - The Anphelion Project, pg. 136
• Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pp. 79, 101
• Imperial Munitorum Manual (Background Book), pg. 64
• Inquisitor Rulebook (Specialist Game), pp. 66, 110-111
• Necromunda: Rulebook, pg. 46
• Rogue Trader: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 119-120
• Rogue Trader: Into the Storm (RPG), pp. 110-111
• Specialist Games Catalogue, pg. 14
• Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (1st Edition), pg. 78
• Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (6th Edition), pg. 55
• Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (4th Edition), pg. 34
• Warhammer 40,000: Wargear (2nd Edition), pg. 16