SPECIAL WEAPONS

All of the following weapons come under the Special Weapons category and require a Special Weapons Proficiency Feat to use. There are three special weapon classes: high energy, heavy weapons and launchers.

 

High Energy

High Energy weapons are weapons that use a volatile energy type and this require extra care and experience – such as plasma guns and meltaguns. All high energy weapons are treated as dealing ‘atomic’ damage whether they fire a blast of warp energy, fusion particles or bolts of plasma. Some targets are vulnerable to or resistant to atomic damage.

Heavy Weapons

Heavy Weapons are merely very large weapons (such as autocannons, heavy stubbers and lascannons). Heavy weapons are any weapon whose primary function is as a vehicle weapon rather than as a personnel weapon.

 

Launchers

Launchers requires special training because the recoil is unusual. The most common kinds of launchers are grenade launcher and missile launchers.

 

Multiple Proficiency Weapons

Some weapons require two or more proficiencies. Heavy plasma guns requires proficiency with high energy special weapons and with heavy weapons. Any weapon marked with an X where cost is, is a Xeno-Weapon. A xeno-weapon is a weapon made by a xenos (or alien) species. Humans who try to wield this weapon effectively require the Personal Firearms proficiency, the appropriate Special Weapons Proficiency and the Alien Weapons Proficiency. Xeno-weapons use is heresy by decree of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Ordo Xenos. They must be acquired illegally and can cost anywhere up to double the wealth cost of a similarly effective weapon. This value is left to the discretion of the GM.

 

No Proficiency Weapons

Weapons that don’t make any attack rolls (like flamers) are also found in this section. They don’t require a proficiency because an attack roll is never made however they do not count as simple weapons. Whether no proficiencies are required or whether a specific Special Weapons Proficiency feat is required is noted in the description of each weapon.

 

Firearm	Cost	Dmg	Crit	Range	RoF	Wt.	Type	DRP
Assault Cannon	27	3d12	x2	120 ft.	Turbo	85 lb.	Piercing	3
Autocannon	28	3d20	x2	120 ft.	Auto	50 lb.	Piercing	3
Blaster	X	2d20	x2	30 ft.	Single	7 lb.	Atomic	5
Burst Cannon	X	2d12	x2	45 ft.	Turbo	26 lb.	Energy	2
Cyclone Launcher	30	3d20	x2	180 ft.	Auto	95 lb.	Explosive	4
Flamer	11	3d6	-	20ft cone	Single	9 lb.	Fire	1
Fusion Gun	X	2d20	x2	30 ft.	Single	13 lb.	Atomic	5
Grenade Launcher	16	*	x2	90 ft.	Single	8 lb.	*	*
Hand Flamer	9	2d6	-	15ft line	Single	4 lb.	Fire	0
Heavy Bolter	26	2d12	x3	120 ft.	Turbo	65 lb.	Explosive	3
Heavy Flamer	13	6d6	-	30ft cone	Single	40 lb.	Fire	2
Heavy Stubber	23	2d12	x2	120 ft.	Auto	55 lb.	Piercing	1
Lascannon	32	2d100	19-20	180 ft.	Semi	70 lb.	Energy	5
Meltagun	26	2d20	x2	30 ft.	Single	12 lb.	Atomic	5
Missile Launcher (frag)	20	3d10	x2	150 ft.	Single	20 lb.	Explosive	2
Missile Launcher (krak)	20	3d20	x2	150 ft.	Single	20 lb.	Explosive	4
Missile Launcher (plasma missile)	20	2d20	x2	150 ft.	Single	20 lb.	Atomic	5
Multi-Melta	28	3d20	x2	60 ft.	Single	44 lb.	Atomic	5
Plasma Cannon (high)	29	3d20	x2	120 ft.	Single	60 lb.	Atomic	5
Plasma Cannon (low)	29	2d20	x2	120 ft.	Semi	60 lb.	Atomic	5
Plasma Gun (high)	26	2d20	x2	60 ft.	Auto	13 lb.	Atomic	5
Plasma Gun (low)	26	2d20	x2	60 ft.	Semi	13 lb.	Atomic	5
Plasma Pistol (high)	24	3d12	x2	30 ft.	Semi	5 lb.	Atomic	5
Plasma Pistol (low)	24	2d12	x2	30 ft.	Semi	5 lb.	Atomic	5
Plasma Rifle	X	2d20	x2	60 ft.	R.F.	12 lb.	Atomic	5
Rail Gun	X	3d100	x2	210 ft.	Single	90 lb.	Piercing	5
Reaper Launcher	X	2d12	x2	100 ft.	Auto	24 lb.	Explosive	4
Scatter Laser	X	2d12	x2	90 ft.	Hyper	30 lb.	Energy	2
Splinter Cannon	X	2d10	x2	60 ft.	Hyper	19 lb.	Piercing	2
Webspinner	X	*	-	20ft cone	Single	18 lb.	Slashing	*

 

SPECIAL RULES

 

Assault Cannon: Assault Cannons require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat to use correctly. Assault Cannons use ‘heavy auto’ ammunition; a generic term for any large caliber bullet type typically fed into heavy weapons. Assault Cannons can be mounted with 600 bullets. Assault cannons are favoured over autocannons by the Space Marines because their higher rate of fire provides excellent cover fire.

An Assault Cannon can be built for personnel as well as for vehicles. A minimum Strength score of 27 is required to fire an Assault Cannon.

 

Autocannon: Autocannons require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat to use correctly. Autocannons use ‘heavy auto’ ammunition; a generic term for any large caliber bullet type typically fed into heavy weapons. Autocannons typically use a chain of bulletsk, some chains as long as several thousand bullets. Autocannon are favoured over assault cannons by the Imperial Guard for their accuracy.

An Autocannon can be built for personnel as well as for vehicles. A minimum Strength score of 21 is required to fire an Autocannon.

 

Blaster: This light Dark Eldar weapon fires a black blast of dark matter which tears vehicles and people apart. Blasters require the Special Weapons Proficiency (High Energy Weapons) feat and the Alien Weapons Proficiency (Dark Eldar) feat to use correctly. Blasters are particularly potent against vehicles and heavily armoured targets. Anything with a hardness struck by a Blaster has its hardness reduced by half.

 

Burst Cannon: Burst Cannons require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat and the Alien Weapons Proficiency (Tau) feat to use correctly. Burst Cannons are a heavy version of the Pulse Rifle; firing round after deadly round of laser pulses. Burst Cannons use a heavy laser powerpack which typically allows 40 shots and can be recharged with an electric current. Burst Cannons have a 5 round Turbo setting which allows the shooter to fire a burst on full turbomatic using only 5 pulses. The burst cannon also has a 10 round turbofire. Using the burst cannon to autofire an area or to strafe an area uses 10 pulses.

A Burst Cannon can be built for personnel as well as for vehicles. A minimum Strength score of 15 is required to fire an Burst Cannon.

 

Cyclone Launcher: Cyclone Missile Launchers require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat and the Special Weapons Proficiency (Launchers) feat to use correctly. Cyclone Launchers have 12 rockets. The cyclone launcher has a 3 round burst setting – that is when fired on automatic 3 missiles are released. On autofire or strafe only 5 missiles are released. The Cyclone Launcher is attached to the back of powered armour and cannot be used by a target who does no have armour on. Even with powered armour a minimum Strength score of 23 is required to fire an Cyclone Missile Launcher.

 

Flamer: A flamer consists of a cylinder containing a special fuel that ignites upon contact with the air. The flamer essentially ejects the liquid in a tear drop shaped ball of fire that erupts from the nozzle of the weapon. It shoots a 20 foot long cone of flame that deals 3d6 points of fire damage to all creatures and objects in its path. No attack roll is necessary, and thus no feat is needed to operate the weapon effectively. Any creature caught in the line of flame can make a Reflex save (DC 15) to take half damage. Creatures with cover get a bonus on their Reflex save.

A flamer’s fuel pack has hardness 5 and 5 hit points. The pack has a Defense equal to 14 + the wearer’s Dexterity modifier + the wearer’s class bonus. A cannister reduced to 0 hit points ruptures and explodes, dealing 6d6 points of fire damage to the wearer (no save allowed) and 3d6 points of splash damage to creatures and objects in adjacent 5-foot squares (Reflex save, DC 15, for half damage).

Any creature or flammable object that takes damage from a flamer catches on fire, taking 1d6 points of fire damage each subsequent round until the flames are extinguished. A fire engulfing a single creature or object can be doused or smothered as a full-round action.

A flamer can shoot 5 times before the fuel supply is depleted.

 

Fusion Gun: This is the eldar version of the melta-gun and is typically carried by the Eldar Aspect Warriors of the Fire Dragon Shrine. Fusion guns require the Special Weapons Proficiency (High Energy Weapons) feat and the Alien Weapons Proficiency (Eldar) feat to use correctly. Fusion guns are particularly potent against vehicles and heavily armoured targets. Anything with a hardness struck by a Fusion gun has its hardness reduced by half. Fusion Guns use an atomic powerpack.

 

Grenade Launcher: Grenade Launchers require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Launchers) feat to use correctly. Their primary function is in allowing you to fire grenades at a greater distance. Look at the Grenades section to see more details about what grenades can be fired from a Grenade Launcher.

 

Hand Flamer: The Hand Flamer is functionally identical to the flamer but it has a smaller spread. It shoots fire over 15ft. Anyone in the three target squares is struck.

 

Heavy Bolter: Heavy Bolters require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat to use correctly This is the heavy version of bolter. It actually uses the same ammunition (same size) as the boltpistol, boltgun and stormbolter (the bolt ammo is a standard). However due to its considerably larger size it can fire at greater velocity and cause the bolts to deal more damage. Heavy bolters also have a very high rate of fire. They can carry up to 20 internal magazines or 120 bolt rounds. Heavy Bolters have a 5 round Turbo setting which allows the shooter to fire a burst on full turbomatic using only 5 bolts. The heavy bolter also has a 10 round turbofire. Using the heavy bolter to autofire an area or to strafe an area uses 10 bolts.

A Heavy Bolter can be built for personnel as well as for vehicles. A minimum Strength score of 23 is required to fire a Heavy Bolter.

 

Heavy Flamer: The Heavy Flamer is functionally identical to the flamer but it has a larger spread. It shoots fire over a 30ft cone.

 

Heavy Stubber: Heavy Stubbers require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat to use correctly. Heavy stubbers use ‘heavy auto’ ammunition; a generic term for any large caliber bullet type typically fed into heavy automatic weapons. Heavy Stubbers use chains of heavy auto ammo as long as a thousand bullets in length.

An Heavy Stubber can be built for personnel as well as for vehicles. A minimum Strength score of 19 is required to fire a Heavy Stubber.

 

Lascannon: The laser cannon is the ‘standard’ Imperial heavy weapon. It is the most common heavy weapon sold in the galaxy and not surprisingly. It is the safest; has little or no ammunition cost and is among the most potent weapons in the galaxy. Lascannons require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat to use correctly. A lascannon uses a Heavy Energy pack.

Lascannons can be built for personnel as well as for vehicles. A minimum Strength score of 23 is required to fire a Lascannon.

 

Meltagun: Melta-guns require the Special Weapons Proficiency (High Energy Weapons) feat to use correctly. Meltaguns emit powerful microwave energy rays. These guns are particularly potent against vehicles and heavily armoured targets. Anything with a hardness struck by a meltagun has its hardness reduced by half. Meltaguns use an atomic powerpack.

 

Missile Launcher: Missile Launchers require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Launchers) feat to use correctly. Their primary function is in allowing you to fire the three standard kinds of Imperial missiles. The Fragmentation missile has a 20 foot radius burst. The Krak missile only strikes a single target. The plasma missile has a 10 foot radius burst. A character shooting a plasma missile without the Special Weapons Proficiency (High Energy Weapons) feat takes a -4 non proficient penalty when firing plasma missiles.

 

Multi-melta: Multi-Meltas require both the Special Weapons Proficiency (High Energy Weapons) feat and the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat to use correctly. Multi-meltas are souped up meltaguns. The Multi-Melta can be targeted at the ground. It has a 10 foot radius spread. Anyone hit can pass a Reflex save DC 15 for half damage. It can also be targeted at an opponent. Such a targeted opponent does not get a reflex save but all others within range of the blast do. These guns are particularly potent against vehicles and heavily armoured targets. Anything with a hardness struck by a multi-melta has its hardness reduced by half. Multi-meltas use a large atomic powerpack.

A Multi-Melta can be built for personnel as well as for vehicles. A minimum Strength score of 25 is required to fire a Multi-Melta. There is a special Multi-Melta that requires a minimum Strength of 21 to carry but those are specifically designed for special Sisters of Battle units. Acquiring one increases the cost by +4.

 

Plasma Cannon: Plasma Cannons require both the Special Weapons Proficiency (High Energy Weapons) feat and the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat to use correctly. Plasma Cannons are souped up plasma guns. Plasma Cannons use a large atomic powerpack. Like all Imperial plasma weapons, the Plasma Cannon has two power settings which can easily be set with a flick of the tumb. On low power it is a semi-automatic weapon so feats like double-tap can be used. It does less damage however. Each shot fired on low power consumes 1 charge from the large atomic powerpack. On high power it deals more damage, is a single weapon and has a 20 foot radius spread. On high power the Plasma Cannon can be targeted at the ground. Anyone hit can pass a Reflex save DC 15 for half damage. It can also be targeted at an opponent. Such a targeted opponent does not get a reflex save but all others within range of the blast do. Each shot fired on low power consumes 5 charges from the large atomic powerpack. On low power the Plasma Cannon overheats on a d20 roll of 1 when making an attack. On high power it overheats on a d20 roll of 1 or 2. An overheating Plasma Cannon deals 1d20 DRP 5 damage if it is being carried – forces the person to drop the weapon – and ceases to function until repaired. (DC 20 repair check). The atomic powerpack is wasted.

A Plasma Cannon can be built for personnel as well as for vehicles. A minimum Strength score of 25 is required to fire a Plasma Cannon.

 

Plasma Gun: Plasma Guns require the Special Weapons Proficiency (High Energy Weapons) feat to use correctly. Plasma Guns fire balls of powerful and volatile superheated energy. Plasma Guns use an atomic powerpack. Like all Imperial plasma weapons, the Plasma Gun has two power settings which can easily be set with a flick of the tumb. On low power it is a semi-automatic weapon so feats like double-tap can be used. Each shot fired on low power consumes 1 charge from the large atomic powerpack. On high power the weapon becomes fully. On high power the Plasma Gun can be fire a autofire expelling 10 charges from the pack or on burst (with the burst fire feat) using 5 charges. On low power the Plasma Gun overheats on a d20 roll of 1 when making an attack. On high power it overheats on a d20 roll of 1 or 2. An overheating Plasma Gun deals 1d10 DRP 5 damage if it is being carried – forces the person to drop the weapon – and ceases to function until repaired. (DC 20 repair check). The atomic powerpack is wasted.

 

Plasma Pistol: Plasma Pistols require the Special Weapons Proficiency (High Energy Weapons) feat to use correctly. Plasma Pistols use an atomic powerpack. Like all Imperial plasma weapons, the Plasma Pistol has two power settings which can easily be set with a flick of the tumb. On highpower it deals an additional dice worth of damage. Each shot fired on high power costs the weapon twice as many charges on the atomic powerpack. On low power the Plasma Pistol overheats on a d20 roll of 1 when making an attack. On high power it overheats on a d20 roll of 1 or 2. An overheating plasma pistol deals 1d10 DRP 5 damage if it is being carried – forces the person to drop the weapon – and ceases to function until repaired. (DC 20 repair check). The atomic powerpack is wasted.

 

Railgun: The deadliest single-shot heavy weapon of the 41^st millenium, the Tau designed railgun almost puts the Lascannon to shame. The railgun requires the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat and Alien Weapons Proficiency (Tau) to use correctly. A Railgun uses special Tau slugs.

The Tau do not manufacture Railguns for personnel use; but rather for special battlesuits. No amount of strength will allow you to fire a Railgun. The recoil is too great. You would have no accuracy.

 

Reaper Launcher: Reaper Launchers are an eldar weapon that function as automatic missile launchers. They require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Launchers) feat and Alien Weapons Proficiency (Eldar) to use correctly. Their primary function is in allowing you to fire the three standard kinds of Imperial missiles. Reaper Launchers have 12 rockets. The Reaper launcher has a 3 round burst setting – so that when it is fired on automatic only 3 missiles are released. On autofire or strafe only 5 missiles are released.

 

Scatter Laser: Though the Imperium doesn’t have any weapon that fires quite at this velocity this is an example of a weapon that fires on the Hypermatic setting. They require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat and Alien Weapons Proficiency (Eldar) to use correctly. This eldar weapon is typically attached to an anti-gravitation platform so an eldar guardian can operate it with ease without needing the strength to carry it. The weapon can take 2 heavy energy cells.

A scatter laser can be built for personnel as well as for skimmers and grav-platforms. A minimum Strength score of 25 is required to fire a scatter laser.

 

Splinter Cannon: Though the Imperium doesn’t have any weapon that fires quite at this velocity this is an example of a weapon that fires on the Hypermatic setting. They require the Special Weapons Proficiency (Heavy Weapons) feat and Alien Weapons Proficiency (Dark Eldar) to use correctly. This dark eldar weapon is typically carried by the strongest of the dark eldar raiders. It is thus designed to be very lightweight and the gravitic stabilizers give the sense that the weapon has no recoil. The weapon can take up to thirty splinter cartridges or 300 splinters.

A splinter cannon can be built for personnel as well as for skimmers and grav-platforms. A minimum Strength score of 15 is required to fire a splinter cannon.

 

Webspinner: This is the infamous weapon of the deadly Warp Spider aspect warriors. It does not require an attack roll so no proficiencies are required to use it. Instead it covers a 30 foot cone with thick monofilament webbing. Anyone within must pass a Reflex save or be trapped in the webbing. If a target stays still nothing happens (except of course that he is trapped).

A target that tries to break free (DC 25 Strength check) and succeeds takes 1d20 points of DRP 0 damage. If he fails he takes 2d20 DRP 0 damage.

A target that tries to escape (DC 30 escape artist check) and succeeds takes no damage but if he fails he takes 2d20 DRP 0 damage.

As the victim struggles the monofilaments tighten, slicing limbs and cutting flesh. The following round these are the effects:

A target that tries to break free (DC 25 Strength check) and succeeds takes 2d20 points of DRP 0 damage. If he fails he takes 3d20 DRP 0 damage.

A target that tries to escape (DC 30 escape artist check) and succeeds takes no damage but if he fails he takes 3d20 DRP 0 damage.

The next round (if he failed again and wasn’t newly ensnared of course). The damage for each will increase by a further d20. Until the victim stops struggling or dies.