Spac

Armoury
The 41st Millennium is a dangerous place, rife
with war and conflict, and if an Acolyte hopes to
survive he must make sure that he is well armed
and equipped. This chapter deals with some of
the many types of weapons, armour and gear
that exist within the Imperium. Equipment,
especially weapons and armour, make up a vital
part of an Acolytes resources and the difference
between success and failure on a mission can
often come down to having the right gear.

Availability
Having the money does not always guarantee the
desired goods or services are at hand. Squalid
medieval worlds are a lot less likely to have
expensive goods than the marketplaces of a hive
city. Moreover, finding a high-quality weapon
on a backwater planet is far more difficult than
locating such a weapon in a teeming metropolis.
To reflect availability, each piece of equipment
or service has an associated Availability, ranging
from Ubiquitous to Unique. GMs can use the
following guidelines as a starting point for
determining whether a place has such an item or
not. Characters searching for a particular item or
service must make a successful Inquiry Test
modified by the Availability of the item;
Availability: Difficulty by Population provides
a baseline modifier for Inquiry Tests to find an
item in communities of different sizes. Influence
talents, such as Peer and Good Reputation, can
grant a bonus to Inquiry Tests when going
through relevant parties, such as Middle Classes
and Workers on a hive world or Adeptus
Mechanicus on a forge world. In general, larger
communities tend to have greater access to rarer
and more valuable items due to the nature of
trade and mercantilism in the Imperium.

TIME
Just because a large community actually has the
item a character seeks does not necessarily mean
that it is easy to locate. The larger the
community, the more time it takes to track the
item down. A communitys size determines the
base time it takes to find the item; see
Availability: Population and Time for a
baseline. Each Degree of Success on the Inquiry
Test reduces this time by a certain amount
(minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months,
depending on the base time). The GM should
make the roll in secret for particularly dangerous
or costly items, to emphasise the struggle and
possible risks entailed by such searching.

Craftsmanship
Not all goods are of the same quality. In the
vastness of the Imperium, and beyond, the
craftsmanship of items can vary widely from
crudely made, mass-produced materials to
handcrafted masterpieces.
Normally, Craftsmanship has little effect on
game play for regular goods and services. As a
general rule items of Poor Craftsmanship are
more prone to failure and breaking while Good
and Best Craftsmanship are more durable,
though it is up to the GM how and when these
effects might enter play. In the case of weaponry
and armour, there are effects on the items
performance or weight (as detailed later), but in
cases of general goods and services, differences
of quality are merely descriptive. The GM may
reduce the Difficulty of certain tests, but it is
entirely at his discretion. Unless specifically
stated, the Craftsmanship of any object is
considered Common.
Craftsmanship Cost Multiplier Availability

Best
Good
Common
Poor

10
3
1
1/2

Drop 2 steps
Drop 1 step

Increase 1 step

Availability: Difficulty by Population

Availability

Population Below 1,000

Below 10,000

Below 100,000

100,000 or More

Ubiquitous

Easy (+30)

Automatic

Automatic

Automatic

Abundant

Routine (+20)

Easy (+30)

Automatic

Automatic

Plentiful

Ordinary (+10)

Routine (+20)

Easy (+30)

Automatic

Common

Challenging (+0)

Ordinary (+10)

Routine (+20)

Easy (+30)

Average

Difficult (-10)

Challenging (+0)

Ordinary (+10)

Routine (+20)

Scarce

Hard (-20)

Difficult (-10)

Challenging (+0)

Ordinary (+10)

Rare

Very Hard (-30)

Hard (-20)

Difficult (-10)

Challenging (+0)

Very Rare

Arduous (-40)

Very Hard (-30)

Hard (-20)

Difficult (-10)

Extremely Rare

Punishing (-50)

Arduous (-40)

Very Hard (-30)

Hard (-20)

Near Unique

Hellish (-60)

Punishing (-50)

Arduous (-40)

Very Hard (-30)

Unique

GM's Discretion

Hellish (-60)

Punishing (-50)

Arduous (-40)

Availability: Population and Time

Availability

Population 10 million+

Below 10 million

Below 1 million

Below 100,000

Below 10,000

Ubiquitous

One hour

30 minutes

10 minutes

5 minutes

One minute

Abundant

1d5 hours

One hour

30 minutes

15 minutes

10 minutes

Plentiful

1d10 hours

1d10 hours

One hour

30 minutes

15 minutes

Common

One day

One day

1d10 hours

One hour

30 minutes

Average

1d5 days

1d5 days

One day

1d10 hours

One hour

Scarce

1d5 weeks

One week

1d5 days

One day

1d10 hours

Rare

2d5 weeks

2d5 weeks

One week

1d5 days

One day

Very Rare

1d5 months

1d5 months

1d5 weeks

1d10 days

1d5 days

Extremely Rare

3d5 months

2d5 months

2d5 weeks

2d10 days

1d10 days

Near Unique

One year

3d5 months

1d5 months

1d5 weeks

2d10 days

Unique

1d5 years

One year

1d10 months

2d5 weeks

GM's Discretion

Weapons
Weapons are divided into several groups
covering a plethora of ranged weapons, dealing
with everything from crossbows to plasma
cannons, and melee weapons covering all
manner of close combat weaponry. Unless they
are of Poor quality, all weapons come with an
appropriate holster, sling, or carrying strap as
part of their cost so they can be stored on the
characters body.
All weapons have a profile that is presented
using the following statistics, providing players
and GMs with all the relevant information
needed to use them:
Name: What the weapon is called.
Class: Describes what class the weapon is,
either a melee, thrown, pistol, basic or heavy
weapon.
Melee weapons can be used in close combat.
When using a melee weapon you add your SB
to the damage you inflict.
Thrown weapons cover anything propelled
by muscle power alone and covers knives, axes,
spears and such like. Unless they are also
classed as melee, thrown weapons cannot be
used in close combat (or if they do, they count
as improvised weapons). When using a thrown
weapon you add your SB to the damage you
inflict (with the exception of explosives such as
grenades or bombs).
Pistol weapons are fired one-handed and can
be used in close combat. However, when a
pistol is used in close combat, the firer gains
no bonuses or penalties to hit for range or
targeting equipment. Pistols with the Scatter
quality fired in melee are considered to be
firing at Point-Blank range for the purposes of
determining any extra hits.
Basic weapons normally require two hands
but can be used one-handed with a 20 penalty
to hit.

Heavy weapons always require two hands

and must be braced in some way, usually
either on a bipod or tripod but equally it could
be a windowsill or sandbag (or the firers
shoulder in the case of certain weapons), to be
fired without penalties. Firing a heavy weapon
without bracing incurs a 30 penalty to hit
and prohibits Semi-Auto and Full Auto fire.
Range: All weapons are given an effective
range on the weapons tables. Short range is
below half of this number, Long range is above
double, Extreme range is above three times and
maximum is above four times. Below 3 metres is
Point Blank range. A lasgun, for example, has a
given range of 100. Short range is 3-50 (from
Point Blank to half the given range), Medium is
50-200 (from Short to double the given range),
Long is 200-300 (from two to three times the
given range) and Extreme is 300-400 (from three
to four times the given range). For ranged
bonuses and penalties see Dark Heresy, Chapter
VII: Playing the Game, pages 198-199).
Weapons usually cannot be fired at targets more
than four times their range distance.
RoF (Rate of Fire): Tells you if the weapon
can be fired either on Semi-Auto or Full Auto
and how many rounds/charges it expends when
doing so. A weapons RoF has three entries to
indicate the modes a weapon can be fired in. The
first entry indicates whether the weapon can be
fired singly (with an S). The second entry
indicates whether or not a weapon can be fired
semi-automatically, and the number listed
describes the shots fired. Finally, the third entry
describes if the weapon can be fired on full
automatic. Any mode in which the weapon
cannot be fired is indicated with a .
Some weapons can be fired in more than one
mode. If this is the case each of its different rates
of fire will be listed in its profile. Characters
must choose which mode they are firing their
weapon in before making their attack.
Dam (Damage): The Damage the weapon
does and the type of damage it inflicts (as shown
in brackets): (E) Energy, (X) Explosive, (R)
Rending, (I) Impact.

Pen (Penetration): Reflects how good the

weapon is at going through armour. When a
shot or blow from this weapon hits a target,
reduce the targets Armour Points by the
weapons Penetration, with results of less than 0
counting as 0 (i.e. the armour provides no
protection at all). Then work out Damage as
normal. So for example, if a weapon with a
Penetration of 3 hits a target with 5 Armour
Points, the target will only count as having 2
Armour Points against any damage the hit
causes. Note that Penetration has no effect on
fields, but it does affect cover.
Clip: How many rounds/charges the weapon
holds when fully loaded.
Rld (Reload): How many Actions the weapon
takes to reload. This is generally Half (for a Half
Action) or Full (for a Full Action). Some
weapons can take a number of Actions over
several Rounds. The number of Rounds is given
as a number, for example 2Full means that
reloading takes 2 Full Rounds.
Special: This tells you if the weapon has any
special qualities, such as creating a blast when
fired or needing to recharge between shots.
Wt (Weight): Represents how much the
weapon weighs, normally in kg (kilograms).
Cost: Indicates the standard value of the
weapon within the Imperium. Cost is always
represented in Thrones.
World: If this weapon is common on a
particular type of world or a specific planet.
Availability: This identifies the weapons
availability (see the Availability section for more
information).

USING WEAPONS WITHOUT A TALENT

Many of the weapons described in this chapter
require a Talent to use them effectively; lacking
the necessary ability makes weapons particularly
dangerous to employ. Still, there are bound to be
circumstances when a character needs to use a
weapon for which he does not have the Talent.
Doing so imposes a 20 penalty on the relevant
Test. If the weapon has the Flame special quality,
the target is granted a +30 to his Agility Test to
avoid being hit. In addition, when a ranged

weapon is used untrained, it counts as having the

Unreliable quality, increasing its chance of
jamming.

WEAPON CRAFTSMANSHIP
All the weapons detailed here are of Common
craftsmanship. For weapons of better or worse
manufacture use the following modifiers:
Poor: These cheaply constructed ranged
weapons are more prone to malfunction. A
ranged weapon of Poor craftsmanship has the
Unreliable quality. If the weapon already has this
quality then it will jam on any failed rolled to hit.
Melee weapons of Poor craftsmanship incur a
10 penalty to tests made to attack due to their
shoddy design.
Good: More carefully constructed and finished,
these weapons are consequently more reliable.
Ranged weapons of Good craftsmanship have
the Reliable quality. If it already has this quality
there is no further effect beyond the obvious fine
workmanship of the weapon. If a weapon
normally has the Unreliable quality, a good
craftsmanship version of that weapon does not
become Reliable; the two qualities cancel each
other out and the weapon ends up having
neither. Melee weapons of Good craftsmanship
add a +5 bonus to tests made to attack.
Best: A work of art as much as a weapon, these
items are created by skilled artisans and are often
very old. Ranged weapons of Best craftsmanship
never suffer from jamming or overheating when
using normal ammunition. If a roll would result
in either of these occurrences, simply count it as
a miss instead. Melee weapons of Best
craftsmanship add a +10 bonus to tests made to
attack and add 1 to the Damage they inflict.

WEAPON SPECIAL QUALITIES

Some weapons possess special qualities to
represent such things as special damage or
unusual effects.

Accurate
Some weapons are designed with precision in
mind and respond superbly in skilled hands.

They grant an additional bonus of +10 to the

firers Ballistic Skill when used with an Aim
action; this is in addition to the bonus granted
from Aiming. When firing a single shot from a
single Basic Weapon with the Accurate quality
benefiting from the Aim action, the attack gains
an extra 1d10 of Damage for every two Degrees
of Success to a maximum of an extra 2d10.

Balanced
Some weapons are designed so that the weight of
the hilt balances the weight of the striking end,
making the weapon easier to wield while making
quick manoeuvres. Balanced weapons grant a
+10 bonus to Weapon Skill Tests made to Parry.

Blast (X)
Many missiles, grenades and some guns create
an explosion when they hit their target. When
working out a hit from a Blast weapon anyone
within the weapons blast radius in metres,
indicated by the number in parenthesis, is also
hit. Roll Hit Location and Damage individually
for each person affected by a blast. Blast
weapons that inflict Damage from explosives,
flames, and similar sources can be avoided with
a successful Dodge Test, but only as long as the
edge of the blast is no further away than their
Agility Bonus in metres.

Defensive
A Defensive weapon, such as a shield, is
intended to be used to block an enemys strikes
and is awkward when used offensively.
Defensive weapons grant a +15 bonus to tests
made when used to Parry, but take a 10 penalty
when used to make attacks.

Fast
The size and speed of this weapon makes it hard
for an enemy to protect against, especially when
used to make nimble, darting attacks.
Opponents take a -20 penalty to their Weapon
Skill Test when attempting to Parry an attack
from a Fast weapon.

flamers have just one range, and when fired, cast

fiery death out to this distance. The wielder
makes a Ballistic Skill Test to determine only if
the weapon jams. If it doesn't, the weapon fires
successfully. All creatures in the flames path, a
cone-shaped area extending in a 30 degree arc
from the firer out to the weapons range, must
succeed on a Dodge (or Agility) Test or be struck
by the flames and take Damage normally. Like a
Blast weapon, a character can only avoid the
Damage if the edge of the affected area is no
further away than their Agility Bonus in metres.
To calculate reduction from Armour, assume
anyone caught in the flame's path has been hit in
the body. If they take Damage, they must
succeed on another Agility Test or be set on fire.
Cover does not protect characters from attacks
made by Flame weapons.
Normally when a weapon is fired without the
appropriate talent or a heavy weapon is fired
without bracing, the wielder suffers a 20 or 30
Ballistic Skill penalty, respectively (see Dark
Heresy, Using Weapons Without a Talent,
page 126). As Flame weapons do not require a
Ballistic Skill Test to hit, anyone in the area of
effect of the flames gains a +30 bonus to their
Dodge or Agility Test to avoid Damage (but not
to avoid catching on fire!) instead.

Flexible
Some weapons are made up from lots of loosely
connected segments or supple woven hides,
including chains and whips. Weapons with this
quality lash about violently when used to attack
and cannot be Parried.

Inaccurate
Weapons with this quality are either badly
designed, woefully assembled, or simply
intended for use at very short distances, and
regardless of the care taken when used, offer
little better than a lucky chance to hit. No bonus
is gained from the use of the Aim Action with
such weapons.

Overheats
Flame
Flame weapons project a cone of flame out to the
range of the weapon. Unlike other weapons,

Certain weapons are prone to overheating, either

because of poor design, reckless overcharging, or

the use of superheated ammunition. When a

weapon overheats, the wielder suffers Energy
Damage equal to the weapon's damage with a
Penetration of 0 to the arm location holding the
weapon (if the weapon was being held in both
hands, the wielder is assumed to have taken
damage to both arms, but does not suffer twice
the Damage). The wielder may choose to avoid
taking this Damage by dropping the overheating
weapon; it lands somewhere within a 1 metre
radius of the wielder. This is a Free Action. A
weapon that has overheated must spend the
Round afterwards cooling down and may not be
fired again until the second round after
overheating. A weapon with this Quality does
not Jam, and any effect that would cause the
weapon to Jam (i.e., sabotage, certain psychic
powers) instead causes the weapon to overheat.

Power Field

cutting through modern armour. Any armour

that does not also have the Primitive quality
doubles its Armour Points against attacks made
by weapons with this quality. For example,
Guard Flak Armour (AP 4) hit with a Great
Weapon (Primitive quality and Pen 2) would
provide 6 points of armour: (4x2)-2.

Proven (X)
A Proven weapon has been masterfully crafted,
uses extremely powerful ammunition, or
employs archeotech workings that increase its
lethality. In all cases, weapons with this quality
will reliably inflict terrible and traumatic injuries
on their targets. A Proven weapon will list a
rating number in parentheses; discard any die
roll for Damage lower than this number and
replace it with the Proven rating. For example, a
weapon with a Proven (3) quality treats any
Damage die roll of 1 or 2 as if it were a 3 instead.

Crackling arcane energies wreath a weapon that

has this quality, drastically increasing is ability to
rend flesh and armour as compared to a normal
weapon of its type. When you successfully use
this weapon to Parry an attack made with a
weapon that lacks this quality, you have a 75%
chance of destroying your attackers weapon.
Certain weapons, such as those with the Warp
Weapon quality, are immune to this effect.

Razor Sharp

Primitive

After it has been fired, a weapon with the

Recharge quality must spend time building up a
charge before it can be used again. This weapon

Weapons with this quality are perfectly deadly

against unprotected flesh but have a hard time

A weapon with this quality has a phenomenal

ability to split or pierce even the heaviest of
armour when its blow lands just right. When a
Weapon Skill or Ballistic Skill Test for an attack
with this weapon results in three or more
Degrees of Success, double the weapon's
Penetration for that attack.

Recharge

can effectively only be fired every other Round.

Reliable
A Reliable weapon seldom fails, and are often
based on tried and true technology, use simple
and effective workings, or are simply assembled
with a great amount of care and skill. If a
Reliable weapon Jams, roll 1d10. Only on a roll
of 10 does it actually jam, otherwise it is simply
considered a miss.

Scatter
The standard ammunition of these weapons
spreads out when fired, hitting a wide area of the
targets body. If fired at a foe within Point Blank
range, this weapon scores an additional hit (use
Table 6-7: Multiple Hits on page 190 of Dark
Heresy) for every two degrees of success on the
attackers Ballistic Skill Test. However, the
widening spread of small projectiles hampers its
effectiveness. If a character is hit by a weapon
with this quality at Long or Extreme range, all
his Armour Points are doubled against that
attack.

page 210 for more information on the effects of

Smoke.

Snare
Weapons with this quality are designed to
entangle enemies. On a successful hit, the target
must make an Agility Test or be immobilised.
An immobilised target can attempt no other
actions except try to escape the bonds. He can
attempt to burst the bonds (a Challenging (+0)
Strength Test) or wriggle free (a Challenging
(+0) Agility Test) in his Turn. The target is
considered to be Helpless until he escapes.

Storm
These are purpose-built assault weapons
intended to shred targets apart with a flurry of
rapid-fire projectiles. Weapons with the Storm
quality double the number of shots they fire on
any mode, and likewise double the number of
hits scored on an enemy. For example, a Storm
weapon firing a Full Auto Burst scores two hits
for every degree of success, up to a maximum of
twice the weapons listed firing rate.

Tearing
Shocking
Shocking weapons can Stun their opponents
with a powerful surge of energy. A target that
takes at least 1 point of Damage from a Shocking
weapon, after reduction from Armour Points
and Toughness Bonus, must make a
Challenging (+0) Toughness Test or become
Stunned for a number of Rounds equal to half
the Damage they suffered. If the character hit is
wearing non-Primitive armour, they receive a
+10 bonus to this Test for every Armour Point
on the location hit.

Smoke
Rather than inflicting Damage, these weapons
throw up dense clouds of smoke to create
concealment. When a hit is scored from a
weapon with the Smoke quality, it creates a
smokescreen 3d10 metres in diameter from the
point of impact. The screen lasts for 2d10
Rounds before dissipating, though adverse
weather may reduce this time. See Dark Heresy,

Tearing weapons are vicious devices, often using

multitudes of fast moving jagged teeth or
fragmented or explosive ammunition to rip into
flesh and bone. These weapons roll one extra die
for Damage, and the lowest result is discarded.

Toxic
Some weapons rely on toxins and poisons to do
their real damage. Anyone that takes Damage
from a Toxic weapon, after reduction for
Armour and Toughness Bonus, must make a
Challenging (+0) Toughness Test with a -5
penalty for every point of Damage taken from
the Toxic weapons attack. Success indicates
there is no further effect from the weapon.
Failure however deals an immediate 1d10 points
of Impact Damage to the target with no
reduction for Armour or Toughness Bonus.

Twin-Linked
A twin-linked weapon is formed by combining
two identical weapons together, which are fired

by a single trigger pull (or button press). Twinlinked weapons are built this way in order to
increase the chances of scoring a hit on the
enemy through the crude expedience of blasting
more shots at them. This type of weapon is a
popular feature on Imperial armoured vehicles
where its bulk and rapid ammunition
consumption are non-issues. A Twin-Linked
weapon fires twice as many shots, on all modes,
as the original weapons that were linked
together, and grants its firer a +20 bonus to hit
to his Ballistic Skill. The weapon may score one
additional hit beyond its normal total as long as
the attack succeeds by two or more degrees.
Finally, as each weapon has its own ammunition
feed, its reload time is doubled.

Unbalanced
Weapons with this quality tend to be overly large
or with weight focused on one end, allowing
them to make powerful attacks but preventing
quick defensive movements. A weapon with this
quality imposes a -10 penalty to Weapon Skill
Tests when used to Parry.

Unreliable
Badly maintained or constructed, or simply of a
sloppy design, these weapons are more likely to
misfire than others. An Unreliable weapon
suffers a Jam on a roll of 91 or higher on the
firers Ballistic Skill Test.

Unstable
Weapons with this quality use ammunition that
is both volatile and unstable and can react
unpredictably when detonated. When an
Unstable weapon scores a hit, roll 1d10. On a
score of 1 it inflicts only half Damage, on a score
of 29 it deals normal Damage, and on a score of
10 it inflicts twice the normal Damage.

Unwieldy
Huge and often top-heavy or slow to attack,
Unwieldy weapons are too awkward to be used
defensively. Unwieldy weapons cannot be used
to Parry.

Vicious
This weapon has a tendency to inflict savage,
ruinous injuries due to its great power or simply
from an innate lust for battle. Whenever a
Vicious weapon has a chance to score Righteous
Fury (that is, rolls maximum Damage on one of
its dice) the extra Damage occurs automatically;
there is no need for a second Weapon Skill or
Ballistic Skill Test to confirm the extra Damage.

LAS WEAPONS
Produced by the millions on countless forgeworlds, laser (las in parlance) weapons are by
far the most numerous type of weapon in the
Imperium as they are the basic tool of countless
soldiers of the Imperial Guard. While complex
to manufacture, their STC design is extremely
well understood and their great ruggedness
makes them the perfect weapon for the myriad
soldiers of the Hammer of the Emperor. Las
weapons can be found on almost any developed
planet, even outside the Imperium, and can be
found in the employ of xeno mercenary tribes
who favour them for the same reason as their
human betters. Aside from the very common
lasguns and las pistols, much larger lascannons
and multi-lasers are often mounted to Imperial
vehicles, and gigantic lance batteries arming
Imperial Navy battleships work off the same
principles as their humble infantry counterparts.
Las weapons work by emitting short, sharp
pulses of laser energy from high capacity fastdischarge generators, with a flash of light and a
distinctive snap like the cracking of a whip when
the trigger is pulled. While there are many
variations of lasguns and pistols, produced in a
multitude of different styles and patterns, almost
all use a totally interchangeable power pack
whose design is sanctioned by the Departmento
Munitorum; Cadian lasguns facing the forces of
Chaos near the Eye of Terror and las pistols
carried by Adeptus Mechanicus Explorators in
the far reaches of Ultima Segmentum are
powered by a functionally identical power
source. The liquid metal core of the pack stores a
vast amount of thermal energy, and can be
recharged from any sort of standard power
source ranging from hive hab conduits,
shipboard transmission lines, or even the
generators of idling Imperial tanks. In a pinch,
simply exposing the charge pack to intense heat
or light over time will fill its reserves once more,
and Guardsmen cut off from resupply have been
known to toss their charge packs into campfires,
finding them blackened but usually usable and
charged in the morning.

To use las weapons without penalty, a

character must have the Pistol Training (Las),
Basic Weapon Training (Las), or Heavy Weapon
Training (Las) talents.

RECHARGING POWER PACKS

Aside from their ease of use, the abundance of
ammunition in the form of standardized power
packs is a central reason for the staggering
number of las weapons in use by the forces of the
Imperium. Las power packs can be charged in
the field from almost any power source.
Characters may make an Ordinary (+10) TechUse Test to charge a power pack as long as there
is some kind of power source available.
Examples might include municipal power jacks
in a hive city, portable battery units for powering
large equipment, or even currently-operating
machines. The time the pack takes to charge is
determined by the power output of the source
and is ultimately up to the GM, though
characters should expect at least an hour or so.
Alternatively, a power pack can be charged
simply by leaving it in direct sunlight, the charge
pack absorbing solar radiation at a rate roughly
sufficient for one shot every thirty minutes,
assuming the sky is clear. In the absence of any
other methods, a charge pack can be thrown into
open flames where it can soak up thermal
energy. This takes around twenty-four hours,
and permanently reduces the packs Clip size by
half the first time it is charged in this fashion. A
flame-charged power pack causes a las weapon it
is used in to lose the Reliable quality, if it has it,
or gain the Unreliable quality if it doesnt. Each
time a pack is recharged in this way there is a
30% chance it will burn out and be permanently
rendered useless for any purpose other than
serving as a paperweight.

Las Weapons
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Duelling Las (Belasco)

Pistol

45m

S/-/-

1d10+5 E

Full

Accurate

1.5kg

250

Very Rare

Duelling Las (K-A)

Pistol

30m

S/-/-

1d10+4 E

Full

Accurate, Tearing

1.7kg

220

Very Rare

Hellpistol

Pistol

35m

S/2/-

1d10+4 E

40

2 Full

4kg

2,500

Rare

Laspistol (generic)

Pistol

30m

S/-/-

1d10+2 E

30

Full

Reliable

1.5kg

50

Common

Civitas

Pistol

25m

S/2/-

1d10+1 E

25

Full

Reliable

2kg

35

Common

Fury

Pistol

20m

S/2/5

1d10+2 E

30

Full

Reliable

1.5kg

100

Scarce

Mark IV

Pistol

70m

S/2/-

1d10+3 E

15

Full

Accurate, Reliable

1.75kg

150

Rare

Palatine

Pistol

20m

S/3/-

1d10+2 E

20

Full

Reliable

1.1kg

100

Average

Steel Burner

Pistol

30m

S/-/-

1d10+4 E

10

Full

2.5kg

100

Fenksworld

Very Rare

Las Gauntlets

Pistol

50m

S/4/-

1d10+4 E

20

Full

Reliable

3kg

350

Very Rare

Series-S Venom

Pistol

10m

S/-/-

1d10+1 E

15

0.5kg

120

Scarce

Not including power pack

Duelling Las
Based around the philosophy of a one shot
kill, Duelling Laspistols (or just Duelling Las for
short) are commonly worn as signs of wealth
and status by hive nobles and Rogue Traders.
While ostentatious and certainly designed with
image in mind, a Duelling Las is still nonetheless
a very deadly weapon that can generate an
extremely powerful las blast, and are accurate
enough to hit a single Throne at distances most
comparable pistols would only be able to hit a
man-sized target.
The Belasco Duelling Pistol is a product of
the famed Belasco Deathworks on Malfi,
engineered for a much longer effective range
than most laspistols and featuring an intricate
housing that looks impressive when tucked into
a belt or sash. In spite of its potency, it is capable
of using standard laspistol power packs, though
it drains them entirely with a single shot. It can
be used with an overcharge pack to the
detriment of the weapons reliability: if loaded
with one, it gains the Overheats quality.
The Khayer-Addin Forge in Gunmetal City
produces another high quality pistol known
simply as the Khayer-Addin Duelling Las. Its
range is somewhat inferior compared to the
Malfian design, but its use of a unique (and nonsanctioned) charge pack allows it to fire a more

10

concentrated blast of significantly higher power.

Guns of this type hold a particular spot in
folklore in Gunmetal City, where theyre
popularly known as Valentines after a
mythical Metallican gunslinger of ages past.
Each power cell for a Khayer-Addin Duelling
Las has a base cost of 20 Thrones and is
considered Scarce on Scintilla and Rare
elsewhere. It cannot be combined with a hotshot
or overcharge pack.

Hellpistol
A popular sidearm among Inquisitorial agents
and Imperial Guard officers, Hellpistols are
probably best known for their use by crack
Storm Troopers. Thanks to their heavy-duty
focusing equipment and discharge cells,
Hellpistols have a far superior ability to burn
though well-armoured targets, and can cut down
all matters of foes that would mock an ordinary
laspistols bolts. Hellpistols are somewhat
bulkier than most sidearms due to their external
power supplies, though few would argue the
value of their destructive power against the cost
of the extra mass. Further, most hellpistols are
equipped with an integrated micro-cogitator and
omni-scope, making for faster aiming and more
accurate shots as well as aggregating and
displaying useful tactical information.

A Hellpistol makes use of a capacitor weighing

10kg that is normally slung at the small of the
users back, with a cable power feed connecting
it to the pistols grip. This configuration
provides the stated Clip size in the above table.
Larger power packs intended for prolonged
combat operations can be used instead; these
increase the Clip size to 150 and weigh 25kg.
Hellpistols can also make use of standard
laspistol charge packs though their powerhungry nature consumes them quickly (its Clip
size becomes 10). If used with an overcharge
pack, its Clip size becomes 3 and it gains the
Overheats quality.
Hellpistols include a hard-wired Targeter,
granting its user a +10 bonus to Ballistic Skill
Tests made to attack with it. This device does not
count towards the weapons one sight limit.

Laspistol
Laspisols are common and widespread devices
used by Guardsmen and gangers alike thanks to
their ease of use and simple, reliable design.
Many laspistol patterns exist within the
Imperium, and the most common types, such as
the Galaxy-M used by Cadian sergeants or the
Lucius-pattern favoured by Krieg gunners are so
similar that, functionally, they may as well be the
same weapon. There are also more exotic sorts of
laspistols that include various unique features.
Civitas-Pattern: This is a simple utility
weapon of extremely ancient design, and can
commonly be found as a self-defence pistol
carried by hab-workers or serving as a backup
weapon to gangers wielding powerful if less
reliable autoguns. It is bulkier and less efficient
than common military patterns due to its cheap
manufacture, but even if left in a drawer or stuck
to the bottom of a desk for decades, a Civitas
owner can rest assured that his weapon will
always shoot.
Fury Assault Pistol: A quick-firing laspistol
suitable for use by shock troops and capable of
laying down a barrage of las-bolts. The Furys
range is inferior to most laspistols due to its
rapid discharging cells, but it is an ideal weapon
to use against large numbers of foes. It is often

11

paired with a close combat weapon, such as a

chainsword, and many of its users only shoot it
until theyve closed into hand-to-hand combat
with the enemy.
Mark IV Command Laspistol: Well made for
accuracy and beam cohesion, this type of
sidearm can rival full-size lasguns for striking
range. The Mark IV is a favourite of Imperial
Guard squad leaders, allowing them to engage
foes at the same distance as their soldiers can,
and its bright and narrow beam can also be used
to point out targets of opportunity, even
during a pitched battle situation.
Palatine Compact Laspistol: A superior
laspistol manufactured by the Takara Fane of
Gunmetal City. The Palatine has equal stopping
power to many other laspistols in spite of being
nearly half the size of a standard military
pattern. It is easy to conceal and easier to carry
all day, making it equally popular with hive
nobles as well as mercenaries and assassins.
Given Takaras image as a provider to exclusive
clients, Palatine pistols with heavily embellished
and decorated housings are manufactured to
order, with some costing upwards of three times
the base models price.
The Palatines small size and smooth body
grants a +10 bonus to Sleight of Hand Tests
made to conceal it.
Steel Burner Heavy Laspistol: The Sollex sect
of the Cult Mechanicus produces this handheld
lascannon at its headquarters on Haddrak in
the Drusus Marches. Aside from equipping
Sollexs own Tech-Guard and Magos Militants,
the Sollex Pattern-VII (as it is officially known)
is manufactured for distribution on Fenksworld
as well. The Steel Burner is a favoured pistol
among those with the Thrones to spare, but it is
especially treasured in the Volg hive where
weapons with the ability to defeat well-protected
creatures are always in high demand and short
supply. The Belasco Deathworks and the Takara
Fane have all tried to reproduce this weapon in
their own forges without success.
Sollex las weapons can use standard power
packs but drain them more quickly than most
due to their powerful beams. They can be used

with hotshot or overcharge packs, but gain the

Overheats quality as their generators arent
designed to safely handle the extra power. Sollex
las weapons have Scarce Availability on
Fenksworld and are Very Rare elsewhere.

Las Gauntlets
These strange weapons use standard power
packs but otherwise have very little in common
with other las weapons used in the Imperium,
and there has been some speculation that they
may even be of xenos origin. Each fits over the
forearm with controls built into a glove and the
user sights down the line of his arm. Las
Gauntlets produce a thin raking beam rather
than the crisp blast of most lasguns which
creates an impressive visual. They are primarily
considered the plaything of nobles and are often
used for hunting game at closer ranges, while
those who employ them for real combat are far
between. There are a select few examples of
assassins who favour style over efficiency using
Las Gauntlets to kill their marks.
Because of their strange architecture, Las
Gauntlets gain the Unstable quality if used with
an overcharge pack and cannot be used with
hotshot packs at all.

Series-S Venom Compact Pistol

This Belasco-made pistol is a highly unusual
pattern and one benefitting the treacherous
reputation of Malfi. The Venom is a highly
compact laspistol designed for covert use. It
takes the shape of a flat disk that is grasped in
the hand, with the short barrel-emitter
projecting between the middle fingers. It is fired
by applying pressure to a hidden trigger, and
must be firmly grasped before it will shoot as a
safety feature. Eminently concealable, the
Venom is an excellent tool for murder and
espionage, making it widely favoured both on
Malfi and beyond, though it is neither as
expensive nor rare as its other local rival, the
infamous Mariette pistol.
The Venom is powered via an internal nonremovable power cell rather than Munitorumsanctioned power packs. It cannot be reloaded,

12

but can be recharged via a standard port

similarly to a las power pack. Because of its
strange appearance, its user does not appear to
be armed if searched while carrying it unless the
searcher is familiar with the Venoms design.

Las Weapons
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

2 Full

Reliable

4.5kg

250

Average

Assault Lasgun

Basic

50m

S/-/5

1d10+3 E

60
(x2)

Hellgun

Basic

110m

S/3/-

1d10+4 E

30

2 Full

6kg

2,700

Rare

Hellgun (Dlaku)

Basic

100m

S/3/5

1d10+3 E

40

2 Full

9kg

500

Lathes

Scarce

Lascannon

Heavy

300m

S/-/-

5d10+10 E

10

2 Full

55kg

5,000

Very Rare

Lascarbine (generic)

Basic

60m

S/2/-

1d10+2 E

40

Full

Reliable

3kg

75

Common

Death Light

Basic

80m

S/3/-

1d10+5 E

18

Full

7.2kg

250

Fenksworld

Scarce

Locke

Basic

60m

S/2/-

1d10+4 E

40

Full

Unreliable

2.5kg

100

Scarce

Minerva-Aegis

Basic

60m

S/4/8

1d10+2 E

40

Full

Reliable

4.1kg

150

Scarce

Lascutter

Heavy

5m

S/-/-

2d10+3 E

10

2 Full

8kg

370

Rare

Lasgun (generic)

Basic

100m

S/3/-

1d10+3 E

60

Full

Reliable

4kg

100

Common

Drusus Prime

Basic

100m

S/2/-

1d10+3 E

50

Full

Reliable

7kg

50

Common

Mark III

Basic

100m

S/3/-

1d10+3 E

60

Full

Reliable

4kg

75

Average

Roth

Basic

120m

S/2/-

1d10+2 E

60

Full

Reliable

4kg

175

Rare

Stormfront

Basic

100m

S/3/-

1d10+3 E

60

Full

Reliable

5kg

200

Very Rare

Laslock

Basic

70m

S/-/-

1d10+4 E

Full

Unreliable, Unstable

4kg

40

Plentiful

Long Las

Basic

150m

S/-/-

1d10+3 E

40

Full

Accurate, Reliable

4.5kg

100

Scarce

Multi-Laser

Heavy

250m

-/-/10

3d10+3 E

60

3 Full

2,000

Scarce

Shotlas

Basic

60m

S/3/-

1d10+4 E

30

2 Full

4kg

90

Scarce

Twin Lasgun

Basic

100m

S/2/-

1d10+4 E

18

Full

Tearing, Unreliable

7kg

220

Rare

Not including power pack

Merovech Assault Lasgun

Class: Basic (Las)
An unusual lasgun intended for use by
Imperial Navy boarding teams and equally
popular among pirates and other scummers who
deal in up-close work, this sturdy weapon
includes two separate receptacles for charge
packs. When one is depleted, the user can switch
over to the other swiftly, effectively granting an
immediate reload. This has obvious utility in a
situation where having to stop and fumble for a
fresh charge pack can have lethal consequences.
It also features an integral bayonet for close
quarters encounters. The Assault Lasguns range
is inferior to that of most others since the second
charge port takes up valuable stock space and the
barrel had to be shortened to keep its overall
length reasonable.
This weapon can also be fitted with any
combination of standard, overcharge, and

13

hotshot packs, allowing a skilled trooper a lot of

flexibility. Switching between charge packs is a
Free Action; normally, this is used to switch
from a depleted charge pack to the fresh one, but
it could just as easily be employed to switch to a
different type of charge pack while the first is
mid-clip. In melee, the Assault Lasgun is
considered a mono-edged spear.

Hellgun
Class: Basic (Las)
Hellguns are the favoured weapons of the
Imperial Guards crack Storm Troopers, and are
also frequently used by their Inquisitorial
counterparts as well. With heavy-duty focusing
equipment and triple-density discharge cells, a
Hellgun is capable of burning through a heavily
armoured enemy with ease. In addition to a
greatly improved ability to defeat armour and
pierce cover, hellguns are typically fitted with a

built-in micro-cogitator and omni-scope that

improves the shooter's accuracy as well as
aggregating useful tactical information. Though
they closely resemble typical if over-built lasgun
patterns, a Hellgun is undeniably a professional
weapon for professional soldiers.
A Hellgun makes use of a capacitor weighing
10kg that is normally slung at the small of the
users back, with a cable power feed connecting
it to the guns charge port. This configuration
provides the stated Clip size in the above table.
Larger power packs intended for prolonged
combat operations can be used instead; these
increase the Clip size to 120 and weigh 25kg.
Hellguns can also make use of standard lasgun
charge packs though their power-hungry nature
consumes them quickly (its Clip size becomes 8).
If used with an overcharge pack, its Clip size
becomes 3 and it gains the Overheats quality.
Hellguns include a hard-wired Targeter,
granting its user a +10 bonus to Ballistic Skill
Tests made to attack with it. This device does not
count towards the weapons one sight limit.

Very Rare on other Forge Worlds, and is

typically not encountered anywhere else.

Dlaku Crusade Hellgun

Lascarbine

Class: Basic (Las)

This ancient pattern of Hellgun is closely
associated with the Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarii
Secutors, and was once used by those cohorts
during the Angevin Crusade to conquer the
Calixis Sector. Out of reverence for that history,
this antique Hellgun pattern is still commonly
used by the Secutors of the present, and is
manufactured in the Mechanicus famed Lathe
Worlds. The Dlaku-pattern differs markedly
from newer Hellguns, favouring rapid-fire over
beam intensity and lacking the built-in Targeter
that is a hallmark of the weapons manufactured
by Voss and Kantrael. It is powered by an
external capacitor (weight 10kg) typically
attached to the Secutors back, though it can
make use of both standard lasgun charge and
overcharge packs (Clip size becomes 12 or 6,
respectively) or newer backpack units (weight
25kg, Clip size becomes 150).
The Dlaku Crusade Hellgun has an
Availability of Scarce in the Lathe system and

Class: Basic (Las)

Lascarbines are shortened and lightened
versions of the more typical lasgun, intended for
use at close quarters by assault troops or as a
more effective weapon than a pistol by vehicle
and artillery crews. Like lasguns, lascarbines
exist in a massive number of makes and patterns
and are manufactured throughout the
Imperium, with most being similar enough to be
virtually interchangeable. Some more unique
lascarbines are listed here. All lascarbines are
compact enough that they impart a -10 rather
than -20 penalty to Ballistic Skill Tests if wielded
with one hand, and can also be fired in melee as
if they were pistols.
Death Light Lasgun: Made to the
requirements of Fenksworlds Magnagorsk
guild, the Death Light is another Sollex sect
product that produces fearsomely powerful lasbolts compared to similar weapons of its size.
Officially known as the Sollex Pattern-IX, this
dense, sturdy weapon includes a folding stock

14

Man-Portable Lascannon
Class: Heavy (Las)
Most commonly encountered on Imperial
armoured vehicles, lascannons are devastatingly
powerful weapons capable of accurately
punching through heavy armour at long range.
By stripping down a vehicular lascannon of
extraneous hardware, a man-portable version
can be created for use by heavy weapons teams
or in fixed defensive positions. Lascannons
require separate power packs which cannot be
recharged once depleted, so they are virtually
always deployed as part of a two- or three-man
team and rarely moved during an ongoing battle.
A man-portable lascannon can be dismantled
into the lascannon (25kg), power pack (15kg),
and tripod (10kg), allowing two or three
characters to move it around without becoming
drastically encumbered. Setting up or taking
down a lascannon takes at least one minute.

and is commonly used by low-ranking TechGuard soldiers. It can burn through the thick
insulation suits worn by many in the
Magnagorsk hive, and is sought after among
those seeking a reliable and potent weapon who
dont mind the excessive weight of a gun
designed for use by augmented Skitarii troops.
Sollex las weapons can use standard power
packs but drain them more quickly than most
due to their powerful beams. They can be used
with hotshot or overcharge packs, but gain the
Overheats quality as their generators arent
designed to safely handle the extra power. Sollex
las weapons have Scarce Availability on
Fenksworld and are Very Rare elsewhere.
Locke-Pattern: This lascarbine looks similar
to a Galaxy-pattern used by Cadian shock troops
but with a significantly enlarged housing around
the charge port and a heavier barrel. The Lockes
discharge capacitors are grossly oversized, and it
fires a wide beam with significantly more punch
than common lascarbine models. However, its
machine spirit has not taken well to this
modification, resulting in frequent jams and
misfires. In spite of this, there are many shooters

15

in the Calixis Sector who believe the increased

firepower merits the risk that their weapon will
fail at an untimely moment.
Locke-pattern lascarbines can be used with
overcharge or hotshot packs but can become
dangerously unstable and gains the Overheats
rule. If the weapon overheats, roll 1d10. On a 9
or 10, the Lockes housing violently explodes,
ruining the weapon and inflicting Damage as a
Frag Grenade (including the Blast size).
Minerva-Aegis: Popular with the more
notable mercenary companies and private guild
armsmen, the Minerva-Aegis is a very
sophisticated lascarbine that features a high
cycle-charge chamber that can let off a rapid
pulse of las-bolts. This advanced feature is a
product of research on the Aegis Data Fragment
which the Mechanicus has seen fit to title to the
Takara Fane of Gunmetal City; in small measure,
it is a mass-produced archeotech weapon, and a
sign of discerning judgment and ample funds
among those who wield them. Its complex
design requires the use of much higher quality
raw materials than most lasguns which leads to
the Minerva-Aegis expensive cost, and its status

as the sign of a successful soldier of fortune.

Mezoa-Pattern Lascutter
Class: Heavy (Las)
Lascutters emit a dagger-shaped blast of
extremely high energy and are most commonly
used to cut through bulkheads and thick, heavy
structure walls. Most lascutters are too large to
be used except on wheeled carriages or
construction servitors: the Mezoa-pattern
mentioned here is one of the few that is small
and light enough to be man-portable. Lascutters
are markedly inferior to plasma or melta
versions of the same tool, but are also much
easier and less dangerous to operate, and can be
used by anyone familiar with las weaponry.
Mezoa-pattern lascutters are commonly used by
combat engineers to carve through barricades or
bypass enemy ambushes in built-up areas.
A lascutter can be used to cut through walls
and other large objects up to 5 cm thick at rate of
25 cm per round. This consumes one shot from
the lascutters Clip. The Mezoa-pattern lascutter
is powered by two standard lasgun charge packs,
which are drained equally with each use and
must both be replaced when reloading. It cannot
be used with overcharge or hotshot packs.

Lasgun
Class: Basic (Las)
Nothing is more synonymous with the
Imperial Guard and other ground troops than
the lasgun. Ubiquitous and widespread, lasguns
are reliable, sturdy, and exist in a myriad of
different patterns and makes, most of which are
similar enough to be considered the same
weapon. These common lasguns can be
equipped with different sorts of charge packs,
and all include the appropriate hardware to
attach a one-handed melee weapon as a bayonet.
Because of their extremely high production
figures, lasguns are used by cultists, gangers, and
other foes of the Imperium almost as often as its
loyal defenders. Some more exotic patterns of
lasguns are listed here.
Drusus Prime-Pattern: This simple lasgun
was made in large numbers to equip the growing

16

forces of Saint Drusus followers during the

Angevin Crusade, and can still be found in the
armouries of various PDFs in the Calixis Sector,
and some dusty (though still wholly functional)
examples hang on the walls of descendants of
warriors from that time. While official
production of the Drusus Prime ended centuries
ago, many of those extremely robust weapons
can still be found in use, and clones are
manufactured in smaller forges throughout the
sector. According to collectors, authentic
Crusade-era lasguns can be identified by the
more detailed stamping of Saint Drusus likeness
on the housing, which is crude or absent entirely
on reproductions. In all cases, these bulky and
blocky weapons are very robust, and can easily
be used as a bludgeoning melee weapon (treat
this function as a staff).
Mars-Pattern Mark III Lasgun: Made in
large numbers on the forges of Malfi and
Scintilla, this particular pattern of lasgun has
been in use since M36 and was chosen as the
standard model for most Imperial Guard
regiments raised in the Calixis Sector. It is
mentioned by name in the Imperial
Infantrymans Uplifting Primer as the
Guardsmans Friend and is combination of
easy to use sights and ergonomic grips make it
one of the more popular lasguns employed by
the Imperial Guard.
Roth Lightning Lasgun: An unusual pattern
of lasgun, the Roth is fairly unremarkable at first
glance until one recognises that its power packs
are loaded into a port under the stock, rather
than the centre housing. By moving back the
innards of the gun, the Roth can use a longer
barrel while maintaining the standard lasgun
profile. This pattern is favoured by
sharpshooters who operate in situations where
the more accurate but unwieldy long las can
impair movement.
Stormfront Lasgun: This is a local variant
of the very widespread Kantrael and is only
encountered in any large numbers in the Calixis
Sector. A polished wood stock and brass
hardware create a more classic look than the
blockish greens and camouflaged polysteel of

other lasguns, and its suitability for use in close

combat with a folding bayonet makes it popular
with Guard regiments that favour assaults, such
as the Brontian Longknives. If used as a melee
weapon, treat the Stormfront as a mono-edge
spear with the Balanced quality.

Laslock
Class: Basic (Las)
Sometimes known as blaze guns or lasmuskets, these are extremely primitive and
rudimentary lasguns that are often scratch built
by scav-workshops and insurgent armourers;
they are not manufactured commercially or used
by any official Imperial authorities. Laslocks are
variously assembled from industrial components
or ruined lasguns that have been shoddily
reconstructed, and are powered by clunky
battery units and temperamental power
capacitors. Their reliability is far lower than
common lasguns, both in terms of shots fired as
well as the power of the beam itself, and a laslock
is just as likely to produce a very large and
powerful blast as it is a fizzle of sparks.
Laslocks cannot be used with any normal
power packs. Their battery units can be

17

scavenged from all sorts of hardware, with a base

cost of 2 Thrones and an Availability of Plentiful
on Hive and Forge Worlds and Abundant on
most others.

Long Las
Class: Basic (Las)
The long las is a snipers lasgun, heavily
optimized for accuracy and beam cohesion over
long range. Because of their substantial barrels
and adjustable stocks, a long las is difficult to
manoeuvre in tight spots or in close combat,
though this is a minor concern to most common
military users. Most long las are fitted with a
large tubular noise dampener at the muzzle
which significantly reduces the volume of the
gun firing. Long las are most often used by
marksmen to support infantry attacks, the
greater range and precision being highly useful
for destroying heavy weapon teams and
entrenched troops. However, the bright beam of
light can give away a concealed shooter's
position; as a result, military scouts and
infiltrators who rely on stealth will typically
employ needle rifles instead.

All common long las patterns are considered

to have a silencer installed, and usually include a
telescopic sight which can be replaced with other
sights with an Easy (+30) Trade (Armourer)
Test or an Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use or Trade
(Technomat) Test.

Multi-Laser
Class: Heavy (Las)
Multi-lasers are variously described as fastfiring lascannons or giant hellguns, and are
highly effective weapons against enemy infantry
and lightly armoured vehicles. A multi-laser fires
in long bursts of powerful concentrated las-bolts
that pale into comparison to a full-size
lascannon but can still punch through common
infantry armour with ease. This makes them
excellent suppression weapons, and as a result
they are most frequently employed on Chimera
armoured personnel carriers and Sentinel
walkers where they can feed from the vehicles
power systems and support attached soldiers.
Because of their power requirements and the
inability of portable supports to adequately
stabilize them, multi-lasers are never deployed as
infantry-portable weapons.

Merovech Shotlas
Class: Basic (Las)
The shotlas is the broadly unintentional result
of efforts to create a fast-firing yet inexpensive
lasgun by several minor forges within Calixis.
Furnished with three lightweight shrouded
barrels and drawing from two separate charge
packs at once, the weapon tended to disassemble
itself under the effects of fully automatic fire,
and moreover lacked any kind of accuracy at
distance due to excessive vibration. With the end
result more resembling a "las shotgun" than a
hellgun, only the Merovech Combine chose to
deliver the weapon anyway and market it exactly
as that. With the full automatic setting deleted,
the shotlas is at least as reliable as common slugthrowers; moreover, there are no shortage of
shooters who can appreciate having a weapon
with the close range firepower of a shotgun that
can still engage an enemy at greater distances.

18

A shotlas increases its Damage by 1 at Short

Range and 3 at Point-Blank Range, and requires
two charge packs to be fired. Both charge packs
are depleted at the same rate and so both must
be replaced when reloading. A shotlas may be
used with overcharge packs provided they are
installed in pairs too.

Twin Lasgun
Class: Basic (Las)
Also known as a Lasburst Gun, twin-barrelled
lasguns of this type were once popular as far
back as the Age of Apostasy due to their heavy
firepower. With both barrels firing a single
intense beam, a Lasburst can inflict savage
oblong wounds on those hit by it. However, they
have always been finicky and temperamental
weapons, and with the Imperial Guards
emphasis on guns with high reliability since then
this sort of weapon was doomed to obscurity. No
major forges have produced twin lasguns for
millennia, but many of the old models are still in
use by mercenaries and hunters, and a few lesser
munitions factories are known to produce
replicas for those who dont mind their tendency
to chew up charge packs.
If a twin lasgun jams, there is a 50% chance
that its charge pack is ruined.

POWER PACK BOMBS

Guardsmen who are in the know have been
able to improvise their lasguns into bombs by
cutting out certain safety features and setting the
charge packs to build up a runaway energy
reaction. Such a manoeuvre would only be
sanctioned during an emergency, such as to
cover a withdrawal or prevent weapons from
becoming captured by the enemy, but can also
make for a nasty surprise by clever (or devious)
mercenaries and other ex-Guard fighters. Any
basic or pistol-class las weapon with a charge
pack that is at least half of a full charge can be
made to explode like a Frag Grenade with a
Difficult (-10) Tech-Use Test. The gun
explodes 1d5+1 Rounds later. If the gun happens
to be loaded with a hotshot pack, increase the
blast's Damage by 2.

SOLID PROJECTILE
WEAPONS
Commonly known as slug-throwers, solid
projectile weapons are extremely common
throughout the Imperium and are popular
among Imperial servants and citizens as well as
renegades and recidivists alike. While a distant
second to las weapons in the ranks of the
Imperial Guard, members of the Inquisition and
Adeptus Arbites often use solid projectile
weapons, and gangers are especially pronounced
about their love for slug-throwers: ease of
manufacture, versatility in combat, bewildering
array and varieties, and, of course, the satisfying
sound they make when rattling off bullets at a
foe. Slug-throwers can offer a weapon for all
occasions, and many gunslingers live by the
simple maxim, Where theres a will, theres a
gun. Handheld solid projectile weapons tend to
be broken down into two major categories:
autoguns and stubbers.
Autoguns are synonymous with the
Imperiums forges and monitories, with the first
patterns coming into being during the Great
Crusade and propagating throughout the galaxy
since. Today there are likely as many styles of
autoguns as there are stars, and they come in all
shapes and sizes, from simple autopistols that
can be strapped to the side of a gangers boot to
massive vehicular autocannons that can punch
through any personal armour and violently
explode its wearer, and even the great
macrocannons of Imperial Navy battleships fall
into this style of weapon. Most autoguns use
square caseless rounds that are just as ubiquitous
as the guns themselves, and it isnt unheard of
for bullets to be used as currency on some
particularly brutal worlds and among underhive
scummers.
Stubbers are far older, and go back as far as
known history reaches. Compared to autoguns,
stubbers use metal-cased ammunition, spraying
hot spent cartridges into the air when fired. On
the whole they are significantly simpler than
autoguns, and finding indigenous stubber
patterns on more highly-developed feudal

19

worlds isnt unknown. Stubbers have by and

large been replaced by autoguns in the millennia
since the formation of the Imperium, but some
styles have persevered in spite of their antiquity,
and the occasional stubber design of a totally
new vintage has rolled off more than a few major
forges in the last millennia.
To use the various classes of solid projectile
weapons you must have the Pistol Training (SP),
Basic Weapon Training (SP) or Heavy Weapon
Training (SP) talents.

Solid Projectile Weapons

Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Autopistol (generic)

Pistol

30m

S/-/6

1d10+2 I

18

Full

2.5kg

75

Common

Disposable Pistol

Pistol

30m

S/2/-

1d10+2 I

2 Full

Inaccurate, Unreliable

2kg

15

Ubiquitous

Encarmine

Pistol

20m

S/3/8

1d10 I

24

Full

2kg

90

Average

Hecuter

Pistol

30m

S/3/6

1d10+3 I

15

Full

Reliable

2kg

175

Average

Naval Pistol

Pistol

20m

S/3/-

1d10+4 I

Full

Tearing

3kg

120

Scarce

Orthlack Mark IV

Pistol

20m

S/-/6

1d10+4 I

12

Full

2.5kg

75

Scarce

Puritan-14

Pistol

20m

S/3/6

1d10+2 I

15

Full

1.7kg

100

Scarce

As shotgun

Pistol

15m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

Full

Scatter

Salvation

Pistol

10m

S/3/-

1d10 I

0.7kg

80

Common

Talon Mark III

Pistol

30m

S/2/6

1d10+2 I

18

Full

2.3kg

85

Common

Flametongue

Pistol

20m

S/-/-

1d10+6 I

2 Full

Primitive, Reliable,
Tearing

2kg

140

Rare

Hand Cannon (generic)

Pistol

35m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

2 Full

3kg

65

Average

.54 Tranter

Pistol

30m

S/2/-

1d10+5 I

Full

Unreliable

3.5kg

95

Common

Carnodon

Pistol

35m

S/3/-

1d10+4 I

Full

Accurate

2.5kg

200

Scarce

Fate Bringer

Pistol

40m

S/-/-

1d10+3 I

2 Full

Accurate, Reliable

1.6kg

200

Rare

Stormchild

Pistol

35m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

2 Full

3kg

65

Average

3kg

60

Common

Hack Shotgun

Pistol

10m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

2 Full

Inaccurate, Scatter,
Tearing

Mariette

Pistol

20m

S/2/-

2d5+3 I

2 Full

Tearing

0.5k

400

Rare

Mercy Killer

Pistol

20m

S/-/-

1d10+2 I

2 Full

Inaccurate, Unreliable

1kg

10

Plentiful

2 Full

Reliable

2kg

225

Rare

Panoptic

Pistol

35m

S/2/-

1d10+3 I

5
(x2)

Ripper Clip

Pistol

20m

-/-/6

1d10+2 I

12

Full

Inaccurate, Unreliable

3kg

40

Volg

Common

Ripper Pistol

Pistol

30m

S/2/-

1d10+1 I

Full

Tearing, Toxic

4kg

2,000

Extremely Rare

Shotgun Pistol

Pistol

10m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

Full

Reliable, Scatter

1kg

60

Average

Stub Automatic (generic)

Pistol

30m

S/3/-

1d10+3 I

Full

1.5kg

50

Plentiful

Armsman-10

Pistol

35m

S/3/-

1d10+3 I

13

Full

1.5kg

75

Plentiful

Dorcas-Pattern

Pistol

30m

S/3/-

1d10+3 I

Half

1.5kg

125

Rare

Phobos Stubber

Pistol

30m

S/3/-

1d10+3 I

Full

1.3kg

50

Plentiful

Stub Revolver (generic)

Pistol

30m

S/-/-

1d10+3 I

2 Full

Reliable

1kg

40

Plentiful

Scalptaker

Pistol

35m

S/-/-

1d10+3 I

2 Full

Reliable

2kg

40

Plentiful

Autopistol
Small but effective, autopistols are the
preferred backup weapon of many military types
who need a compact but rapid-firing gun for
situations where their main long-arm is
unsuitable. They are also the sidearm of choice
for many gangers and outlaws as they conceal

20

quite a bit of firepower in a relatively small

package that can be stuffed into a pocket and
carried all day, while more than a few of those
scummers have met their end from another
autopistol wielded by an Arbitrator opposite his
suppression shield. Numerous autopistol
patterns throughout the Imperium are similar
enough to fall into this weapons entry, while the

fanes and forges in the Calixis Sector produce

some more exotic variants as listed below.
Disposable Pistol: Stripped down to the bare
minimum of functioning parts, autopistols of
this type can be commonly found in shipboard
and flyer survival kits, and exist in a multitude of
shapes and sizes in just about every corner of
Imperial space. Because they are poorly made
and prone to misfiring, with a clip that is
intentionally hard to remove as a precaution
against it coming loose, most accomplished
pistol fighters consider these weapons easier to
throw away than to reload. Even the most
destitute of the Imperiums citizens can typically
afford to stuff one of these weapons into their
belts, while there are assassins who have been
known to use such pistols simply because they
can be effortlessly discarded after completing a
contract. Disposable pistols cannot be equipped
with any special ammunition.
Sulymann Encarmine Service Pistol: This is
a fairly advanced autopistol that crams a large
number of bullets into its small frame. This
combination of small size and high capacity
makes it a common sidearm by second liners
such as plainclothes enforcers, hauler rig crews,
and construction foremen. It also enjoys
widespread popularity as a self-defence weapon
for hab-workers who dont trust shaky, panicked
hands to reloading a fresh clip (or taking steady
aim for that matter).
Hecuter 9/5 Combat Autopistol: Often
regarded on Scintilla as the prince among
pistols, this exceptionally well-made autopistol
is one of Hax-Orthlacks most famous products,
and for centuries Hecuters have flown off the
forges of Gunmetal City into waiting holsters as
fast as the workers can make them. It is a firm
favourite among Metallican gunslingers and
Malfian bloodsworn alike, showing that even the
feuding parties of the Scintilla-Malfi dispute can
put aside their differences if only to agree on the
superiority of the Hecuters design.
Naval Pistol: Heavy-duty autopistols that
have long been associated with the Imperial
Navy, naval pistols are solid and rugged, easily
being capable of being used as a club in melee

21

combat. They are considered part of a ships

arsenal rather than an issued weapon, and the
name of the vessel to which they were attached is
stamped into the pistols housing. Naval pistols
from famous warships are thus particularly
sought after by collectors, though this has
dubious legality and weapons of this type are not
offered for sale by any forges that manufacture
them. Naval pistols are designed to make use of
specialty fragmenting ammunition which can rip
through the bodies of mutinying ratings without
causing major damage to a ships hardware and
systems. In a pinch, they can also be used with
other types of autopistol ammunition (but lose
the Tearing quality in doing so).
Naval pistol ammunition has a base cost of 30
Thrones on the black market and are Rare items.
Orthlack Mark IV Thollos: This large-calibre
autopistol has a strong following among junior
officers of many Calixian Guard regiments as
well as Planetary Defence Forces who favour its
superior stopping power when compared to
regulation sidearms. As an Orthlack weapon it is
also considered to have the tacit approval of
Lord Sector Hax, and it has become a tradition
among old military families for sons and
daughters to receive a commemoratively
inscribed and personalized Thollos to mark their
first commission.
Hax-Orthlack Puritan-14 Double Pistol:
Squat and ugly, the Puritan-14 is a pure combat
pistol meant to impress with killing power rather
than looks. The area ahead of the pistols grip is
occupied by a muzzle-loading shotgun chamber,
giving the weapon a very boxy and, according to
gangers, business-like look. This pistol is
produced explicitly for Lord Haxs Magistratum
enforcers, and is the standard sidearm of the
elite Crimson Sashes unit. Many have also
turned up in the hands of Adeptus Arbites
troopers who share the Magistratums approval
of brutally efficient weapons, and there are more
than a few on the black market as well. The
Puritan-14 can fire its autopistol or shotgun
barrel at the firers discretion but cannot shoot
both in the same round. The shotgun's sharp
recoil imposes a -10 penalty to the users Ballistic

Skill unless the weapon is held in two hands or

the firer has a Strength Bonus of 4 or more.
Sulymann Salvation Holdout Pistol: The
Salvation is an extremely compact pistol no
larger than a thick deck of cards and intended
for use by merchants, adepts, and common
citizens who are untrained in weapons. It is
entirely self-contained and easy to use with no
extraneous levers or knobs, but is also ill-suited
for anything but emergency self-defence use
since it must be partially dismantled to reload its
internal ammunition supply.
The Salvations small size grants a +10 bonus
to Sleight of Hand Tests made to conceal it, and
the firer suffers no penalties for shooting it
without the appropriate Talent.
Sulymann Talon III Autopistol: The Talon is
a fully-automatic, medium-calibre pistol that
offers a good combination of firepower and clip
capacity in a package that is modestly easier to
wield than more common autopistol types. It is
easily maintained and uses a lot of commonly

22

available parts, and Talon shooters have been

known to replace broken components with those
borrowed from machines or hab equipment with
no loss of function. This pistol enjoys
widespread appeal among gangers and enforcers
alike and many street battles in Gunmetal City
and Hive Sibellus lower levels have been fought
with both parties using the Talon III.
This pistol can be used with common military
autogun clips, increasing its Clip size to 30 at the
expense of making it harder to manoeuvre. The
added bulk imposes a -10 penalty to Ballistic
Skill Tests made to attack with it unless the
shooter uses two hands to hold it.

Flametongue Howdah Pistol

The Fykos Forge of Gunmetal City is a
prestigious clan of master gunsmiths who
specialise in elaborate and finely made hunting
weapons, and the Flametongue pistol is no
different. This simple and reliable weapon
resembles a master-crafted hack shotgun that is

chambered to fire huge, custom-made soft alloy

rounds that break apart on impact to cause
horrific wounds. Intended as a last line of
defence should a hunter be ambushed by a
dangerous thin-skinned predator, there is an
expression among professional game hunters
that anything that cant be put down with both
shots from a Flametongue is probably something
that shouldnt be hunted in the first place.
Flametongue rounds have a base cost of 10
Thrones each and are Rare.

Hand Cannon
Hand Cannon is a common expression to
refer to very large stub automatics or revolvers
that are intended to fire heavy-calibre shots.
Pistols of this type are not combat weapons by
design most are intended for use in hunting
dangerous creatures, but their large and high
velocity projectiles can be used to fell men just as
easily as beasts. Most only hold a few thumbsized bullets within them, and shooters who
intend to take hand cannons to a gun battle are
well advised to aim carefully. A hand cannon's
fierce recoil imposes a -10 penalty on Ballistic
Skill Tests made to attack unless the shooter
holds the weapon with two hands or has a
Strength Bonus of 4 or more. Revolver-type
hand cannons can be unjammed as a Half
Action rather than a Full Action.
.54 Tranter: This is a giant stub automatic
with an operating system more commonly found
on full size autoguns. Because they use a
removable clip rather than an internal cylinder,
the Tranter can be reloaded more quickly than
most hand cannons, making it at least somewhat
suitable for use in a battle. Pistols of this type are
sometimes referred to as a poor mans bolter
due to their great takedown power. However, the
weapons operating parts are notoriously finicky
and it is prone to jamming, a trait rarely found
among stubbers. That said, the pistols
intimidating size and shape as well as the racket
it makes when shooting means its still quite
popular in spite of its lack of reliability, and
underhive workshops and heretek tinkerers
produce this pattern of hand cannon on every

23

major hive and forge world. The Belasco

Deathworks also produce this pistol, and while
having a higher quality of fit and finish, their
version somehow still jams just as often as the
underhive knock-offs.
Because of its monstrous size and recoil, even
among hand cannons, the .54 Tranter is
considered a Basic weapon unless the shooter
has a Strength Bonus of 4 or higher.
Westingkrup Carnodon Precision Pistol:
No mere blunt tool, the Carnodon is finely made
and well-balanced, with some claiming it fits in
the hand better than many lighter autopistols.
This stub automatic is intentionally designed to
resemble a bolt pistol, bulky yet elegant, and is
an accurate and powerful weapon when placed
in skilled hands. Carnodon pistols fetch a high
price in arms markets, so wearing one is a sign of
status among underhive gangs in Scintillas Hive
Sibellus, while more than a few troopers of the
Adeptus Arbites have spent their own wages to
pick up a Carnodon of their own thanks to its
many positive qualities (not the least of which
being the intimidation factor of blowing a
gangers head clean off). A few have also been
picked up by Acolytes of the Calixian Conclave
and enforcers of Calixis great houses.
Khayer-Addin Fate Bringer Revolver: A
perfectly balanced and sleek pistol, this very
large stub revolver looks smaller than it actually
is thanks to its attractive, flowing shape. Wellmade revolvers of this type are commonly used
to settle affairs of honour among hive nobles
as they have the requisite combination of
showmanship and killing power necessary to win
a duel in one shot. They also make fine hunting
weapons and target pistols, and a few assassins
have been known to make use of a Fate Bringer
as a means to execute a target at range (or one
who is fleeing) when a larger sniper rifle
would be impractical.
Stormchild Hand Cannon: The Stormchild is
a venerable and proven design taking the form of
a massive hinged-frame stub revolver. While
totally lacking in subtlety with a wide barrel,
thick frame, and massive report, the Stormchild
offers a lot of firepower in a very affordable

package. For less than the price of most

autopistols, a shooter can put a big enough slug
in the air that can knock a man out of light
armour or damage grav-cars and other civilian
vehicles. Stormchilds are manufactured by most
forges in the Calixis Sector and are commonly
used by naval boarding parties, Administratum
inspectors, and as a self-defence weapon by more
paranoid civilians. Its size and weight allow it to
be used as a club in melee combat, and most
feature a wide pommel for just this purpose.

would ordinarily be forbidden; this makes it

popular with nobles and VIPs and those who
would try to kill them alike, a truly Malfian
weapon if there ever was one.
When disassembled and hidden a Mariette is
almost impossible to find (-30 penalty on Search
Tests), and the parts dont show up on scanners
or auspex as weapons. Mariette barrel-cylinders
are themselves Rare items with a base price of
100 Thrones each, cannot be configured with
any special ammunition, and are not
individually reloadable.

Hack Shotgun
Known by a wide variety of nicknames on
different worlds and systems, this is a
conventional twin-barrelled shotgun cut down
to the smallest possible size, fitted with a pistol
grip and rigged to fire both barrels at once.
Although very short-ranged and anything but a
precision weapon, a hack shotgun can obliterate
an unarmoured target with a salutary effect on
nearby bystanders. Hack shotguns make a nasty
surprise to pull out of a boot holster or a gravcars glove compartment, but they are by no
means a suitable weapon for heavy combat, as
many a ganger has found out while being
gunned down by carapace-wearing enforcers.
A hack shotgun fires both barrels at once,
consuming two shotgun shells with each firing.
It can also fire one shell at a time at reduced
damage (change Damage to 1d10+4 and lose the
Tearing quality).

Mariette Cylinder Pistol

Named for the Malfian noble house said to
have originated the design, the Mariette is an
extremely concealable stubber crafted from
polyflex and ceramics with no metallic or
powered components. Its four chamber-barrels
are self-contained and the whole pistol is
designed to break down into a handful of small
parts that can be concealed inside some
innocuous object, such as a data-slate, or hidden
around the wearers body. Disassembled, the
Mariette is almost totally imperceptible as a
weapon, making it a top choice for those who
want a gun on themselves in situations where it

24

Volg Mercy Killer

So named because its a mercy if it kills what
youre aiming at, this weapon is typical of any
number of crude, scratch-built pistols used by
the desperate and the oppressed across the
realms of mankind. Fashioned from whatever
materials are on hand, these single-shot stub
pistols are far from accurate and can be as
dangerous to the shooter as whats being shot at.
In the Volg hive, the provision of Mercy Killers
has gone far and above enterprising criminals
home-brewing up guns: the higher powers on
Fenksworld see to it that Mercy Killers are
manufactured en masse to subsidize the nonstop violence there. Indeed, a Mercy Killer and a
handful of bullets cost less in Volg than a
trencher of parboiled murk fungus with an
obligatory demi-litre of recyk water to wash it
down with.
Mercy Killers cost 2 Thrones on Volg and
similar hives. If a Mercy Killer suffers a Jam
result, roll 1d10. If the result is a 9 the pistol
explodes, inflicting its Damage on its firer and
destroying the gun.

Panoptic 0-5 Automata Pistol

More art than weapon, Automata Pistols are
more likely to be found in a private collection
than a gangers holster giving their unique
creation. These pistols are tied to the Myrmidon
Warsmiths of the Adeptus Mechanicus, taking
their name from the Panopticon Orbital
fortress/manufactorum which serves as one of
the Mechanicus headquarters in the Calixis

Sector. Would-be Tech-Priest armourers under

tutelage are given complex and randomly
incomplete patterns for this weapon, and
through skill and divination must produce a
complete pistol to the satisfaction of their
master. Once completed, this examination pistol
is vaporised on a plasma-fired altar to the
Machine God and the aspirant is granted the
equivalent of a journeymans title. It is quite
common for Tech-Priests who have studied at
the Panopticon, even high-ranking Magi, to
continue to make Panoptic pistols in this
ritualistic way as a form of meditation or while
contemplating a difficult task. Sometimes these
reproduction pistols are retained as a personal
armament, given as a gift to a favoured servant,
or offered for sale to interested buyers.
These intricate automata-guns feature two
separate ammunition cylinders and count as

being fitted with a Fire Selector upgrade. They

can use any special ammunition used by
autopistols or stub pistols, and count as a Best
Craftsmanship weapon when wielded by the
Tech-Priest that crafted it.

Volg Ripper Clip Pistol

Known locally as the zip gun or chopper,
this bulky pistol is purposely designed to be as
cheap as possible to manufacture and maintain.
The Ripper Clip is made from industrial spares
and crude pressed metal parts, and might pass
for a construction tool such as a nailer or riveter
at first glance. The riveter appearance is further
compounded by the sheet metal strip, holding a
line of stubber bullets, which is forcibly
wrenched through the pistol as it fires, clattering
to the ground along with the hot bullet casings
when the weapon is expended. Despite the guns
many shortcomings, theres no shortage of
buyers in Volg, as it is a place where any extra
firepower can keep your corpse from the meatsumps for a while longer.
Ripper Clips have Common Availability in
Volg and are Scarce elsewhere.

Belasco Ripper Pistol

This highly rare pistol is intended for those
who often set foot on death worlds whether for
adventure, sport, or some other line of work, and
need a compact weapon that can fell mighty
beasts and other terrible creatures that lurk
within the jungle or under the sands. Though at
first glance looking like a common if over-built
autopistol, a Ripper Pistol is a precision weapon
built to fire massive armour-piercing stub
rounds that fragment after penetrating the
targets body. After shredding through flesh and
bone, the fragments release a potent neurotoxin
into the victim creatures bloodstream to ensure
that if the grievous wound didnt do the job, its
nervous system dissolving will. Ripper Pistols are
often the final word in terminal close
encounters, and there are more than a few famed
explorers and hunters who are alive today thanks
to the (large) investment made in one of these
weapons. While a Ripper Pistol would certainly

25

be just as effective against men as beasts, such

use would be excessive in every sense of the
word, and even using a bolt pistol would be a far
more economical option.
Ripper Pistols use specialty ammunition that
is considered Very Rare with a base cost of 100
Thrones each. A true experts weapon, Ripper
Pistols cannot be used with any other type of
ammunition.

Shotgun Pistol
A Shotgun Pistol is a compact weapon holding
a single shotgun shell and using a tip-up barrel
to facilitate reloading. Simple and reliable,
shotgun pistols have a variety of applications in
close-range destruction, but are perhaps best
known in naval circles where they are often
carried by petty officers and bosuns to
discourage mutiny among press-ganged crews.
Shotgun pistols are known as Persuaders
among ratings and anyone else with a nautical
background, and may be referred to by any
number of more colourful titles (Foehammer,
Castigator, Justicar, and so forth) by
terrestrial users.
A shotgun pistol's fierce recoil imposes a -10
penalty on Ballistic Skill Tests made to attack
unless the shooter holds the weapon with two
hands or has a Strength Bonus of 4 or more.

Stub Automatic
Mechanically simple and robust, stub
automatics are one of the more prevalent types
of slug-throwing pistols around. They typically
take the form of slide-action handguns with a
clip inserted into the pistols grip and eject spent
bullet casings to the shooters right side.
Stubbers like this are older than the Imperium
itself, and while there are still many forges that
produce modern patterns of this tried-and-true
weapon, its likely that theres still plenty truly
ancient pistols in use, possibly without the
knowledge of their current owners. Some more
unique stub automatics are listed here.
Hax-Orthlack Armsman-10 Service Pistol:
This bulky and intimidating high-capacity
stubber is a common sidearm for enforcers,

26

household troops and mercenaries throughout

the Calixis Sector. The design is copied from the
traditional Scorpio-pattern naval pistol popular
throughout Segmentum Obscurus, and HaxOrthlack has been mass producing this stubber
for almost as long as its forges on Scintilla have
been operating. The Armsman-10 has been
contracted to Lord Haxs Magistratum cadres as
their standard sidearm since that organizations
inception, though it can be found on many other
worlds in the employ of a variety of owners.
Armsman pistols are machine-stamped with the
insignia of the contracting organization at the
time of manufacture, and the more rare
examples lacking this sigil or cipher are
considered unlucky by the more superstitious
shooters. Perhaps due to its association with the
heavies of various establishments, the Armsman
is encountered much less frequently in the hands
of underhive gangs and other scummers.
Dorcas-Pattern Trophy Automatic: Once
manufactured on Cantus in the Markayn
Marches, this pistol became widely associated
with the Insurrection there in 440.M41. Many
Dorcas pistols were taken from the battlefield as
trophies by victorious Guard regiments, and
after the Insurrection was concluded the pistol
became something of an award in and of itself.
Tradition has since resulted in replica DorcasPatterns being issued as commendations to
soldiers and junior officers among many Guard
units (including some that did not participate in
the Cantus Insurrection at all), while relics from
the war itself are highly valued by collectors.
Functionally the Dorcas is a fairly unremarkable
stubber except for its angled and funnel-like
loading port which allows fresh clips to be
rammed home quickly with ease.
Phobos Stubber: The Phobos is one of the
most widespread single patterns of stub
automatic and can be found in almost every
corner of the Imperium. It is cheap to
manufacture and a functional, if unimpressive,
design that is unique among stubbers in that its
specific pattern has demonstrably been in
production since prehistory. Its long association
with Terra has resulted in it being an

exceptionally
common
sidearm
among
Administratum adepts who refer to it as the
Sigma-9 after the opening code-line of the
relevant requisition form needed to obtain one.
The Fane of Doru in Gunmetal City and the
Belasco Deathworks on Malfi (where it is known
as a rake in local parlance) notably produce
this pattern and export it throughout the sector.

Stub Revolver
Stub revolvers are among the most basic and
simplistic slug throwers still in use in the
Imperium today. Weapons of this type were
likely among the first firearms ever made by
humans, and Administratum scholars studying
late feudal worlds have noted the extreme
similarities between indigenously-developed
sixguns and the stub revolvers tucked into their
own robe sashes. Stub revolvers have few moving
parts, and while many patterns and styles are
produced by large forges throughout the
Imperium, others of equivalent quality
can often be made simply by higher grade
scav-workshops as anyone with even a
rudimentary understanding of mechanics
and access to a few machining presses can
make one, much to the consternation of
the Adeptus Mechanicus. This type of
pistol is also quite easy to use, and given
their inexpensive cost, stub revolvers are
often the first choice of many common
Imperial citizens who desire temporal
protection to go along with that of faiths
eternal. In the unlikely event that a sub
revolver should Jam, clearing it takes only
a Half Action instead of a Full Action.
Westingkrup Model 20 Scalptaker:
An enviable example of robust and
utilitarian design, the Scalptaker is a
fantastically reliable pistol, firing true after
almost any amount of abuse or
mistreatment. This fact is not lost on
professional fighters, frightened hivers
and frontier colonists alike, who often
choose the Scalptaker as a backup sidearm
over more powerful pistols for this very
reason. However, in the depths of Infernis

27

in Gunmetal City where Westingkrups forges

turn out many of these pistols every day, the
average ganger seeks to carry almost anything
else. This scorn is entirely unfounded; those who
live fast and die young in the underhive view its
ubiquity as a hab-proles gun and cannot see
past that to any of its finer features. Scalptakers
are the most common individual pattern of stub
revolver in the Calixis Sector, and almost any
accomplished shooter has handled one at least
once, with some still swearing by its humble
efficiency in the face of countless more expensive
and superior makes.
The Scalptakers swing-out cylinder is
somewhat uncommon among stub revolvers and
gives shooters the ability to load single rounds at
a time. The firer may load one round as a Half
Action, useful for loading specialty ammunition.
The weapons size and weight allow it to be used
as a club in melee combat.

Solid Projectile Weapons

Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Absolution

Basic

220m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

Full

Accurate

4kg

250

Rare

Assault Cannon

Heavy

120m

-/-/10

3d10+4 I

200

3 Full

Storm, Tearing,
Unreliable

50kg

7,000

Very Rare

Assault Stubber

Basic

100m

-/-/6

1d10+4 I

200

2 Full

Storm

21kg

1,300

Rare

Autocannon

Heavy

300m

S/2/5

4d10+5 I

20

2 Full

55kg

1,000

Scarce

Autogun (generic)

Basic

90m

S/3/10

1d10+3 I

30

Full

3.5kg

100

Average

Alcher Mark IV

Basic

60m

S/-/10

1d10+3 I

40

Full

3.5kg

85

Average

Armageddon

Basic

100m

S/2/6

1d10+4 I

15

Full

Reliable

8.5kg

100

Average

Creed-9

Basic

50m

S/3/10

1d10+3 I

35

Full

3kg

115

Average

Full
(each)

6.5kg

375

Rare

Spectre

Basic

80m

S/3/10

1d10+3 I

20
(x3)

As shotgun

Basic

30m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

2 Full

Scatter

Auto-Stubber

Basic

60m

S/3/-

1d10+4 I

20

Full

Inaccurate, Reliable

5kg

80

Average

Combat Shotgun

Basic

30m

S/3/-

1d10+4 I

18

Full

Scatter

6.5kg

150

Scarce

Basic

30m

S/2/-

1d10+4 I

12

Full

Reliable, Scatter

6.5kg

80

Scarce

2 Full
(each)

Reliable, Scatter

7kg

500

Rare

Ironclaw
Persecutor

Basic

35m

S/3/-

1d10+4 I

10
(x2)

Vanaheim

Basic

40m

S/3/6

1d10+4 I

15

Full

Scatter

8kg

300

Average

Heavy

120m

-/-/10

1d10+5 I

200

2 Full

35kg

750

Scarce

Heavy

100m

-/-/8

1d10+5 I

40

Full

Reliable

26kg

1,500

Rare

Hunting Rifle

Basic

150m

S/-/-

1d10+3 I

Full

Accurate

5kg

100

Scarce

Nomad

Basic

250m

S/-/-

1d10+5 I

Full

Accurate, Reliable

10kg

2,000

Very Rare

Pax Factorem

Heavy

170m

S/2/-

1d10+5 I

Full

Accurate, Unreliable

18kg

750

Rare

Pump-action Shotgun

Basic

30m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

2 Full

Scatter

5kg

75

Average

Basic

30m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

2 Full

Inaccurate, Scatter

3.5kg

70

Average

Shotcannon

Heavy

40m

S/3/-

2d10+4 I

24

2 Full

Scatter, Unreliable

12kg

700

Void

Scarce

Shotgun (generic)

Basic

30m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

2 Full

Reliable, Scatter

5kg

60

Common

Blackhammer

Basic

20m

S/-/-

2d10 I

2 Full

Inaccurate, Scatter

4.7kg

250

Rare

Meat Hammer

Basic

30m

S/-/-

2d5+6 I

3 Full

Scatter, Tearing

5kg

80

Scarce

Steadholder

Basic

100m

S/-/-

1d10+4 I

Full

5kg

50

Plentiful

VI Crank Cannon

Heavy

70m

-/-/5

1d10+5 I

100

3 Full

Unreliable

38kg

500

Average

Void Speargun

Basic

10m

S/-/-

1d10+2 R

Full

1.5kg

45

Void

Average

Heavy Stubber
Bulldog

Slayer

Not including ammo pack

Fykos Forge Absolution Sniper Rifle

Class: Basic (SP)
The Fykos Forge is best known for its high
quality and expensive hunting weapons, and
there are many among the Calixian elite who
consider a Fykos-made gun as a prerequisite for
any kind of serious expedition. The

28

Absolution Sniper Rifle is an oddity among

weapons manufactured there, being an explicitly
military design with a functional and nononsense appearance. While lacking in frills and
aesthetic features, the Absolution is built to the
same standard of accuracy and quality as any of
Fykos much more ornate and expensive hunting

Assault Cannon
Class: Heavy (SP)
Assault cannons are among the most
powerful
slug-throwing
weapons
in
production, and are a relatively new
armament as far as the Imperiums arsenal
goes. Six rotary barrels are spun by an external
motor to force a vast volume of diamantine
slugs into the air, and a powered ammunition
feed forcibly stuffs new rounds into the gun at
a blistering rate. Because of their extremely
rapid consumption of ammo and staggering
recoil, assault cannons are almost always
deployed as a vehicular weapon, and even a
mighty Space Marine would have some
difficulty using one as a handheld armament.
Assault cannons use high-calibre bullets that
are not interchangeable with any other
weapons. The listed Rate of Fire and Clip size
are purely statistical conveniences; in realistic
terms, assault cannons can fire over a thousand
shots in a single Round. An assault cannon
requires an external ammunition hopper
weighing 35kg to gain the stated Clip size.

Echon Mark III Assault Stubber

instruments. Absolution rifles are far less
ubiquitous than Guard-favoured long las
weapons and simplistic and basic compared to
needle rifles used by snipers and assassins alike,
but they have the advantage of versatility as they
are designed to use cheap, commonly-available
autogun ammunition. This sniper rifle is used in
limited numbers by Lord Haxs Magistratum
enforcers on Scintilla, and has found some
followers among the Adeptus Arbites and other
security forces.
This weapon has a built-in silencer and
includes a telescopic sight, which can be
removed and replaced with other types of sights
with an Easy (+30) Trade (Armourer) Test or
an Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use or Trade
(Technomat) Test. It can be used with any type
of autogun ammunition.

29

Class: Basic (SP)

Heavy stubbers are used by a variety of
forces, including some Imperial Guard
regiments, as a support weapon for advancing
assault troops. The weapons bulky and unwieldy
size is detrimental to this role, however, and
some enterprising arms makers have concocted
a specialized stubber more useful for attacking
on the move. It is essentially two heavy stubbers
with shortened barrels in a stripped-down,
shared housing which puts forth a large volume
of shots at once. An assault stubber also has a
number of features designed to make it easier to
manoeuvre, such as a top-mounted pistol grip,
and the weapon is designed to be fired from the
hip. This assault stubber is not manufactured in
the Calixis Sector but has been imported in large
quantities, and is a favoured weapon for
mercenary companies and some Planetary

Defence Forces who require mobile firepower

but cant obtain or afford bolt weapons.
An assault stubber includes a backpack ammo
pack weighing 25kg that provides the stated Clip
size, and is considered a heavy stubber for the
purposes of compatible specialty ammunition.

Autocannon
Class: Heavy (SP)
Another ancient weapon, autocannons are
basically large-bore stubbers that fire monolithic
solid shells at a modest rate. The hammering of
an autocannon is often sufficient to stop a
charge by a large amount of troops, either by its
fearsome report or simply blowing through
swaths of the enemy ranks. Autocannons are
typically installed on Imperial armoured vehicles
but are also commonly used as heavy support
weapons by two-man teams, though some
especially burly soldiers have been known to
man-haul an autocannon around by themselves.
Autocannons are fed by a removable drum,
which is usually tended to by the second man in
a heavy weapons team.
Autocannons use high-calibre bullets that are
not interchangeable with other types of weapons.

Autogun
Class: Basic (SP)
Autoguns are a staple weapon across the
Imperium, and after lasguns are likely the most
common rifle-type gun handled by Imperial
citizens. They are simpler than lasguns and can
be cheaply manufactured on worlds which are
less developed, but any sort of implied inferiority
flies in the face of their ubiquity in hives and
frontier worlds alike. Most autoguns are rapidfiring automatics that use standardized lowcalibre caseless rounds, easily stocked on almost
any world in the Imperium, and many hive cities
stockpile huge caches of these weapons with
which to arm the middle-hive citizens in the
event of a planetary invasion. Autoguns can also
be commonly found in the employ of gangers
and recidivists, household enforcers, PDF
soldiers, and even some xenos have been known
to wield weaponry compatible with Imperial

30

ammunition. Most autoguns are similar enough

to be considered the same type of weapon, while
some more unique patterns are listed here.
Alcher Mark IV Combat Autogun: A fairly
simple weapon among autoguns, this pattern can
be widely found in the arsenals of many PDFs
throughout the Calixis Sector. The basic controls
(one shot or full automatic) are well-suited
towards troops in those organizations whose
training usually isnt as good as their
counterparts in the Imperial Guard, and the
Alcher employs larger-size clips than most
autoguns to keep up with the rapid shooting.
Armageddon-Pattern Autogun: This pattern
of autogun has its origin on the war-torn world
of the same name in Segmentum Solar, and
many of the Imperiums foes who have invaded
that planet found themselves cut down by its
large-calibre bullets. In the Calixis Sector clones
of this pattern are manufactured by the Belasco
Deathworks as well as lesser forges on Malfi, and
after being heavily used during the Tranch
Insurrection it is widely distributed in the
Malfian Subsector. Uncomplicated, loud, and
lethal, the Armageddon is an unapologetic brick
of a gun that can make an effective melee
weapon simply on the providence of its heavy
construction and shrouded barrel (treat as a staff
when used in this way), and many examples have
stood up to abuse and kept shooting in ways that
would make lasguns seem fragile.
Hax-Orthlack Creed-9 Autogun: There are
few autoguns better suited for close-quarters
warfare than the Creed-9. This Orthlack gun is
based off of an out-sector pattern formerly used
by Naval boarding parties, and makes many
compromises to improve its handling. Made
with lightweight materials and using a collapsing
wire stock, the Creed-9 is only slightly larger
than military autopistols and is a favoured
weapon for numerous kill squads and private
troops of noble houses and Chartist Captains.
Many of Lord Haxs Magistratum enforcers in
Hive Sibellus carry these compact autoguns
under their long green coats to ensure that they
are always well-armed against scummers who
arent deterred by their reputation for excessive

force. Because of this association with

elites and professional troopers, many
Creed-9s sport numerous upgrades such
as red dot sights, expanded mag-ports or
fire selectors.
The Creed-9 is compact enough that it
imparts a -10 rather than -20 penalty to
Ballistic Skill Tests if wielded with one
hand, and can also be fired in melee as if
was a pistol.
Cadence Spectre Assault Device:
One of the few widely known weapons
produced by Cadence, the Spectre
deserves its superlative title. Technically,
it is a heavily reinforced autogun with a
tri-mag shot selection system, giving it a
huge volume of fire and the ability to
seamlessly switch between different
ammunition types. There is also an
integral shotgun mounted below the main
barrel shroud, giving the user even more
firepower and a hidden heavy punch to
boot. A finely crafted and functional
weapon in every respect, the Spectre is
intended for use by mercenaries and other
heavies expecting to get into serious
firefights. The weapons only real
detractors are those who question its high
complexity and cost among autoguns, which
isnt far off from that of an unquestionably
superior bolters.
The Spectre may fire as an autogun or shotgun
but not both during the same Round, and is
considered to have three individual Clips with a
built-in fire selector upgrade already installed.

Auto-Stubber
Class: Basic (SP)
Though largely superseded by autoguns for
many millennia, self-loading stub rifles are a
class of weapon that has stubbornly refused to
succumb to irrelevance. Compared to most
common styles of autoguns, an auto-stubber is
an overbuilt gun that tends to jerk about in the
shooter's hands as its heavy operating parts rattle
off bullets and spew smoky metallic casings like
a malfunctioning auto-quill. However, while

31

lacking in precision and good looks, an autostubber's simple construction and generous
tolerances mean it can keep firing even after
suffering horrendous abuse. No major forge or
manufactorum produces auto-stubbers in the
Calixis Sector, but the fact that they can be built
with very basic machinery and equipment means
a whole slew of minor factories and workshops
can churn these weapons out on the cheap.
Auto-stubbers are commonly the purview of
hive gangers and low-grade enforcers, though
more irregular PDF troopers might be seen with
them as well.
Auto-stubbers can fire any kind of stub pistol
ammunition.

Combat Shotgun
Class: Basic (SP)
Combat shotguns are bulky, hard-hitting
weapons designed to shoot the same type of

shells as those commonly used by frontier

settlers and hunters, the ability to blast apart an
unarmoured target just as applicable in a hive as
on the plains. A combat shotgun is separated
from other shell-firing smoothbores by its selfloading operation, with some having more in
common with autoguns than other shotguns.
Combat shotguns hammer out an intimidating
racket when fired, and while they may be
something of an unofficial symbol of the
Adeptus Arbites, their firepower is appreciated
by other Imperial organizations and criminal
enterprises alike. Most combat shotguns look

A GALAXY OF BULLETS...
Lasguns, with a few exceptions, can be powered
by a charge pack made just about anywhere in
the Imperium. Slug-throwers have no such
benefit, often featuring a bewildering range and
variety of bullets, cartridges, and rounds of
ammunition that could fill entire tomes just
from the guns made on a single forge world,
nevermind an entire sector. The following is a
general rule-of-thumb for Acolytes to consider
when choosing a solid projectile weapon.
Stub Weapons: Stub automatics, stub revolvers,
hand cannons, hunting rifles, heavy stubbers,
and some other weapons use stub ammunition.
These metallic-cased bullets generally can only
be used in a single type of gun; bullets meant for
a stub automatic might be usable in other stub
automatics, but could never be used with a hand
cannon or heavy stubber.
Autoguns and Autopistols: These types of
weapons use caseless ammunition that can be
used in many different types of weapons; caseless
bullets that fit in an autopistol will fit in an
autogun just as well. Unless otherwise stated in
the weapon's description, autoguns and
autopistols can freely share bullets between one
another without any issue.
Everything Else: Autocannons, Ripper Pistols,
and other large or unusual solid projectile
weapons will typically make use of their own
type of bullet which cannot be used with any
other guns. Sometimes, these types of weapons
will have a specific cost and Availability listed for
their ammunition as well.

32

more like oversized autoguns with huge

ammunition drums and function on a similar
basis, while others are intentionally designed like
pump-action versions except with a self-loading
feature. Combat shotguns of this type have a
Clip size of 8 and take 2 Full Actions to Reload,
but can load a single shell as a Half Action,
useful for quickly employing specialty
ammunition. Some unusual patterns found in
the Calixis Sector are listed here.
Cypra-Mundi Ironclaw Shotgun: Naval
combat shotguns such as this one are designed to
withstand the rigors of the void and have a
reinforced and weighted stock, making it
perfectly functional as a close combat weapon
(use the weapon profile of a staff). Ironclaw
shotguns are common shipboard weapons
within Battlefleet Calixis, and numerous
merchant vessels, Chartist ships and other
voidfaring types have followed suit with large
storage lockers that unlock automatically to arm
the crew against boarders or to suppress
mutinies. Of course, more than a few rating
rebellions have succeeded in the capture of a
ship specifically because a large volume of
Ironclaws were accidentally released into their
hands via the same method.
Persecutor-Pattern Riot Gun: This specific
pattern is produced by a number of fanes and
forges in the Calixis Sector as a dedicated
enforcer's weapon, although some precinct-forts
of the Adeptus Arbites are known to favour this
style of shotgun as well. The Persecutor is a
rugged, blocky shotgun that stores its shells in
two parallel tubes above the barrel, allowing the
shooter to have two full clips' worth of shells
loaded at once, with a clockwork mechanism
automatically switching over to the second tube
when the first runs dry. The double-tube
configuration can also be used to store specialty
ammunition, such as shock or snare shells, with
a simple lever selecting which tube to load shells
from. Finally, the Persecutor features an
integrated shock pad that projects out above the
barrel; this feature is handy for controlling
disturbances, freeing the shooter up from
retrieving a secondary weapon by simply

jamming the business end of his Persecutor into

the face of a miscreant.
The Persecutor is considered to have two
individual Clips with a fire selector upgrade
already installed, and can be used in melee as a
standard shock staff.
Vanaheim Skitarii Assault Shotgun: A
terrifying weapon made even more so by the
Skitarii Tech-Guards often wielding them,
Vanaheim shotguns are brutally efficient
weapons that form the standard armament of
most Skitarii-Provosts charged with enforcing
law on forge worlds controlled by the
Mechanicus. Skitarii are as uncompromising as
the Vanaheims they carry and use these
shotguns to violently put down everything from
hab-worker crime rings to full scale labour-helot
uprisings (with equal force).
The Vanaheim includes a built-in red-dot
laser sight which does not count against the
weapons one sight limit as well as retractable
saw-bladed bayonet, allowing the Vanaheim to
be used as a mono-edge axe in melee.

33

Heavy Stubber
Class: Heavy (SP)
Another ancient weapon that is still in use due
to its mechanical simplicity and ease of
manufacture, heavy stubbers are one of the few
military stub weapons that can commonly be
found in the arsenals of many armed forces.
Most Imperial Guard regiments have replaced
these weapons with bolters, but a few holdouts
remain, and there are still quite common among
smaller PDFs and as mainstay support weapons
on lower-tech worlds. The more professional
hive gangers also seem to be able to acquire these
weapons with alarming frequency, and many
gang wars have come to an abrupt end thanks to
a grav-car with a heavy stubber pintle-mounted
in the rear compartments.
A heavy stubber can be equipped with an
ammunition drum instead of a belt hopper,
reducing its Weight to 30kg, Clip size to 40 and
Reload time to a Full Action.
Bulldog Heavy Stubber: Lightened and
shortened, the Bulldog heavy stubber is a

support weapon used primarily by Arbitrators in

heavy combat and suppression operations. With
a shorter barrel and cut-down housing, the
Bulldog's handling and portability is greatly
improved compared to common patterns, and a
second grip mounted above the barrel allows it
to be fired from the hip. Indeed, the Bulldog
lacks normal sights of any kind, relying on a
built-in motion predictor to riddle its targets
with large-calibre bullets. While nominally
intended as a support weapon, the reduced size
and mass mean it can be used in an assault
configuration, and Arbitrators issued the
Bulldog are well known for employing its autotracking features for short-range room clearing
and other actions usually reserved for shotguns.
After the Adeptus Arbites, the most common
user of the Bulldog are better-funded enforcer
outfits, such as Lord Hax's Magistratum, but
select numbers of mercenary groups and security
guilds are known to employ the weapon too.
The Bulldog includes a built-in motion
predictor. Its superior handling characteristics
treat the shooter as though they had the Bulging
Biceps talent as long as they have a Strength
Bonus of at least 4.

Hunting Rifle
Class: Basic (SP)
Hunting rifles are accurate and powerful
stubbers that can commonly be found in the
hands of frontier settlers and expert hunters
alike. Simple and robust to a point, most hunting
rifles are manually operated repeaters that can
drop game (beast or otherwise) from a long
distance in the hands of a skilled shooter, and
while by and large a civilians weapon, many
have been pressed into use in more combatoriented roles where they are still quite
functional. Most common hunting rifles include
a telescopic sight.

Nomad Hunting Instrument

Class: Basic (SP)
Possibly the most famous weapon produced in
Gunmetal City, the Nomad is unquestionably
the most accurate slug-thrower available in the

34

Calixis Sector, and according to some can put

two bullets through one hole a kilometre away.
Allegedly the design was the work of Angevins
personal gunsmith, while some explanations go
that the Nomad is far older and hails from a line
produced on Holy Terra itself. Either way, Fykos
Forge produces perhaps ten of these exquisitelycrafted weapons in a year, invariably to
commission and even then only to those who
actually intend to use the weapon (the artisans of
Fykos Forge considering it a grave insult to treat
one of their weapons as a "wall-hanger"). Each
one is customized to some degree, either for
length of stock, trigger shape or pressure, or the
choice of materials for the housing. It includes a
bracket for mounting a sight though none are
included with it as any true hunter will doubtless
already have the exact one theyd like to use.
The Nomad uses special stub ammunition
which is considered Rare, with a base price of 20
Thrones each.

Raffir "Pax Factorem" Rifle

Class: Heavy (SP)
The Pax Factorem is Scintillan example of
massive, brutish rifles designed to chamber and
fire large stub bullets normally used in heavy
stubbers. Producing monstrous recoil and a
fierce flash at the muzzle, weapons of this type
can flatten enemies behind cover or protected by
most common forms of personal armour, and
the easy availability of stubber rounds on most
worlds will not leave the shooter suffering for
lack of rare and costly ammunition. The great
mass and length of the weapon make it
cumbersome to heft around, and as a result it is
most frequently used from a stationary position,
typically a vantage point where the wielder can
set up and observe the area below. In Gunmetal
City Raffir-made weapons are often favoured by
gangers and fane heavies alike, and "portable
cannons" like the Pax Factorem aren't
uncommon in the employ of snipers and
assassins that lurk among the gantries, heating
ducts, gargoyles, statuary, and gleaming lumenbanners that form the hive's sky. Many revolts
and "labour disputes" have been brought to an

end by the death of a leader on one side, often

via a shot from a Raffir rifle, and the calm that
follows is commonly thought of as the origin of
the weapon's name.
Pax Factorem rifles can fire any ammunition
usable by a heavy stubber. The weapon can also
be used with custom hand-loaded bullets
(considered Rare with a base cost of 20 Thrones
for a full clip), in which case it loses the
Unreliable quality.

extreme conditions, and this particular pattern

has caught on with scavengers who get
dangerously close to geothermal heat sinks and
plasma reactors whilst looking for appealing
junk to collect.
The Slayer is compact enough that it imparts a
-10 rather than -20 penalty to Ballistic Skill Tests
if wielded with one hand, and can also be fired in
melee as if was a pistol.

Naval Shotcannon
Pump-action Shotgun
Class: Basic (SP)
Simple and practical, pump-action shotguns
are manually-operated slug-throwers which
replace a standard shotguns lower barrel with a
tubular ammunition supply. Popular with
settlers defending their homes and gangers in
search of cheap firepower, all could agree that
there are few things as satisfying (or terrifying)
as the sound of a shotguns pump being racked.
Much like stubbers, shotguns of this type are a
truly ancient design that likely predates known
history, and have been produced by major forges
and scav-workshops alike for their low cost and
high capacity. Most common pump-action
shotguns can load a single shell as a Half Action,
useful for deploying specialty ammunition.
Westingkrup Slayer Pump Shotgun: The
Slayer is a classically functional design from the
Westingkrup Fane in Gunmetal City, intended
as a backup weapon for vehicle crews and PDF
troopers, but can now be commonly found
among a variety of users throughout Calixis. The
Slayer can be instantly recognized by its blockish
body and stockless design, ending in a simple
pistol grip that allows for quick aiming, even in
confined spaces. It is said that almost as many of
these shotguns end up in the hands of deep-hive
scum as are supplied to the Munitorum for
reasons which remain unclear, although one
cannot criticise their choice of weapon. One
local variant, referred to as the Bonefinger, is
crafted from heat-resistant ceramics and used
for hunting dangerous Scoldbats in the upper
reaches of Hive Tarsus. A weapon made of
conventional materials might warp fail in such

35

Class: Heavy (SP)

A massive shotgun-like weapon, shotcannons
are explicitly designed tools of mayhem meant to
lay waste to boarders within the confines of a
ships companionways and passages. A

shotcannons shells are more than twice the size

of those of most shotguns, and can reduce a man
into a spray of flesh and clothing even through
reinforced void suits. Due to extreme recoil,
shotcannons are typically operated from fixed
positions or on mag-tripods where they can be
quickly deployed against the deck or any other
available surface.
A shotcannon's Scatter quality may score
additional hits on targets up to 10 metres away.
Shotcannon shells are designed to function
within a void environment, and the shotcannon
loses the Unreliable quality when fired there.
Shotcannon shells have a base cost of 15 Thrones
each and an Availability of Scarce around large
space stations and planetary dock yards, while
the shells and shotcannon itself have an
Availability of Rare elsewhere.

Shotgun
Class: Basic (SP)
Shotguns are among the most basic ranged
weapons mass-produced in the Imperium.
Elaborate patterns manufactured by large forges
may have polished wood stocks and inlaid
designs, while humble metal and resin housings
are typical for those made in scav-workshops
and on low-tech worlds, but at their core all
standard shotguns consist of a pair of chamberbarrels into which one shell each is loaded. Being
so rudimentary and uncomplicated, even
cheaply made shotguns will almost always fire
when the trigger is pulled even after enduring
incredible abuse or neglect, a fact not lost on all
matters of Imperial citizens from settlers and
hive-workers to gangers and Administratum
inspectors. A shotgun can load one shell at a
time as a Full Action. Both barrels can also be
fired at once which gives the attack the Tearing
quality. The vast majority of shotguns in the
Imperium fall into this weapon type; a few more
unique patterns available in the Calixis Sector
are listed here.
Scatheros
Blackhammer
Defence
Shotgun: Notorious for its sheer destructive
power, the Blackhammer comprises of a
carefully fitted barrel to an equally well-crafted

36

stock and firing mechanism, all constructed to

safely fire an enormous shell nearly twice the size
of those used in standard-size shotguns. Each
Blackhammer shell is custom-made and filled
with dozens of pellets the size of stub rounds,
backed by a massive charge; the Blackhammers
high quality construction is necessary to prevent
the gun from coming apart when it fires.
Blackhammer shotguns are intended for use as
emergency failure to stop weapons by hunters
and explorers on dangerous feral and death
worlds, but examples have turned up in the
hands of under-hive gangers who put their
massive firepower to good use in obliterating
rival scummers and other victims.
The Blackhammers Scatter quality may score
additional hits on targets up to 5 metres away.
Unless the firer has a Strength Bonus of 4 or
higher, the weapon's crushingly powerful recoil
imposes a -10 penalty to Ballistic Skill Tests
made to hit with it. Blackhammer shells have a
base cost of 20 Thrones each and are Very Rare.
Volg Meat Hammer Scattergun: Volgs
violent gangers have created an even more brutal
and savage variation on common shotguns to
stamp their authority on any who dare cross
them. The Meat Hammer, so named for its
ability to turn the flesh of its victim into a
splatter of unrecognisable bits, is a triple-barrel
open-choke shotgun which fires all three shells
at once. Though crude and ungainly, its
firepower can all but annihilate a living body,
and when fired at point-blank range (as Volg
gangers are wont to do) can even punch through
light personal armour on sheer force alone.
The Meat Hammer will violently disassemble
itself due to unbalanced recoil forces if
attempted to be fired with anything other than
three of the same type of shells loaded.

Westingkrup Steadholder Rifle

Class: Basic (SP)
Made in the millions by Westingkrup and
copied by dozens of lesser forges throughout the
Calixis Sector, the Steadholder is a heavy-calibre
stub rifle loaded by a very distinctive lever
mechanism. The Steadholder may not be the

finest or most famed weapon to come from

Gunmetal Citys forges, but it is the absolute line
between death and starvation on the margin of
many worlds and justly respected for that.
Steadholders and their clones are by and large
intended for use on frontier and agri-worlds as
basic, no-nonsense weapons for hunting and
protection from wild creatures, but many never
leave the worlds they are manufactured on,
frequently appearing in the hands of low-rent
thugs and under-hive scum. A considerable
number have wound up in the hands of
Redemptionists, who issue these saviour guns
to new (and often untrained) initiates where
their low cost and ease of maintenance can be
put to good use.
Steadholders can fire any type of stub pistol
ammunition.

Volg VI Crank Cannon Stubber

Class: Heavy (SP)
The Volg VI has one simple virtue extreme
ease of manufacture. The Crank Cannon uses
cheaply made parts and standard heavy stubber
ammunition; it is a purely hand-powered
weapon, the firer literally cranking a handle to
grind ammo belts through the breech and rotate
the weapons quadruple barrels. Crank Cannons
are installed in great numbers throughout Volgs
exterior industrial works to be manned by the
worker-exiles in the event that some of the
under-hives more treacherous forms of
wildlife come up for a meal. The Big Six, as it
is popularly known, has proven a great success

37

despite its obvious drawbacks, and this uniquely

Volg weapon has somehow ended up being
produced in large numbers by the lesser forges
on Fenksworld and exported to cheaply supply
low-grade PDF troops and the private arms
market across the sector. A real brute to use,
especially for long periods, its unsurprising that
Crank gunners are often marked by noticeably
overdeveloped right arms.

Void Speargun
Class: Basic (SP)
A straightforward and easy-to-use weapon,
void spearguns are designed to tear holes in void
suits. Most models use a simple recoilless gas
discharge system to propel a hardened spike at a
reasonable speed, but some models are even
simpler and take the form of a heavily modified
crossbow. Being struck by a void spear can cause
serious injury or death if the victim is
particularly unlucky, but the main application is
in ripping a hole in their void suit which will
generally cause them to become extremely
distracted in trying to repair the rip before they
suffer from decompression. Obviously, this
weapon is only meant to be employed during
void operations, but it can still be used (at
extremely close ranges) inside of ships as well.
Five void spears and a gas cartridge sufficient
to fire them cost 1 Throne and are Scarce outside
of environments where they are commonly used
(such as dock yards and space stations). In
atmosphere, a void speargun cannot be fired at
anything at Long or Extreme range.

BOLT WEAPONS
There may be weapons that can burn through
armour better, hit targets further away, or be
more economical to mass produce and service,
but no weapon could possibly claim to be as
Imperial as the bolter. Bolt weapons combine a
high level of technological precision and
engineering with deliberate brutality; only man
could possibly devise such an armament. Bolters
fire rocket-propelled mass-reactive shells known
appropriately enough as bolts, which streak to
their target with a roar and explode into jagged
fragments after piercing the body of their
unfortunate victim.
The superiority of bolt weapons cannot be
contested, but they are out of reach of many
Imperial servants due to the cost and difficulty
of supporting them. Bolters require skilled
maintenance using very exact rituals and
blessings for them to remain functional, and
even individual bolts must undergo a brief
prayer during manufacture to ensure ignition.
A bolter may only be several times costlier
than high-quality autoguns, but keeping a
steady supply of bolts for it to fire as well as
the necessary pre-battle hymnals and
consecrations sets it squarely as the weapon of
an elite. Wielding a bolter is an immediate
sign of status and respect, and many boltguns
in use today are centuries old, handed down
from veteran to successor, and some have long
legends attached to them of their great lineage.
Whether a bolter is a relic or freshly
manufactured, brandishing one is an instant
sign of the wielders connections (or guile).
Bolt weapons are loud and thoroughly
terrifying to see in action, and the distinctive
noise made by their bolts sailing towards an
unfortunate foe can be a potent weapon in and
of itself.
Bolters are literally as old as the Imperium
itself, and have been firmly connected to it
from the beginning. Techno-barbarians that
savagely fought for control of Terra during the
Age of Strife wielded early bolter-like
weapons, and their unification by the Emperor
led to bolters becoming synonymous with the

38

mighty Space Marine legions that would go on to

re-conquer the galaxy. The Adeptus Astartes are
still commonly associated with bolt weapons due
to their almost uniform use of them. These
weapons are far larger and more powerful than
the smaller counterparts designed for mere
humans, but while these humbler weapons are
but a shadow of the power of a Space Marines
holy instrument, only a fool would
underestimate their killing power.
To use bolt weapons without penalty, a
character must have the Pistol Training (Bolt),
Basic Weapon Training (Bolt), or Heavy
Weapon Training (Bolt) talents.

Bolt Weapons
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Angelus

Basic

120m

S/-/-

2d10+2 X

3 Full

Accurate, Tearing

11kg

2,000

Very Rare

Boltgun (generic)

Basic

90m

S/2/-

1d10+5 X

24

Full

Tearing

7kg

500

Rare

Godwyn-Deaz

Basic

90m

S/2/-

1d10+5 X

30

Full

Reliable, Tearing

6kg

1,000

Very Rare

Locke

Basic

90m

S/2/4

1d10+5 X

24

Full

Tearing

7kg

900

Very Rare

Scourge

Basic

90m

S/2/-

1d10+5 X

24

Full

Reliable, Tearing

10kg

650

Very Rare

Solo

Basic

100m

S/-/-

1d10+5 X

24

Full

Accurate,
Reliable, Tearing

7kg

500

Very Rare

Pistol

30m

S/2/-

1d10+5 X

Full

Tearing

3.5kg

250

Rare

Garm

Pistol

30m

S/2/-

1d10+5 X

Full

Tearing

4.5kg

350

Rare

Godwyn-Deaz

Pistol

30m

S/2/-

1d10+5 X

Full

Reliable, Tearing

3kg

550

Very Rare

Mauler

Pistol

30m

S/3/-

1d10+5 X

Full

Reliable, Tearing

2.7kg

375

Very Rare

Sacristan

Pistol

30m

S/2/-

1d10+6 X

Full

Tearing

3.3kg

380

Rare

Cane Bolter

Pistol

30m

S/-/-

1d10+5 X

2 Full

Tearing

3kg

600

Very Rare

Heavy Bolter

Heavy

120m

-/-/10

2d10+2 X

60

Full

Tearing

40kg

2,000

Very Rare

20kg

12,000

Malleus

Extremely
Rare

3kg

75

Volg

Bolt Pistol (generic)

Psycannon

Heavy

120m

S/-/5

2d10+5 X

40

3 Full

Reliable,
Sanctified, Tearing

Spitfire

Pistol

20m

S/-/-

1d10+3 X

Full

Tearing, Unreliable

Storm Bolter
Godwyn-Deaz

Basic

90m

S/2/4

1d10+5 X

60

Full

Storm, Tearing

9kg

4,000

Basic

90m

S/2/4

1d10+5 X

60

Full

Reliable, Storm,
Tearing

12kg

9,000

Angelus Bolt Carbine

Class: Bolt (Basic)
A specialist version of what is already a
specialist weapon, the Fykos Forges Angelus
Bolt Carbine is jokingly termed as such as it
would make a lightweight and handy weapon if
the firer was a Space Marine. The Angelus is a
truly new weapon devised only in the last few
centuries once several fanes of Gunmetal City
were granted rights to begin constructing Solarpattern heavy bolters. This weapon uses those
very large 1-calibre bolt shells, storing three
packed end-to-end within the guns finely
crafted stock. As it lacks an external clip and is
longer and narrower than most bolters, a layman
might mistake an Angelus for a heavy sniper rifle
right up until hearing the signature roar (and
subsequent blast) of its bolt. While lacking any
kind of subtlety or stealth applications, the
Angelus has an undeniable ability to blow apart
well protected foes at long range, and the
professional mercenaries and Inquisitorial
Agents who most often make use of this bolter
can reliably argue that any concerns about giving

39

away their firing position can be remedied by

killing the entire enemy party from well outside
their own engagement range.

Boltgun
Class: Basic (Bolt)
Boltguns are the epitome of individual
firepower in the Imperium and those lucky
enough to be gifted or issued one of these superb
weapons are truly blessed. The sound of bolts
being fired has been enough to rout much larger
cultist forces, while the more dedicated enemies
are handily taken care of as the mass-reactive
bolt shells shred their bodies into mush even
through the best common armours. Boltguns are
typified by a squat, boxy body with a pistol grip
and stockless frame, making them somewhat
shorter than common autoguns in spite of their
much greater power, and feature multiple
attachment points for extra sights, exterminator
cartridges, and so on. Boltguns use standard .75calibre bolts from a sickle clip. At the cost of
reliability, most boltguns can be used with a
boxy ammo drum instead, increasing the Clip

Scarce
Extremely
Rare
Extremely
Rare

size to 60 but either gaining the Unreliable

quality or losing the Reliable quality if it has it.
Only boltguns that use a standard mag-port
(those with a standard Clip size of 24) can use
these drums. Boltguns for use by humans come
in a variety of patterns and marks made by
artificers across the Imperium, most of which
can fit into this weapons entry. Some patterns
that include more unique features are listed here.
Godwyn-Deaz-Pattern: This pattern was
designed specifically for the Adepta Soroitas,
blessed by the Canonesses of the Orders, and
presented to a hopeful when they officially
become a Battle Sister. The Sisterhood considers
the venerated Godwyn-Deaz bolt weapons
heirlooms; each one is carefully maintained by
highly specialized servitors and trusted servants,
and those with the privilege to see these weapons
up close have commented both on the quality of
their make as well as the presence of several
features which have been omitted from more
recent patterns. This style of boltgun was once
used in considerable numbers during the Age of
Apostasy and holds great significance for the
Adepta Soroitas giving their founding in the
wake of those dark times. It is not only a
powerful weapon against the enemies of
mankind, but also a symbol of the Emperors
judgement and of the Sisters personal
connection to her faith.
Locke-Pattern: Unusual among Imperial
weapons, this pattern of boltgun has a
mysterious lineage and it is unclear when or
where they were first made. Locke boltguns are
capable of putting down a withering barrage of
fully automatic fire; this is a rare feature, giving
the headache of maintaining a supply for even
well-disciplined bolt expenditures. For those
whose connections or wealth permits such
extravagance, the Locke has unwavering merit as
a partner in destruction.
Scourge Mark II: A favoured mark among
well-equipped expeditionary troops, the Scourge
boltgun is based on a Martian pattern now
manufactured in Gunmetal City. It features a
wicked saw-toothed blade permanently attached
as a bayonet, allowing the shooter to rip open

40

any enemy hoping to gain an advantage in close

combat. Armed Ecclesiarchs accompanying
Sisters of Battle are known to carry this style of
boltgun, and it is particularly common within
the arsenal of the Abbey of Dawn on Iocanthos,
a world where close quarters battles are often the
order of the day. When used in close combat, a
Scourge boltgun counts as a mono-edged axe.
Perinetus Solo Boltgun: Some sects of the
Adeptus Mechanicus frown on this weapon as
skirting tech-heresy as many of its internal
workings have been left out and deliberately
simplified as an attempt to make an inexpensive
yet reliable boltgun for use by troops who
normally would not hope to have access to such
superb arms. The artificers of the Perinetus
Forge in the Periphery succeeded admirably at
this task, but with the opposite of the intended
result once it was discovered that the longer
barrel and reduced moving parts have resulted
in a very accurate bolter. Demand for the Solo
has constantly exceeded supply as there are
many who would benefit greatly from taking
down their foes with a single bolt shell, and
virtually all of them consider the loss of semiautomatic burst fire a price worth paying.

Bolt Pistol
Class: Pistol (Bolt)
Carrying a bolt pistol is a sign of the wearers
status just as much as it is a powerful and
effective sidearm. Being gifted one of these fine
pistols immediately sets its owner ahead as a
favoured servant, while those who can obtain
one through their own devices display their
wealth and excellent discretion all at once. A bolt
pistol is effectively a highly shortened boltgun,
lacking range but just as deadly compared to its
full-size counterpart thanks to most of a bolts
velocity coming from its internal rocket
propulsion. Bolt pistols use the same .75-calibre
bolts from a narrow single column clip, and
those fortunate enough to have both a boltgun
and bolt pistol to their names can freely share
their precious bolts between them. Bolt pistols
are manufactured in many of the Imperiums
greater forges for issuance to Imperial Guard

officers and Adeptus Arbites elites, while

heirloom examples made many centuries ago are
often passed down in private hands or among
the ranks of the Inquisition. Whether fresh from
the forges or venerated and festooned with
purity seals, few which carry a bolt pistol wish
they had something else. The most widely
produced marks of bolt pistol fit into this
description; some with more unique features are
listed here.
Garm-Pattern Service Pistol: This bolter is
commonly carried by the grim Commissars
attached to Imperial Guard units. The Garm is
well suited to this role by these feared and
respected leaders its large size and inlaid
insignia can be easily seen from a distance when
a Commissar waves it in the air to inspire his
troops, while the oversized muzzle placed
squarely at face level is often enough to
embolden cowering Guardsmen (though more
vindictive Commissars might follow up with a
summary execution anyway).
Specifically designed to inspire fear, a GarmPattern bolt pistol grants a +10 bonus to
Intimidate Skill Tests when used to threaten
anyone familiar with the Commissariats
authority. This is in addition to the Carry a Big
Gun rule (see The Inquisitors Handbook, page
232 for more information).
Godwyn-Deaz-Pattern: A companion piece
to the Godwyn-Deaz boltgun, this pistol is a

41

favourite of the Adepta Soroitas for many of the

same reasons as its larger counterpart. The single
largest user among the Sisterhood are the elite
Seraphim jump troops, who often go into battle
with one of these bolters in each hand and
aggressively cut down multiple enemies at once.
It is also a common sidearm for a squads Sister
Superior and other Sisters who wield a close
combat weapon in their other hand.
Cinder Crag Mauler Pistol: The Mauler is
a highly sought-after bolt pistol manufactured
by the Cinder Crag Forge of Gunmetal City, who
make these fine weapons to commission for
those with deep pockets and the desire for an
exclusive sidearm. Maulers are hand made by a
small cadre of artificers using the finest materials
and alloys, with the heavy work performed by
specially designed servitors. The resultant
weapon is both extremely sophisticated and
blessed with a well-disposed machine spirit that
will see its owner through where even other
bolters may fail.
For twice the listed price, a Mauler may be
made to commission using the commissioners
exact biometric data. This counts as a Best
Craftsmanship weapon when wielded by the
hand designed for it, and an included gene-lock
circuit in the grip ensures only that hand can fire
the pistol.
Sacristan Bolt Pistol: This class of bolt pistol
is produced under license for the Ordos Calixis

by the Fane of Orthlack on Scintilla, this

association immediately marking it as an
Inquisitors Sidearm. The Sacristans killing
power is augmented by a grav-accelerator inside
its bulky housing that increases the velocity of its
bolts, making it somewhat more potent than
most bolt pistols. This is an attractive feature to
Inquisitors and their minions who wish to keep
away from overt displays of power by only
packing a sidearm, and while few would doubt a
bolt pistols efficiency at killing, fewer still would
doubt a Sacristans.
The Sacristan's sharp recoil imposes a -10
penalty on Ballistic Skill Tests made to attack
unless the shooter holds the weapon with two
hands or has a Strength Bonus of 4 or more.

Cane Bolter
Class: Pistol (Bolt)
Those with the resources and connections to
own their own bolters are often the same types
who choose to flaunt their assets, sporting
brusque and overwhelming attires and festooned
with bandoliers of pistols and clips. Some,
however, attempt a more subtle though no less
deadly style that favours concealed and hidden
weapons. Local customs or specific situations
might also dictate leaving ones weapons behind,
and while carefully tucking a pistol away within
the folds of ones robe or a hidden pouch on the
wearers body might appeal to some, others
prefer a weapon they can have right out in the
open. Cane bolters are exactly as they seem: an
ostentatious walking stick that just happens to
conceal a single bolt and firing mechanism in the
upper end, with a breakaway false bottom that is
torn off when the bolt is launched. The handle
must be unscrewed for a new bolt to be loaded,
so they are by and large weapons of surprise and
opportunity. A cane bolter can be equipped with
any boltgun or pistol ammunition its owner
might happen to have available.

Heavy Bolter
Class: Heavy (Bolt)
Rarely deployed outside of military
organizations, heavy bolters are oversized and

42

fully-automatic boltguns designed for heavy

suppression and destruction of enemy infantry
and light vehicles. Heavy bolters fire a larger 1calibre bolt that gives them dramatically more
power and improved range, and dug-in heavy
weapon teams armed with this type of bolter can
tie up a very large opposing force. Heavy bolters
are common weapons on Imperial armoured
vehicles, with Twin-Linked mounts featured on
super-heavy tanks and fixed defence turrets. A
heavy bolter is fed via an attached ammunition
drum and can be ported by one man, with an
assistant carrying a tripod and additional bolt
shells. Particularly brawny troops or those in
power armour have been known to schlep a
heavy bolter as an individual assault weapon,
typically using a backpack ammunition feed.
A heavy bolter using an ammunition drum
uses the stated statistics. It can be used with a
backpack ammo pack weighing 25kg instead,
reducing its weight to 35kg, increasing its Clip
size to 200, and doubling its Reload time.

Psycannon
Class: Heavy (Bolt)
Psycannons are extremely powerful and
mystic weapons used almost exclusively by the
Ordo Malleus of the Inquisition. A psycannon is
similar to a greatly modified heavy bolter and
fires special custom-crafted bolts charged with
psychic energy and possessing ritually inscribed
silver tips backed by a rare isotopic explosive.
Each blessed round can unerringly penetrate the
psychic defences and shields of a target, making
them a coveted weapon for Inquisitors planning
to hunt daemons and witches. While powerful
weapons against psykers and warp entities, a
psycannons true power is revealed when it is
wielded by none other than a psyker itself. Each
shot can be imbued with a measure of the
psykers mental force, bringing ruin to his target
with each shot. Psycannons are exceptionally
rare weapons, making standard bolt weapons
seem ubiquitous in comparison. Each is
handcrafted by special artisan-armourers
watched and sanctified by the Adeptus

Ministorum, and the knowledge to create these

weapons is wisely and carefully guarded.
Psycannon bolts ignore all protective benefits
granted by psychic powers (including bonuses to
Dodge) and the increased Toughness Bonus
from the Daemonic Trait. Psycannons also have
in-built Suspensors, so the wielder counts as
possessing the Auto-Stabilised Trait. Finally, an
individual with a Psy Rating may imbue the
psycannon with additional Damage equal to his
Psy Rating. This is considered a Minor Psychic
power with a Threshold of 10 that can be used as
a Free Action. Psycannons are always Good
Craftsmanship weapons; this is reflected in their
rules. Psycannons fire special handcrafted bolts
that are Extremely Rare with a base price of 250
Thrones each.

Volg Spitfire Bolter

Class: Pistol (Bolt)
The Spitfire is an imitation bolt pistol, in
reality little more than a flare or line launcher
modified to fire crude impact-detonated
warheads. According to popular myth, the
Spitfire was first patterned by an exiled
Magnavar tech-adept to help combat swarming
Maw-flukes. While a pale substitute for an actual
bolt pistol, Spitfires became an immediate
sensation among Volgs scav-workshops and the
more talented arms dealers as they can provide
much needed firepower to a place filled with
unseen horrors. In Volg, carrying a Spitfire with
its primitive but functional exploding shells can
mean the difference between living another day
and being carried off into the darkness below.
Spitfires use modified distress flares fitted with
a crude impact detonator; almost a mockery of
the precision and arcane rituals used in the
creation of bolts. Nonetheless, they are still quite
deadly: Spitfire shells ignite flammable materials
on impact, and any Critical Hits inflicted on a
target forces an Agility Test, with failure
indicating that the victim has been set on fire by
the Spitfires ramshackle payload.
Spitfire shells are far from stable and any Jam
result automatically incurs an Explosive Mishap
(if the shell explodes, Damage is directed at the

43

firer, who must also Test Agility or be set on

fire). Likewise, Spitfire ammunition that is hit by
an explosion or flame weapon (such as the
wearer being within a grenades Blast radius) has
a 50% chance of exploding, dealing 1d10+3
points of Explosive Damage to the user.
Spitfire shells are Scarce with a base cost of 5
Thrones per reload.

Storm Bolter
Class: Basic (Bolt)
Storm bolters are truly devastating weapons
created by the very careful and time-consuming
process of combining two boltguns together into
one implement of the Emperors wrath. A storm
bolter can literally saw a well-armoured target in
half, while an unprotected man would be
reduced to a fine mist with a few chunks of fleshpulp decorating his cohorts. Storm bolters are
exceptionally difficult weapons to craft in no
small part due to the frustrating travails of
wheedling two machine spirits into functioning
in concert with one another, as that harmonious
cooperation is the true source of a storm bolters
exponentially greater power. Because of the great
effort and skill required to create them, storm
bolters are typically only made on the greatest of
the Imperiums forge worlds, such as Ryza in
Ultima Segmentum and even Holy Mars itself.
Storm bolters can be most commonly found as
auxiliary weapons attached to Imperial
armoured vehicles, with small numbers endowed
as personal weapons to especially favoured
Imperial officers and senior agents of the
Inquisition. The Sisters of Battle are known to
make use of storm bolters with some frequency
with a specific pattern assigned to their arsenals.
Godwyn-Deaz-Pattern: This pattern of
storm bolter is based off of the standard
Godwyn-Deaz boltgun used by the bulk of the
Sisters of Battle, and is issued as a reward for
Battle Sisters who have proven themselves in
combat prowess and spiritual dedication to be
worthy of such withering firepower. It is
exceptionally rare outside of their ranks.

even the heaviest vehicles and battle servitors,

this is perhaps unsurprising. Curiously, meltas
are not the sole provenance of mankind, and
different xenos races have been known to make
use of remarkably similar guns in remarkably
similar ways. While doubtlessly inferior to those
of the Imperiums forges, scholars have
questioned if the aliens are simply copying these
devastatingly effective weaponry for their own
purposes or if it is the inverse that is true.
Regardless of their provenance, those who wield
meltas will universally agree that there are few
better weapons for close combat.
To use melta weapons without penalty, a
character must have the Pistol Training (Melta),
Basic Weapon Training (Melta), or Heavy
Weapon Training (Melta) talents.

MELTA WEAPONS
Also known as melters and cookers, melta
weapons deliver supreme close-range firepower
capable of burning through almost any armour
and incinerating whatevers on the other side.
Most work by combining highly-pressurised
gases into an unstable sub-molecular state,
which is fired out in an intense blast of heat that
can turn even adamantine plate into molten slag
(and any unfortunates caught in its path into a
vaguely pink vapour). Meltas make little noise
when theyre fired; the loudest report is a
distinctive hissing noise as water in the air is
evaporated, possibly followed by the violent
explosion of whatever was just hit. This makes
them eminently useful weapons to commandoes
and infiltrators who can neutralize parked
enemy vehicles long before they can enter battle.
Meltas are most commonly issued to specialist
anti-vehicular troops as while their power is
unmatched, their short range and sparse number
of shots are major liabilities to inexperienced or
undisciplined soldiers.
Melta weapons are fairly rare on the battlefield
as only a few forge worlds are allowed to
produce them in any quantity. The Adeptus
Mechanicus formerly enjoyed a complete
monopoly on such fearsome weapons and they
have been loathe to allow their widespread
dissemination. Giving a meltaguns ability to slag

Inferno Pistol
Class: Pistol (Melta)
By and large, inferno pistols are valuable relics
as the technology to reproduce them is poorly
understood by all but the greatest forges. An
inferno pistol compacts the massive firepower of
a meltagun into a parcel that is deceptively small,
often no larger than a common autopistol
pattern. This has limited its range even further,
with some noting that you could almost throw
one as far as its bolt of destruction will reach.
However, as a close-range annihilation device,
inferno pistols have no equal. Because of their

Melta Weapons
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Inferno Pistol (generic)

Pistol

10m

S/-/-

2d10+4 E

12

Full

2.5kg

7,500

Very Rare

Mars

Pistol

20m

S/-/-

2d10+8 E

13

Full

Vicious

2.5kg

12,000

Seraphim

Pistol

10m

S/-/-

2d10+2 E

10

Full

Reliable

2kg

9,000

Meltacutter

Basic

10m

S/-/-

2d10+4 E

10

3 Full

30kg

600

Hive & Forge

Scarce

Meltagun (generic)

Basic

20m

S/-/-

2d10+4 E

12

2 Full

8kg

4,000

Rare

Mars

Basic

20m

S/-/-

2d10+8 E

13

2 Full

Vicious

7.5kg

9,000

Very Rare

Ultima

Basic

40m

S/-/-

2d10+2 E

2 Full

10kg

2,500

Rare

Multi-Melta (generic)

Heavy

60m

S/-/-

4d10+12 E

12

10

2 Full

Blast (1)

55kg

8,500

Very Rare

Mars

Heavy

60m

S/-/-

4d10+12 E

14

10

2 Full

Blast (1),
Vicious

40kg

15,000

Extremely
Rare

Heavy

10m

S/-/-

2d10+4 E

12

2 Full

Accurate

55kg

3,000

Rare

Thermal Lance

44

Extremely
Rare
Extremely
Rare

extreme rarity they are also statements of the

wearers power and status just as much as their
desire to reduce a foe in full power armour to a
bubbling pool of goo. Those who bear one of
these exclusive sidearms count themselves in the
company of Inquisitors, Canonesses, Rogue
Traders, and Space Marine Captains, to name a
few. Aside from a handful of effectively
interchangeable patterns, there are also few
more unique marks which are listed here.
Mars-Pattern: Inferno pistols manufactured
in the Adeptus Mechanicus great forges on
Mars itself are unquestionably a cut above any of
those made on lesser worlds. This is doubtless by
design: the truly elite of the Machine Cult are
extremely disinclined to let the unbridled power
of melta weapons promulgate throughout the
Imperium, much to the binary grumbling of
Fabricators and Magi from Voss Prime to
Estaban and everywhere in between. Mars
Patterns are most commonly wielded by
members of the Mechanicus themselves,
although a few have leaked out of the red robed

45

clergy as awards to high ranking allies that have

done much to benefit the Machine Cult.
Seraphim Inferno Pistol: What one does well
two does better, and this maxim is frighteningly
applied to inferno pistols often issued in
matched pairs to veteran Seraphim jump troops
of the Adepta Soroitas. A Seraphim who has
proven herself time and time again to be worthy
of deed and pure of faith may be granted two of
these exquisite pistols with which to bring ruin
to those foes she finds beneath her. This mark of
inferno pistol is of unknown origin and
sacrifices a small measure of firepower for
greater clip size and more reliable functioning, a
Seraphims combat style leaving little room for
venting fouled gas canisters.
Matched pairs of Seraphim Inferno Pistols are
designed to be used at the same time by the
specially trained Sisters who wield them. If the
firer possesses the Dual Shot talent and fires
both weapons at once, this attack increases its
Damage by 1d10 and doubles its Penetration.

Meltacutters have an absolute maximum

range of 10 metres and do not receive any
bonuses to hit for firing at closer distances.
Unless the wielder has a Strength Bonus of 4 or
more they suffer a cumulative -10 penalty to
Ballistic Skill Tests made to attack with it for
each point their Strength Bonus is below 4.
Meltacutters use standard meltagun canisters for
ammunition.

Meltagun

Meltacutter
Class: Basic (Melta)
Meltacutters are specialized tools used to cut
and weld slabs of metal in macro construction
facilities and manufactorums. Extremely large
and cumbersome, a meltacutter can still make a
very effective killing device if used as a weapon.
A meltacutters reach is quite short but can
quickly breach most sealed bulkheads and
reduce a fully armoured Arbitrator to hot gas
and ash with ease. When a hive worker or
labour-helot revolt spills over into the forges
themselves, these are often the first tools to be
looted in anticipation of the retaliation of the
worlds masters. As a result, the trade and
deployment of these necessary tools is carefully
monitored, leading to frequent delays in
obtaining spare parts or opening new
production lines.

46

Class: Basic (Melta)

Meltaguns are the most common and versatile
melta weapon used in the Imperium, and are
often used by Imperial Guard anti-armour
teams, Dominion Squads of the Sisters of Battle,
and a multitude of other groups who have need
of short range obliteration at their disposal. On
hive worlds where meltaguns are made there are
even the occasional gangers and Redemptionists
who happen to acquire one through some sort of
provenance; these users waste no time in putting
such extraordinary firepower to good work,
often using ammunition from stolen
meltacutters from the factories above. Aside
from annihilating enemy armour and sending
opponents into puffs of steam, meltaguns can be
pressed into service to quickly breach barricades
or create an entrance through bulkheads, and
just about any team dealing in close quarters
battles could benefit from having a man on a
meltagun.
The meltagun description assumes the use of
attached gas canisters. A meltagun may instead
be equipped with a compact backpack canister
weighing 10kg that doubles the weapons Clip
size. As with inferno pistols, most meltagun
patterns can follow the listed figures, while some
more unique patterns are provided here.
Mars-Pattern: When the Mechanicus allowed
for other forge worlds to begin production of
meltaguns the high Magi of the Priesthood of
Mars ensured that only watered down versions
of these exceptionally potent weapons would be
made away from their sacred manufactorums on
Mars. Those reserved for the elites of the
Machine Cult are significantly more efficient,

boasting greater firepower and reduced bulk at

the same time, and can most typically be found
in the employment of Skitarii Tech-Guards and
Magos Militants in good standing with the
Martian Priesthood. A meltagun is already an
impressive weapon, but to wield one of those
from Mars own great forges is a display of
wealth and influence all its own.
Ultima-Pattern: This meltagun is the most
common type employed by Imperial Guard tank
hunters, and has been optimized to provide a
substantially longer range and reduced weight at
the expense of modestly inferior lethality. It is
also significantly simpler to manufacture than
other patterns which has allowed for Guard
regiments to equip significantly more specialist
troops, and anything that might survive being
struck by an Ultima-Pattern likely wont survive
a follow-up shot from another hunter. Ultima
Pattern meltaguns are produced by Voss, Lucius,
Mezoa, and others large forges, and have
recently begun in the Calixis Sector from the
Lathe Worlds as well.

Multi-Melta
Class: Heavy (Melta)
This terrifying heavy weapon is created in
typical Imperial fashion by forging two largeaperture meltaguns together. Both barrels fire at
once in an incredibly powerful blast that can
obliterate all but the heaviest armour and leaves
an area of several square metres scorched to dust
and a few wisps of vapour. They are dedicated
anti-vehicular weapons; using a multi-melta on
enemy troops would be excessive in every sense
of the term, and even a mighty Space Marine
would likely be felled by a direct hit from one of
these annihilation engines. Multi-meltas are
typically only deployed as defensive weapons
aboard Imperial armoured vehicles, although the
Retributors of the Adepta Soroitas are known to
carry them in small numbers, and they are also
frequently chosen for installation on high-end
battle servitors. A multi-melta generates an
incredible amount of heat when fired, and the
residual blowback can be dangerous to the firer.
As a result, vehicle crews typically wear

47

insulative suits or heavy armour for protection

against this effect.
Unless the firer is wearing thermally
protective clothing or armour that provides at
least 5 APs to the head, body and arms, he
suffers 1d10 Energy Damage from the multimeltas muzzle blast. Multi-meltas are fed by a
backpack gas canister weighing 10kg which is
included in the weapons statistics.
Mars-Pattern: Like other types of melta
weapons, the Tech-Priests of Mars reserved the
best for themselves. Multi-meltas produced by
the great Martian forges are actually quite
similar to those that they have allowed to be
produced on other worlds. Their biggest
departure is a much more efficient gas
compression and dispersion apparatus, making a
Mars-Pattern significantly lighter and safer to
shoot as well. Mars Pattern multi-meltas do not
deal damage to the firer due to excess heat.

Thermal Lance
Class: Heavy (Melta)
Thermal lances are something of a more
refined and efficient meltacutter. Using a long
and thin containment cylinder rather than bulky
focusing beam emitters, a thermal lance is
significantly lighter and easier to port around,
allowing them to be used by workers directly
rather than mounted to heavy servitors. Thermal
lances require a few moments to steady and align
the aperture, but once braced are exceptionally
accurate and easy to control, allowing for very
precise cuts to be made through the largest
construction slabs and unfinished components.
They are just as often used in demolitions as well
with wreckers being able to cut through
bulkheads and structural supports in a methodic
and surgical process. Thermal lances are not
intended to be used as weapons, but a trained
user can employ them to slice through armoured
opponents just as well.
Thermal lances use standard meltagun
canisters for ammunition and can be equipped
with the same backpack unit which weighs 10kg
and doubles their Clip size.

PLASMA WEAPONS
Plasma weapons are fantastic pieces of techartifice whose art is almost lost in the Imperium.
Though once common during the Dark Age of
Technology, the STC for plasma weapons has yet
to be recovered, and many of the Adeptus
Mechanicus most skilled plasma artisans sided
with the traitors during the Horus Heresy. At the
present only a few forge worlds truly understand
a plasma weapons functions and the necessary
rituals and oaths to create one of acceptable
quality, and their small numbers combined with
excellent combat attributes makes them highly
sought-after guns.
Plasma weapons function off of a deceptively
simple principle of accelerating a hydrogen
plasmoid bolt to great speed, with the resultant
kinetic impact and tremendous energy release
sufficient to explode men and machines alike
from a more than adequate distance. A foe hit
with a salvo from a plasma gun is consumed in a
miniature solar explosion, reduced to a deepfried husk or simply annihilated from existence
with nary a speck in remains. Plasma weapons
are fed from external flasks containing elemental
hydrogen suspended in a photonic state, which
provides the fuel necessary for the plasma
reaction. Once energized in a photohydrogen

48

fuel core, this plasma bolt is flung at its

unfortunate victim via rings of electromagnets
which contain the raw energy as well as guide it
to its final destination.
As weapons that contain a miniature fusion
device and use arcane magnetic fields to propel a
highly unstable projectile, a plasma weapon is by
no means the most dependable (or safe) gun to
bring to the battlefield. Aside from a low refire
rate, most plasma weapons can become
dangerously overheated if their byzantine
workings fall out of a very narrow range of
acceptable tolerances. A plasma gunner must
therefore be of sound aim to make his low
volume of shots strike true as well as familiar
with the subtle proclivities of his weapons
machine spirit. Being able to read the ebb and
flow of a plasma weapons mechanical humours
is a key asset when one might need to rapidly
fling an overheating gun a safe distance away. A
pattern of particular burns on the palms can
instantly identify a man as a plasma gunner
whos experienced a mishap with his weapon, a
class of people ranging from veteran Imperial
Guardsmen to wealthy Rogue Traders.
To use plasma weapons without penalty, a
character must have the Pistol Training
(Plasma), Basic Weapon Training (Plasma), or
Heavy Weapon Training (Plasma) talents.

Plasma Weapons
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Phased Plasma Gun

Basic

100m

S/2/4

2d10 E

Special

12kg

1,500

Lathes

Very Rare

Plasma Blaster

Basic

60m

S/-/-

2d10+8 E

2 Full

Blast (1), Overheats,

Recharge, Vicious

20kg

7,500

Very Rare

Plasma Cannon

Heavy

120m

S/-/-

2d10+10 E

80

5 Full

Overheats

38kg

8,500

Very Rare

9kg

3,000

Very Rare

20kg

6,000

Extremely
Rare

(Maximal)
Plasma Gun (Ryza)

4d10+10 E
Basic

(Maximal)
Clovis

Blast (3), Overheats,

Recharge, Vicious

Basic

(Maximal)

90m

S/2/-

1d10+7 E

100m

S/-/-

2d10+7 E

60m

S/3/5

1d10+5 E

70m

S/3/-

2d10+5 E

40

5 Full

Overheats
Overheats, Recharge

40

5 Full

Overheats
Overheats, Recharge

Mezoa

Basic

90m

S/2/-

1d10+7 E

40

5 Full

Overheats

17kg

2,200

Very Rare

Sunfury

Basic

80m

S/3/-

1d10+10 E

20

5 Full

Overheats

12kg

3,000

Very Rare

Plasma Pistol (Ryza)

Pistol

30m

S/2/-

1d10+6 E

10

3 Full

Overheats

4kg

4,000

Very Rare

40m

S/-/-

2d10+6 E

30m

S/-/-

1d10+6 E

4kg

5,000

Very Rare

2d10+10 E

1d10+8 E

5kg

6,500

Extremely
Rare

(Maximal)
Kronos

Pistol

(Maximal)
Wrath

Not including ammo

Pistol

40m

S/-/-

Overheats, Recharge
10

3 Full

Overheats
Overheats, Recharge

3 Full

Accurate, Overheats

pack

Phased Plasma Gun

Class: Basic (Plasma)
This singular variant of plasma gun is an
exclusive weapon of the Venatorii "Crimson
Guard" of the Lathe Worlds, constructed with
peculiar but undeniably effective secrets of techartifice known only to the forgemasters of those
planets. A phased plasma gun is not a wholly
independent weapon, requiring an integrated
link to the bearer's potentia coil in order to
function properly; this prevents it from falling
into the "wrong hands" while simultaneously
mollifying a number of existent problems that
plague most types of plasma weapons. A phased
plasma gun can dissipate dangerous energy
overloads through the bearer's potentia coil and
bio-power systems, and while uncomfortable to
say the least, the weapon can be used without
concern of it turning into a molten fireball.
Furthermore, energy from the bearer's linked
potentia coil is employed in an unusual but
functional method to improve the plasma gun's
refire rate, the using a directed pulse to split the
outgoing hydrogen bolt in an approximation of

49

automatic fire. This configuration is broadly

similar to an innovative method employed by
the secretive tech-artisans of Clove, which has
sparked discussion of intrigue among the more
scholarly adherents of the Cult Mechanicus. A
phased plasma gun's firepower is somewhat less
consistent as a result of its bizarre and eclectic
power systems, but it represents a wholly
superior platform to common plasma weapons
used throughout the Imperium, and for exactly
that reason it will likely remain in absolute
control of the Venatorii.
A character must have both the Basic Weapon
Training (Plasma) and Exotic Weapon Training
(Integrated Ranged Weapons) to use a phased
plasma gun without penalty. A phased plasma
gun gains the listed profile when connected to
the wielder's potentia coil, which requires a Half
Action and a successful Ordinary (+10) TechUse Test. While connected, a phased plasma
gun does not Jam or overheat; an attack that
would result in a Jam simply misses while
inflicting 1 level of Fatigue on the on the wielder
as their potentia coil absorbs the excessive
energy. As long as the wielder's potentia coil is

charged, a phased plasma gun has an unlimited

Clip size and does not need to be reloaded.
Should the weapon become disconnected, it
rapidly becomes inert; the Clip size becomes 1d5
and the weapon gains the Overheats quality. See
the Weapon Upgrades section for more
information on Integrated Weapons. A phased
plasma gun has an Availability of Very Rare in
the Lathe system, Near Unique on other Forge
Worlds, and is typically not encountered
anywhere else.

Plasma Blaster
Class: Basic (Plasma)
A plasma blaster is a crude but functional
expedient designed to create a weapon with
similar firepower to a plasma cannon that is
significantly more portable. Twin barrels are
powered by a single set of standard plasma flasks
and fusion generator, creating a significantly
more potent ball of starstuff that can wipe out
multiple enemy troops at once as well as defeat
light vehicles by slagging through their armour.
A number of concessions had to be made to
obtain this firepower in a (reasonably)
lightweight package, and plasma blasters suffer
from a significantly shorter range and lower
number of shots available thanks to more rapid
and less efficient consumption of hydrogen.
Plasma blasters include a functional if dangerous
rapid reloading system that violently ejects spent
plasma flasks from the weapons housing,
leaving the firer only needing to insert fresh
ones. Care must be taken to ensure that no body
parts are in the path of these jettisoned canisters
as examples of the errant vessels penetrating
flakboard walls have been noted.

Plasma Cannon
Class: Heavy (Plasma)
Monstrous weapons in every definition,
plasma cannons are essentially grossly oversized
plasma guns that can cause utter havoc on the
battlefield as blasts of solar intensity are flung
about. Plasma cannons are most often found
attached to Imperial armoured vehicles where
their mass and necessity for external
ammunition supplies are non-issues, and can

50

benefit from large liquid cooling systems to

minimize the possibility of dangerous
overheating. No Imperial Guard regiments make
use of plasma cannons in the infantry role, but
well-funded (and brave) elite mercenaries acting
under the authority of rich noble houses and the
personal troops of Rogue Traders have been
known to port these frighteningly potent
weapons around with them.
Plasma cannons can be fired on a Maximal
setting for greatly increased firepower. Firing in
Maximal mode consumes six shots from the
weapons Clip and gains the Damage and Special
Qualities listed. The plasma cannon rules listed
assume the firer is equipped with a backpack
ammo pack weighing 25kg which provides the
stated Clip size. A plasma cannon can be used
with standard plasma flasks in a pinch, with two
flasks providing a Clip of 4 (and disallowing
Maximal fire).

Plasma Gun (Ryza)

Class: Basic (Plasma)
Plasma Guns are the most common form of
plasma weapon in use within the Imperium, and
many well-organised Imperial Guard regiments
include a plasma gunner in each squad of
veteran troops. While this is something of a
dubious honour, giving plasma weaponrys
generally temperamental nature, only a minority
of Guardsmen would honestly rather use their
standard-issue lasgun after seeing the efficiency
of their plasma gun in vaporising the enemy.
Ryza, a forge world in Ultima Segmentum,
produces the largest share of plasma weapons in
use in the Imperium. For reasons still unknown
to most, the techno-magi of Ryza understand the
art of plasma weaponry better than any other
save for perhaps the Martian priesthood
themselves, and plasma weapons manufactured
on this world are of exceptional quality and ease
of use. Ryzas plasma weapons are found
everywhere from the holsters of high-ranking
Imperial officers to the main batteries of
Warhound Scout Titans.
Plasma weapons made on Ryza generally
include a Maximal setting which discharges a
much larger blast over longer range. Firing on

Maximal depletes readily available plasma

within the fusion chamber, and the
weapon cannot be fired again until it
refills (gaining the Recharge quality as
described). Firing on Maximal consumes
3 shots from the plasma weapons Clip,
and cannot be used if it does not have at
least 3 shots left.
Clovis Mark IV: This curious plasma
gun is produced on the hive world of
Clove in the Hazeroth Abyss and is
capable of rapid-fire. Its plasma blasts are
somewhat smaller and less intense than
those of comparable patterns, but the fully
automatic capability is of immediate
interest to tech-scholars and other
artificers. According to those who have
studied it, the Clovis plasma gun makes
use of rapid dilation and contraction of its
magnetic containing fields to release swift
spurts of plasma, effectively chopping up
a single charge into multiple smaller
projectiles. While crude in design, this
capability represents a feature from the
ancient past of plasma weaponry, and
there are some within the Machine Cult
that believe the tech-artisans of Clove
might have acquired a partial STC or data
fragment from the Dark Age of
Technology and are guarding it jealously,
with this Mark IV plasma gun as a product of
that knowledge.
The Clovis plasma gun has a Maximal setting
similar to those made on Ryza that can be
employed on either single shots or semi-auto
bursts. If fired on semi-auto the Clovis totally
depletes its energized hydrogen and must wait
two Rounds instead of one while the fusion core
builds up a plasma charge. Firing on the
Maximal setting consumes 3 shots (9 if fired on
semi-auto) and cannot be used if it doesnt have
at least that many shots remaining in its Clip.
Mezoa-Pattern: Mezoa-pattern plasma guns,
manufactured on that world in the Gothic
Sector, are typical of any number of lesser
grade plasma guns that hail from forge worlds
without Ryzas intimate knowledge of their art

51

and design. While certainly functional and

deadly enough, these plasma guns typically lack
a Maximal setting and are significantly more
bulky and heavier to schlep around due to their
inefficient induction coils and unnecessarily
large fusion core. The sheer volume of plasma
guns produced by Ryza makes them similar in
number to those from lesser forges combined,
but the inferior characteristics of these substandard patterns does tend to reduce their black
market cost, and having any plasma gun is
certainly better than having none at all.
Mark III Sunfury Assault Gun: A highpower weapon issued to some Imperial Guard
units that often must face heavily armoured foes,
the Sunfury is an example of a deliberately
simplified plasma gun that is easier for

Guardsmen and PDF troopers to handle. It lacks

a Maximal setting and has a reduced range
compared to similar plasma weapons, but its
normal power shots are of a significantly greater
intensity so as to eliminate the need to switch
between modes and deal with the recharge time.
The tech-artisans of forges with the ability to
produce higher-quality plasma guns tend to
derisively refer to these hard-hitting but simple
weapons as plasma clubs due to their
perceived use as the guns of under-trained and
thuggish troops.

Plasma Pistol (Ryza)

Class: Pistol (Plasma)
Plasma pistols are favoured sidearms of highranking Imperial servants, wealthy nobles and
inscrutable Rogue Traders. With a highly
condensed fusion core and miniature magnetic
acceleration coils, plasma pistols have a reduced
range compared to full-size plasma guns but
their firepower at distance is unmatched among
similarly sized weapons. Plasma pistols are
powered by a single flask that is installed in a
socket ahead of the trigger, and often have
ornate and ergonomic grips that further increase
their value and the showmanship of their
wielders. As with plasma guns, the finest pistols
are made on Ryza where the art of plasma
weaponry is still understood, and these finely
crafted weapons are likely the single most
common pattern in Imperial service. Fairly
standard and utilitarian versions are brought
into battle by veteran Guard leaders, tank
commanders and even the Princeps of mighty
Titan walkers, while more decorated and flashy
pistols can be spotted at the hips of Inquisitors,
Cardinals, and other elite Adeptus.
Plasma weapons made on Ryza generally
include a Maximal setting which discharges a
much larger blast over longer range. Firing on
Maximal depletes readily available plasma within
the fusion chamber, and the weapon cannot be
fired again until it refills (gaining the Recharge
quality as described). Firing on Maximal
consumes 3 shots from the plasma weapons

52

Clip, and cannot be used if it does not have at

least 3 shots left.
Kronos-Pattern: The Kronos plasma pistol is
a local product of the Lathe Worlds in the
Calixis Sector that is unique for its
extraordinarily powerful Maximal setting. With
an absurdly oversized fusion unit and heavily
reinforced muzzle emitter, the Kronos can rival
an inferno pistols raw destructive ability while
offering more modest firepower with normal
shots. Aside from only being able to fire on
single shots, it is otherwise similar to plasma
pistols manufactured on Ryza. Just why this
potent instrument of the Omnissiahs divine fury
is available for sale (at exorbitant price, of
course) while the Tech-Priests covetously guard
lesser weapons and equipment remains another
inexplicable mystery of the Mechanicus.
When fired on the Maximal setting, the
Kronos consumes 5 shots from its Clip; this
feature cant be used if it has less than 5 shots
remaining. The Kronos gains the Recharge
quality when fired on the Maximal setting, but
must spend two Rounds rather than the
standard one before it has finished recharging.
Khayer-Addin Wrath Plasma Pistol: This
plasma pistol is heavily optimized for accurate
shooting and long range, making it extremely
unusual among other plasma weapons. Though
fully capable of use as a combat weapon, the
famed Khayer-Addin forge of Gunmetal City has
designed this gun as a duellists piece. It lacks a
Maximal setting and cant be fired on semiautomatic, typical for plasma weapons that are
manufactured outside the purview of the master
tech-artisans of Ryza, but its accuracy is superb
as far as pistols go. Finely crafted, and
correspondingly rare, these pistols are most
commonly used by the segment of Scintillas
nobles who view duelling as not only a means to
settle affairs of honour but also to make
absolutely sure that the offending party wont be
insulting them (or anyone else) again. At least a
few have also wound up in the hands of
accomplished gunslingers that hold accuracy
and takedown power above volume of shots.

FLAME WEAPONS
Flamers, as they are more popularly known, are
indiscriminate terror weapons used to displace
entrenched enemies and bring the light of the
Emperor to all matters of His foes. All flamers
work in roughly the same manner, projecting
gouts of burning fuel at the target, and have been
used by mankind in some form or other since
the dawn of time. They are reasonably simple
weapons, most consisting of a canister of fuel, an
air compressor to shoot the fuel at the target, an
ignition system, and a housing with controls to
store it all. By and large flamers manufactured
by scav-workshops in underhive slums are of
similar utility to those churned out in mass from
Imperial forges destined for Guard regiments,
and it isnt difficult to find a flamer on almost
any world in the hands of all sorts of users. The
Sisters of Battle and Redemptionist cults are
particularly fond of flamers due to their
purifying effect on the sinful and wicked, while
the famed Catachan Jungle Fighters are known
for their almost psychotic love of burning
enemies out of heavy foliage and other sorts of
cover. Numerous breeds of xenos make use of
flame weapons as well, the threat of being lit on
fire one thing that usually communicates quite

53

well over species gaps.

Flame weapons of the Imperium typically use
a highly flammable substance known as
Promethium to produce their terrible effects.
Promethium is refined on many worlds from a
variety of substances, including the atmosphere
of gas giants, ancient organic mineral deposits,
and even frozen liquids encountered on ice
worlds. It is used for a variety of purposes other
than immolating the enemies of the Emperor,
such as fuel for many types of vehicular engines
and as a base component for numerous everyday
commodities. Promethium intended for use in
flamers is designed to spontaneously combust on
contact with oxygen, and is of a thick
consistency so it sticks to whatever it lands on.
Those not killed by the initial fireball will die
horribly as the sticky, slow-burning gel
immolates them down into blackened heaps.
Other combinations of chemicals and volatile
substances can be used if Promethium is not
available, and most Imperial flamers include a
pilot light to ignite these substitutes.
To use flame weapons without penalty, a
character must have the Pistol Training (Flame),
Basic Weapon Training (Flame), or Heavy
Weapon Training (Flame) talents.

Flame Weapons
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Flamer (generic)

Basic

20m

S/-/-

1d10+4 E

2 Full

Flame, Unreliable

6kg

200

Scarce

Basic

5m

S/-/-

1d5 E

10

2 Full

Flame, Primitive

3kg

50

Scarce

7kg

400

Very Rare

Burst
Nightfire

Basic

20m

S/-/-

1d10+5 E

2 Full

Flame, Toxic,
Unreliable

Salamander

Basic

10m

S/-/-

1d10+4 E

2 Full

Flame, Unreliable

6kg

250

Scarce

Gas Torch

Basic

5m

S/-/-

1d10+1 E

20

5 Full

Flame, Unreliable

20kg

150

Hive

Average

Hand Flamer (generic)

Pistol

10m

S/-/-

1d10+4 E

2 Full

Flame, Unreliable

3.5kg

200

Rare

Destroyer

Pistol

15m

S/-/-

1d10+5 E

2 Full

Flame, Unreliable

2.1kg

750

Very Rare

Seraphim

Pistol

10m

S/-/-

1d10+4 E

Full

Flame

2kg

1,000

Extremely
Rare

Heavy Flamer

Heavy

30m

S/-/-

2d10+4 E

30

2 Full

Flame, Unreliable

20kg

1,000

Rare

Stingray

Basic

15m

S/-/-

1d10+3 E

Full

Flame

3kg

100

Void

Scarce

Tox Spray

Basic

10m

S/-/-

2d5+5 E

3 Full

Flame, Toxic

8kg

200

Hive

Scarce

Not including ammo pack

Flamer
Class: Basic (Flame)
Flame guns, known more popularly as flamers,
are the most common type of flame weapon used
by the military forces of the Imperium. Most
assault squads in the Imperial Guard have at
least one or two men armed with flamers, and
they are also commonly wielded by specialised
shock troops and others who can make the best
use of fires intimidating effects. All common
patterns of flamers are designed to make use of
attached fuel canisters with enough Promethium
for a few shots, which is normally sufficient for
frying enclosed troops and enemies behind
cover. This configuration provides the listed
figures. Flamers can also be used with a
backpack fuel canister and hose feed weighing
6kg and providing double the listed Clip size, or
a larger rig weighing 25kg with enough fuel for
60 shots. Most flamers produced in the
Imperium can fit into this category, while some
more unique patterns are listed here.
Anoxis Burst Flamer: Also known (very
informally) as Haxs Breath, this flamer variant
is designed primarily as a tool of intimidation
and for crowd control rather than outright
annihilation. Its fuel mixture ignites before
leaving the weapon, resulting in a quick burst of
heat that will singe eyebrows and burn loose

54

clothing but is unlikely to cause serious injury

unless the target is within arms reach of the
firer. Burst-pattern flamers are commonly used
aboard ships as a means of quelling angry ratings
as their minor output is unlikely to start a
shipboard fire, but some have wound up being
used by the Adeptus Arbites and planetary
enforcers to gently encourage riots to disperse.
Voss Nightfire Flame Device: A pure
terror weapon, the Nightfire is most commonly
used by troops in full protective suits due to its
doubly terrible effects. It uses a special fuel
compound made of highly purified Promethium
mixed with virulently poisonous chemicals; it
not only scorches the flesh of its victims but
those who survive the fire find themselves
inundated in toxic smoke.
When fired, a Nightfire flamer produces a
cloud of smoke that expands 2 metres beyond
the normal 30 degree arc in all directions,
including in the direction of the firer. Each
Round any characters are caught within the
smoke they must succeed on a Challenging (+0)
Toughness Test or take 1d10 Impact Damage
with no reduction from Armour or Toughness.
The smoke remains dangerous for 1d10 Rounds
and totally dissipates another 1d10 Rounds later
though adverse weather conditions may clear it
away faster. Characters wearing a re-breather or

within a sealed suit of armour are immune to

this effect. Nightfire fuel costs twice as much as
standard flamer fuel and is considered Rare.
Salamander Assault Flamer: The Salamander
started out as a field-improvised weapon rigged
up by Enginseers at the front during the Tranch
War, and was picked up by several forges in the
Calixis Sector after many Guardsmen found its
performance to be exceptional for the fast-paced
open warfare there. Salamander flamers use an
inert propellant gas combined with a wide, thin
nozzle that forcefully sprays Promethium over a
significantly wider area. Troops equipped with
Salamander Assault Flamers can burn down a
numerically superior force with total ease, and
against lightly armoured foes like cult mobs the
effect is spectacular to say the least.
Salamander flamers project flame over a 45
degree arc rather than a normal 30 degree arc as
described in the Flame quality.

Gas Torch
Class: Basic (Flame)
Gas torches are industrial tools that project an
incandescent vapour used to clear away fungal
growths and other obstructions (vermin nests,
desiccated corpses, and so forth) from a hive
citys labyrinthine duct-systems. While not
intended for use as a weapon, the availability of
gas torches to low-rent gangers and other
underhive scum see them pressed into service as
improvised flamers that can still be perfectly
deadly as many unsuspecting rival gangs and
upper hive enforcers have fatally discovered.
Gas torches use bulky packs of pressurised and
highly reactive gas to produce their effect. If an
individual wearing a gas torch is attacked from
behind and suffers Damage, there is a 50%
chance that the gas tanks rupture and explode,
dealing 2d10 Explosive Damage with a Blast of 4.
The wearer suffers double that Damage result
and may not make an Agility Test to try and
avoid the blast.
Gas Torches have an Availability of Average
on Hive Worlds and are Rare on most other
developed worlds within the Imperium.

55

Hand Flamer
Class: Pistol (Flame)
Hand flamers are just as they sound: a flamer
cut down in size to be used as a pistol-like
weapon. Although they have a very short range
thanks to a much smaller air compressor, at
personal distances a hand flamer is an
exceptionally effective weapon. Warriors who
favour close combat often employ a hand flamer
in their off hand to soften up a group of foes
before righteously smiting them with their melee
weapon. The Sisters of Battle and particularly
zealous members of the Ecclesiarchy are perhaps
the most enthusiastic users of hand flamers, for
much the same reasons as they enjoy the full size
counterparts as well. Just as with normal flamers,
hand flamers are reasonably simple weapons,
and the majority of all patterns manufactured in
the Imperium can fit into this description. A few
with some more unique features are listed here.
Cadence Destroyer Pistol: A weapon
produced only to commission by the mysterious
Cadence tech-artisan cult, the Destroyer is an
extremely sophisticated hand flamer that uses
force-compression technology similar to that of
a plasma weapon to create a superheated
thermal-incandescent blast that burns far hotter
and with greater fuel efficiency than most other
flame weapons. About the only thing that the
Destroyer has in common with other Imperial
hand flamers is the ability to use standard-size
Promethium fuel canisters. This flamer has a
strong association with the Inquisition of the
Calixian Conclave, and if the stories are to be
believed, the first commissioner of the Destroyer
was none other than the legendary Inquisitor
Ark-Ashten of the Ordo Xenos.
Seraphim Hand Flamer: Like much of the
Adepta Soroitas reliquary-arsenal, hand flamers
issued to elite Seraphim jump troops are
exceptionally well-crafted weapons that are a cut
above their more commonplace counterparts.
Seraphim who have demonstrated particular zeal
in punishing the enemies of the Emperor may
swap their bolt pistols for a pair of these
excellent hand flamers and use them to great
effect in annihilating swaths of lesser foes. An

efficient
canister
socket
allows
fresh
Promethium tanks to be loaded with much
greater speed than most flamers, an invaluable
advantage to Sisters hurtling through the air on
their jump packs. Seraphim hand flamers
include an additional function that projects a
very short burst of flame that consumes minimal
fuel, and those Sisters that carry these superior
pistols can use them effectively in close combat.
If armed with two Seraphim hand flamers, a
character with the Dual Shot talent can make a
combined attack with both weapons.
Ammunition is consumed from each flamer as
normal, but the attack deals 1d10+10 Energy
Damage and targets hit by its flames suffer a -20
penalty to their Agility Tests to avoid its effects.
This penalty stacks with that from the Cleanse
and Purify talent. A Seraphim hand flamer can
be used to make melee attacks against single
opponents which deal its normal Damage as
long as the weapon has at least one shot left in its
Clip. This attack does not have the Flame quality
and so will not set targets on fire; likewise, the
weapon does not Jam if the wielder rolls a result
that would ordinarily cause one. Individual
melee attacks do not consume fuel, but a
protracted battle may end up spending some
over time.

56

Heavy Flamer
Class: Heavy (Flame)
Enormously oversized flamers sometimes
sporting two nozzles, heavy flamers are designed
to bring fiery ruin to huge swaths of terrain at
once. The great amount of flaming Promethium
hurled out by these weapons more closely
resembles an inferno at a processing plant than a
battlefield weapon, and a heavy flamer is quite
possibly the least subtle armament that can be
hauled by troops onto a battlefield. Heavy
flamers are most commonly employed on
Imperial armoured vehicles where a large
amount of fuel can be carried with (relative)
safety, though small numbers are also carried
into battle by Guardsmen for special situations.
In this role one trooper carries the flamer itself
while his assistant hauls its fuel and a backup
weapon such as a lascarbine. Especially strong or
power armoured soldiers are capable of wielding
a heavy flamer and its fuel supply by themselves.
Among those who believe in the purifying power
of fire, a heavy flamer is its ultimate expression
as far as individual weapons go.
Heavy flamers include a backpack fuel tank
weighing 25kg that provides the listed Clip size.

Anoxis Stingray Rifle

Class: Basic (Flame)
The Stingray is not actually a flamer at all but
produces similar results (horrible burns) by
directional microwave projection instead of a
fiery jet of Promethium. This causes immediate
blistering heat on organic substances, such as
unruly crewmembers or boarding parties, but
will not damage most shipboard equipment and
is extremely unlikely to start a fire. This makes
the Stingray an exceptionally useful weapon for
use aboard ships in the void. Planetary users who
can acquire a Stingray often find them to be just
as efficient as their voidsman counterparts, but
the microwave beam can be significantly
hampered by rainfall, high humidity, and other
atmospheric weather conditions.
Targets caught in a Stingrays 30 degree arc
suffer a -10 penalty to their Agility Tests to avoid
the weapons effects, but cannot be set on fire by
it. If raining or extremely humid the Stingray
gains the Primitive quality and its Range is
reduced to 10m. Stingray rifles use standard
lasgun charge packs to provide energy for their
microwave beam, and can be used with
overcharge packs with the usual effects.
Stingrays can also be used with hotshot packs
but with extreme danger: if the weapon suffers a
Jam it catastrophically explodes, dealing Damage
to the firer as though he were hit with the beam.
Stingrays are Scarce around large space
stations and planetary dock yards and are Very
Rare elsewhere.

Tox Spray
Class: Basic (Flame)
Tox sprays are terrifying weapons founds in
the hands of the worst type of gang scum in the
most polluted hive sumps. The weapon uses an
absolutely foul mixture of highly corrosive
industrial residue and toxic waste contained
under high pressure, which is unleashed on its
extremely unfortunate victim(s) through a juryrigged spray gun. The effects of the mixture on
flesh are truly horrific and most armour offers
little protection from the burning and sickening
poisonous fluids. Notoriously, tox sprays are

57

used by the gangers of Volg on Fenksworld to

execute traitors and informants in the most
gruesome manner possible and without doubt
there are few worse ways to die.
Although not a true flame weapon, victims hit
by a tox sprays attack must still succeed on an
Agility Test or else the terrible effluence clings to
their bodies and causes further chemical burns
as though they were on fire. Characters in sealed
armour and those lacking organic bodies are
effectively immune to being attacked by a tox
spray. If the tox spray suffers a Jam, the weapon
ruptures explosively, inflicting the weapons
Damage as a two metre blast with double the
rolled Damage inflicted on the user. Tox sprays
are Scarce on Hive Worlds and Rare on other
developed worlds.

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
Even in the 41st Millennium there are many
worlds within the Imperium that have a very low
technological base, whether still developing or
having regressed back to a more primitive state.
Weaponry of this type is typical to that which
was once used on Terra in ancient prehistory,
and there are Administratum scholars who
believe that the growth of such undeveloped
worlds may closely resemble that of Holy Terra
itself. Many explorers and investigative groups
have found it to their advantage to maintain
proficiency with these very low-tech weapons so
that they can make use of local hardware while
conducting business on such backwater and
regressed planets.
Primitive weapons of this sort can sometimes
be found on more built-up planets, including
Hive worlds, as the product of cheap scavworkshops and other low-grade smiths, and
while far from effective compared to autoguns
and stubbers, any gun is better than none at all.
This class of weapon refers to any of a broad
range of low-complexity ranged armaments,
including black powder-fired guns as well as
muscle-powered devices like crossbows and
javelins among a wide variety of others. To use
primitive weapons without penalty, a character
must have the Thrown Weapon Training
(Primitive), Pistol Training (Primitive), Basic
Weapon Training (Primitive), or Heavy Weapon
Training (Primitive) talents.

Bolas
Class: Thrown (Primitive)
Bolas are a simple but highly effective tool
meant to tangle up an opponent. Most are
constructed from several dense balls of stone or
wood (sometimes as many as eight) held
together
with
heavy
cord;
examples
manufactured on more developed Imperial
worlds might be made of resin or plasteel bound
together with wire, but function in essentially
the same way. Bolas are held in one hand and
swung above the head where their mass allows
them to pick up speed, then flung at the legs of a

58

foe to entangle them where their mass and

inertia can knock even a strong man off his feet.
Bolas are not explicitly offensive weapons, and
someone hit by a set of them is likely to only
suffer injuries from being knocked over. This
makes them a favoured choice for bounty
hunters and enforcers, including some more
eccentric Arbitrators, as they can be used in the
aid of apprehending a fleeing target.
Volonx Bone Bolas: The nomads and hunters
of Volonx have created a nastier style of bolas
that is intended to inflict much more harm on
their victim. The weights are made from bone
and cords embedded with sharp teeth from
native sand sharks meant to cause lacerations as
it entangles its target. The porous shark teeth are
typically soaked in poison made from mashed
skem plants, giving it several victims worth of
virulent toxic kick. A target tripped up by
Volonx bone bolas is likely to be sent into
anaphylactic shock from exposure to the poison
along with being planted on their faces by the
bolas more typical effect.
Volonx Bone Bolas are Very Rare outside of
that planet.

Bow
Class: Basic (Primitive)
Bows are unlikely the first missile weapon
designed by man in ancient prehistory, and tens
of millennia later are still made by tribal bowyers
on feral worlds and niche weapon artisans on
more developed planets. While undeniably
inferior to any kind of modern gun in terms of
firepower, range, and ease of use, a bow is almost
completely silent while firing. This is an
attractive quality to assassins and more eccentric
gangers who have enough faith in their aim to
justify the slow attacks and lack of armour
penetration. Bows made on feral and feudal
worlds are almost universally made of special
types of wood selected for their flexibility; those
designed for Imperial hunters and hitmen may
be made of any variety of synthetic materials.
Composite Bow: This is a more advanced
style of bow is found on later feudal worlds and
is made of multiple pieces of wood, sinew and

Primitive Weapons
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Bolas

Thrown

10m

S/-/-

Primitive, Snare

1.5kg

10

Average

2kg

15

Volonx

Rare

Thrown

8m

S/-/-

1d5 I

Inaccurate, Primitive,
Snare, Toxic

Basic

30m

S/-/-

1d10 R

Half

Primitive, Reliable

2kg

10

Common

Composite Bow

Basic

40m

S/-/-

1d10+2 R

Half

Accurate, Primitive

3kg

50

Scarce

Longbow

Basic

50m

S/-/-

1d10+2 R

Half

Primitive

3kg

20

Feudal

Average

Basic

30m

S/-/-

1d10 R

2 Full

Primitive

3kg

10

Common

Heavy Crossbow

Basic

80m

S/-/-

1d10+4 R

4 Full

Primitive

6kg

75

Feudal

Rare

Hunting Crossbow

Basic

50m

S/-/-

1d10+1 R

2 Full

Accurate, Primitive

2.5kg

100

Imperial

Scarce

Drive Nailer

Basic

5m

-/3/-

1d10+1 R

15

3 Full

Primitive

7kg

50

Hive

Common

Flick Bow

Pistol

15m

S/-/-

1d10 R

Full

Primitive, Special

1kg

30

Scarce

Flintlock Pistol

Pistol

15m

S/-/-

1d10+2 I

3 Full

Inaccurate, Primitive,
Unreliable

4kg

10

Common

Pistol

15m

S/2/-

1d10+2 I

5 Full

Primitive, Unreliable

2kg

40

Average

Hand Crossbow

Pistol

15m

S/-/-

1d10 R

Full

Primitive

1kg

200

Rare

Haywire Rifle

Basic

10m

S/-/-

1d10+3 I

Full

Special

5kg

400

Very Rare

Hunting Boomerang

Thrown

10m

S/-/-

1d10 I

Primitive

.5kg

50

Common

Impaler

Heavy

30m

S/-/-

1d10+5 I

2 Full

Primitive, Unreliable

22kg

100

Hive

Scarce

Javelin

Thrown

15m

S/-/-

1d10+SB R

Primitive

1kg

Plentiful

7kg

30

Common

4kg

20

Plentiful

Bone Bolas
Bow

Crossbow

Deuce Pistol

Musket

Inaccurate, Primitive,
Unreliable
Inaccurate, Primitive,
Unreliable

Basic

30m

S/-/-

1d10+3 I

5 Full

Blunderbuss

Basic

30m

S/-/-

1d10+ 2 I

2 Full

Siskan Musket

Basic

40m

S/-/-

1d10+3 I

5 Full

Primitive, Vicious

8kg

65

Sisk

Scarce

Razor Disk

Thrown

10m

S/-/-

1d10+SB R

Primitive

.5kg

50

Fedrid

Average

Scrap Cannon

Heavy

15m

S/-/-

1d10+3 R

3 Full

Scatter, Unreliable

40kg

150

Hive

Very Rare

Sling

Basic

15m

S/-/-

1d10-2 I

Full

Primitive

.5kg

10

Plentiful

Thunderclap

Exotic

9m

S/-/-

1d5+3 X

Blast (2), Inaccurate,

Primitive, Unstable

1kg

45

Volonx

Very Rare

Vibe Spear

Thrown

10m

S/-/-

1d10+2+SB R

Primitive, Snare, Special

2kg

14

Endrite

Scarce

horn fused together under pressure to give the

bow a permanently drawn shape. Composite
bows are both accurate and quicker to use than
classic
bows,
but
require
substantial
craftsmanship and access to better materials, as
well as a higher degree of care in maintenance.
Composite bows offer some significant
advantages over primitive black powder guns,
and like normal bows some are manufactured on
more advanced worlds for their combination of
attractive features.
Longbow: Longbows are explicit weapons of
war, often taller than their users and far too

59

unwieldy for use in hunting game. A longbows

arrows are designed to be propelled at range
with great speed and sufficient power to
penetrate personal armours worn by enemy
troops, and a classic tactic to employ these
weapons is where a multitude of archers release
a massive flurry of arrows on a ballistic
trajectory to rain death upon an opposing army.
A longbow is almost invariably crafted from the
dense heartwood of old-growth trees as these
provide sufficient strength to contain the great
tension necessary to propel an arrow at sufficient
velocity. Many feudal worlds have entire sections

of law devoted to the protection of such trees

from logging by commoners as their depletion
would be a crippling blow to the manufacture of
new longbows. Due to their great bulk and the
difficulty in drawing, longbows are far rarer than
other bow-style weapons as far as manufacture
on more advanced Imperial worlds.

including detachable stocks, pistol grips, and the

ability to mount sights much like a hunting rifle.
Hunting crossbows can use bolts made of
laminate plexichrome or armaplas along with
more traditional ones. These bolts cost twice as
much as normal bolts and when used with a
hunting crossbow cause it to lose the Primitive
quality.

Crossbow
Class: Basic (Primitive)
A semi-mechanical weapon, crossbows are
wooden-stocked with a sturdy metal bow that is
held back by a trigger-activated release. Short,
heavy arrows known as bolts are flung out of the
weapon at great speed, though pulling the bow
itself back into firing position requires
considerable effort and time. Crossbows are
easier to use than regular bows since they can be
left loaded and grabbed just before combat,
whereas a bow will always need to be readied
and drawn first.
Heavy Crossbow: Also known as arbalests,
these monster crossbows must be braced with a
foot in a special stirrup near the bow and
winched into firing position with a windlass
before a bolt can be inserted. This process is
almost as lengthy as reloading a musket, but the
force created by a heavy crossbows bolt is
incredible among primitive weapons and have
been known to penetrate a horseman and his
horse at the same time. Soldiers armed with
heavy crossbows must be well-disciplined to fire
their shot at the right moment, as a charging
enemy likely wont give them enough time to
reload. They are also stable and exceptionally
accurate, and expert sharpshooters at a besieged
castle have been known to take out men
operating catapults of the attacking force.
Hunting Crossbow: Effectively a crossbow
manufactured using present techniques and
materials, crossbows of this type are used on
many worlds by huntsmen, frontier settlers, and
others who value its simple action and quiet
operation. Unlike traditional crossbows found
on feudal worlds, hunting crossbows usually
include a variety of convenience features,

60

Drive Nailer
Class: Basic (Primitive)
One of the first weapons to appear in the
hands of heretics in a hive uprising, the drive
nailer is simply a high-power nail or rivetdriving gun of the type common to the millions
who toil in hive construction and reclamation
crews across the Imperium. With its power
setting turned up to maximum and safety
features disabled, drive nailers can make a messy
but effective weapon. They have a very short
effective range as the nails or rivets lose velocity
quickly, but nevertheless are often sufficient to
give rioting hivers enough firepower to steal
better weapons from unlucky enforcers and PDF
troops whove found themselves nailed to a wall
or bulkhead.

Flick Bow
Class: Basic (Primitive)
A flick bow is a curious compact-size hand
crossbow that is designed to fold up into a
package that can be tucked away inside a boot,
muffler, sleeve, or purse. It is therefore a
common choice for coachmen, ladies of
negotiable affection and criminal gangs on many
medieval worlds, although the finest crafted
examples are made by the artisans of Balecaster
and wouldnt look out of place in an Inquisition
armoury. The span of a flick bow folds inwards
and its grip tips back to form an oblong shape
suitable for concealment.
A flick bow requires a Half Action to be
unfolded and locked in place before it can be
loaded and shot. The bow is not designed for
long-term tension, so it cannot be left in the
expanded position for long periods of time.

When folded up, a flick bow grants a +10 bonus

to Sleight of Hand Tests made to conceal it.

Flintlock Pistol
Class: Pistol (Primitive)
These primitive black powder weapons can
take many forms, from finely crafted pistols
constructed for the nobles of low-tech worlds,
elegant yet simple sidearms for use by cavalry
soldiers, or simple pipe and powder affairs used
by underhive scum. In general, a pistol of this
type is essentially an extremely short musket
with a built-in ramrod that wont come lose
during close combat. Many have reinforced
pommels made of iron or brass explicitly for use
as a club in melee combat as few enemies would
give the firer enough time to reload. Flintlocks
are the most common form of primitive pistol
although similar weapons might be rigged to fire
with a match or percussion cap depending on
the level of advancement of the particular world.
Deuce Pistol: A double-barrelled variant that
is particularly popular on many worlds where
duelling is common, and it also serves as a useful
hunting sidearm as well. These types of flintlock
pistol are almost assuredly manufactured to a
high level of precision and are often markedly
more accurate than their contemporaries,

61

though their usefulness is still far below a

modern autopistols. Most models of deuce
pistols feature separate triggers, one for each
barrel, thus allowing the wielder to fire twice
before having to reload. Assuming the powder
takes, both barrels can also be fired at once by
pulling both triggers simultaneously.
If both triggers are fired at once, a deuce pistol
adds 1 to its Damage and gains the Tearing
quality. The listed Reload time assumes the firer
is reloading both barrels; reloading just one
barrel takes three Full Actions.

Hand Crossbow
Class: Pistol (Primitive)
A hand crossbow is more or less a normal
crossbow thats been shrunken down to a size
suitable for one-handed operation complete with
a pistol grip. This size is suitable for firing and
reloading by horsemen, coach guards, and others
who cant manage the bulk of a full-size
crossbow. They can also be easily dismantled
and re-assembled and are almost completely
silent when firing. This makes them a favoured
weapon of assassins on medieval planets, while
higher-tech killers may opt to use such a weapon
for exactly the same reasons, especially if using
poison-coated bolts.

Haywire Rifle
Class: Basic (Primitive)
Haywire rifles are not the issue of feudal world
gunsmiths at all, instead being the product of
deliberate design to make a weapon that is as
mechanically simple as possible for a very
particular purpose. Haywire rifles are designed
to shoot specialty stub ammunition that contains
a directed energy discharge, effectively passing
through augmetic armour and machine plating.
Due to these debilitating effects on holy engines
and other pieces of equipment, they are severely
proscribed by the Adeptus Mechanicus, who
view a haywire rifles lack of a machine spirit
with particular hatred and disgust. Haywire
rifles are produced by a handful of skilled (and
clandestine) armourer-cabals in the Calixis
Sector, and there are some that have suggested
the only reason these groups havent been wiped
out by Mechanicus Secutors is due to special
protections being offered by high authority.
Whether this implies the sectors nobility, the
Inquisition, or some other dark power varies
from source to source.
A haywire rifle doubles its Pen value and gains
the Tearing quality against targets with the
Machine or Mechanicus Implants Trait as well as
those judged by the GM to be similar in nature
(such as the lock system for a blast door).
Haywire rifle ammunition has a base price of 20
Thrones each and is considered Very Rare. A
haywire rifle can be used with normal stub pistol
ammunition instead, gaining those qualities as
normal (such as a Pen value of 3 for manstopper bullets).

Hunting Boomerang
Class: Thrown (Primitive)
Boomerangs are deceptively simple weapons
made of two pieces of finely crafted and shaped
wood or horn that are joined together to make a
V-shape. When thrown by a trained user, a
boomerang will spin with great speed and fly for
a short period, and can hit game animals with
remarkable accuracy. A boomerang imparts
enough force to break bones of smaller creatures
and makes little noise while sailing through the

62

air, enabling a hunter armed with one to silently

kill his quarry.
Boomerangs occasionally turn up on more
advanced worlds as a novelty item, but some are
used for exactly the same purpose as their
primitive counterparts. If made of modern
materials (metals and synthetics, plasteel, and so
forth) a boomerang deals Rending instead of
Impact Damage, and can benefit from the
Mono-edge upgrade.

Impaler
Class: Heavy (Primitive)
This is something of a giant harpoon cannon
that employs high tension springs or industrial
cabling to hurl a projectile at a target with great
force. Crude and simplistic to a point, weapons
of this type are often wielded by slab-muscled
gang heavies and degenerate mutant scum in
many underhives of Imperial cities. Impalers
make use of a section of sturdy pipe or
reinforcing bar thats had one end ground to a
sharp piercing tip as a projectile. Though a poor
substitute for a more proper gun, up-hive
enforcers and gunslingers have found it
remarkably hard to laugh about its inferiority
whilst pinned to a wall by a metre-long spear.
A Strength Bonus of at least 4 is required to
operate the reloading mechanism of an impaler.

Javelin
Class: Thrown (Primitive)
A lightweight flexible spear that is specifically
designed for throwing, javelins lack the rigidity
to be used as a melee weapon but can he hurled a
surprising distance by a skilled user. Javelins are
common sights on worlds that have devolved to
total savagery as they are very simple to make,
while sophisticated versions that are designed to
splinter or bend on impact to cause more severe
injury are employed on some more developed
planets. Chariot-mounted warriors of Monrass
are especially fond of this style of javelin, and
carry them in clusters on their carriages.
The throwers Strength Bonus is added to
Damage inflicted by a javelin as though it was a
melee weapon.

Musket
Class: Basic (Primitive)
Muskets are the simplest type of gun
manufactured in notable quantities and almost
exclusively use black powder and a muzzleloaded shot to bring down an enemy. Most are
smoothbore weapons with separately loaded
powder and shot that must be rammed into
place with an included ramrod, with ignition
provided by a flint and hammer. The lengthy
reloading time along with generally poor
accuracy makes these weapons markedly inferior
to any type of more modern rifle, and outside of
feudal worlds they are only used by the most
desperate or ill-equipped renegades. Muskets
fire a projectile thats nearly as big as a bolters,
and while not nearly as effective as one of those
holy instruments many armoured knights have
found themselves blasted straight out of their
plate suits by a direct hit from a musket.
Blunderbuss: This is a very basic type of
musket with a wide barrel that is designed to be
easy to reload from horseback or inside a coach.
Its funnel-like muzzle can also be used to load
loose shot pellets instead of a single ball, making
it something of a primitive shotgun. A feudal
blunderbuss will often be decorated with a motif
of fire-breathing creatures around its muzzle due
to the loud report and giant flame produced
when firing, while those scratch-built in
underhive workshops are often little more than
tubes with a firing mechanism using ball
bearings or industrial scrap for ammo.
If loaded with loose shot a blunderbuss Range
decreases to 10m and it gains the Scatter quality.
Siskan Father Shot Musket: Fanatical
theologians dominate the feudal world of Sisk
and recorded that in the tradition of their
colonial founding is the admonishment that
Siskan defence is built upon the bones of our
forefathers. This expression is taken quite
literally by many and is best exemplified by the
muskets made on that world.
Formed in the main from a human thighbone
and incorporating other osseous bodies in a
variety of functions, these components are
traditionally those of the wielders ancestors as

63

this supposedly provides a stronger bond

between the weapon and its owner. This
exquisite firearm is a highly desirable object in
many noble circles due to its intrinsic (if
gruesome) beauty and fine craftsmanship.
Utilising an iron-capped tooth as its striking
mechanism, the Father Shot is considered to
be a reliable weapon with a reputation for lucky
hits, and is undeniably a masterfully-crafted
weapon whose accuracy comes close to that of
far more sophisticated stubbers and autoguns. In
certain seedy areas of Sisk, down on their luck
artificers are willing to create trophy muskets of
comparable quality from bones brought to them
by well-paying customers. They seldom ask
where the materials come from, as their patrons
all too often have the steely glint of revenge in
their eyes.

Fedrid Razor Disk

Class: Thrown (Primitive)
The hunters of Fedrid employ an unusual
thrown weapon on their expeditions, which is
simply known as a razor disk. About the size of a
standard dinner plate, the weapon features a
sharpened edge all around its outer surface.
Numerous holes, made at 45 degree angles,
pierce the disks surface so that when thrown the
air passing through the holes creates a low
humming sound. This can be used to scare birds
hiding in tall grass where they can be caught
with nets or shot, while the noise itself is useful
in tracking a disk thats been thrown into the
dense Fedrid undergrowth as it strikes game.

Scrap Cannon
Class: Heavy (Primitive)
For underhive gangs who cannot steal or buy
more effective heavy armament, the best they
can bring to a turf war is an aptly-named scrap
cannon. Made from a crudely reinforced length
of pipe packed with black powder, the weapon is
simply rammed with nails, bolts, and anything
else nasty scraped from the underhive floor.
Scrap cannons are hugely unwieldy and not
actually very lethal, especially if its targets are
wearing any kind of half-decent armour.

However, they look scary and make an

impressively enormous bang and pyrotechnic
blast when fired, which is often enough to scatter
poorly disciplined gangers and other sorts of
underhive scum. As an added plus, ammunition
is more or less free.
Individuals successfully hit with a scrap
cannon must Test for Pinning. Scrap cannons
are Very Rare items outside of underhive areas
and are Average within their depths.

Sling
Class: Basic (Primitive)
Slings are a surprisingly difficult weapon to
master and are far easier to construct than they
are to build. Most are made from a simple
leather square firmly attached to two lengths of
cord, which are usually provided with a leather
or wooden handle on each end. With a projectile
often a rock on the square, a skilled user can
swing the sling with considerable speed,
releasing the projectile with a snap of the wrist.
On more advanced worlds slings may be used to
hurl metallic balls or more aerodynamic
projectiles, and those confident of their skill
might even use them to throw hand grenades as
well. Slings made on developed Imperial worlds
are typically made of more sophisticated
materials, such as elastic cords and flakweave
pockets, but are used in the same way.
If a character uses a sling to propel a grenade,
replace the grenades Range with that of the sling
and leave other statistics unchanged. If the sling
suffers a Jam, the projectile flies off 3d10 metres
in a random direction (see Missing on page 196
of Dark Heresy).

Volonx Thunderclap
Class: Thrown (Exotic)
The tribal warriors of Volonx are famed for
their strange scavenged weapons. Perhaps the
strangest (and most suicidal) employed by these
innovative fighters is the thunderclap. A thrown
weapon with a surprisingly good range, a
thunderclap vaguely resembles a boomerang
with a 45 degree bend about a third of the way
along its length. At each end a fearsome piece of

64

sharpened bone juts out, whilst the innards are

packed with a primitive and volatile explosive
that detonates when striking a hardened surface.
When thrown, the weapon flies in a wide
circular arc, and can return to the thrower if it
does not strike a target. Ideally, the thrower will
then be brave and nimble enough to catch it
again, without blowing themselves to pieces!
If a character throws a thunderclap and
misses, it attempts to return to the throwers
location. Catching a returning thunderclap
requires the catcher to succeed on a Challenging
(+0) Agility Test; failure means the thunderclap
flies an additional 1d5+1 metres from the
throwers position before landing, while failure
by three or more Degrees results in the
thunderclap exploding directly on the thrower.
In this case, the thrower cannot make an Agility
Test to attempt to avoid the blast.

Vibe Spear
Class: Thrown (Primitive)
This nasty weapon, haling from Endrite in the
Drusus Marches, appears to be a simple spear of
fresh-cut wood to the untrained eye. However,
any scrutiny of the spearhead reveals tiny
backwards-curving barbed thorns protruding
from the fibrous point. Once embedded into a
target, the barbs bite deep and the thorned head
may break off in the wound, with any
subsequent movement seeing the barbs dig
deeper into the victims flesh. The Endrites use
vibe spears to bleed and wear down prey
animals, but they make effective weapons of war
too. Removing the barbed point without causing
further harm is a delicate business.
Any living creature without the Machine trait
injured by a vibe spear must pass a Challenging
(+0) Toughness Test or also suffer 1 level of
Fatigue. Successfully removing the spear
requires a Challenging (+0) Medicae Test. A
failed Test still removes the spear but inflicts a
further 1d5 Damage which is not reduced by
Toughness or Armour.

gamut of purposes, from shredding ones foes to

laying down a smokescreen to cover a tactical
manoeuvre. They differ in that while grenades
can be armed and lobbed by hand, missiles must
be fired by a compatible launcher weapon.
To use launcher weapons without penalty, a
character must have the Pistol Training
(Launcher), Basic Weapon Training (Launcher),
or Heavy Weapon Training (Launcher) talents.
Throwing grenades requires no special training
or talents and is simply resolved through a
Ballistic Skill Test, while setting explosives and
bombs is resolved through the Demolition skill
(see Dark Heresy, page 101).

LAUNCHERS,
GRENADES, AND BOMBS
In a galaxy raked by war and disorder there is a
high demand for extremely destructive
ordnance. Being able to blow away a large mass
of enemies at once can be a major equalizer to
servants of the Imperium, who all too often find
themselves outnumbered by foes whose quantity
(almost) makes up for their lack of faith. To that
end, the forge worlds of the Imperium send out a
steady stream of explosives, grenades, bombs,
and weaponry designed to chuck them at the
enemies of the Emperor.
This section includes several types of weapons.
Launchers are designed to propel another
weapon, typically a grenade or missile, at a foe
that is beyond throwing range, and vary widely
from simple tubes attached to the bottom of
Imperial Guard lasguns to devastating hunterkiller missiles ordinarily deployed from
armoured vehicles. In most cases, a launchers
Damage and Qualities are dictated by the
projectile it is firing. Grenades and missiles are
portable destructive devices that can run a

Bola Launcher
Class: Basic (Launcher)
This weapon looks vaguely like a miniature
missile launcher but is much less deadly, though
its firers intentions may not be. A bola launcher
uses compressed gas to fling a standard set of
bolas at high velocity and with considerably
greater reach than even a skilled bola thrower
could manage on muscle power alone. Being
clocked by a set of bolas fired from a bola

Launchers
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Bola Launcher

Basic

20m

S/-/-

1d5+1 I

Full

Primitive, Snare

12kg

250

Rare

Disposable Launcher

Heavy

175m

S/-/-

20kg

600

Scarce

Grenade Launcher

Basic

60m

S/-/-

2 Full

9kg

500

Scarce

Special

45m

S/-/-

Full

+2kg

250

Rare

Gorge

Basic

60m

S/-/-

2 Full

Reliable,

8kg

300

Hive

Average

Mezoa

Basic

80m

S/-/-

Half

10kg

400

Scarce

Voss

Basic

60m

S/3/-

2 Full

Inaccurate,

13kg

1,000

Very Rare

Heavy

350m

S/-/-

3d10+6 X

65kg

2,000

Very Rare

50kg

4,500

Extremely
Rare

Aux

Hunter-Killer Missile
Mole Mortar

Heavy

Mortar (generic)

Heavy

Locke
Missile Launcher
Retobi
RPG Launcher

Heavy

50
200m
50
300m
50
300m

S/-/-

2d10+2 X

Full

Inaccurate,
Shocking, Blast (4)

S/-/-

Full

Inaccurate

40kg

1,500

Rare

S/-/-

2 Full

Inaccurate

48kg

3,000

Very Rare

Heavy

250m

S/-/-

Full

22kg

2,500

Scarce

Heavy

200m

S/-/-

2 Full

Unreliable,

35kg

3,000

Rare

Basic

120m

S/-/-

Full

15kg

1,200

Scarce

Damage, Penetration, and any special qualities are determined by the ammunition fired

65

launcher can cause injury due to the speed of the

bolas, so they are not recommended for use on
delicate quarries. A bola launcher has the
advantage of storing several sets of bolas in a
removable clip, allowing for multiple takedowns
before the weapon needs to be reloaded. This
sort of weapon is most commonly employed by
bounty hunters and trackers, though more
unsavoury types have been known to employ
them for sinister purposes involving kidnapping.

Disposable Launcher
Class: Heavy (Launcher)
Cheap single-shot missile launchers like this
are produced to equip PDF troopers and other
forces that need simple but hard-hitting
firepower. They are by and large a reinforced
armaplas tube with a protective cover on each
end and a folding pistol grip and sighting
system, with a single frag or krak missile
preloaded and ready for use. Disposable missile
launchers are regarded by the Departmento
Munitorum as ammunition rather than weapons
and many armouries throughout the Imperium
are stacked to the roof with crates of these
weapons. This has led to numerous examples
finding their way onto the black market, much
to the chagrin of the Adeptus Arbites and
planetary enforcers.
Disposable missile launchers are intended to
be fired once and then thrown away, and may
not be reloaded.

Grenade Launcher
Class: Basic (Launcher)
Grenade launchers are a favourite weapon of
many Imperial servants and scummers alike for
their ease of use and ability to deliver all sorts of
unpleasant things into the midst of a group of
foes. Grenade launchers use compressed gas
(provided by a built-in compressor) to propel
grenades far further than even the strongest arm
possibly could. This puts the firer safely out of
harms way and allows the power of a grenade to
be deposited in tactical situations. Most
common grenades can be fired by a grenade
launcher; those made to Munitorum standards

66

include a device that automatically pulls the

arming pin of a hand grenade when fired,
allowing grenades to be safely stored within a
launchers clip. The pins are left in the launchers
clip after the grenades have been fired, and
particularly seasoned grenadiers have been
known to maintain large necklaces or other
charms made from the numerous pins of
grenades they have fired. The most common
types of grenade launchers employed by the
Imperial Guard and Adeptus Arbites take the
form of a large, stocky gun with a pistol grip and
a revolver-style chamber into which multiple
grenades can be loaded. Other grenade launchers
with more unique features are listed here.
Aux Grenade Launcher: This simple oneshot launcher is designed to be attached under
the barrel of another basic weapon, such as a
lasgun, allowing the firer the option to shoot a
grenade instead of their weapons usual attack.
Aux launchers are reloaded by pivoting the
barrel downward on a hinge and loading a new
grenade into the breech. This is not the fastest
process on the battlefield, and many users
simply keep a grenade loaded at all times and
seldom bother reloading once fired until a lull in
combat presents itself.
An aux grenade launcher counts as a basic
weapon when attached to one. It can also be
used on its own as a pistol, and are typically
employed in this fashion to launch signal or
illumination rounds.
Gorge Grenade Launcher: The Gorge is a
very basic single-shot launcher that resembles an
oversized shotgun. It has a break-open action
which allows grenades to be loaded this is
rather sluggish due to the Gorges robust design,
but a grenadier can shoot with total confidence
that his grenade will launch. Its simplicity does
not diminish its effectiveness, and it is a popular
support weapon used by enforcers, mercenaries,
and PDF troopers. Gorges are especially
common on hive worlds where they can be made
in scav-workshops and lesser forges, and
widespread availability on the black market
makes it one of the easiest ways for recidivists
and rebel groups to obtain extra firepower.

The Gorge requires two hands to fire, but can

be easily and safely swung with one and counts
as a club in melee.
Mezoa-Pattern: Grenade launchers produced
on Mezoa are designed for simplicity and
effectiveness at range as well as ease in firing. A
long barrel and stable grenade chamber
improves accuracy compared to other launchers,
and the weapon automatically opens after firing
to permit a rapid reload. Though it can only
hold a single grenade, skilled users can load a
new one with enough speed to keep up a steady
barrage of shots, even while on the move.
Voss Assault Launcher: This grenade
launcher resembles more common patterns but
with the addition of a clockwork cylinder
mechanism that must be wound up during
reloading. The cylinder remains under tension
and can fire off its grenades with a frightening
pace, making it an excellent choice for shock
troops who need to suppress a large enemy force
at once. The violent motion of the cylinders
rotation tends to make the assault launcher want
to jump out of the shooters hands; they are
known for their volume of firepower, not
pinpoint accuracy.

Hunter-Killer Missile
Class: Heavy (Launcher)
This specialty missile is a
marvel
of
Mechanicus
engineering that is almost
capable of firing itself. Because of
its very large weight and back
blast it is usually mounted to
Imperial vehicles, with wide
stubby patterns used on tanks
and armoured personnel carriers
while longer and thinner
versions are attached to the
wings of flyers. Hunter-killer
missiles are fitted with an
advanced guidance system and a
large fuel supply, giving them
exceptional range and accuracy.
Once fired, a hunter-killer
missiles internal cogitator and

67

sensorum suite make adjustments to the

missiles path to lead it almost unerringly to its
target. Armed with a krak warhead and leaving a
corkscrewing spiral of smoke behind it, the sight
of a hunter-killer missile bearing down on ones
position is a sign of almost certain doom.
The listed rules are for a hunter-killer missile
attached to an infantry tripod so that it can be
hauled around in the field; vehicular versions
weigh 10kg less. A hunter-killer missiles
guidance systems grant a +20 bonus to Ballistic
Skill Tests made to attack with it and reduce
penalties for shooting at Long or Extreme range
by half. Additionally, a hunter-killer missile may
reroll a failed attack as long as it was by two
degrees of failure or less. Hunter-killer missiles
take a few moments to get up to speed and do
not benefit from shooting at Short or PointBlank range (not that it would be wise to employ
one at such distances regardless!).

Mole Mortar
Class: Heavy (Launcher)
Mole mortars are curious devices that look
like something between a handheld missile
launcher and a typical mortar weapon. As the

INDIRECT FIRING
Mortars and similar Launcher weapons are often
fired in a suppression mode where the targeted
enemy cannot be seen and only their rough
location is known. In these cases, mortar shells
and the like can be fired without any actual line of
sight required. When firing in this manner, a hit
means that the shell still scatters 1d10 metres
from the target point, while a miss scatters 2d10
metres instead.
Often such weapons are fired in conjunction
with a spotter who directs fire from the weapon.
Any ally with an auspex or who can see the target
can spend a Half or Full Action to spot for the
mortar fire. In this case, the next shot by the
mortar only scatters 1d5 metres on a hit, and
gains a +10 or +20 bonus (respectively) to its
Ballistic Skill Test.
name suggests, a mole mortar fires a special
tunnelling torpedo that mimics the ballistic arc
of a normal mortar except in a reversed fashion
underground rather than in the air. They are set
to explode just beneath the surface of their target
which can often catch the enemy unprepared.
The resulting underground blast can have
devastating results on structures as well as
enemy troops; those not killed or maimed by the
blast itself are typically sent flying by the
concussive force. A mole mortar can also be used
to destroy enemies in subterranean tunnels, and
are particularly effective in collapsing bunkers.
Tunnelling torpedoes are advanced munitions
that use a powerful drill in the nose to bore
through rock and earth. A small and unstable
power field generator assists in sliding through
dense surfaces; its operational life span provides
just enough time for the tunnelling torpedo to
reach its point of detonation.
A mole mortar launcher includes a small
guidance cogitator that the firer manipulates to
guide the torpedo to its target. Firing a mole
mortar is a Full Action if the firer wishes to use
the guidance cogitator in this way. It can be fired
blind as a Half Action like other weapons, but
the firer takes a -10 penalty to his Ballistic Skill

68

Test and if the weapon misses it deviates by

3d10+5 metres (see Dark Heresy, page 196).

Mortar
Class: Heavy (Launcher)
A mortar is a classic artillery weapon that can
fling a substantial explosive warhead on a high
ballistic trajectory. Infantry mortars are typically
hauled into place by a two-man crew and
deployed in a defensive position where they can
bombard an enemy. Mortars are especially
useful at displacing troops in entrenched
positions as their high angle of attack will often
cause a mortar shell to land directly in an enemy
trench or dugout. The majority of mortars used
in the Imperium are fairly simple tube affairs
with a sturdy base plate and adjustable braces to
allow for adjustments to aim and angle. Mortar
crews are usually used by two men, with one to
load and fire the mortar (by dropping the shells
down the barrel) and another to direct and aim
the weapon by visually spotting the enemy or
relaying targeting information by voxlink from a
forward observer.
Locke-Pattern: This specific mark looks
much like many types of functionally identical
mortars produced throughout the Imperium,
but it is designed to use a rotary ammo drum
rather than muzzle-loaded shells. This provides
it with a substantially greater rate of fire as the
firer need only move the drum to its next shell
and press an ignition stud rather than physically
dropping another mortar into the tube. One
downside to the Lockes design is that the firer
cannot singly load individual mortar shells down
the muzzle like on most mortars; a new drum
must be loaded to fire a different type of
ammunition than those already installed.

Missile Launcher
Class: Heavy (Launcher)
Missile launchers are precision destructive
devices that fire extremely powerful warheads.
By and large the purview of dedicated tank
hunters and demolition teams, a missile
launcher is a bulky but uncomplicated affair

composed of a large tubular housing

with a pistol grip and ignition
system. A missile is
loaded from the rear of the
launcher and locked into place, often
by an assistant, leaving the job of
sending the missile on its way to the
firer. Imperial missiles are built for
maximum accuracy and stability
over range, and can make minor
course corrections and adjustments
as they scream towards their target.
A missile launcher is only as accurate
as its user, however, and tank
hunters and kill teams alike always
put their steadiest (and most
disciplined) members in control of it
when possible.
Retobi-Pattern: The Retobi is an
ancient and comparably rare mark of
missile launcher due to its
temperamental machine spirits and
rather cumbersome handling. Rather
than individually loading missiles
from behind, the Retobi uses a giant
clip-loading system that can stack
several missiles atop one another
that drop into the launch tube after
the previous one is fired. This allows
one man to operate it with
devastating efficiency at least in
theory, one soldier could destroy an
entire armoured company on his
own. Aside from its bulk, the Retobi
is plagued with a stubbornness to use
the newer styles of missiles in use by
the Imperial Guard, and an
uncooperative machine spirit has
sent more than a few tank hunters to
the Emperor when the launcher
misfires and sets off the entire clips
worth of missiles at once.

Grenades
Name

Dam

Pen

Special

Wt

Cost

Availability

Anti-Plant

3d10 E

Blast (3)

.5kg

40

Very Rare

Bilge Bomb

2d10 X

.5kg

20

Common

Blind

.5kg

25

Scarce

Bloodfire

Special

Special

.5kg

55

Rare

Choke Gas

Blast (1d10+3),
Special

.5kg

40

Scarce

Filament

4d10+4 R

Blast (1), Tearing

.5kg

300

Extremely
Rare

Fire Bomb

1d10+3 E

Blast (3), Primitive

.5kg

Plentiful

Frag

2d10 X

Blast (4)

.5kg

10

Common

2d10 X

Blast (5)

.8kg

10

Scarce

Hallucinogen

Blast (10), Special

.5kg

40

Rare

Haywire

Blast (3), Special

.5kg

200

Very Rare

Howler

Blast (3), Special

.5kg

25

Scarce

Krak

2d10+4 X

.5kg

50

Rare

Nail Bomb

1d10+1 X

Blast (2), Unreliable

1kg

Common

1kg

650

Extremely
Rare
Scarce

Mark III Solid

Rad

1d10 E

Blast (12),
Unreliable

Photon Flash

Blast (15), Special

.5kg

60

Psychotroke

Blast (3)

1kg

500

Very Rare

Psyk-Out

Blast (Special)

1kg

5000

Extremely
Rare

Plasma

1d10+6 E

Blast (1), Vicious

2kg

100

Very Rare

Smoke

Blast (10), Smoke

.5kg

Common

Starflare

1d10+5 E

Primitive

1kg

30

Scarce

Stunner

Blast (10), Special

.5kg

45

Rare

Thermal

1d10+3 E

Blast (2)

.6kg

60

Rare

Terror

Blast (10)

1kg

100

Scarce

Toxin

Special

Blast (10), Special

.5kg

90

Rare

Virus

3d10 I

Blast (8), Special

.5kg

500

Extremely
Rare

Web

Blast (4), Snare

1kg

220

Scarce

This Damage only affects plants and other flora

A thrown grenades Range is the throwers Strength Bonus x 3 metres

RPG Launcher
Class: Basic (Launcher)
Short for rocket propelled grenade, an RPG
Launcher is designed to fire modified grenades

69

Blast (4), Toxic,

Unreliable
Blast (10), Smoke,
Special

at high speed and considerable range far beyond

that of a typical grenade launcher. It is a fairly
simple weapon composed primarily of a launch
tube and firing system with a pistol grip; rockets
are loaded at the front, and one man can usually
handle all of the operations in the field. The

rockets themselves are uncomplicated affairs

made of a solid propellant charge with fins that
deploy once the projectile is in flight. A grenade
can be installed at the top, and a small secondary
charge sets it off on impact with a hard surface
(the side of a tank, a barricade, body armour,
and so forth). An RPG launcher can be
extremely useful and versatile to any combat
situation depending on what type and how many
grenades are available to the firer.
Most types of grenades can be used with an
RPG launcher; see the individual grenade entry
for compatibility. Blank rockets, ready to be
loaded with a grenade, have a base price of 10
Thrones and are Scarce.

Anti-Plant Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL, RPG
Anti-plant grenades contain a medley of
chemicals and other toxic substances designed to
reduce almost any kind of flora to a foulsmelling muck that deprives the enemy of cover
while not seriously harming other materials.
Aside from thwarting ambushes and revealing
hidden foes, anti-plant grenades can also be used
to create improvised landing zones or to quickly
clear foliage for camp sites or building locations.

Bilge Bomb
Used With: Thrown
These crude weapons are packed full of
poisonous fungi, chemical waste, diseased flesh,
and other grotesque substances. The canisters
burst open on impact, showering the area with
caustic sludge and noxious vapours. While their
effect is not very powerful, unprotected targets
can be brought down by the toxins, if not by the
sheer nauseating smell of the attack. Bilge bombs
are a favourite of foul creatures that lurk on the
black decks of large spacecraft throughout the
Imperium, but comparable bombs can be crafted
in the foul underhive of many hive cities as well.

Blind Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL, RPG
Blind grenades explode with a burst of dense
dark grey smoke that obscures normal vision

70

while scattering thousands of particulate IR

bafflers and EM spectrum chaff to befuddle
advanced visual sensors. The effect is short-lived,
but while it lasts it provides an excellent cover
for advancing forces or to facilitate a quick
withdrawal. A blind grenades vapour discharge
dissipates after 1d10+1 Rounds though weather
conditions may significantly reduce this time.
Characters within the blast area while the smoke
remains are considered to be Blind.

Bloodfire Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL, RPG
This terribly unpleasant grenade is packed full
of a poisonous gas that attacks the nervous
system, causing a horrible burning sensation and
convulsive paralysis that are extremely painful
and potentially lethal. Anyone within a Bloodfire
grenades must succeed on a Difficult (-10)
Toughness Test or suffer 1d10+3 Impact
Damage with the Toxic quality, with no
reduction from Armour and Toughness. A
rebreather or respirator provides a +30 bonus to
this Test, and a character in a sealed suit is
immune to its effects.

Choke Gas
Used With: Thrown, GL
A particularly indiscriminate and potentially
lethal weapon designed for crowd control and
riot dispersal, choke gas contains a powerful
irritant that attacks the eyes and respiratory
system. A few lungfuls of the thick bluish gas can
reduce the most ardent mobs to a sobbing,
coughing morass. Choke gas grenades can be
found in the arsenals of Adeptus Arbites
precinct-forts on almost every planet, and while
undoubtedly effective, it is not a weapon of first
choice within cities (especially hives) as it has a
tendency to spread through built-up areas and
into air filtration systems where it can kill or
seriously harm those of weak constitution.
Each Turn that a character is caught in the
blast radius of choke gas they must make a
Challenging (+0) Toughness Test. A gas mask
provides a +20 bonus to this Test, while
filtration plugs are totally useless as the choke

gas attacks the eyes as well as respiratory system.

Failure inflicts one level of Fatigue, and multiple
Rounds are cumulative. The harmful effects of
choke gas last while the character is within the
blast area plus 1d10 Rounds. If a victim of choke
gas fails the Test by four or more degrees, they
also reduce their Toughness Characteristic by
1d10 for 1d5-1 hours. Successive failures are
cumulative, and it is possible to die from choke
gas by having ones Toughness reduced to 0.
Choke gas clouds linger for 1d5x3 minutes
before dispersing, though weather conditions
may significantly reduce this time.

Filament Grenade
Used With: Thrown
This exotic and arcane grenade carries many
tens of metres of compressed segments of
monomolecular wire that expand into a cloud of
deadly razor-sharp filaments on detonation. The
resultant barely-visible blast slices through
armour, flesh, and bone, and victims cut to thin
slices by a filament bomb often do not realise
they are dead even as their bodies fall to pieces.
Filament bombs are coveted weapons for elite
assassins and Inquisitorial agents, and some
suggest they may be of Xenos manufacture.
Regardless of where they come from, death at
the hands of a filament grenade is one of the
most absolute, if swift, ways to die.

Fire Bomb
Used With: Thrown
A primitive handheld incendiary device that
can be fashioned from readily available materials
on most Imperial worlds, fire bombs normally
take the shape of a fragile canister of flammable
liquid with a fuse made from cloth or other
material that the liquid can soak into. Once the
fuse is set aflame, the bomb is hurled at the
enemy; the canister breaks open on impact to
release a shower of burning liquid. Fire bombs
are common during large riots where the
malcontents can use them to forcibly scatter
lines of enforcers, and many Arbitrators bring
chemical extinguishers with them to such events

71

EXPLOSIVE MISHAPS
Whenever a Jam results from throwing or launching
a grenade, missile, mortar, and similar weapons,
something unfortunate has happened that may have
disastrous consequences! Roll on the table below to
determine the results.
Roll Result
1-5
Dud. The explosive or round fails to
explode. If fired from a launcher, there is a
50% chance that the projectile fails to launch
or lands harmlessly amid its intended
targets; if the former, the jam must be
cleared normally.
6-8
It might be ok Nothing happens, yet.
Roll again on this table next Round. This
may have unfortunate implications if the
firer is clearing a jam at the time.
9-0

BOOM!
The round or explosive
immediately goes off with any and all effects
centred on the firer. If this was the result of
firing a launcher the results may be even
worse; non-lethal grenades, like howlers
and smokes, must be cleared as though
jammed, while an explosive like a frag or
krak grenade destroys the launcher as well as
setting off any other grenades that are
loaded into it!
in anticipation of having these weapons hurled
at them.
A target caught in a fire bombs blast must
succeed on a Challenging (+0) Agility Test or
catch on fire. Characters wearing a sealed suit of
armour who take no damage from the blast itself
cant be set on fire in this way.

Frag Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL, RPG
Fragmentation, or frag, are the most
ubiquitous variety of grenade when a hiver or
voidsman mentions a grenade in general, hes
likely referring to a frag. Frag grenades use an
explosive charge to shatter a heavily notched
metallic shell into dozens of deadly pieces of
shrapnel that fly out in every direction. Most
Imperial models are either round or cylindrical
and are about the size of a clenched fist, and

while primarily a military weapon, many fighters

outside the Imperial Guard or PDF cadres
choose to carry a few frags just in case.
Gunmetal Solid Mark III FG: The forges of
Gunmetal City are known to produce a slightly
heavier version of standard frag grenades. While
not as easy to carry in large numbers, the Solid
Mark III offers an improved blast radius and is
the choice of professional grenadiers throughout
the Calixis Sector. Because of its oversized
housing, this grenade can only be thrown.

types of machines and equipment while being

essentially harmless to living creatures and inert
objects. Haywire grenades are unpredictable
weapons that are nonetheless extremely
dangerous, with the consequences of using one
in an industrial area or aboard a moving vehicle
being potentially catastrophic; mere possession
of a haywire grenade on a forge world is grounds
for execution for most. While a serious threat to
machinery of all sorts, haywire grenades are

HAYWIRE FIELD
Hallucinogen Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL, RPG
Hallucinogen grenades are a special type of
(usually) non-lethal weapon that induces a
variety of short-lived psychological states and
delusions. A hallucinogen grenade releases an
almost invisible cloud of gas that profoundly
warps the minds of those who breathe it in,
and their comparative rarity as well as
unpredictable outcome marks them as a tool
of a very small set of specialist users.
All living creatures within a hallucinogen
grenades blast must make a Difficult (-10)
Toughness Test, with failure causing them to
be
overcome
with
delusions
and
hallucinations for 1d10 Rounds. Roll a d100
and refer to Hallucinogen Effects on page
137 of Dark Heresy to determine the nature
of and results of these hallucinations for the
duration of the grenades effect. Wearing a
gas mask only provides a +20 bonus against
this effect, and filtration plugs are totally
useless.

Haywire Grenade
Used With: Thrown
This curious device resembles an
innocuous metal sphere with a ventilated
band around its equator that emits a faint
blue glow. When armed by depressing a stud
at the top and bottom of the sphere, a haywire
grenade charges and then shortly after
releases a powerful burst of electromagnetic
radiation that can have severely debilitating,
though usually temporary, effects on many

72

Electromagnetic radiation from a haywire grenade can have

utterly devastating - or pathetically minimal - effects on all
matters of machinery caught within the field's radius. When
a haywire field springs into being, roll 1d10 on the table
below to determine the strength of the effect. Each Round,
the result decreases by 1 as the field diminishes; when it
reaches 0, the field dissipates completely. If another haywire
field is created in the same area it is ignored if the result is
lower or replaces the current effect if it is higher.
Roll Result
1-2
Insignificant: Other than a brief static tingle, there is
no appreciable effect.
3-4
Minor Disruption: All actions utilising technology,
including driving vehicles, firing non-Primitive
Ranged weapons, Tech-Use Tests, and any physical
actions attempted while wearing power armour or
using cybernetics suffer a -10 penalty. The Base
Movement score of anyone in power armour or with
cybernetic limbs or organs is reduced by 1.
5-6
Major Disruption:
As above but the penalty
increases to -20 and Base Movement is reduced by 3.
Non-Primitive Melee weapons, such as chain axes or
power swords, function as Primitive weapons of an
analogous type.
7-8
Dead Zone: All technology within the affected area
completely creases to function. Power armour
becomes unpowered, vehicles slow to a halt, and
characters within non-incidental cybernetics suffer
one level of Fatigue each Round they remain in the
Dead Zone along with any other consequences the
GM deems appropriate (for example, a bionic heart
going into cardiac arrest).
9-10 Prolonged Dead Zone: As above. Roll 1d5 and add
the result to the previous roll to determine how many
extra Rounds the Dead Zone lasts.

most often used by Skitarii Tech-Guards and

Secutors of the Adeptus Mechanicus, typically
while persecuting labour-helot uprisings or
exterminating hereteks and traitors to their faith.
A haywire grenade causes a field effect of
variable duration and strength; see the adjacent
table for more information.

Howler Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL
These grenades are designed to explode with a
sustained burst of sonic energy lasting 1d5
Rounds, intended more to deafen and
disorientate than wound. They generally cause
no physical harm beyond loss of hearing and are
most commonly used for incapacitating enemies
with extremely painful noise. Howler grenades
are often employed by professional bounty
hunters, Inquisitorial agents, and other fighters
who have some compunction against killing

73

their targets, but they can be used just as easily to

disrupt a group of enemies before gunning them
down. Characters within a howler grenades
blast radius who lack heavy hearing protection
are automatically deafened, and must pass a
Challenging (+0) Toughness Test or be
Stunned while the grenade is active. Failure by
three or more degrees results in the deafness
being permanent.

Krak Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL, RPG
Krak grenades incorporate a small but
extremely powerful charge designed to defeat
armour with a concentrated blast. This heavy
directed firepower can be used in a variety of
ways, most commonly to punch through bunker
walls or attack armoured vehicles. Krak grenades
do not produce a blast effect and their very
narrow explosion makes them impractical for

use against people, but skilled grenadiers with

sharp aim have been known to make use of them
in an anti-personnel role. A man directly hit by a
krak grenade will likely leave nothing behind by
a pair of smouldering boots.

Nail Bomb
Used With: Thrown
Frag grenades are often heavily proscribed
items on hive worlds due to their ability to cause
wanton amounts of death in a hive citys
confines and dense crowds. Criminal scum and
scavengers often produce their own crude
variants to more easily obtain indiscriminate
firepower, and the frequent use of nails as the
primary shrapnel ingredient leads to these
improvised grenades being generally referred to
as nail bombs. Any sort of canister, often lengths
of pipe or old food cans, is typically packed full
of a crude explosive compound along with
whatever shrapnel is available nails, metal
spoil, crushed glass, and other assorted nastiness
along with a home-made fuse that hopefully is
reliable enough not to kill the user.
Along with scummers on hive worlds,
primitive black powder grenades used on more
developed feudal worlds produce a similar effect
to a nail bomb, though with a correspondingly
higher degree of finish and care in construction.

Photon Flash
Used With: Thrown, GL
Photon flash grenades are extensively used by
various enforcer types to disorient and surprise
their targets, and are favourites for covering the
entry into a hostile building. After landing, a
photon flash grenades chemical-powder core
ignites and produces a flash like a small star,
causing temporary blindness to anyone nearby.
The flash is bright enough to overload cheap or
primitive vision protection systems, so even
better-equipped gangers and scum can still be
disabled by one. Anyone caught in a photon
flash grenades blast must succeed on a
Challenging (+0) Toughness Test or be
blinded for 1d5 Rounds.

74

Plasma Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL
These use a deliberate plasma containment
failure, causing a blast of heat and light to burst
forth like a miniature sun. Plasma grenades are
similar to a compressed hydrogen flask used as
ammunition by plasma weapons; the fuel is
maintained in an excited state by a small
onboard generator, with the resultant blast
closely resembling a hit from a powerful plasma
weapon. However, this apparatus becomes
unstable over time, and plasma grenades have a
short shelf life as some recidivists have
discovered the hard way after looting Imperial
armouries to supply their own men.

Psychotroke Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL
A more refined and "tactical" variant of the
better-known hallucinogen grenade, this weapon
contains a purer mixture of psycho-reactive
compounds and synthetic amplifiers to create a
suitably more powerful effect. Moreover, instead
of releasing a cloud of translucent vapour, the
psychotroke jettisons a massive burst of
microscopic particulates that can pierce virtually
any form of protection from gas masks to full
power armour. However, while it is capable of
defeating significantly better protection, the
grenade's coverage area is drastically smaller and
shorter lived, the same properties that allow it to
pass through respirator filters and life-sustainers
being ill-suited to persistence once they have
been released from their housing. Moreover, the
active ingredients themselves are so unstable
that they must be contained within a tiny stasis
field before use; in addition to increasing the
cost and complexity of the grenade, it also adds a
measureable "shelf life" before the grenade
expires and becomes a harmless shell.
Anyone caught within the blast area of a
psychotroke grenade must pass a Hard (-20)
Toughness Test or suffer the effects of a
hallucinogen grenade. For each Degree of
Failure on the Test, add a +5 bonus to the
Hallucinogen Effect roll.

Psyk-Out Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL
Psyk-out grenades are a terrifying tool of
retribution against witches and daemons,
typically off-limits to anyone but the Inquisition
and especially favoured servants of the Adeptus
Ministorum. It is said that psyk-out grenades
come directly from the Golden Throne itself,
and while this may be more legend than fact, the
weapons are produced only on Holy Terra, often
travelling incredible distances through the warp
before being used in anger. Because of their
rarity and sacred origin, even newlymanufactured psyk-out grenades tend to be
treated as venerated artefacts and invariably
come in a gleaming alloy casing that resembles a
holy relic. Once armed, a psyk-out grenade
shatters on impact with a hard surface, spewing
a cloud of glittering particles impregnated with
negative psychic energies in the immediate
vicinity. This has severely warp-dampening
effects that can completely cut off daemons and
witches from their source of power, making it
often the first (or last...) recourse for those who
would persecute these eternal enemies of
mankind. However, a psyk-out grenade's effects
can be wildly unpredictable - only a fool would
trust one to bring a rogue psyker to his knees
entirely by itself.
A psyk-out grenade's Blast extends out 1d10+3
metres. Any creature with a Psy Rating caught in
the blast area, or who enters into the dust field
before it becomes inert, must make a Very Hard
(-30) Willpower Test. On failure, the affected
target's Psy Rating is reduced by 1, plus an
additional Rating for each Degree of Failure. Psy
Rating lost in this fashion returns at a rate of 1
Rating every six hours. If a the affected target
loses 2 or more Psy Rating from this effect, it
also suffers Psychic Phenomena automatically
any time it manifests a psychic power until its
Psy Rating is fully restored. As an additional
effect, the dust left behind by a psyk-out grenade
remains active in suppressing warp energies any attempts to manifest a psychic power or
make Psyniscience Tests within its affected area
automatically fail, and daemons and other warp

75

creatures must Test for Warp Instability each

time they suffer Damage. The dust's effect fades
after 5 Rounds; it clings tenaciously to surfaces
within the area, making it essentially impossible
to disperse any faster.

Rad Grenade
Used With: Thrown
Frighteningly insidious yet effective weapons,
a rad grenade releases a sharp burst of powerful
ionising radiation that can pierce heavy armour
and cover with ease, while unprotected victims
are further subject to painful burns on the skin.
The grenade itself is an entirely unremarkable
affair save for charitable warning symbols as to
its terrible effects, and doesn't detonate so much
as merely "open" when releasing its malignant
payload. There is little visual effect, though
auspex, IR goggles, and photovisors along with
similar equipment are briefly blinded by the
streaming waves of deadly particles. Alone, a
single rad grenade is unlikely to kill unless its
victims are of a more frail constitution, but the
sickening secondary effects can linger for days as
well as cause growth of potentially lethal
tumours in the long term. Using any kind of
subcritical isotropic pile as a weapon can be
perilously hazardous, however, and even slight
misalignments in the radioactive contents can
result in an unfortunately premature release.
A rad grenade deals both direct Damage while
also savaging the vitals of its victims. Characters
caught within the rad grenade's blast must pass a
Hard (-20) Toughness Test or suffer 2d10
Toughness Damage. Failure by three or more
Degrees results in the Damage being permanent.
This additional Damage ignores cover that is not
made of a shielded material and can even affect
targets on the other side of some walls.
Characters who are heavily shielded against
radiation, such as wearing a suit of engine
plating or a Tech-Priest with the Machine trait,
may be immune to the Toughness Damage. If an
attack with a rad grenade results in a Jam, it is
always considered to have rolled a result of
"BOOM!" on the Explosives Mishaps chart.

Smoke Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL, RPG
A more basic form of blind grenades, these
simply generate a voluminous cloud of coloured
smoke that obscures vision and little more.
Smoke grenades can be useful for signalling
friendly forces from a great distance, while kill
teams equipped with IR goggles and auspex can
make use of a smoke grenade to confuse and
hinder an opposing force that lacks such
equipment. Smoke grenades are cheap and easy
to manufacture, and can produce a variety of
colours for signalling purposes.

Starflare Grenade
Used With: GL, RPG
Starflare grenades contain a powerful longburning pyrotechnic charge that is intended to
provide illumination to dark areas. When fired
into the air a starflare grenade ignites at the top
of its path and deploys a small parachute. It takes
about one minute for a starflare grenade to
return to the ground, during which time it
provides bright illumination in a 100 metre
radius and shadowy illumination a further 100
metres beyond that.
If fired directly at a character, a starflare
grenade uses the listed Damage and Penetration
values, and the target must succeed on a
Challenging (+0) Agility Test or be set on fire.

Stunner Grenade
Used With: Thrown
This grenade carries a gas that disorients its
victims through neurological bio-agents that
cause a stupefying effect but no actual physical
harm. Covert operatives and well-equipped
thieves make use of these devices in situations
where no permanent harm is required or it is
more desirable to leave opponents temporarily
incapacitated. Stunner grenades are weapons of
opportunity and are ineffective against
opponents wearing any kind of protective gear,
as more than a few would-be professionals have
found out the hard way. Anyone within the blast
area of a stunner grenade must succeed on an
Ordinary (+10) Toughness Test or be Stunned

76

GAS WARFARE
Many types of grenades listed in this segment disperse
smoke, fumes, gases or vapours that are intended to
have some harmful effect on those within their clouds.
There are several gear options that can protect an
Acolyte from choking, being poisoned, or otherwise
incapacitated; these are the most common ones. In
general, any of the items described here prevents the
wearer from using their sense of smell, which can
impose penalties or disallow certain Tests (such as
Awareness or Chem-Use) entirely. Unless otherwise
stated, these protective items provide the same
benefits for all gas-type weapons; see the description
of the individual grenade for more details.
Filter Plugs: These simple plugs are inserted into the
nostrils and help filter out pollutants and harmful
gases (as well as foul smells!). They are cheap and
available, and many hivers on more polluted worlds
wear them on a daily basis. Wearing filtration plugs
grants a +10 bonus to any Toughness Test made to
resist the effects of gas.
Gas Mask/Respirator: Typically covering the entire
face, a gas mask uses a self-contained filter canister to
provide much better protection than simple filter
plugs and helps keep irritating vapours out of the
eyes. Gas masks can be worn for long periods of time,
though they are far from comfortable and cheap
models can hinder the wearer's vision. A gas mask
provides a +30 bonus to Toughness Tests made to
resist the effects of gas, and the wearer may reroll
failed tests. Outside of military situations, gas masks
are usually referred to as respirators.
Re-Breather: A re-breather is similar to a gas mask
except it provides its own air supply which allows a
wearer to survive in all but the most hostile
environments. A character wearing a re-breather is
immune to most gases and can even survive
underwater. Re-breather canisters have enough air to
keep the user alive for about an hour; once expended,
a re-breather offers no protection until a fresh canister
can be loaded in.
Sealed Armour: Wearing a void suit, power armour,
or environmental body glove can totally isolate the
wearer from outside conditions, allowing them to
survive in the harshest locations. Unless otherwise
stated, wearing sealed armour provides total
immunity from gases.

for 1 Round plus a number of Rounds equal to

the Degrees of Failure of the Test.

Terror Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL
An eccentric weapon to say the least, terror
grenades are loaded with a fast-acting
psychotropic aerosol that begins affecting its
victims on contact with the skin. Those who
succumb to its effects begin experiencing intense
feelings of dread and paranoia, which can be
more debilitating than choke gas on those who
have a less than steely reserve. However, a terror
grenade's effects are anything but consistent, and
what sends some men into gibbering wrecks
does little more than annoy others. As a result,
this type of weapon is only rarely employed by
"legitimate" users, such as local enforcer cadres
or troopers of the Adeptus Arbites. Meanwhile,
raiders, pirates, insurrectionists, and other
assorted scummers who value fear as a weapon
in and of itself tend to be perfectly content with
the unpredictable results if it means they can
traumatize their opponents into submission.
All characters within a terror grenade's blast
must succeed on a Difficult (-10) Toughness
Test or suffer intense distress as though they had
failed a Fear Test; as normal, add +10 to the roll
on the Shock Table for each Degree of Failure.
Wearing filtration plugs, a gas mask or rebreather offers no benefit against a terror

77

grenade, though sealed armour still provides

immunity to its effects. Traits or talents that
grant a bonus on Tests against Fear or Poison
apply as usual, and a terror grenade is obviously
useless against a character with the Fearless
talent or Machine trait.

Thermal Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL, RPG
Also known as inferno grenades, this powerful
weapon uses an incendiary fuel mixture
designed to violently melt its sturdy outer casing,
with a subsequent explosion that causes liquefied
metal shards to fill the blast area. While they are
not as powerful as a melta-bomb, they are easier
to handle and use, and offer a wider area of
destruction that can easily ignite enclosed areas
into blazing conflagrations. They can also burn
down most barricades and lesser internal
structures, and are often used by suppression
teams during uprisings for just that purpose. In a
bind, a thermal grenade can be employed in
sabotaging equipment as the high-intensity heat
can warp metal. Anyone caught within a thermal
grenades blast must succeed on a Challenging
(+0) Agility Test or be set on fire.

Toxin Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL
Deadly and fast-acting chemicals, viral agents,
and other unpleasant substances fill these

Anyone caught within a virus grenades blast

area who is not wearing sealed armour
automatically takes the listed Damage with no
reduction for Armour or Toughness. Each
character who takes Damage from a virus
grenade allows the virus to propagate further,
and any previously-unaffected targets within 1d5
metres of them are then attacked by it as above.
This process continues until there are no victims
left for the virus to attack or 1d5+5 Rounds have
passed from the virus grenades initial use, after
which it mutates into a harmless strain.

bloated-looking grenades. The toxic cocktail is

specially formulated to permeate through a
victims skin as well as their respiratory system,
and can even seep through light protective gear.
As a result they can be just as dangerous to the
user as their target since only the best protection
can offer immunity to its effects.
Any characters caught within a toxin
grenades blast area must succeed on a Difficult
(-10) Toughness Test or suffer 2d10+4 Impact
Damage with the Toxic quality. This Damage is
not reduced by Armour or Toughness. Gas
masks provide a +10 bonus to this Test while rebreathers offer a +20 bonus; both allow a reroll
on a failed test. Filtration plugs are totally useless
as the toxins can still attack through the mouth
and eyes. Only sealed armour can offer total
protection characters wearing such a suit are
effectively immune to a toxin grenades effects.

Web Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL
A web grenade is really little more than a
highly compressed webber canister which splits
open while still in flight, showering the area
around it with a cascade of sticky web filaments
as though the area had been hit by a webber
attack. Although they can easily be thrown, the
principal use is typically via a launcher as a
means to circumvent the very low clip capacity
of most web weapons.
See the section on Exotic Weapons for more
information on the use of web weapons.

Virus Grenade
Used With: Thrown, GL
This grenade houses a tiny sample of the
horrific life-eater virus culture that was once
used (in much greater quantities) as a tool to
execute an Exterminatus on a condemned world.
Though far weaker and designed to burn out on
its own after a short while, the effects of a virus
grenade are still terrible as organic matter is
reduced to a sickening sludge, its victims only
capable of watching in horror as their bodies
slough off in great sheets. Once loose, a virus
breaks down biological systems in mere
moments before leaping to a new victim, leaving
little more than sticky puddles of putrefied waste
in its wake.

Frag Missile/Shell

Name

Dam

Pen

Special

Wt

Cost

Frag

2d10+2 X

Blast (6)

1kg

75

Krak

3d10+10 X

10

1.5kg

150

Used With: Missile Launcher/Mortar

A large-size fragmentation device meant to
obliterate exposed enemies. Frag missiles and
shells are fairly similar to one another, each
incorporating what looks like an inflated frag
grenade attached to a rocket motor or propellant
charge depending on which launcher will be
firing it. The greatly increased explosive charge
as well as shrapnel quantity makes a blast
from a frag round far more deadly, even
Availability
for well-armoured targets. Although they
Average
use the same warhead, frag missiles and
Scarce
shells are not interchangeable.

Minefield

2d10 X

Blast (1)

2kg

100

Rare

Scatter

Special

Blast (10)

3kg

175

Very Rare

Starflare

Special

1kg

60

Scarce

Tunnelling
Torpedo

2d10+3 X

Blast (4), Shocking

3kg

200

Very Rare

Web

Blast (6), Snare

2kg

200

Rare

Missiles and Shells

78

Krak Missile
Used With: Missile Launcher
Krak missiles offer superb armour
penetration thanks to their very large
focusing charge and a detonator rod in the

nose that ignites the warhead at the optimum

moment to ensure maximum destruction of the
target. Krak missiles are typically used against
enemy tanks due to their ability to defeat even
heavy armour, but they also make fine choices to
demolish bunkers and create openings in
buildings too.

Minefield Missile/Shell
Used With: Missile Launcher/Mortar
This type of weapon is a handy method to
quickly and safely deploy a large number of
mines at once. Minefield rounds are designed to
explode at a pre-determined point along their
trajectory and shower the ground with tiny
submunitions that arm on impact and patiently
wait until an unfortunate victim walks across
them. Minefield rounds are thus an easy way to
deny access to a given area to opposing forces,
and can be used defensively to set up an
explosive cordon around a strategic location.
Minefield rounds saturate the ground with
miniature mines in a 10 metre radius from their
point of landing. Anything passing through this
area that is larger than Puny sets off mines which
attack with the listed values, once for every
metre the trespasser attempts to move through
the area. Each 1 metre area of the minefield has
sufficient mines to attack 5 times before all
mines are expended. Aside from using
specialized mine removal equipment, mines can
be quickly cleared away by attacks from weapons
with the Flame quality.

Scatter Missile/Shell
Used With: Missile Launcher/Mortar
Also known as cluster bombs, rounds of this
type spread a large amount of grenade-sized
bomblets over a huge area, and timely
deployment of a scatter round can utterly
obliterate an entire enemy company at once. The
sound of dozens upon dozens of bomblets going
off in sequence is more akin to the report of a
Vulcan Mega-bolter than any explosive, and the
only thing more satisfying than the sight of the
rounds detonation is observing the total carnage
left behind on ones enemies.

79

A scatter shell deploys bomblets equivalent to

a frag grenade into every 1 metre area within its
blast area. These are considered multiple attacks
for the purposes of attempting to avoid the
individual blasts.

Starflare Shell
Used With: Mortar
This is an extremely scaled-up version of a
starflare grenade and works on roughly the same
principles. After exploding at altitude, a starflare
shell provides bright illumination in a 300 metre
radius and shadowy illumination out to a total of
500 metres, and takes roughly five minutes to
burn out as it nears the ground.

Tunnelling Torpedo
Used With: Mole Mortar
A specialty munition to be certain, a
tunnelling torpedo is designed to be used with a
mole mortar. Once fired it uses a powerful
boring drill backed up by a miniature power
field to rapidly tunnel through earth, stone, and
anything else that might be in its way before
reversing course and exploding just beneath the
feet of its unsuspecting victims.

Web Missile
Used With: Missile Launcher
Instead of an explosive payload, a web
missile's distended body contains a brace of
webber canisters that are scattered over a wide
area while the missile is still airborne, ensuring a
very generous dispersion of sticky web filaments.
While less precise than a webber and ill-suited
for close quarters or indoors use, a missile
launcher armed with a web missile represents a
very efficient means to immobilize a group of
enemies at once from far outside the effective
range of other web weapons. Further, the choice
of a missile as the delivery means can create
other opportunities for a creative shooter, such
as sending one through an open window into a
room full of miscreants and scraping the whole
mess out at once to sort out at leisure.
See the section on Exotic Weapons for more
information on the use of web weapons.

EXOTIC WEAPONS
Despite their different patterns and marks, even
unusually-designed lasguns and bolters are
similar enough for a warrior whos familiar with
one to pick up another and smite his foes in the
Emperors name. Some weapons, however, are
far and apart from others, each with totally
unique functions and purposes. Lesser Imperial
servants will likely never even see, much less
hold, any examples of these exotic armaments,
and their cost, rarity, or difficulty of use keeps
them squarely in the court of resourceful and
well-connected specialists.
Exotic weapons cover a wide range of guns
and other devices that do not fit into other
weapon categories. Most are particular and very
specialized compared to others that are similarly
classified as exotics; in general, exotic weapons
require an individual Talent to use. For example,
a character wishing to tangle up his opponents
with a web pistol must have the Exotic Weapon
Training (Web Pistol) talent. Some career paths
include specific Exotic Weapon Training talents
as part of their normal advances, but most
characters will have to obtain one through an
Elite Advance. Exotic weapons are still classified
as Pistol, Basic, or Heavy weapons and must
obey all relevant rules for their class (use in
melee, bracing requirements, and so forth).
Exotic weapons typically make use of equally
exotic ammunition. In general, assume exotic
ammunition is Very Rare with a cost of 20
Thrones each unless otherwise stated in a
weapons description.

Catalytic Mass Driver

Class: Basic (Exotic)
This weapon might be mistaken for a lasgun
with an oversized, drum-like charge pack at first
glance, but the ventilated barrel and tiny
aperture at the end - along with a low whistling
noise accompanied by sharp supersonic cracks
while firing - immediately sets this weapon apart
from any other conventional gun. Catalytic mass
drivers are exclusive weapons of the Venatorii
"Crimson Guard" of the Lathe Worlds, and

80

despite a fairly unassuming appearance, they are

anything but. A mass driver utilises a series of
parallel electromagnetic rings, energised by the
wielder's potentia coil via a hard-wired
connector, to fling tiny sliver projectiles of dense
conductive alloy at a phenomenal velocity. The
method of action is deceptively simple, but the
vast amount of power required, along with the
necessity
of
using
inert
ammunition
manufactured under the strange gravitic
conditions existent on the Lathe Worlds,
prevents this weapon from being employed by
organisations outside the domain of the
Mechanicus. The damage output of a catalytic
mass driver is far from impressive, the tiny naillike projectiles not having much width or
wounding capacity, but the incredible velocity
and super-dense construction allows them to
bore through virtually any armour and keep
going out the other side. Compared to a melta
gun, a catalytic mass driver's raw firepower is
drastically less, but it makes up for that
deficiency with much easier handling, a massive
amount of available shots between reloading,
and longer effective range.
A character requires both the Basic Weapon
Training (Solid Projectile) and Exotic Weapon
Training (Integrated Ranged Weapons) talents
to use a catalytic mass driver without penalty. A
catalytic mass driver gains the listed profile
when connected to the wielder's potentia coil,
which requires a Half Action and a successful
Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use Test. While
connected, a catalytic mass driver does not Jam;
an attack that would result in a Jam simply
misses while inflicting 1 level of Fatigue on the
on the wielder as their potentia coil strains and
purges the obstruction. Should the weapon
become disconnected, it rapidly becomes inert; it
can fire 1d5 more shots with the Unreliable
quality, after which it will not shoot again until
reconnected. See the Weapon Upgrades section
for more information on Integrated Weapons. A
catalytic mass driver has an Availability of Very
Rare in the Lathe system, Near Unique on other
Forge Worlds, and is typically not encountered
anywhere else. A drum of magnetic slivers costs

not even notice. As a result, most users intent on

causing real harm saturate their darts in
powerful poisons or other chemicals. The most
common choice is needler toxin (this is reflected
in the listed rules), but almost any sort of poison
or other substance can be administered by a
skilled user. A bounty hunter might use a
tranquiliser compound to quietly subdue a
mark, while an Ordo Malleus agent could
employ blessed silver darts filled with sacred oils
as a means of combating warp-spawned fiends.
Particularly nefarious users have been known to
drain a hallucinogen grenade for its mindaltering ingredients and apply them to a dart,

100 Thrones and is considered Rare; this

provides the listed Clip size, but cannot be
reloaded individually and must be discarded
when empty.

Dartcaster
Class: Pistol (Exotic)
Dartcasters come in a variety of forms, most
using pressurised gas or a crossbow-like
mechanism to fire small metal slivers at great
velocities. These have only modest wounding
capability, and while many hivers would be
suitably incapacitated by having a metallic dart
embedded in their bodies, a furious cultist might
Exotic Weapons
Name

Class

Range

RoF

Dam

Pen

Clip

Rld

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Catalytic Mass
Driver

Basic

120m

S/-/5

1d10 R

12

200

Full

Special

7kg

600

Lathes

Very Rare

Dartcaster

Pistol

30m

S/-/-

1d10 R

Full

Toxic

2.5kg

600

Rare

Pistol

20m

S/-/-

1d5+2 R

2 Full

Accurate, Special

1kg

1,000

Forge

Scarce

Digi-flamer

Pistol

3m

S/-/-

1d10+4 E

3 Full

Flame

.1kg

6,000

Extremely Rare

Digi-laser

Pistol

3m

S/-/-

1d10+3 E

3 Full

Reliable

.1kg

9,000

Extremely Rare

Digi-mine

Thrown

SBx3m

S/-/-

3d10 X

Blast (3)

.1kg

2,000

Extremely Rare

Digi-melta

Pistol

3m

S/-/-

2d10+4 E

12

3 Full

.1kg

20,000

Extremely Rare

Digi-needler

Pistol

3m

S/-/-

1d10 R

3 Full

Toxic

.1kg

11,000

Extremely Rare

Graviton Gun

Basic

30m

S/-/-

Special

2 Full

Blast (5), Special

5kg

3,500

Forge

Very Rare

Artifico-Biologis

Empyrian Brain Mine

Thrown

SBx3m

S/-/-

Special

Special

1kg

500

Extremely Rare

Heavy Catalytic
Mass Driver

Heavy

150m

S/3/10

1d10+4 R

12

400

Full

Special

16kg

2,800

Lathes

Very Rare

Heavy Webber

Heavy

70m

S/-/-

Full

Blast (5), Snare

14kg

1,200

Rare

Heavy

80m

S/-/-

3 Full

Blast (6), Snare

17kg

2,000

Rare

Pistol

30m

S/-/-

1d10 R

Full

Accurate, Toxic

1.5kg

1,250

Very Rare

Pistol

30m

S/3/-

1d10-1 R

Full

Toxic

1kg

950

Very Rare

Needle Rifle

Basic

180m

S/-/-

1d10 R

2 Full

Accurate, Toxic

2kg

1,000

Very Rare

Rad-Cleanser

Heavy

30m

S/-/-

2d10+2 E

20

Blast (2), Recharge, Toxic

26kg

7,000

Very Rare

Razorweb
Launcher

Heavy

10m

S/-/-

2d10+4 R

Full

Blast (1), Tearing

3kg

10,000

Extremely Rare

Rocketfire Gun

Basic

80m

S/-/-

1d10+5 I

Full

Tearing

4kg

1,000

Very Rare

Shock Blaster

Pistol

20m

S/2/-

1d10+2 E

Full

Shocking

3kg

650

Forge

Scarce

Sonic Rifle

Basic

30m

S/2/-

1d10+3 X

Full

Shocking, Tearing

3.5kg

800

Void

Rare

Synapse Disruptor

Pistol

40m

S/-/-

10

2 Full

Special

3kg

3,500

Very Rare

Webber

Basic

50m

S/-/-

Full

Blast (5), Snare

8kg

1,800

Rare

Web Pistol

Pistol

30m

S/-/-

Full

Snare

3.5kg

1,200

Rare

Aegis-Redback
Needle Pistol
Glavian Needler

81

visiting its effects on an unfortunate victim

without the collateral results (or obvious
evidence) of chucking the grenade itself.
Artifico-Biologis 0.5I Hypo-Pistol: This fine
crafted and intricate handgun is carved from
clockwork and brass, an obvious Cult
Mechanicus device that is typically used by
Magos Biologis and their agents to subdue living
specimens. By employing a cunningly-designed
mechanical spring, a hypo-pistol fires a shortrange injector dart fitted with a penetrating
filament that delivers a chemical payload directly
into the targets bloodstream. Though nominally
a tool of Mechanicus Magi, it is found with some
frequency in the hands of bounty hunters,

scummers and some enforcer types who want to

take their prey alive.
The usual payload for a hypo-pistol is strixis
tincture, a powerful soporific. Any living target
that takes Damage from a hypo-pistol must
succeed on a Hard (-20) Toughness Test or fall
comatose for 1d10 x 3 minutes. On a failure by
three or more Degrees, the target remains
comatose for a further 1d5 hours. The special
filament injectors are designed to cause minimal
harm to a victim. Roll for Damage as normal to
overcome the targets Armour and Toughness,
but reduce any excess to just 1 point. Hypopistol ammunition is Scarce, with each dart
having a base cost of 8 Thrones.

Digital Weapon
Class: Pistol or Thrown (Exotic)
Digital weapons, or digi-weapons for short,
are incredibly miniaturised guns so advanced
and so sophisticated that they can be worn on a
finger as a ring, yet still pack the same firepower
as a full-size pistol. Digi-weapons appear to be
perfectly ordinary jewellery until a powerful las
bolt or gout of flame violently issues forth from
tiny, almost imperceptible apertures, making
them perfect choices for deep infiltration or
situations where weapons are absolutely
forbidden. They can also make a nasty surprise
attack, and more than a few assassins have met a
sudden and violent end as their mark unleashes
a melta blast from their ring finger. Digiweapons are presumably a form of archeotech
that extremely few tech-artisans are capable of
creating, and the great craftsmanship and highquality materials required to produce just one
weapon puts them squarely in the realm of the
Imperiums elite.
Digi-weapons require both the Exotic Weapon
Training (Digital Weapon) talent as well as the
relevant Pistol Training talent for the type of
weapon being used (Flame, Las, Melta, or Needle
Pistol). Digi-mines are an exception they need
only be armed, usually by a hidden trigger or
switch, and then thrown where they explode like
a grenade. Alternatively, a digi-mine can be used

82

in conjunction with the Demolition Skill to

explode at a later time or as a booby trap.
Reloading a digi-weapon is a slow process
requiring a special recharging device (included
in the cost of the digi-weapon) about the size of a
personal cogitator. An entire clip for a suitable
pistol type a promethium tank, hellgun
capacitor, melta canister, or needle pack is
installed into the device and totally exhausted to
recharge the digi-weapon. Digi-mines are an
obvious exception as they are consumed in the
blast when triggered.

Empyrian Brain Mine

Class: Thrown (Exotic)
This strange and esoteric device resembles a
glossy grenade at first, but when activated it
deploys a number of small metallic claws
creating a look akin to a mechanical beetle. The
mine contains a sort of "negative" psychic
imprint within its housing that can overload a
creature's mind with false sensations and
perceptions. When thrown, or simply thrust
against the body, the mine's legs clamp down
and begin flooding the target's brain and
nervous system, leaving them briefly
incapacitated. A brain mine's bizarre ability is
derived from a crystalline shard harvested from
the ghost world of Threnos, amplified by a tiny
high discharge power core. The exact method of
action is unknown, but it is a remarkably
effective tool, albeit one that is precariously
short-lived. Because of the high cost of
manufacture and comparative rarity of the brain
mine itself, only well-funded and connected
users can obtain them with any regularity; as a
result, their primary users tend to be high-rent
bounty hunters, though small numbers of
Inquisitorial agents have been known to employ
them as well.
An empyrian brain mine must directly attach
itself to a target before it can be used; this can be
accomplished by throwing it at them or making
a successful melee attack. Once attached to the
target, the mine activates, preventing the target
from attempting any actions for 3 Rounds, after
which its power core burns out and the mine

83

falls harmlessly to the floor. A brain mine's

victim can attempt a Hard (-20) Willpower
Test to resist the mine's effect; if successful, the
character can take a Half Action that Round. An
attached mine can be removed with a successful
Challenging (+0) Strength Test. An expended
brain mine becomes totally inert and is of little
use for anything other than a conversation piece.

Graviton Gun
Class: Basic (Exotic)
An extremely unusual and little understood
relic, so-called graviton guns were likely never
intended for use as weapons to begin with.
When fired at a target area, the energy field
generated by the gun creates a sudden and
powerful gravitational flux. Whilst unlikely to do
more than knock living creatures violently to the
floor, the effect can be extremely damaging to
the internal mechanisms and moving parts of
vehicles, with a particularly pronounced effect
on skimmers and other devices with their own
grav-engines becoming quickly destabilized and
overloaded by the flux field.
Everything caught within the guns blast area
is violently pressed to the floor and must make a
Very Hard (-30) Strength Test or be knocked
down. Being thrown to a solid surface from a
standing position and forced to the ground in
this way is enough to inflict 1d5 Impact Damage
roll to determine the affected hit location. Note
that what the character falls against may make
this effect worse, and if the character falls any
appreciable distance then they take Falling
Damage as normal (see Falling on page 210 of
Dark Heresy).
The gravity flux remains for 2d5 Rounds.
Anyone attempting to move or perform physical
actions within the field must succeed on an
Opposed Strength Test versus the gravity flux,
which is considered to have Strength 60
(Unnatural x2) each Round. Additionally, a
graviton guns flux field may wreak all matters of
havoc: brittle objects shatter, loose flooring
collapses, containment vessels rupture, vehicles
and machinery fail catastrophically, and any
other chaos the GM deems appropriate.

A graviton gun uses two lasgun charge packs

to provide the energy to generate a flux field.
Overcharge or hotshot packs can be used in a
graviton gun but offer no special benefits. A
single charge pack can be used, reducing the
Reload time to a Full Action and Clip size to 1.

Heavy Catalytic Mass Driver

Class: Heavy (Exotic)
This oversized version of the "standard"
catalytic mass driver is fitted with a larger
housing and multiple cable links to the wielder's
potentia coil, allowing it to energise and fire
significantly larger and longer alloy slivers. Its
method of operation is the same as its smaller
brethren, using additional power condensers and
capacitance arrays to improve its rate of fire and
efficiency over range at the cost of greater weight
and reduced handling. Heavy catalytic mass
drivers are often used by the elite Triarii of the
"Crimson Guard" as support weapons to cut
down enemy troops and light vehicles at once as
well as laying down covering fire for advancing
Mechanicus forces.
A character requires both the Basic Weapon
Training (Solid Projectile) and Exotic Weapon
Training (Integrated Ranged Weapons) talents
to use a heavy catalytic mass driver without
penalty. A catalytic mass driver gains the listed
profile when connected to the wielder's potentia
coil, which requires a Half Action and a
successful Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use Test.
While connected, a heavy catalytic mass driver
does not Jam; an attack that would result in a
Jam simply misses while inflicting 1 level of
Fatigue on the on the wielder as their potentia
coil strains and purges the obstruction. Should
the weapon become disconnected, it rapidly
becomes inert; it can fire 1d5 more shots with
the Unreliable quality, after which it will not
shoot again until reconnected. See the Weapon
Upgrades section for more information on
Integrated Weapons. A heavy catalytic mass
driver has an Availability of Very Rare in the
Lathe system, Near Unique on other Forge
Worlds, and is typically not encountered
anywhere else. A drum of magnetic slivers costs

84

150 Thrones and is considered Rare; this

provides the listed Clip size, but cannot be
reloaded individually and must be discarded
when empty.

Heavy Webber
Class: Heavy (Exotic)
This particularly huge webber is cumbersome
and difficult to handle but has correspondingly
huge takedown power. Aside from being able to
entangle a whole band of scummers at once, a
heavy webber can project its sticky filament nets
far enough away to put the shooter outside the
range of some autoguns. Heavy webbers use a
very large web chem canister that allows them to
be fired several times before being expended,
making it a more suitable choice for highintensity situations where multiple targets need
to be apprehended. A heavy webbers webs break
down on their own after 1d5+2 hours.
Aegis-Redback Pattern: Held by the Adeptus
Mechanicus of the Lathe System, this advanced
heavy webber pattern is produced under license
by the Hax-Orthlack manufactorums on
Scintilla. It is a standard issue item in most
Adeptus Arbites arsenals in the Calixis Sector,
and can also (perhaps unsurprisingly) be found
in the employ of Lord Haxs Magistratum
enforcers. Unlike most heavy webber marks, the
Aegis-Redback stores its web chem in a canister
on the wearers back, making the weapon itself
significantly easier to port around while still
providing a larger volume of shots. This quality
has led to some of its users, especially the
Magistratum in Hive Sibellus, to be rather
overzealous in its use. Of course, most innocent
bystanders would probably prefer to be caught
in its web than blown apart by a riot gun.

Needle Pistol
Class: Pistol (Exotic)
Needle pistols are incredibly dangerous
weapons when put in the right hands, and while
some believe that a needler is a pale shadow to
the power of a bolter, there is no denying a
needlers ability to kill with almost complete
impunity. Needle pistols use a low-power laser

to noiselessly propel small slivers of crystallized

toxins that produce no flash when leaving the
weapon; the projectile painlessly dissolves into
the victims bloodstream, leaving no obvious
evidence behind, and most men killed by a
needle pistol likely never even knew theyd been
shot. Needle pistols are favoured by assassins for
their lethality and stealthy features, but many
have turned up in the hands of agents, enforcers
and well-equipped scummers alike.
Glavian Needler: This advanced and elegant
needle pistol is designed for close-range work
and can spit out toxin needles at a patently
alarming rate. This makes it a truly fearsome
tool against opponents who lack armour heavy
enough to harmlessly shatter the incoming
projectiles. While already a fine holster pistol, a
Glavian needler can also be constructed as a
wrist gun that is stored up the owners sleeve and
fired with a special glove or nearly-invisible
wired stud that is attached to the palm by
adhesive. While far less common, these hidden
versions have been used in a number of highprofile assassinations and other crimes, and have
led to the expression Glavian handshake being
a euphemism for murder. The Belasco
Deathworks is the only major forge in Calixis
that produces this style of needle pistol.
Wrist gun Glavians cost an extra 300 Thrones
and can be converted between the concealed
version and standard pistol grip in about an
hour (this work requires no Skill Tests). When
suitably hidden, a wrist gun Glavian needler
grants a +20 bonus to the wearers Sleight of
Hand Test to conceal it. When in this
configuration reloading takes twice as long due
to the awkward positioning.

Needle Rifle
Class: Basic (Exotic)
Needle rifles are longer and more stable than
their pistol counterparts but operate on much
the same principles: silent, accurate, and utterly
lethal. Many military snipers make use of needle
rifles to fell targets of opportunity, such as
enemy command staff or political leaders, and
more than a few insurrections have been cut
short when a charismatic leader suddenly drops

85

dead after being imperceptibly shot with a

needle rifle from half a kilometre away. A needle
sniper must have very careful aim and always
look to exploit weaknesses in his targets
protection, as even simple flak armour used by
countless warriors of the Imperial Guard has a
reasonable chance of deflecting a needle. Of
course, as most would not even realize that the
deadly projectile has bounced off them, a wellhidden sniper could certainly try again.

Rad-Cleanser
Class: Heavy (Exotic)
Rad-cleansers are potent weapons said to be
relics of the long-past Dark Age of Technology,

and they are certainly powerful and terrible

enough in effect to justify that mythic claim
regardless of its veracity. Victims caught in a
rad-cleansers blast suffer an agonising death as
their tissues are blown apart on a cellular level
and they are boiled alive from within. Even
metals may combust in the powerful blast
created by a rad-cleanser. These horrific
weapons require very specific materials in the
creation of their fission cores and are difficult to
manufacture while being heavily proscribed by
the Cult Mechanicus as well. Despite this, the
retinues of many Magos Militants wield at least
one of these devastating weapons, suggesting
that some sanctioned group or facility in the
Calixis Sector possesses whatever baleful
knowledge is necessary to create such a
frightening weapon and does so with relative
and disquieting frequency.
The Toxic quality in the rad-cleansers profile
represents massive radioactive contamination
and should be treated accordingly. A radcleansers bulky reactor-core unit is able to
produce adequate purifying radiation for
decades, but heavy use can deplete the available
reserves faster than the rad-cleanser can
replenish them. A rad-cleanser automatically
adds 1 shot to its Clip (up to the normal
maximum of 20) every 1d5 hours for the lifetime
of the reactor-core, which may well be longer
than the weapons current owner.

Razorweb Launcher
Class: Heavy (Exotic)
This terrible weapon fits onto the users
forearm, with a wide and thin barrel projecting
beyond the fingertips. The triggering mechanism
sits in the palm and is activated by making a
specific squeezing motion which releases a gout
of smoke. In reality, the aptly-named razorweb
launcher fires nearly a kilometres worth of
hyper-condensed monofilament wire in a deadly
cloud of impossibly sharp threads. The
razorwebs target is cut to ribbons as the strands
effortlessly pass through armour, flesh and bone
with such speed that the victim often does not
realize his own death even as he crumples to the

86

ground in a bloody heap. Razorweb launchers

are thought to be of human manufacture but no
fane or forge in the Calixis Sector has ever taken
credit for the weapons production (possibly due
to the similarities between its monofilament
ammunition and certain xenos weapons).
Despite this, razorweb launchers are bought and
traded in high-end arms markets throughout the
sector, and the bazaars at Port Wander at the
edge of the Drusus Marches always seem to have
at least one on hand.
A razorweb launcher is considered a heavy
weapon as the firer must obtain a very specific
and stable posture before releasing his filaments,
lest any kind of disturbance cause the strands to
erratically deviate and go awry, possibly back at
the firer himself. The weapon makes use of
ammunition canisters that contain incredible
lengths of monofilament wire, hyper-condensed
with an attached power field generator. This
provides just enough threads for one shot, albeit
one that can utterly annihilate a man at
conventional pistol ranges. Each one has a base
cost of 500 Thrones and is Extremely Rare.

Rocketfire Gun
Class: Basic (Exotic)
Rocketfire guns are curious weapons that
resemble primitive bolt guns. As its name
implies, a rocketfire gun launches a small solidfuel rocket that accelerates to top speed through
the weapons long barrel. Unlike a bolt, the
rockets are spin-stabilised by angled exhaust
vents in the base of the projectile, and leave a
dramatic swirling smoke trail in their path. A
rocketfire guns lethality is primarily due to the
crushing impact of the high-velocity shell
slamming into the targets body, which can
create nasty wounds in spite of lacking an
explosive charge like a bolter. This does tend to
produce a reduction in power as a rocketfire
guns projectile loses speed at distance, however.
Rocketfire guns are produced on a number of
Imperial worlds that have progressed past the
feudal stage but have not yet been ushered into
the tech-dominion of the Adeptus Mechanicus,
and some scholars believe they represent a

precursor to the Imperiums own bolters.

Outside of these worlds they fetch a high price
due to strong competition from collectors and
weapons aficionados.
A rocketfire guns projectile becomes less
effective at range as it loses speed; subtract 1
point from both the Damage and Penetration
values against targets at Long range and 2 points
at Extreme range. Rocket ammunition for a
rocketfire gun has a base price of 30 Thrones and
is Very Rare.

Aegis Anbaric Shock Blaster

Class: Pistol (Exotic)
This unusual weapon is a highly specialised
rarity, even among the more militant Magi and
the Skitarii, and doubtless a product of the
mysterious Aegis Data Fragment. Taking the
shape of a bulky, tubular pistol, a shock blaster
discharges a blast of electromagnetic force
capable of completely overloading a humans
nervous system or disrupting the control
systems of servitors. A shock blaster can also
have highly detrimental effects against electronic
systems and cogitators, and can totally blank
data slates that are caught in its path.
Shock blasters increase their Damage by 2
points against targets with the Machine trait. A
shock blaster uses lasgun charge packs to
provide the energy for its electromagnetic field.
Overcharge and hotshot packs can be used
instead of standard charge packs but offer no
special benefits.

Demerite Screamer Sonic Rifle

Class: Basic (Exotic)
Most sonic weapons require a huge weaponssupport platform in order to generate enough
power to be effective in a battlefield situation. In
the tight spaces aboard ships, however, sonic
weapons the size of autoguns can generate
enough power in a directed burst to split
eardrums and cause severe, disorienting pain.
The Screamer as it is popularly known is
intended for use to quell mutinies and other
shipboard disturbances without the risk of
collateral damage that shotguns and gas weapons

87

can entail, though the high cost of manufacture

(typical of weapons of this type) usually means
that they are only found in the arsenals of larger
ships. The Demerite-pattern is known for its
integral gene-lock which is coded to specific
security troopers as an added precaution against
the weapon falling into the wrong hands. A
sonic rifle is not intended to kill, though it is
certainly capable of doing so through vibration
and pressure that can cause horrible internal
injuries as its targets organs rupture like rotten
fruit. Aside from its expense and rarity, the only
serious argument against the use of a sonic rifle
is that it is useless in an airless environment.
Sonic rifles use standard lasgun charge packs
to provide energy for their attacks. Overcharge
and hotshot packs can be used instead, but offer
no special benefits. Because sound waves require
atmospheric pressure to function, they have no
effect in a void or vacuum or against characters
wearing sealed armour.

Synapse Disruptor
Class: Pistol (Exotic)
A favourite of flesh merchants, pit-masters,
and a few debased nobles, synapse disruptors are
incredibly exclusive devices that are closer to a
tool than a weapon. Most styles resemble an
overbuilt laspistol, but instead of releasing sharp
bursts of thermal energy, a synapse disruptor
projects an invisible beam of bio-attuned
radiation that, over the course of about a half a
minute of continued exposure, will cause a
victim to completely lose his mind. A synapse
disruptor produces a low thrumming noise while
releasing its radiation beam, which can foil
clandestine usage of the device in quiet
environments. A victim targeted by a synapse
disruptor will begin to feel a dull ache
progressing up their extremities, then progress
to suffer vivid hallucinations and other
perceptions of weirdness, before finally entering
into a semi-stupefied condition unable to focus
or concentrate on anything at all. While
functionally harmless in a strict sense, a synapse
disruptor can have lethal consequences if a

targeted victim's hallucinations compel them to

jump out a window.
A synapse disruptor must be "fired" at a
character for three Rounds, requiring a Full
Action for each and possibly additional Ballistic
Skill Tests if the target makes any substantial
movements. A character who moves more than 5
metres in any given direction relative to the
synapse disruptor causes the attack to fail. After
three Rounds, the victim must succeed on a
Challenging (+0) Willpower Test, with failure
inflicting a deranging effect as though the victim
had been affected by a hallucinogen grenade.
Maintaining the attack for three additional
Rounds forces the victim to succeed on a second
Challenging (+0) Willpower Test or else suffer
a -20 penalty to any actions that require
concentration or focus (such as Aiming or TechUse Tests) for 1d5 hours. A synapse disruptor
uses 1 shot from its Clip each time an attack is
made with it, so a stationary target might be able
to be targeted for the full six Rounds on a single
shot, while one that is moving about could use
up as many as six shots if the shooter has to
continue attacking them. Synapse disruptors use
a special double-ended power cell to gain the
listed Clip size, which has a base cost of 200
Thrones and is Very Rare.

WEB WEAPONS
Webbers, heavy webbers, and web pistols fire
masses of adhesive filaments which expand in the
air to form a web of sticky, near-unbreakable
material. Targets are quickly entangled in a
painful though nominally non-lethal embrace; if
they attempt to struggle the filaments constrict
even more, further entrapping them and
eventually becoming quite dangerous to those
trapped within. In addition to the normal effects
of weapons with the Snare quality, each time an
ensnared character fails a Strength or Agility Test
to escape he imposes a cumulative -10 penalty on
all future tests to escape those webs. Should this
exceed -30, the character takes 1d5+1 Damage
with no reduction for Armour each time he
attempts another Test to escape (even if he
succeeds). This constriction is very specific if
multiple characters are entangled in the same
web, likely the result of being on the receiving
end of a webber or heavy webber, only those who
attempt to escape take these penalties (or
Damage, for that matter).
situation by webbing the hostages and their
captors at once. A webbers webs break down on
their own after 1d5 hours.

Web Pistol
Webber
Class: Basic (Exotic)
Also known as webguns or glue guns, webbers
are the most widespread type of web weapon and
are often called into play by agents of justice to
subdue those violating the Emperors Law.
Webbers have a fairly long range and substantial
coverage, allowing them to cover and entangle a
small group of people at once. A webbers web
chem canister only has enough for a single shot,
however, so they are commonly issued in
tandem with another basic weapon or pistol to
use when reloading is impractical (or lethal force
is necessary). Several webbers can be employed
at once to incapacitate an entire crowd, allowing
enforcers to pick through the captives and sort
out miscreants at their leisure, and they also
make a handy option to quickly end a hostage

88

Class: Pistol (Exotic)

Web pistols are smaller and handier webbers
that can be wielded with one hand. They have a
significantly shorter range and only produce
sufficient webs to immobilise a single individual,
so a web pistol wielder must choose his shots
carefully. Particularly devious users might use a
web pistol in conjunction with a melee weapon,
entangling an opponent and leaving them
helpless to defend against subsequent attacks
from the wielders primary weapon. A web
pistols webs are much finer and less numerous
than heavier version, and break down on their
own after 1d10 Rounds.

Melee Weapons
Despite the wide range of ways available to kill
the enemy at all sorts of distances, there is still
plenty of use for weapons designed for close and
personal combat. For some it is a matter of
honour to look their foe in the eye, others simply
another way to ensure their survival in a
dangerous galaxy. After all, a simple sword or
hammer will inevitably be more reliable than
even the finest and most impressive of firearms,
which are dependent on ammunition, often
noisy, and prone to failure. Like ranged
weapons, melee weapons come in different
classes and each requires its own relevant talent
to use without penalty. Unless otherwise stated,
users add their Strength Bonus to the Damage
inflicted by a melee weapon.

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
Basic hand weapons are a common sight
throughout the Imperium and beyond, and in
many places it would be unthinkable to go forth
without at least one such weapon visible on your
person. Depending on the planets level of
technology, and the wealth of the user, these can
range from simple metal swords to precisely
manufactured blades made of exotic materials,
though both will chop through a man just as
well. Primitive weapons are generally the most
simple brand of melee weapon, carried by feral
hunters and soldiers of the Imperial Guard alike,
and typically have a hard time penetrating
modern armours. To use primitive weapons
without penalty, a character must have the
Thrown Weapon Training (Primitive) or the
Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) talents for
ranged and melee attacks, respectively.

Armoured Gauntlet
The heavy gauntlets of carapace or power
armour can make a surprisingly effective
weapon in a pinch, especially against lesser foes.
Similar weapons can also be scratch-built by
sewing powdered lead into the knuckles of heavy

89

leather gloves, and shipboard voidsmen and

hive-workers alike have fabricated their own
punchers by stripping down protective heat
mitts made for handling overheated conduit
pipes or plasma coils. Gangers are known to
fabricate their own punchers as tools of
intimidation as well as face-smashing; these
home-made weapons are often studded with
points or other metal hardware to make them
look more frightening.

Axe
An axe sports a brutal blade at the end of a
sturdy haft, giving it magnificent chopping
power. This makes it functional as both a tool
and a weapon, and the same axe that splits wood
can be just as easily used to cut down an
opponent. Axes generally lack the reach as well
as the precision of a sword, and are harder to use
defensively due to their poor balance, but a
strike offers significantly greater ability to maim
and kill as it rips through flesh and shatters bone
with the same ease as it fells a tree.
An axes qualities and Damage can also be
used to figure a basic weapon equipped with a
long bayonet.

Bastard Sword
Bastard swords are so named because they are
roughly halfway between a traditional onehanded arming or longsword and a much longer
two-handed blade, and are sometimes known as
hand-a-half swords because of it. Specialised
blades like this are common on feudal worlds
with a love of swordsmithing, and are the
featured weapons of Warlord Vervai Skulls elite
Harrowguard on Iocanthos. Most warriors
would need both hands to wield a bastard sword,
and those of sufficient skill and strength to use
just one are immediately set apart from their
peers in the realm of swordsmanship. Because of
their versatility and size, bastard swords are
sometimes used by off-worlders, often upgraded
with a mono-edge to cut through armour.
A bastard sword may be wielded in one hand
if the user has a Strength Bonus of at least 4;
otherwise, it requires both hands to use.

Primitive Weapons
Name

Class

Dam

Pen

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Armoured Gauntlet

Melee

Axe

Melee

1d5 I

Primitive

0.5kg

35

Common

1d10+1 R

Primitive, Unbalanced

4kg

10

Scarce

Bastard Sword

Melee

1d10+1 R

Primitive

5kg

40

Feudal

Scarce

Boarding Pike

Melee

1d10+3 X

Special

4kg

30

Void

Common

Brass Knuckles

Melee

1d5-1 I

Primitive

0.5kg

Plentiful

Buckler

Melee

1d5-2 I

Balanced, Primitive

1kg

30

Feudal

Common

Club

Melee

1d10 I

Primitive

2kg

Abundant

Falchion

Melee

2d5+1 R

Primitive, Unbalanced

2.5kg

20

Average

Flail

Melee

1d10+2 I

Flexible, Primitive

4kg

20

Feudal

Scarce

Great Weapon

Melee

2d10 R or I

Primitive, Unwieldy

7kg

70

Feudal

Rare

Hammer

Melee

1d10+1 I

Primitive, Unbalanced

4kg

10

Common

Great Hammer

Melee

1d10+4 I

Unwieldy

8kg

70

Imperial

Average

Percussion Mallet

Melee

1d10+3 I

Unwieldy

5kg

3000

Forge

Average

Warhammer

Melee

1d10+2 I

Primitive

2kg

35

Common

Improvised Weapon

Melee

1d10-2 I

Primitive, Unbalanced

Varies

Abundant

Knife

Melee/Thrown (3m)

1d5 R

Primitive

0.5kg

Abundant

Bolo Knife

Melee

2d5 R

2kg

50

Malfi

Common

Combat Knife

Melee

1d5+3 R

Primitive

3kg

40

Average

Melee/Thrown (5m)

1d5+1 R

0.4kg

200

Void

Rare

Parrying Dagger

Melee

1d5 R

Defensive, Primitive

0.5kg

50

Landunder

Scarce

Sigilite Blade

Melee

1d5 R

Defensive

0.8kg

85

Landunder

Rare

Trophy Knife

Melee

1d5+1 R

Balanced, Primitive

0.5kg

700

Very Rare

Man-Catcher

Melee

1d10 I

Primitive, Snare, Unwieldy

8kg

60

Scarce

Moon Blade

Melee/Thrown (5m)

1d10 R

Fast, Primitive, Unwieldy

3kg

25

Munsk

Rare

Punch Dagger

Melee

1d5+1 R

Primitive

0.5kg

10

Average

Punisher Baton

Melee

1d10 I

3kg

50

Rare

Scythe

Melee

1d10+2 R

Primitive, Unwieldy

5kg

12

Feudal

Average

Shield

Melee

1d5 I

Defensive, Primitive

3kg

25

Feudal

Average

Guard Shield

Melee

1d5 I

Defensive, Primitive

1.5kg

100

Scarce

Mirror Shield

Melee

1d5-1 I

Defensive, Primitive

3.5kg

60

Sepheris

Rare

Naval Shield

Melee

1d5+2 I

Defensive, Primitive

7kg

75

Void

Average

4kg

250

Rare

Kraken Tooth Dagger

Suppression Shield

Melee

1d10 I

Defensive, Recharge,
Shocking

Tower Shield

Melee

1d5+2 I

Defensive, Primitive

10kg

60

Feudal

Rare

Spear

Melee/Thrown (10m)

1d10 R

Primitive, Unwieldy

3kg

15

Common

Spetum

Melee

1d10 R

Primitive, Unbalanced

6kg

45

Balecaster

Rare

Steam Drill

Melee

2d10 I

Primitive, Unwieldy

18kg

100

Very Rare

Requires two hands to be used effectively

Add twice the wielders Strength Bonus to Damage

90

Primitive Weapons
Name

Class

Dam

Pen

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Stiletto

Melee

1d5-1 R

Fast, Primitive, Unbalanced

0.2kg

25

Average

Melee

1d5 R

Fast, Primitive

0.3kg

70

Landunder

Rare

Staff

Melee

1d10 I

Balanced, Primitive

3kg

10

Plentiful

Sword

Melee

1d10 R

Balanced, Primitive

2.5kg

15

Common

Long-Sabre

Melee

1d10+2 R

Balanced, Primitive

3kg

100

Fervious

Very Rare

Quicksilver Sword

Melee

1d10+2 R

Balanced, Primitive

2kg

500

Balecaster

Rare

Reliquary Blade

Melee

1d10+2 R

Balanced, Sanctified

3kg

3000

Very Rare

Render

Melee

1d5+1 R

Primitive, Tearing

1.2kg

50

Landunder

Rare

Sabre

Melee

1d10 R

Balanced, Primitive

2kg

15

Common

Short Sword

Melee

1d10-1 R

Primitive

1.5kg

10

Common

Devils Kiss

Requires two hands to be used effectively

Add twice the wielders Strength Bonus to Damage

Boarding Pike

Buckler

One problem with utilising powerful close

combat weapons aboard ship is that they can
easily punch through hull plating. Boarding
pikes are a simple yet effective shipboard
solution, using a strong shell charge mounted at
the end of a reinforced metal staff. A trigger in
the grip arms the charge, which explodes the
next time it is firmly struck against something.
The explosion blasts into flesh with gruesome
effect, but with little or no collateral damage to
the surrounding area. Once the charge is
expended a boarding pike is typically thrown
away, though the sturdy shaft itself can be used
as a staff in melee if necessary.

A buckler is a small shield about the size of a

dinner plate that offer some protection without
sacrificing mobility. The bucklers modest size
makes it inadequate for protection against
arrows and crossbow bolts, but its light weight
allows it to be easily used as a striking weapon in
its own right. These qualities put it rightly in the
realm of swordfighters and duellists, and the
armsmen of noble houses on feudal worlds often
decorate their bucklers with the insignia of their
patrons and families.
On Acreage, a buckler-style weapon with
small metal spikes protruding from the shields
edge is a favoured item for those with a penchant
for sneaky attacks. Acreage bucklers have
identical statistics to comparable shields but can
be thrown with a range of 8 metres, and
generally look more impressive too.

Brass Knuckles
Also known as knuckle dusters, these solid
metal weapons are worn with a base against the
palm and a thick ridged band over the foremost
fingers, turning a simple punch into a powerful
hit that can break bones when employed with
sufficient force. Brass knuckles are generally
thought of as a weapon of thugs and scummers,
though almost anyone who fights regularly
might employ a set for their convenience and
ease of use in making sudden attacks.
Use the figures for brass knuckles when pistol
whipping an opponent with most pistols.

91

Club
Clubs are the simplest and most basic melee
weapons, often little more than a sturdy length
of wood possibly with a knot or of a thicker
diameter at the business end. Aside from tucked
into the loincloths of feral worlders, clubs can
also be found in the employ of hive gangers
(often as weapons to threaten or intimidate) and

basic truncheons carried by local enforcers

would fall into this category as well.
Sturdy, reinforced pistols can be used as a club
in melee combat.

Falchion
A falchion is a curious weapon, somewhere
between a knife and a sword in length with a
wide, straight blade sharpened only on one side.
Falchions are popular melee weapons on a
number of feudal worlds as their construction
puts axe-like chopping power into a more
compact package, and many will feature
elaborate grips often festooned with tassels or
guards of rare metals. Simple, mass-produced
versions are a common sight on agri-worlds as
well, though typically used as a tool for clearing
unwanted plant growth rather than hacking
down opponents on the battlefield.

Flail
A take on a grain farming tool on some
worlds, flails consist of one or more heavy spiked
balls attached to the weapons pole, utilising
lengths of chain or metal rods to build up
considerable velocity before crashing home with
a brutal impact. Flails are difficult to use in
combat but can have devastating results when
wielded properly, and the unpredictable motion
of the striking end makes a flail's attack difficult
to avoid.

Great Weapons
Enormously oversized swords, axes, hammers,
and other weapons are often employed by the
most brutish of a feudal armys warriors and are
sometimes carried by chieftains and other nobles
as a sign of strength and power (even if they
themselves couldnt hope to wield such a weapon
effectively). A great weapon invariably requires
two hands to wield and can inflict serious
damage even against enemies protected by rigid
feudal armours, though they leave little to
subtlety or skill in their use.
Depending on its construction, a great weapon
may inflict Rending or Impact Damage.

92

Hammer
This is a heavier version of the regular hand
tool used to drive nails or rivets and makes use
of a large weighted end to inflict a harder and
deadlier blow than similar hafted weapons.
Hammers are simple and straightforward, often
reflecting on the personality of their users who
dont care for swordplay or complex manoeuvres
and would rather simply splatter their
opponents brains over the floor.
Great Hammer: This broad-faced hammer is
undeniably intended for use as a weapon and
features a heavy, sturdy striking face and shaft
comprised of modern materials. A great hammer
is a step up from the weapons of feudal warriors
or salvaged bludgeons of underhive gangers,
with a metallic head of dense alloy that can bash
a man out of light armour handily. Agents of the
Calixian Conclave's Ordo Malleus are common
enthusiasts for these cudgels - aside from
bearing a passing resemblance to a mighty
daemonhammer, the massive blows they can
unleash can stagger the most intransigent foe, a
testament to a simple expression that there is
nothing a large piece of metal backed up by a
large amount of faith can't subdue.
A great hammer adds a +10 bonus to Weapon
Skill Tests made to Stun.
Percussion Mallet: More of a tool than a
weapon, a percussion mallet is an almost
ubiquitous sight on many forge worlds where it
is frequently used by labour menials to hammer
ingots and plating into the desired shape. A
grav-accelerator built into the bulky head of the
mallet greatly augments the force of the wielder's
blows, and while strictly not intended for
combat, their ability to bash through the armour
plating of combat servitors means they are often
pressed into the role during uprisings. More
rarely, lesser forgemasters will sometimes wield a
percussion mallet as a sign of office when their
responsibilities encompass macro-assembly and
other works where the tool is often used. Due to
their utility to the Mechanicus, percussion
mallets are never legally sold or traded off of a
forge world, and those who have the courage to
risk wrath of the Magi-in-attendance by

smuggling and trading them elsewhere are few

and far between.
Percussion mallets are Average on most forge
worlds and Very Rare elsewhere.
Warhammer: Mounted on a longer pole grip
than a regular hammer, warhammers generally
have a thinner striking head and may include a
sharply pointed reverse, making it an ideal
choice to penetrate light armour and cause deep
wounds thanks to concentrating the force of
impact to a much smaller area. Many of the
more zealous Imperial servants favour a
warhammer as an enduring symbol of the
Emperors righteous justice, and it figures
prominently on the heraldry and insignia of
numerous organizations.

Improvised
Table legs, long wrenches, lasgun stocks,
severed limbs, artillery shell casings, and any
other myriad instruments not normally intended
for use as a weapon but serviceable enough fit
into this category. Any handy weighted object
can be used as an improvised weapon, though
most would prefer to only employ it as long as
its necessary to obtain a better one.
Smashing an opponent with the butt of most
basic weapons usually counts as attacking with
an improvised weapon.

Knife
A short blade with an adequate handle to hold
at a variety of grips, knives are ubiquitous backup weapons for warriors all across the
Imperium, from lowly hive scum to the elite
soldiers of a planetary governor. Though of only
modest killing power, a knife is much more
mobile than larger weapons, and makes a
particularly good implement of intimidation as
well. Knives are produced in almost
innumerable makes and natures, with some
serving very specific purposes (such as a psykers
psykana mercy blade, intended as a weapon of
suicide should the psyker be faced with
imminent corruption or possession) while others
might be nothing more than eating utensils.

93

Bolo Knife: This is a heavy single-edged

cutting tool suitable for hacking through dense
foliage that doubles as a brutally effective mankiller. Bolo knives have a particular reputation
on Malfi, a world once covered in far more
jungle than at the present, where it has a
murderous reputation in local folklore in spite of
still being used as an everyday tool. Malfian
bolos are typically crafted from plexsteel and
feature an inwardly curving blade exactly 40
centimetres long that features a distinctive
widened tip. This makes it perfect for heavy
slashing blows, and in skilled hands can lop a
limb off or open a mans torso up in a single
stroke. Malfis jacker-gangs and dacoits
invariably carry bolos on their bodies at all
times, most with acid-etched glyphs marking
noteworthy kills or other exploits.

Bolo knives are Common on Malfi and Rare

elsewhere.
Combat Knife: Combat knives can only
liberally be called knives to begin with, often
featuring a straight blade the size of a human
forearm with a clipped point that is both
intimidating in profile and can make for nasty
piercing and slashing attacks, and are commonly
used as bayonets by the Imperial Guard. They
also make fine can openers.
Kraken Tooth Dagger: Gleaming pearlescent
knives of this type are often carried by veteran
voidsmen who typically claim their blades are
fashioned from enormous teeth found lodged in
the hulls of their ships or on debris encountered
in the void. Whether or not these knives are
actually a product of horrific gargantuan
creatures that lurk on the edge of system space,
ready to attack unfortunate vessels just as they
emerge from the warp, is more or less
inconsequential to the void born that carry them
as good luck charms. Many are decorated with
intricate
scrimshaw
carvings
depicting
horrendous tentacled beasts tearing ships apart,
which in the strange proclivities of the void born
is supposedly said to ensure safe passage for the
vessel they crew. Knives of this type are sought
after by collectors for their artistic merit and
intrinsic craftsmanship, and there are plenty of
Rogue Traders who have been known to sport a
kraken tooth dagger on their belts.
Parrying Dagger: Typically formed with an
intricate guard or twin, tine-like blade, parrying
daggers are a more specialist variety of knife
designed principally for defence. A parrying
dagger's construction creates a number of
wedges or gaps explicitly devised to catch an
opponent's blade, and in the hands of a skilled
swordsman can actually be more effective at
deflecting blows than a shield while being much
lighter and easier to carry. Parrying daggers are
typically the provenance of duellists due to their
specialised nature, and are often wielded in the
off-hand by more swashbuckling types.
When used to Parry an edged weapon, such as
a sword or axe, a parrying dagger grants an
additional +5 bonus on the Weapon Skill Test.

94

Landrian Sigilite Blade: Named after a

half-forgotten holy figure from a time long past,
the Sigilite is a curious weapon wielded by the
gelt-brokers of Landunder who broker the price
with crystal miners for the load yielded from the
deep-sea mineral chimneys. Traditionally a
weapon of self-defence to protect the broker
from robbery, the Sigilite is outlandishly formed
from a set of intersecting crescents sharpened
along their edges and tapering-off to wicked
points. The blades curious shape, combined
with the twirls and circling passes of the gelt
brokers knife-work, allows it to deflect
incoming blows before delivering savage, raking
counter-attacks.
If a Sigilites wielder has the Counter-attack
talent, he does not take the usual -10 penalty to
Weapon Skill Tests made to attack when using
that talent to follow up a successful Parry.
Trophy Knife: Many fighters use the remains
of their kill to fashion a memento of the action,
and those who battle xenos are no exception.
Among Guardsmen who commonly go to war
against such foes there is a thriving secondary
business in many regiments where the claws and
teeth of terrible alien creatures are removed and
honed into valuable weapons. Each is a unique
creation representing some of the monstrous
races that have threatened the sector, some even
unknown by scholars. They serve to show off the
battlefield prowess of a warrior to their fellow
troopers, and are fine weapons in their own
right. Of course, a trophy knifes final
dispensation is often as a collectors mantelpiece,
and even after intermediaries have skimmed
their cut of the profits a Guardsman will often
have enough left over to buy a commission (or
pay his way out of his service early).

Man-Catcher
Man-catchers are simple yet effective tools
designed to apprehend a target at distance or
within a crowd. Most are formed of a long pole
with a spring-loaded claw at the end that is
designed to grapple around the targets neck or
an extremity and allow for a swift capture.
Targets latched on by a man-catcher are then

forcefully wrenched to the ground by their

attacker. Man-catchers are used on many feudal
worlds throughout the Imperium, but can also
be found in the employment of low-rent
enforcers who cant afford or obtain webbers,
and have some shipboard use as well as effective
methods to corral mutineers.

dense liquid metal alloy that augments the force

of struck blows. These weapons are most closely
associated with Lord Haxs Magistratum in Hive
Sibellus, but they are carried by enforcer cadres
and other heavies across the sector as a cheap
and effective alternative to shock weapons.

Balecarne Moon Blade

Scythes are principally an agri-tool intended

to reap grains for harvest, but they have a long
history of double duty as weapons often used
by peasant uprisings or farmer-militias. When
used as a weapon, a scythes blade is typically
moved in line with the shaft to be used as a long
chopping weapon; the typical shape of a scythe
used for agriculture is far from practical due to
the awkward swings a wielder must make,
although the wicked point can still cut clean
through an inexperienced opponent. Scythes are
often used as props in rituals or to convey
specific images; often, this invokes themes of
death, with the wielder reaping lives just as his
weapon reaps crops.

These strangely-shaped blades are primarily

used by the elite Crescent Brotherhood of the
Balecarne tribe, who originate from the feral
world of Munsk in the Josian Reach. Over time,
the tribe has spawned sister-tribes on the
neighbouring worlds in the system, making
these blades somewhat more common.
Moon blades are crescent-shaped cutting
weapons each about 30 centimetres in length.
The wielder usually holds a blade in each hand,
gripping it in the centre, with a piece of leather
wrapped around the middle of the blade to
protect the users palms. The points of the
crescent point outwards, away from the wielders
body. Moon blades are difficult to use and take
many years to fully master, but even an
intermediate user can wield them with deadly
force. Experts, such as the aforementioned
Crescent Brotherhood, can make use of their
blades as short-range throwing weapons as well.

Punch Dagger
Punch daggers, also known as push or Tknives, have a fairly typical blade attached to a
T-shaped handle that is carried in the palm
similar to brass knuckles, allowing a simple
punch to be improved with a nasty piercing
wound. Punch daggers are particularly effective
in confined quarters and tight spaces, and are
often carried with the blade tucked into the boot
by enforcers and scummers alike.

Magistratum Punisher Baton

A byword for brutality on Scintilla, this heavy
baton is intended to smash limbs, crack skulls
and wantonly crush any resistance with
overwhelming force. The baton is a polymer
sheathed, metre-long rod of strengthened
plasteel with a hollow core part-filled with a

95

Scythe

Shield
A shield is a useful protective device that can
be made from any of a large variety of materials.
Their uses, shapes, and specific employments are
just as varied. In general, a shield is intended to
be used in a defensive role as a means to deflect
an enemys melee attacks, though they may have
a number of other features depending on the
exact mark or pattern used.
Guard Shield: Some Imperial Guard
regiments make use of shields made of thin but
sturdy plasteel plates that can provide protection
from incoming projectiles and fragments as well
as to turn aside an opponents blades. Many
include a small glassteel visor so the user can
peek out from behind the shield without
sacrificing protection.
A Guard shield can be used as cover against
ranged attacks, providing 6 Armour Points to all
hit locations as long as they are stationary or
using the Tactical Advance action, though the
user must expose at least one arm to attack.
Sepherin Mirror Shield: Made famous by the
Royal Scourges of Sepheris Secundus, the mirror

shield is an ornate rectangular device capable of

covering about two-thirds of its wielders body.
Constructed from layers of metal and stained
crystal-silicate glass, bearing the colourful crests
and armorials of the nobility, the refractive glass
gives the shield a mirrored effect that supposedly
deflects evil spirits (although it can also repel las
bolts as well). As such, it is considered an
exemplar of ennobled warfare and affairs of
honour on a world where such advanced
weapons are restricted to the elite retainers of
the ruling barons.
If used as cover against ranged attacks, the
shield is large enough to protect the arm that
carries it and the wearers body, though it may
shield the head instead (if the wearer is taking
cover behind a barricade, for instance). This
provides 8 Armour Points (Primitive) to those
locations; thanks to its reflective construction, a
mirror shields APs are not considered Primitive
against las weapons.
Naval Shield: Shipboard armsmen, boarding
crews, and other naval troops often utilise
shields of this type for personal protection as
they protect their ship. Each shield is a huge and
solid plasteel plate in a roughly rectangular
shape that is uncomfortable to carry for any
prolonged period but offers superior protection.
Unlike most Imperial shields they are totally flat
and have a smooth surface so they can be used as
emergency hull and bulkhead sealers. A Naval
shield is large enough to totally conceal the
users body, and boarding parties facing
defensive strong-points often make use of these
shields to create a solid wall of plasteel that
completely covers themselves and their allies.
A Naval shield can be used as cover against
ranged attacks, providing 8 Armour Points to all
hit locations as long as long as they are
stationary or using the Tactical Advance action,
though the user must expose their head and at
least one arm to attack.
Arbitrator Suppression Shield: This type of
shield is produced for the Adeptus Arbites and
the aquila emblazoned on its front is often the
first sign of an Arbitrator raid as it is thrust
through a recently-breached door. Suppression

96

shields are large ceramite slabs with a minor

outward curve, sufficiently large to completely
cover an Arbitrators form but still
manoeuvrable enough to be used in close
quarters. Each one has an arc-lumin built in on
an upper corner, with a powerful shock plate
taking the form of the aquila symbol at the
shields centre. Arbitrators who cant draw their
shock maul in time can rely on a quick smash
from their suppression shield to do the job. A
suppression shield includes a small but much
appreciated feature in the form of a lock-grip
opposite the arc-lumin, which can securely
anchor a basic weapon to where only one hand is
required to use it. This gives Arbitrators the
flexibility to use their issued weapon instead of a
sidearm while conducting assaults from behind
their shields.
A Suppression Shields lock-grip allows its
user to wield a basic weapon with one hand.
After making a successful melee attack, a
Suppression Shield must spend a Round
building up a charge (per the Recharge quality),
during which time it can still be used to make
attacks though it gains the Primitive quality and
loses the Shocking quality. As long as the user is
not Surprised (see Dark Heresy, page 187), a
Suppression Shield provides 4 Armour Points to
the users arm and body locations (which stacks
with any worn armours). It can also be used as
cover against ranged attacks, providing 4 APs to
all hit locations as long as they are stationary or
using the Tactical Advance action, though the
user must expose at least one arm to attack.
To use the Suppression Shields shock plate,
the user must have the Melee Weapon Training
(Shock) talent.
Tower Shield: An immense barricade of
wood or metal, tower shields are more of a
mobile barrier than an active means of defence.
Tower shields find their most frequent use on
feudal worlds where warfare places a heavy
emphasis on massed archer attacks; troops
protected by a tower shield can endure almost
any arrow shower, while those with lesser
protections are riddled like archery targets.
Simple plated iron examples are a common sight

in the canyons and narrow passages of

Coseflame, while the inland bronze and wood
shields found on Monrass are considered works
of art in their own right.
A tower shield can be used as cover against
ranged attacks, providing 8 Armour Points
(Primitive) to all hit locations as long as long as
the user is stationary or using the Tactical
Advance action, though they must expose at
least their head and one arm to attack. A tower
shields great bulk and mass imposes a -2 penalty
to the users Agility Bonus due to its difficulty in
handling, though most would rather be slower in
moving than dead from an arrow storm.

Spear
Spears are simple but effective weapons made
of a piercing tip, often made of stone or metal,
securely fastened to a sturdy wooden shaft.
Spears are advanced weapons on feral worlds
since they give their users a small measure of
reach against dangerous beasts, and are still in
use on most feudal worlds by cheap troops and
as anti-cavalry weapons.
A spear can be used as a melee weapon against
opponents that are up to 2 metres away from the
user thanks to their length.

Spetum
This pole-arm is equipped with three singleedged prongs on the business end and is most
commonly found on Balecaster as a ceremonial
weapon by the Inner Guard of the Star Sanctum.
Although the opportunity to use these weapons
in combat is somewhat rare, the warriors who
form the Inner Guard are highly trained in its
use, having spend countless hours honing their
technique to achieve complete mastery. The
Spetum is an exceptionally fine weapon that is
far removed from the humble fishing trident it
resembles, and those that make their way off
Balecaster end up used in battle just as often as
added to the collections of wealthy aficionados.

Steam Drill
These bulky and temperamental devices are
crude mining rigs used on worlds such as
Sepheris Secundus and Coseflame where more

97

sophisticated tools, like the breacher units

favoured by the Mechanicus, would be
impossible to maintain. Powered by a weighty
and scolding hot backpack steam compressor
that provides pressure to turn a huge boring
drill, they are not intended for use as weapons
due to their unwieldy size and mass. Of course,
such a tool could inflict horrific damage on any
unfortunates that manage to get in the way of
the drill head.
Steam drills require a Strength Bonus of 4 or
more to be effectively used as a weapon. Weaker
characters suffer a -10 penalty to their Weapon
Skill Tests made to attack with it for each point
their Strength Bonus is below 4. The bulk of a
steam drill and its power rig imposes a -10
penalty to the users Agility while carrying it.

Stiletto
A long dagger equipped with a thin and
narrow blade, stilettos are designed to slip
between armour and puncture heavy clothing
where they can go on to pierce vital organs. A
stiletto is not designed for prolonged combats as
its light construction and lack of an edge makes
it useless for anything but piercing thrusts, but a
skilled fighter wielding a stiletto can often end a
combat before it really begins. Stilettos are
favoured weapons of assassins and many include
narrow grooves in the blade suitable for dipping
in poison, and they are often carried as
secondary weapons by feudal armoured knights.
In the latter, a stiletto is not a combat weapon,
but is intended to be used to give a mercy killing
to a mortally wounded enemy, as no noble
warrior would allow another of his peers even
an opponent to die slowly on a battlefield.
Landrian Devils Kiss Stiletto: The Devils
Kiss is a long and narrow knife that is quenched
in blood during forging and sharpened only
along the last five centimetres, leading to a
needle-like tip. In the cities of Landunder, the
Devils Kiss is also the name of a blade clan
notorious for quiet and subtle killing, their
victims bleeding out from a single, almost
invisible, puncture wound. It is said that unless
you are learning the fatal tricks of the clan, you

developed worlds alike. Generally a staff will

take the form of a humble wooden rod that is a
common sight among pilgrims trekking
throughout the galaxy as they retrace the steps of
saints, but far more elaborate and decorated
versions might be carried as a symbol of office
or rulership, and novice sanctioned psykers
often use a staff topped with the symbol of the
ever-watching eye to indicate their allegiance to
the Emperor and the Scholastica Psykana.
Basic ranged weapons that are well balanced
and constructed for use in clobbering an
opponent count as a staff when used in melee.

Sword

will never see this deadly blade except with your

own blood wetting it. Off world, Landrian
stilettos fetch a high price due to their rarity and
excellent craftsmanship. Such is the quality of a
Devils Kiss that a mono-edged example could
rival a power blade in its ability to perforate even
modern, well-made armour without the
crackling and luminescent energy field of a
power weapon, and they are a favourite of Death
Cult Assassins for just this reason.

Staff
A staff is a very simple weapon formed in the
main from a sturdy length of wood about a
metre and a half long that is well balanced and
easy to wield. Though suitable for use as a
walking stick, a trained user can use a staff as an
effective bludgeoning instrument, and the art of
stick-fighting is popular on many primitive and

98

Swords are the classic melee weapon of

chivalric knights and men-at-arms alike, and are
used by almost innumerable classes and types of
fighters throughout the expanse of the
Imperium. In general a sword will have a
striking blade with a single or double edge and a
grip suitable for use with one or both hands, but
any number of other features blade length,
curvature, thickness, presence of lack of a crossguard, intention for chopping or thrusting
vary widely with the design of the blade. A
sword might be a simple iron blade built
expressly for war, a finely wrought piece of art as
beautiful as it is deadly, or even concealed within
a cane or walking stick.
Fervious Long-Sabre: The Fervious longsabre is an overly-long sword with a dramatic
curve designed for a two-handed grip. It is very
sharp among feudal weapons since the metallic
ores of Fervious are extremely stubborn and
difficult to work with, requiring numerous
folding and reforging to work out the impurities.
This creates a naturally razor-fine edge that
holds quite well, even after hacking through
armoured opponents. Long-sabres are wielded
by the nobles and wealthy armsmen of Fervious,
but can also be found among the many death
cults that world generates. Fervious society is a
bloodthirsty and violent one, founded on ritual
murder as a means to gain status and wealth,
and those in positions of power and authority

invariably carry one of these swords to ward off

assassins and other would-be usurpers.
Quicksilver Sword: Among the nobles on
Balecaster, a quicksilver sword is viewed as a
sign of divine lineage and right to rule, with each
blade being passed down from previous
generations - the further back the current bearer
can prove that the blade has been in their line,
the greater their status in the courts. As a combat
weapon, a quicksilver sword is a remarkably
dangerous instrument. Though looking much
like a normal, if finely-crafted, sword, these
weapons seem preternaturally fast, bending and
twisting in the wielder's hand as they lash out.
Administratum tithe-keepers visiting Balecaster
have noted the peculiar tendencies of its
quicksilver swords, which has aroused the
suspicion of certain elements of the Inquisition
that the blades may be of xenos origin.
Opponents attempting to Parry an attack from
a quicksilver sword suffer a -10 penalty to their
Weapon Skill Tests.
Reliquary Blade: This blade is a typical
example of sacred weaponry formed partly from
the corporal remains of saints and seers - in this
case, a human femur forms the pommel and
grip, giving way to a cruciform guard and a cold
iron blade inscribed with litanies of protection
and blessings against heretics and sinners.
Weapons of such provenance are typically kept
under close watch in the sacristy of great temples
and shrines, only to be used in periods of great
need, although especially faithful or honoured
warriors may be gifted such a valuable tool of the
Emperor's strength while they crusade in His
name. Regardless of the weapon's exact shape or
construction, a reliquary blade is an immediate
and undeniable mark of the bearer's holy
convictions and will.
A reliquary blade is always of Best
Craftsmanship. If wielded by a character with
the Pure Faith talent, this weapon gains the
Vicious quality. Whenever a character spends a
Fate Point within 10 metres of a strongly
displayed reliquary blade, roll 1d10. On a result
of "8" or higher, the character immediately
recovers the Fate Point. Characters with more

99

than 10 Corruption Points cannot benefit from

this effect, the relic offering no succour for those
of a tainted soul. If the character burns a Fate
Point it is still lost as usual.
Landrian Render: Renders are considered
cursed and ill-omened blades on Landunder,
and even off-worlders who dont subscribe to the
local mysticisms might be inclined to agree after
looking at the arm-length butcher blades
numerous serrations and teeth. A render is
designed to take its victim apart slowly, piece by
piece, and has many deliberate concessions
made to create excruciating wounds that heal
poorly. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the weapon
shares its name with Landunders Render clan,
nominally meat-mongers and tanners who have
been repeatedly linked with murder cults and the
worst criminal atrocities.
Sabre: A favoured weapon of cavalry troops
and other mounted warriors, sabres are popular
weapons on worlds such as Iocanthos and
Volonx that are famed for their horsemen.
Sabres possess a curved single-edged blade
designed to make downward slashes and have
excellent balance that allows a rider to keep a
hand free to control his mount. The sabres
elegant yet functional construction causes it to
persist in many more sophisticated climes, and
Imperial Guard officers and hive nobles often
wield mono-edged sabres for their graceful and
distinctive appearance (as well as lethality in
battle), and there are several patterns of power
swords with a blade that specifically resembles
that of a sabres.
A sabre increases its Damage value by 1 when
wielded by a user who is mounted or has another
significant height advantage over his opponent.
Short Sword: Short swords have a slightly
reduced lethality and reach compared to their
full-size counterparts but are significantly easier
to wield in cramped or confined spaces, making
them popular with naval armsmen and boarding
parties. They are also the largest size of blade
that is still suitable as a backup weapon, and are
carried by some Imperial Guard regiments with
a penchant for hand-to-hand combat.

CHAIN WEAPONS
Chain weapons are popular amongst many
warriors in the 41st Millennium as most races
and planets have the basic technology to produce
these brutal and highly effective weapons.
Roughly taking the shape of several types of
typical (Primitive) melee weapons, all weapons
of this type do their damage with fast-moving
chains of serrated teeth often made of ceramite
and other hard metallic materials that replace
the bladed edge that is normally found there. A
powerful motor in the base sets the teeth
spinning at a wickedly high speed, and even
glancing blows can rip open a man like a piece of
rotten fruit. The vicious teeth can even grind
through armour, and while not intended for use
against heavily-armoured opponents a severe
blow from a chain weapon can still strike true
while any lesser blade would be harmlessly
turned aside. Chain weapons are loud and make
an angry buzzing noise as their visibly dangerous
teeth spin around, and the sight of a revving
chain blade can be a powerfully intimidating tool
in its own right. Chain weapons are most
commonly associated with warriors of the
Imperium; they are favourites of Imperial Guard
officers and sergeants, naval boarding parties,
specialist assault troops, Redemptionist fanatics,
and much larger versions are often wielded by
the mighty Space Marines. Some Xenos are
known to employ their own chain weapons as
well, obviously in deference to the superiority of
mans ability to make war with these fine
weapons. To use chain weapons without penalty,
a character must have the Melee Weapon
Training (Chain) talent.

Chainsword
Chainswords are the most common make and
style of chain weapon, and are much loved by
those who wield one for their ease of handling
and the gory spray of satisfaction they leave
when rending an enemy apart. Most
chainswords follow the style of the Mk. Xf
Hells Teeth pattern which employs a flat, boxy
housing that contains the spinning chain and its

100

motor. There is a curved opening at the front

and along one side of the housing so the teeth
can rip into foes struck while the wielder can
safely grasp the enclosed side to aid in attacking
or defence. This also prevents the user from
being maimed by their own chainsword if it is
knocked back against them. There are more
exotic or unusual marks of chainswords as well,
and some are listed here.
Drusian Crusader Chainsword: Replicas
of the weapon carried by Saint Drusus during
the Angevin Crusade are quite popular in the
Calixis Sector, and the worlds that celebrate
Drusus Day often have throngs of faithful
gathered in the streets outside his shrines with
these weapons thrust into the air in honour of
his memory. A Crusader chainsword has finer
teeth set into a long and sweeping housing with a
basket hilt, making it extremely nimble as well as
quite attractive in a spartan fashion, and those
who can afford to commission a sword of their
own often have them inlaid with intricate
patterns or precious stones.
Locke-Pattern: Particularly fanatic wielders
of chainswords often remove some or all of the
protective housing that covers half the blade,
allowing them to make more devastating cuts
and thrusts at the expense of personal safety. The
Locke-pattern is manufactured to meet this
demand, freeing zealots up from the tedious
armourers work in modifying their weapons so
they can turn their blades on the Emperors foes.
The exposed chain makes the Locke-pattern
more dangerous for the user, but those who
favour this style of weapon have little concern
for injuries they may sustain from accidental
hits, and often wear the scars from such wounds
as badges of pride.
Any character that rolls an unmodified 96-00
on their Weapon Skill Test while wielding a
Locke pattern chainsword risks losing control of
the chain blade and must succeed on a
Challenging (+0) Agility Test or else hit
themselves with the weapon instead. This attack
deals normal Damage but has a Pen value of 0
and does not add the wielders Strength Bonus.

Chain Weapons
Name

Class

Dam

Pen

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Chainsword

Melee

1d10+2 R

Balanced, Tearing

6kg

275

Scarce

Drusian

Melee

1d10 R

Balanced, Fast, Tearing

7kg

250

Average

Locke

Melee

1d10+5 R

Special, Tearing

6kg

400

Scarce

Chain Axe

Melee

1d10+4 R

Tearing

13kg

450

Rare

Chain Knife

Melee

1d5+3 R

Tearing

2.5kg

80

Hive

Scarce

Crimson Crown

Thrown (SBx4m)

1d10+2 R

Special, Tearing

0.5kg

2,000

Very Rare

Eviscerator

Melee

1d10+10 R

Special, Tearing, Unwieldy

12kg

750

Rare

Requires two hands to be used effectively

Chain Axe

Crimson Crown

A chain axe is designed to offer all of an axes

strength at cleaving through a foe like a cord of
wood with the added rending power of a roaring
chain blade. Chain axes are weapons of absolute
brutality with little room for subtlety or careful
combat manoeuvres, and are well-designed for
those who favour a fast and hard offence against
their foes. Compared to chainswords, chain axes
are rare weapons that go far to show their
wielders zeal for smiting his opponents.

This highly non-standard chain weapon is

intended to be thrown, and is not produced by
any major forge in quantity; whether they are
ancient relics or the product of small but skilled
tech-adept cabals is anyones guess. A crimson
crown takes the form of a metal circlet roughly
the width of a human forearm and the thickness
of a palm that is surrounded by sharpened metal
teeth. A crimson crown is a heavy and awkward
weapon to wield, but once activated a brace of
micro-gravlifts nearly cancel out its mass, and a
central grip enables the weapon to be thrown
with frightening speed and accuracy. The
rotating action signals the crimson crowns
internal motor to roar to life, making it safer for
the wielder to throw as its flesh-tearing teeth
only start spinning once the weapon is released.
The speed of its flight as well as a chain weapons
customary brutality sends its victim to the
ground in a spray of blood and viscera; the chain
stops several moments after impact, leaving its
owner to pry it free of his victim.
A crimson crown can be used by characters
without the Thrown Weapon Training (Chain)
talent if they have both the Melee Weapon
Training (Chain) and Thrown Weapon Training
(Primitive) talents. It must be thrown at least 3
metres for the teeth to spin up; if flung at a closer
opponent, it loses the Tearing quality.

Chain Knife
Chain knives work on the same principle as
their larger kin, and often take the appearance of
a short cleaver or wide dirk with a squat and
murderous look to them. Powered by a compact
cell in the hilt, the weapons buzzing teeth rip
through flesh with ease and splatter onlookers
with hot gore. Chain knives, also known
variously as buzz blades or chain rippers, are
almost entirely a hivers weapon and are
widespread among gangers of the Sibellian
underhive and the fighting cages of Malfi. On
Landunder, the buzz blade is infamously the
province of the labour gangs that control the
docking airlocks of the eight cities, notorious as
they are for quelling dissent with a single ragged
cut to the belly. In this, Landrians have
developed a special killing art whose aim is to
leave the victim screaming in agony for as long
as possible before death.

Eviscerator
Eviscerators are almost comically-oversized
chainswords that are often just as tall if not taller

101

than their wielders and roar fiercely as their

teeth spin on both sides of the totally exposed
blade. They are sacred to witch-hunters and
Redemptionists who view an Eviscerator as an
instrument of the Emperors divine might and
hatred for sinners and heretics, but may end up
in the hands of well-equipped gang heavies and
other warriors who want to see their foes split in
twain and with a whole lot of mess to go with it.
An Eviscerator is a true terror weapon that
makes a terrific racket when in use, and the
sheer volume and size of its teeth can rival a
power weapon in terms of raw destructive
capability. Even light vehicles are not immune to
an Eviscerators army of spinning teeth, and

102

there are anecdotal stories of these weapons

hacking through the legs of walkers. They are
difficult and tiring to use for any period of time,
but most who wield an Eviscerator will end a
combat in very short order.
Any character that rolls an unmodified 96-00
on their Weapon Skill Test while wielding an
Eviscerator risks losing control of the chain
blade and must succeed on a Challenging (+0)
Agility Test or else hit themselves with the
weapon instead of their target. This attack deals
full Damage, including Penetration and the
users Strength Bonus. Roll to determine hit
location normally, but re-roll if the hit would
indicate a blow to either arm.

POWER WEAPONS
Sheathed in a power field of crackling arcane
energies, a power weapon greatly amplifies the
force of the wielders swings and thrusts,
disrupting the matter that makes up armour and
its wearer all at once. Many of these weapons
conceal their true nature with power packs
subtly incorporated into the grip and energy
projection veins down the blade, appearing as a
totally normal if well-made weapon until
activated amid crackles of lightning running
down their length. Regardless of whether its
generators are hidden within or obviously
attached with conduit cables, power weapons are
dramatic implements that can go from ordinary
blades to cleaving and smashing engines of
destruction in a matter of moments.

Because of the great cost of manufacturing

the power field generators themselves, power
weapons are almost exclusively the province of
the wealthy and well-connected, such as highranking Imperial Guard officers, Rogue Traders,
Inquisitors, and others who are afforded such
luxuries. However, power weapons are the
unquestioned champions among those meant
for use in close combat, and most who can
obtain such devices are the types who like to use
them as well.
When deactivated, a power weapon counts as
a Primitive weapon of the same type with the
mono-edged upgrade and can be used without
penalty by a character with the Melee Weapon
Training (Primitive) talent. Otherwise, a
character must have the Melee Weapon Training
(Power) to use power weapons without penalty.

Power Weapons
Name

Class

Dam

Pen

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Null Rod

Melee

1d10+4 E

Power Field, Special

3kg

9,000

Extremely Rare

Omnissian Rod

Melee

1d10+10 E

Balanced, Flexible, Power

Field, Special

9kg

Tech-Priest Only

Extremely Rare

Power Axe

Melee

1d10+7 E

Power Field, Unbalanced

6kg

2,700

Loi-Pattern

Melee

1d10+8 E

10

Power Field, Unbalanced

7kg

3,200

Omnissian Axe

Melee

2d10+4 E

Power Field, Unbalanced

8kg

Tech-Priest Only

Extremely Rare

Melee

1d10+3 E

Power Field

1.5kg

1,750

Very Rare

Melee

1d10+2 E

Fast, Power Field

1.5kg

2,000

Extremely Rare

Power Discus

Thrown (SBx4m)

1d10+4 E

Power Field, Special

0.2kg

10,000

Extremely Rare

Power Fist (gauntlet)

Melee

2d10 E

Power Field, Unwieldy

12kg

3,200

Very Rare

Power Fist (glove)

Melee

2d10 E

Power Field, Unwieldy

7kg

3,000

Very Rare

Power Longsword

Melee

1d10+7

Power Field

4.5kg

3,500

Very Rare

Power Maul (high)

Melee

1d10+5 E

Power Field

3.5kg

2,500

Very Rare

Power Maul (low)

Melee

1d10+1 I

Shocking

Power Stake

Melee

1d10+7 E

Power Field, Sanctified,

Unbalanced

1kg

20,000

Extremely Rare

Power Sword

Melee

1d10+6 E

Balanced, Power Field

3.5kg

2,500

Very Rare

Melee

1d10+5 E

Balanced, Power Field

3kg

2,700

Very Rare

15kg

4,000

Very Rare

5kg

2,800

Very Rare

Power Blade
Serpentine

Power Sabre
Thunder Hammer

Melee

2d10+2 E

10

Power Field, Recharge,

Shocking, Unwieldy

Witch Lance

Melee/Thrown (10m)

1d10+5 E

Power Field, Special

Requires two hands to be used effectively

Add twice the wielders Strength Bonus to Damage
Not including external power source

103

Null Rod
Equal parts weapon and tool, a null rod takes
the form of an obsidian shaft about a metre long
heavily inscribed with runic wards and prayers
against the daemon and witch. The grip is
formed from simple leather strips bearing
inscriptions of protection, giving a null rod a
very "low-tech" and mundane appearance, but
this is deceiving in the extreme. The unique
material is mined from an unknown world in the
Koronus Expanse, its location kept secret by the
Calixian Conclave explicitly for this enigmatic
substance alone. When gripped strongly the rod
reacts to the wielder's own life force, emitting a
crackling energy field that pulses with warpdisrupting power, weakening a daemon's hold
on reality while filling a witch's head with vertigo
and false perceptions. The Inquisition's own
tech-artisans have installed a compact power
field generator within the body of the rod,
further amplifying the effect as well as allowing
the tool to function as a power weapon in handto-hand combat. Null rods are indispensible
tools to witch and daemon hunters alike; agents
of the Throne who are granted such exclusive
gear are favoured indeed. The vast majority of
null rods are wielded by militant Inquisitors and
their minions, but more fanatical elements of the
Ecclesiarchy and the Adepta Soroitas have
obtained them from time to time as well.
A null rod emits a field that can totally nullify
psychic powers and other warp phenomena out
to a distance of 20 metres. When a psychic
power is manifested, roll 1d10 - only on a result
of "8" or higher is the power actually manifested.
This roll should be made before checking for any
Psychic Phenomena; if the null rod prevents the
psychic power from manifesting then no Psychic
Phenomena occur. Active or sustained powers
entering the field are subject to its effects and
must make this roll upon contact with the field
and when making the subsequent Power Roll to
sustain. If a power is manifested outside the null
rod's field, but its effect encroaches into the area
warded by the field, the power is still manifested
but may have no effect within the field itself; roll
to determine this as above. If a psychic power is

104

successfully manifested within a null rod's field

area, reduce any Psychic Phenomena results by
10. In addition, a null rod forces daemonic
creatures and other warp entities to make a
Warp Instability Test with a -10 penalty each
time they take Damage from it in melee. Finally,
each time a psyker or other creature with a Psy
Rating spends 10 continuous Rounds within a
null rod's field, it must succeed on a Hard (-20)
Willpower Test or gain 1d5 Insanity Points.
Failure by two or more Degrees also affects the
character as though he was affected by a
hallucinogen grenade.

Omnissian Rod
An exceptionally rare device, an Omnissian
rod is gifted only to ranking Magi, Fabricators,
and other elites of the Cult Mechanicus who
wield this weapon as a staff or standard. Taking
the form of a two metre tall staff of consummate
discs stacked end to end, an Omnissian Rod is
topped with a broad escutcheon of the Imperial
aquila inlaid with the skull-and-cog device of the
Adeptus Mechanicus, a symbolic representation
of the (sometimes tenuous) unity of the
Imperium of Man and the Martian Priesthood.
Though impressive to behold, when wielded by a
Tech-Priest an Omnissian rod becomes an
extremely potent weapon. The rod's body can
separate into its individual segments, an internal
spine of bundled monomolecular wire
preventing it from flying apart while the
escutcheon acts as the head of a flail. When
wired in to the Tech-Priest's potentia coil, the
rod can be sheathed in a high energy field
analogous to a power weapon. This energy can
be used to make ranged attacks as well by
turning the rod on its side and using the haft as a
focusing barrel, giving the Tech-Priest wielding
it firepower equivalent to a fine plasma gun as
well.
An Omnissian rod gains the listed profile
when connected to the wielder's potentia coil,
which requires a Half Action and a successful
Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use Test. If the wielder
uses the rod to Parry, it loses the Flexible quality
for one Round. Alternatively, the wielder can
choose to use the Omnissian rod as a ranged

weapon, in which case it counts as a phased

plasma gun (and requires both hands to wield).
The weapon cannot be used as both a melee and
ranged weapon in the same Round. If used
without a connection to a potentia coil, the
weapon loses the Power Field quality, can't be
used as a ranged weapon, and reduces its
Damage and Penetration by 7 each. In all cases, a
Tech-Priest bearing an Omnissian rod gifted to
him gains a +20 bonus to Interaction Tests made
with other members of the Cult Mechanicus,
while the Disposition of members of Imperial
organisations that chafe with the Mechanicus
improve by one step.

Power Axe
As with the simple axes wielded by
commoners and feudal warriors, a power axe
makes use of a heavy blade atop a stout haft that
dramatically increases its chopping power.
When combined with a power field, even a
heavily-armoured foe can be split in half like a
piece of kindling. Power axes are somewhat
clumsier than more common power swords, but
those that wield them believe the extra lethality
more than makes up for a slower swing.
Loi-Pattern: This particular mark of power
axe is a product of the Loi Metalworks Armoury
on the world of Lo and differentiates itself from
others of its type by a much longer haft and
harsh, cleaver-like blade that is significantly
longer as well. Sometimes informally referred to
as a power glaive, the extended dimensions of
the Loi-pattern allow it to be swung with a wider
arc and correspondingly greater force. Several
Inquisitors of the Calixian Conclave favour this
pattern, whether for their personal use or that of
their senior acolytes and agents; these
prominently feature Inquisitorial iconography
on the business end, making sure that those laid
low for their heresies will know their doom at
the final moments.
Omnissian Axe: No mere power weapon,
this is a holy icon of the Cult Mechanicus that is
granted to Magi and Enginseers alike who have
shown their faith to the Machine God in battle.
An Omnissian axe is forged of the finest

105

materials and to absolute tolerances using great

secrets of tempering and field generation, and
are among the finest power weapons
manufactured anywhere in the Imperium. Many
have saw-toothed blades or backs to invoke the
ancient prehistory of engineering, and all are
invariably decorated with sacred equations and
symbols of the Mechanicus. Tech-Priests who
wield these superb weapons often use them as
exaggerated (and wholly unnecessary) walking
sticks and badges of office, and the bearer is
most often regarded as a figure blessed by the
Machine God as a furious incarnation of its
repositories of knowledge and power in war.
The wielder of an Omnissian axe receives a
+10 bonus to Interaction Tests involving
followers of the Cult Mechanicus, and the
weapons machine spirit is so advanced that it
acts as a multi-tool when wielded by an

adherent. An Omnissian axe may never be

bought or deliberately obtained it is gifted only
to Tech-Priests by their superiors, and to wield
one without that blessing is a suicidal act.

Power Blade
Power blades are modest dagger-sized
weapons that are infinitely more dangerous than
their size suggests because of their power field.
Though only slightly larger than any of a
multitude of knives popular throughout the
Imperium, a power blade can still punch
through almost any armour as though it were
made of wet parchment, and a particularly
serious wielder might go so far as to use a kick to
drive an impaled power blade deeper still into
his opponents body.
Khayer-Addin Serpentine Blade: Blades
concealed in walking canes, umbrellas, and other
innocuous objects are far from uncommon
among the Calixis Sectors wealthy and
connected, but the Khayer-Addin Forges
Serpentine escalates this concept to an entirely
higher level. The Serpentines incredibly thin
blade is forged from the highest-quality
adamantine alloys to ensure strength in spite of
its slender shape, and it is capable of generating
a power field from a sophisticated unit no longer
than a common autogun clip that is concealed
within the handle. Khayer-Addin produces this
exclusive weapon by commission and no two are
exactly alike, though most take the form of
elaborate walking sticks or rods of office. The
Serpentine may be drawn normally or erupt
through its decoy housing with a field burst to
create a suitably dramatic deployment, and most
users typically keep one or two spares to
conceal their weapon again after its use is no
longer required.

Power Discus
Few would consider throwing a costly and rare
power weapon at any enemy as anything other
than madness, but the archeotech power discus
is designed to do just that. A power discus is
formed of a seamless silvery disc with a mirrorlike gloss finish no more than 30 centimetres
across, roughly five centimetres in thickness in

106

the centre but tapering to whisper thin edges

that can inflict cuts on a careless wielder. A
power discus has almost no weight to it in spite
of its size and construction, and when thrown it
flies almost noiselessly through the air until a
power field crackles to existence around it. The
power discus generator activates once it detects
the airborne spinning motion, and deactivates
several moments after its movement ceases
(often embedded into an object behind the
opponent it just cut through). Most who own a
power discus are wealthy collectors or
aficionados, but they make perfectly deadly
combat weapons to those who can afford their
cost and dont mind hunting through
underbrush or tangled hive-works to recover a
thrown discus thats gone awry.
A power discus can be used by characters
without the Thrown Weapon Training (Power)
talent if they have both the Melee Weapon
Training (Power) and Thrown Weapon Training
(Primitive) talents. A character wielding a power
discus risks cutting himself when throwing the
weapon if he lacks adequate protection for his
hands. If the wielder rolls an unmodified 91-00
on his Ballistic Skill Test when attacking, he also
takes 1d5 Rending Damage to whichever arm is
wielding the weapon.

Power Fist
Power fists are heavy armoured gloves or
gauntlets with a built in power field generator
that can turn a simple punch into a blow capable
of completely obliterating an opponent and
putting holes through the side of thick
bulkheads. The broad surface of a power fists
field means a struck foe is disrupted over a wide
area; armour is punctured and rent open like
fabric, while an unprotected foe erupts in a
shower of ruined flesh as though a grenade had
exploded inside their bodies. Power fists are
imprecise instruments that are poor choices for
swordplay and quick manoeuvres, but their
destructive power is unquestioned.
Power fists are usually produced in two
distinct patterns: a sturdy power glove that can
be worn on its own, and the large gauntlet that is
designed to interface with a suit of power

armour and maximize on the users greatly

increased strength. Glove-type fists are favoured
by Imperial Guard officers as they mesh well
with carapace suits and are only modestly
encumbering, while the larger gauntlets are most
commonly used by power-armoured crusaders
and Inquisitorial agents who have no need for
subtlety or drudging work in the course of their
duties. Despite their differences, both are
extraordinarily deadly weapons.
Power fists provide Armour Points to the arm
covered by them but impose a penalty to Skill
Tests involving fine dexterity made with that
hand on account of the bulky digits. Glove-type
power fists provide 6 APs and gauntlet-type
power fists provide 8 APs; these do not stack
with worn armour, so count whichever provides
more APs when calculating reduction. A glovetype power fist imposes a -5 penalty to Skill Tests
involving fine manual dexterity, while the
gauntlet-types penalty is -10. A glove-type
power fist requires an external power flask
weighing 5kg, typically carried on the belt or on
an equipment pack.

Power Longsword
Most power swords are designed to be easy to
wield with one hand, but two-handed patterns
with a much longer blade are made for those
with a particular zeal for close combat. While
somewhat more difficult to handle, a power
longsword can put much greater force on its
blows to rend open heavily-armoured opponents
or thrust deeply into the guts of even the largest
beasts and aliens. Officers of the Brontian
Longknives, already well known for their love of
blades and melee battles, are known to be
particular enthusiasts for these weapons, and
they are also often found in the employ of
militant operatives of the Ordo Xenos who
desire a potent weapon to use against foul
creatures of great size and power.

Arbitrator Power Maul

This weapon is designed to look similar to the
shock maul used by rank-and-file Adeptus
Arbites troopers but is far more capable thanks

107

to the use of a variable power field generator.

Most power weapons are only designed to be
switched on or off, but a power mauls more
sophisticated field can be adjusted with a
selector stud set into the base of the shaft. At
maximum power it is just as deadly as any other
power weapon and can be used to smash
through walls or annihilate opponents, but at a
reduced setting produces just enough energy to
duplicate a shock mauls incapacitating jolts.
This gives veteran troopers and judges the
flexibility to exert as much restraint as they feel
is necessary, and the power mauls simple
appearance reduces some of the class division
that exists in most Imperial institutions. Veteran
Arbitrators who become judges or proctors may
be presented with one of these simple but highly
effective weapons as an award for dutiful service,
and most are quite eager to put it to use at once.

Power Stake
The power stake is another item in the
Inquisitors arsenal that is designed to be as
much a symbol as it is a weapon. It takes the
form of a solid metre-long shaft of cold-forged
iron, tapering to a wicked point on one end. The
other end is fashioned into a handle, containing
the power field generator and suitable for
gripping in combat as well as use as a walking
stick. Thousands of etched runes, prayers against
the psyker and invocations against the warp,
decorate the shaft of the weapon, giving it a
wrinkled look from a distance. These weapons
are the progeny of the noted witch hunter
Inquisitor Rykehuss of the Calixian Conclave,
and carry his hatred of psykers and witches. He
has commissioned dozens of these bane stakes
and issued them to favoured minions and other
servants of the Emperor deemed to harbour the
same fanatic zeal as he himself for the
persecution of these unclean mutants and scum.
A successful attack with a power stake is
crippling against witches. This weapon deals an
additional 1d10 Damage for every point of the
targets Psy Rating. Power stakes are invariably a
Best craftsmanship weapon and grant their user
a +10 bonus to their Weapon Skill when

wielding it (the +1 Damage bonus has already

been added to the profile).

Power Sword
Power swords are the most common type of
power weapon, at least as far as these rare and
valuable arms can be considered. A power sword
is an immediate sign of the wearers status as
well as their preference for close range combat,
as few weapons are as functional, deadly, and
immediately ostentatious as a power sword.
Depending on the mark, power swords might be
simply elegant weapons that could pass for a
conventional blade or obvious tech-marvels that
ripple energy along their exposed power cabling.
Regardless of whether its wielded by an
Inquisitor, Imperial Guard officer, or Rogue
Trader, a power sword sets its user apart from
those below his station.
Power Sabre: This sweeping single-edged
blade is often made as a power weapon for
wielders that value a sabres swift cuts and basket
hilt but would like something with quite a bit
more bite. A power sabre is somewhat less
effective at cutting down an armoured opponent
than the thicker blades of normal power
swords, but when wielded by a skilled
swordsman the blade seems to become just a
flash of light as it darts around before striking
true. Power sabres are often wielded by
Commissars for their dramatic appearance and
wicked point, though anyone regardless of
their skill could appreciate ones appearance.
A power sabres excellent handling grants its
wielder an additional +5 bonus to Weapon Skill
Tests made to Parry; with the Balanced quality,
the wielders total bonus to these Tests is +15.

Thunder Hammer
Normally carried into battle by heroic Space
Marines, thunder hammers are also made in a
shape that can be wielded by mere humans,
though it is by no means easy to do so.
Compared to other power weapons, a thunder
hammers power field is employed to build up a
devastating charge which is released on impact
with a foe, rending them asunder with the force
of a lightning strike (hence the name). Those

108

who are not utterly obliterated after being

struck, reduced to a smouldering pile of cooked
flesh and ruined armour, are often sent reeling
from the meteoric force of the blow as energy
courses through their bodies. To carry a thunder
hammer is a sign not only of the wielders wealth
or connections, but of true faith in the justice
and might of the Emperor.
A thunder hammer takes time to build up
maximum energy. After striking an opponent it
loses the Shocking quality for one Round (per
the Recharge quality), but can otherwise still be
used to attack normally.

Witch Lance
A potent weapon that is a mix of the technoarcane and the sacred, witch lances are designed
to destroy rogue psykers and witches utterly and
without mercy. These heavily modified power
weapons take the form of an ornate spear, pike,
or some other pole-arm with a cold iron and
adamantine blade and haft. Contained at the
weapons heart is a pressure-release reservoir of
concentrated promethium mixed with sacred
oils and anti-psy compounds. Should the lance
successfully impale a victims body, this mixture
is explosively vented, utterly consuming them in
a blast of holy fire. Although ostensibly intended
for use against psykers, a witch lance is a
perfectly useful weapon against any enemy of the
Emperor, as it is guilt, rather than warp power,
that causes them to ignite.
Whenever Righteous Fury results while a
character is attacking with a witch lance, the
weapon deals an additional 2d10 Energy
Damage that ignores Armour, and the victim is
set on fire. This extra Damage is considered
Holy, which has certain effects on Daemonic
creatures and warp entities (as will be noted in
their descriptions). These effects are in addition
to the normal effects of Righteous Fury. The
witch lances internal reservoir has enough fuel
to castigate five of the Emperors foes before it
must be refilled; the mixture has a base cost of
100 Thrones and is Very Rare.

carefully guarded by security proctors and

armsmen to prevent them from falling into the
hands of rioting mining-helots or workers.
Outside of the mines, there are small numbers of
fighters and other heavies who would use stolen
concussion maces as full-time weapons. The
impressive result of a particularly solid hit, as
well as the ability to smash a fully armoured
Arbitrator right through his carapace suit, makes
for an appealing choice. However, the
unpredictable nature of such improvised
potency can have potentially disastrous effects,
especially if the concussive wave ends up being
reflected back at the wielder.
A concussion mace can be used by characters
without the Melee Weapon Training (Shock)
talent as a Primitive weapon, but it loses the
Blast and Unstable qualities without the precise
focus necessary to strike blows with the gravplate. On a successful hit this weapon inflicts its
Damage as a Blast weapon, but the blast area
does not extend towards or to the sides of the
wielder. However, an unmodified roll of 94-00
on a Weapon Skill Test made to attack results in
the blast rolling back into the wielder, centring
the effect on the originally targeted area or on
the wielder himself, whichever is more
appropriate for the situation. Regardless of
where the blast is centred, the wielder of the
concussion mace cannot attempt an Agility Test
to avoid the blast. If the wielder does not

SHOCK WEAPONS
Shock weapons are designed to be generally nonlethal, attacking the subject with incapacitating
force through electrical shocks that are
discharged on impact. Being hit with a shock
weapon is painful and causes mild burns on the
skin, but generally will not result in debilitating
injury, maiming, or death, making them very
useful for crowd control and encouraging
workers to venerate the Emperor through their
labours with more enthusiasm. To use shock
weapons without penalty, a character must have
the Melee Weapon Training (Shock) or Thrown
Weapon Training (Shock) talents.

Concussion Mace
Designed for use in zero-gravity mining,
concussion maces take the form of a long
metallic haft about two metres tall topped with a
flanged striking end. A concussion mace makes
use of a piece of surplus or salvaged grav-plating,
energised by a kinetic generator that spins up as
the mace is swung. On impact, the concussion
mace discharges a massive burst of stored power,
creating a brief pulse of crushing force suitable
for shattering rocks and prying out dense
deposits from hard ore and other strata.
Concussion maces are not intended to be used as
weapons, but the powerful augmented impacts
can be quite effective at annihilating even wellarmoured opponents. As a result, these tools are
Shock Weapons
Name

Class

Dam

Pen

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Blast (1), Special, Unstable,

Unwieldy

15kg

600

Void

Scarce

Concussion Mace

Melee

1d10+3 I

Electro-Flail

Melee

1d10+2 I

Flexible, Shocking

4.5kg

375

Rare

4kg

500

Rare

Neural Whip

Melee (3m)

1d10+1 E

Flexible, Shocking, Special,

Tearing

Officers Cutlass

Melee

1d10 R

Shocking, Special

3kg

200

Void

Scarce

Shock Glove

Melee

1d5 E

Shocking, Special

1.5kg

100

Scarce

Shock Maul

Melee

1d10 I

Shocking

2.5kg

150

Average

Shock Staff

Melee

1d5+3 I

Shocking

2kg

100

Scarce

Shock Staff (spike)

Melee

1d5+1 R

Shocking

2kg

125

Rare

Shock Star

Thrown (SBx3m)

1d5+2 R

Shocking

.2kg

350

Rare

Requires two hands to be used effectively

109

Electro-Flail
Electro-flails are groups of tendril-like lashes,
attached to a short staff or handle and swung in
sharp, quick snaps. These flails have a short
reach, but as they strike in devastating masses of
hits they can be extraordinarily effective at
incapacitating a foe. Electro-flails are common
sights at manufactorums that use forced labour
as they make an intimidating, whip-like crack as
they strike an obstinate worker, and there are
many types of servitors with electro-flails

110

implanted in their limbs specifically to assist

forge overseers in quelling any potential unrest.

Neural Whip
This nasty weapon resembles a conventional
whip with a thicker length that delivers a
powerful electrical shock from a heavy power
pack in the grip. Neural whips cant be rightly
considered a non-lethal weapon; the whips
terrible lacerations alone could kill, never mind
the shock discharge that is sufficient to stop the

heart and lungs of those with weaker

constitutions. The electrostatic charge in the
whip seems to help it fly further, and a labour
foreman or press-gang captain of sufficient skill
can send its painful touch over the heads of wellbehaved mendicants to savage a miscreant in
their midst.
A neural whip can be used against a target up
to three metres away, but loses the Flexible and
Tearing qualities against adjacent opponents as
the whip cannot build up the high speed or
twisting movements that cause its frightening
effects when used on foes further away.

Officers Cutlass
The cutlass has a long tradition of naval
service dating to prehistory, and many can still
be found aboard voidfaring ships of the present.
Swords carried by junior officers and lead
ratings often will have a shock generator built in
to the handle that greatly increases the force of
cuts and blows with a sharp electrical discharge.
An officers cutlass offers an additional
versatility in that the shock can also be delivered
through the armoured guard to make a
significantly less deadly but just as incapacitating
blow, a handy feature during a mutiny or revolt
among superiors that would prefer to keep losses
to a minimum.
A character wielding an officers cutlass can
strike with the guard instead of the blade, which
deals 1d5 Impact Damage with a Penetration
value of 0 and the Shocking quality.

Shock Glove
Shock gloves are designed to deliver an
electrical jolt as part of a punch, and are most
commonly used by gangers and low-life
enforcers as a cheap but effective way to inflict
pain and terrorize victims, but they can be
devastatingly in brawls and other situations
where an opponent might not know exactly
whats on his attackers hands until far too late.
Higher quality shock gloves do exist, however,
often looking simply like ordinary gloves for
keeping the hands warm or even light elegant

111

mitts worn by nobles and dilettantes at formal

functions and other gatherings.
A shock glove can be used as a melee weapon
with the listed profile, but can also deliver the
effects of the Shocking quality as part of an
Unarmed attack, benefitting from any talents or
abilities the wearer may have. They can also be
used to shock a victim any time the wearer is in
direct contact with the victims skin, whether
grappling an unarmoured opponent or dancing
at a ball.
The bulk and appearance of a shock glove are
factors of their quality. The attributes listed
below are in addition to the regular modifiers for
Craftsmanship as described previously:
Poor: Overly-large and covered in a mess of
wires, these look intimidating but are hard to use
in an actual fight due to their bulk. Any attempt
to conceal their true nature suffers a -20 penalty.
Common: These have an appearance similar
to sturdy armoured gauntlets with some
extraneous cabling that occasionally cracks or
pops with electricity.
Good: No more bulky than any sort of
reinforced gloves, these can pass for regular
armour or equipment for handling hot items.
The wearer gains a +10 bonus for attempts to
hide the weapons purpose.
Best: Finely crafted and well-fitting, these can
be perfectly disguised as mesh or leather gloves,
and could even pass for stylish clothing worn by
naval officers or hive nobles. The wearer gains a
+20 bonus to conceal the nature of these gloves,
and they do not show up as weapons on an
auspex and other scanners.

Shock Maul
Standard equipment for Adeptus Arbites
troopers, shock mauls are carried by other
enforcers and a wide variety of authority-types
throughout the Imperium, and the sound of a
shock maul being powered up is often sufficient
to persuade a ruffian to cease misbehaving.
Because of their use by Arbitrators, shock mauls
are commonly associated with the Emperors
Law and its swift retaliation for misdeeds. Hive
riots are often met by a line of suppression

shields and shock mauls; hivers

returning to their toils the next day
can be immediately be identified by
obvious
burns
from
being
clobbered by a shock maul, which
may single them out for ridicule or
more
official
persecution
depending on the world and the
nature of the riot. Shock mauls are
nominally non-lethal weapons,
though an enthusiastic user can
make them perfectly deadly by
aiming for vulnerable areas and
generally just administering an
excessive beating.

Shock-Staff
Shock-staffs are basic and
somewhat
oversized
shock
weapons that are primarily
intended for use in herding pressganged crews aboard ships, though
they can be found in similar
planetary applications as well.
Formed in the main from a long
haft of metal or plasteel, a shockstaff has a simple single-power
shock emitter mounted at one end
with the generator installed in the
other. Most use a flat shock-plate,
either a plain surface or one
decorated with the ships insignia
or naval badge, but some varieties
instead feature a nasty-looking
spike on the end that is designed to
pierce the insulated suits worn by
reactor and engine crews, and are typically the
favoured type used by scummers and other dregs
due to the more fearsome appearance.

Shock Star
This tiny metal throwing disc contains a small
power cell as well as conventional cutting edges.
A target hit by a shock star suffers the usual
lacerations from the stars blades and points as
well as a debilitating jolt as its power cell
discharges on impact. A shock star cant be

112

turned on or off; it simply activates when it

strikes something at sufficient velocity, and a few
users have been shocked by their own stars
carried in a pocket or belt thanks to a sudden
impact as a result of a fall.
A shock star can be used by characters without
the Thrown Weapon Training (Shock) talent if
they have both the Melee Weapon Training
(Shock) and Thrown Weapon Training
(Primitive) talents.

of their normal advances, but most characters

will have to obtain one through an Elite
Advance. Exotic weapons are still classed as
Melee or Thrown weapons and must obey all
relevant rules for use in combat.

EXOTIC WEAPONS
Some melee weapons are designed in such a way
that they are completely set apart from more
common patterns of blades and hammers used
throughout the Imperium. Whether they are
tools that make handy weapons, archeotech
implements from a lost age, Xenos armaments,
or those weapons that simply must be used
differently to obtain a useful feature or
capability, exotic weapons are a class in and of
themselves.
Like their ranged counterparts, exotic melee
weapons cover a wide range of devices and arms
that do not handily fit into other weapon
categories. Most are unique or specialized
enough that each one requires an individual
Talent to use. For example, a character wanting
to rend his foes asunder with a breacher drill
must have the Exotic Weapon Training
(Breacher) talent. Some career paths include
specific Exotic Weapon Training talents as part

Arc-Welder
Principally a tool of the Lathe Worlds' elite
mech-wrights, an arc-welder uses a discharge of
pure energy to create a small, precise cutting
blade that can make extremely fine and delicate
incisions and slices through even the hardest
material as easily as a chirurgeon's scalpel cuts
through flesh. The twin arc emitters are
mounted as a bracer or gauntlet, possibly
permanently integrated into a bionic hand or
arm, and snap in place ahead of the wielder's
fingers - simply by moving the arm, the arc blade
effortlessly cuts through anything the wielder
"points" at. The amount of energy to create a
cutting blade of this intensity is staggering, and
so arc-welders are invariably either used in a

Exotic Weapons
Name

Class

Dam

Pen

Special

Wt

Cost

World

Availability

Arc-Welder

Melee

1d10+5 E

10

Fast, Unwieldy

2kg

1,700

Lathes

Very Rare

Breacher

Melee

1d10+5 R

Special, Tearing, Unwieldy

18kg

750

Forge

Scarce

Bulkhead Cutters

Melee

1d10+3 R

Tearing, Unwieldy

8kg

100

Average

Chain-Sticks

Melee

1d10+1 I

Fast, Primitive, Toxic

1kg

30

Fervious

Scarce

Coil Whip

Melee

1d10+5 E

Flexible, Shocking

3kg

600

Lathes

Very Rare

Double Flail

Melee

1d10 I

Balanced, Flexible, Primitive

4kg

28

Penolpass

Scarce

Energy Blade

Melee

1d10+6 E

Balanced, Power Field

1kg

5,000

Forge

Very Rare

Forearm Power Blade

Melee

1d10+1 E

Balanced, Defensive,
Power Field

1.5kg

2,200

Very Rare

Fractal Sword

Melee

1d10+1 R

Balanced

1kg

10,000

Extremely
Rare

Garrotte

Melee

1d10 R

Flexible, Primitive, Unwieldy

0.5kg

30

Hive

Scarce

Groxwhip

Melee (3m)

1d10+3 R

Flexible, Primitive, Special,

Tearing

4kg

45

Scarce

Lightning Chain

Melee

1d10+1 I

Flexible, Primitive, Shocking

4kg

100

Acreage

Very Rare

Lightning Gauntlet

Melee

1d10 I

Primitive, Shocking

2kg

80

Acreage

Very Rare

Sieve Blade

Melee

1d10-1 R

Primitive

0.5kg

200

Rare

Soft Sword

Melee

1d10 R

Balanced

1.5kg

400

Rare

Vivisector

Melee

1d5+5 R

Tearing, Unwieldy

1.5kg

650

Forge

Rare

Requires two hands to be used effectively

Do not add the wielders Strength Bonus to Damage with this weapon

113

stationary setting, or more often by a direct link

to a Tech-Priest's potentia coil. The ability to
easily cut through super-dense alloys means an
arc-welder could very easily be pressed into
service as a powerful, if purely offensive,
weapon. With its ability to suddenly spring into
an attack position, as well as small overall
profile, defending against an attack by an arcwelder is a tricky prospect, and some more
eccentric Venatorii wield these tools for entirely
non-constructive purposes.
An arc-welder gains the listed profile when
connected to the wielder's potentia coil, which
requires a Half Action and a successful
Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use Test. Should it
become disconnected, it ceases to function as a
weapon. See the Weapon Upgrades section for
more information on Integrated Weapons. An
arc-welder can cut through adamantine plating
up to 40 centimetres thick in one minute;
thinner and less dense materials can be carved
through faster. An arc-welder has an Availability
of Very Rare in the Lathe system, Extremely
Rare on other Forge Worlds, and is typically not
encountered anywhere else.

114

Breacher
A breacher is a high-power drilling device
made from hyper-dense adamantine alloys and
fitted with a matter-wave generator, designed to
drill through the toughest materials and ore
deposits, break up blocks, and puncture
bulkheads. Breachers are sometimes designed as
a heavy rig that is slung over the wielders
shoulder and held with both hands, but they are
more commonly implanted into the flesh of a
servitor or bonded labourer. However, a
breacher can also be employed as a slow but
devastatingly potent weapon capable of ripping
through armour and flesh with ease, and there
are many examples of Mechanicus Secutors that
have fused a breacher to one of their bionic arms
for just such a purpose.
Because of its bulk and vibration when
activated, a user must have a Strength Bonus of 5
or higher to use a rig-mounted breacher as a
combat weapon. Weaker characters suffer a -10
penalty to Weapon Skill Tests made to attack
with it for each point their Strength Bonus is
below 5. If used as an implant, the user may add

double their Strength Bonus to the breachers

Damage, and the weapon rolls an additional
2d10 rather than 1d10 when successfully
inflicting Righteous Fury.

Bulkhead Cutters
As the name suggests, these are designed to
slowly rip open tough metal bulkheads and deck
plating. Bulkhead cutters are worn more than
wielded: a huge row of mechanical teeth grind
along below the users forearm, extending about
30 centimetres beyond their hand, and a large
and sturdy frame with an included gauntlet
protects the limb from sparks and flying
fragments. The cutter itself is supported by a
load-bearing harness that the user dons over
their torso which also stores the power supply,
making this heavy tool easier to use for long
cutting jobs. Bulkhead cutters are not designed
for use as weapons, but a user who has learned
the proper motions can make use of them as
terrifyingly effective if imprecise armaments for
melee combat, and more eccentric boarding
crews might arm a man with one over his void
suit to assist with cutting through obstacles
(including defenders of the boarded ship!).

Fervious Chain-Sticks
Some of the more disciplined but no less
vicious warriors of Fervious create these
weapons by binding two batons together at the
base with a length of tough sinew. Amateurs
often hit themselves with the free-swinging
baton, but a trained fighter can make pulverizing
strikes with ease, and the erratic movement is
hard for an opponent to predict. The batons
themselves are formed from trees that produce
vicious slivers; to add insult to injury, even cured
wood is still poisonous if it enters the
bloodstream, and a competent wielder will often
soak his batons in serpent venom to magnify the
effect. Of course, the stick-fighter must use great
care to avoid poisoning himself during combat,
and most wield a sturdy gauntlet or mitt on one
or both hands just in case.
Similar weapons are produced locally on
several more advanced worlds, including
Scintilla. These use sturdy plasteel rods linked

115

together by a strong chain, and many

incorporate a liquid reservoir core to amplify the
force of struck blows. These are often wielded by
flashy gangers and recidivists as they look almost
as impressive as the savage battering they can
inflict. Modern chain-sticks lose both the
Toxic and Primitive qualities due to their
superior though decidedly non-poisonous build.

Coil Whip
A favoured weapon of the top-ranking
Venatorii "Crimson Guard", coil whips are flashy
and loud, filling the air with cracks of man-made
thunder as they lash about. While having an
impressive appearance, mistaking a coil whip for
a toy would be a fatal error. A coil whip is made
up of a series of flat, immaculately forged links
of conductive alloy that can be rolled up on a
spool and stored in a special bracer or gauntlet.
When deployed, the whip rolls out and is
energised by the wielder's potentia coil, glowing
brightly as the wielder's own bio-power courses
through it. The raw power of a potentia coil
energising the whip's length gives these weapons
a potency that rivals a power field while still
preserving a whip's erratic, unpredictable
behaviour in combat. Along with the Venatorii
of the Lathe Worlds, militant Electro-Priests are
also known to favour these exceptional weapons,
though those that are in attendance outside the
Lathes have a much harder time obtaining them.
A coil whip gains the listed profile when
connected to the wielder's potentia coil, which
requires a Half Action and a successful
Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use Test. Should it
become disconnected, it ceases to function as a
weapon. See the Weapon Upgrades section for
more information on Integrated Weapons.
Toughness Tests made to avoid being stunned
suffer a -30 penalty after any bonus from
Armour is taken into account. Coil whips have
an Availability of Very Rare in the Lathe system,
Near Unique on other Forge Worlds, and are
typically not encountered anywhere else.

Penolpass Double Flail

The lithe warriors of Penolpass, whose
fighting style more closely resembles a dance

than combat manoeuvres, heavily favour doubleended flails for the versatility and hitting power
that they offer. The weapon has an unusual
structure, consisting of two spiked heads
attached to chains affixed on either end of a
stout wooden shaft. Given the complexity of this
weapon, using it effectively requires a great deal
of skill. The true masters of the double flail
those of the Penolpassian Blood Order can
make its use a deadly, though beautiful, art
which is unmatched amongst feudal world
disciplines throughout the Calixis Sector. In rare
cases, the weapons shaft can split to produce
two smaller flails, giving the wielder even more
flexibility in combat.

Sollex-Aegis Energy Blade

The aptly-named energy blade is a product of
information obtained from the Aegis Data
Fragment, and with the use of focusing crystals
refined by the Divine Light of Sollex, this
archeotech weapon can be produced in limited
quantities in the forges of Haddrack. The energy
blade produces a beam of coherent high-energy
plasma that materialises from the armoured hilt,
appearing as a blazing column of blue-white fire
that dances wildly in anticipation of burning
through a foe. This weapon is potent beyond
even most power swords, and the vast majority
of them are wielded by Tech-Priests of Sollex.
They are sometimes gifted to parties and patrons
that have done great deeds or favours to the Cult
and to wield one of these exquisite weapons is a
sign of respect (and material) connections with
the Adeptus Mechanicus of Calixis.
Whenever the energy blades wielder
successfully Parries another weapon with two or
more degrees of success, the energy blade
automatically destroys the other weapon, even if
it possesses a power field. However, the almost
weightless blade means the force of the swing
contributes nothing to the weapons destructive
power. As a result, the wielders Strength Bonus
does not increase its Damage. Furthermore,
should an Attack or Parry with an energy blade
fail by five or more degrees, the insubstantial
plasma column ceases cooperating with the

116

wielder and strikes them instead, using its

normal Damage and Penetration values (roll to
determine hit location).
Owing to the harsh actinic light and blast
furnace roar that the blade produces, the wielder
cannot attempt to be stealthy while the energy
blade is switched on. The blade is powered by a
plasma pistols ammunition flask, which is worn
on the belt and cable-fed to the hilt. A plasma
flask can keep the blade lit for up to 10 Rounds
before it must be replaced; reloading a SollexAegis energy blade requires 3 Full Actions.

Forearm Power Blade

While the idea of a defensive power weapon
might seem ridiculous to many, the forearm
power blade is a testament to what creative (and
well-funded) tech-adepts can do. As the name
implies, a forearm power blade is stored on the
wearers arm in a bracer or gauntlet; it has a wide
and short shape, and is stored in a retracted
position when not in use. At the wearers
command, the blade springs forth along the line
of their arm and can be used to make very swift
parries and deflective manoeuvres. Its position
makes it awkward to attack with, so it is most
often used in tandem with another melee
weapon. The power blades mounting keeps the
wearers hand free, and when deactivated they
can easily wield a basic weapon or perform any
other tasks that might be necessary. Forearm
power blades are typically strapped to the
wearers arm, but some more elaborate designs
might be integrated with clothing or armour,
and high-ranking Inquisitorial agents and
Ecclesiarchial crusaders often have these
weapons permanently integrated into the bracers
of their power armour.
Activating (Readying) a forearm power blade
is a Free Action. If the wearer has the Quick
Draw talent, it can be activated as part of a
Reaction (such as to Parry a melee attack).

Fractal Sword
This pale blue and translucent blade is actually
formed from a diamond-like living crystal that is
harvested from an unknown planet in the

Koronus Expanse. An anonymous and doubtless

fabulously wealthy Rogue Trader farms them
from this world, and after reaching Port Wander
the swords make their way into the hands of
collectors and rich fighters throughout the
Calixis Sector. When the blade is struck by
sufficient force small slivers of it break off amid
a terrific screeching noise akin to nails on a
chalkboard. The crystal constantly grows and
replaces shards as they are struck off, resulting in
an edge that is perpetually sharp as long as it is
used with some frequency; letting it go to seed
through disuse results in the blade becoming
rough and awkward to wield, though sufficient
chopping will hone it back to its original razor
thickness in short order. Each tiny sliver that
breaks free from a fractal sword is a crystalline
seed, and close examination reveals a similar
shape to the blade itself, albeit in extremely
minute form. If planted back on the fractal
blades home world, a new sword would grow
from it. Naturally, the Rogue Trader who
discovered this fantastic planet has gone to great
lengths to keep its location a mystery.
Because of their natural sharpness and ease in
swinging, a fractal sword is always considered a
Good craftsmanship weapon, granting its
wielder a +5 bonus to their Weapon Skill when
using it. Better or worse Craftsmanship versions

117

simply do not exist. If a fractal sword is

destroyed, such as by being successfully parried
by a power weapon, the blade will grow back
from the handle in 1d5-1 hours. If the rolled
result is a 1, the break immediately re-sets as if it
had never been broken at all.

Garrotte
This simple weapon is little more than a length
of sturdy wire with handles on each end,
designed to be used to strangle a victim from
behind by forcibly closing their windpipe. In the
hands of a master, this humble tool can be every
bit as lethal as a boltgun, and can also be used to
incapacitate, rather than kill, if its wielder so
desires. Due to the close proximity necessary to
use this weapon, the Moritat death cult considers
it one of the last and most intimate martial
forms taught to their members.
All attacks with a garrotte are counted as
Called Shots to the Head, and as such suffer a 20 penalty to hit (this is normally offset by the
garrottes intended use as a weapon of ambush).
Subsequent attacks after a successful hit,
regardless of Damage, receive a +30 bonus
instead as the garrotte has already been applied
to the victims neck. Should the weapon cause
Damage to the target after reduction from
Armour, the attacker may cause Wounds

normally (though these are reduced by

Toughness, as usual) or inflict half the value,
rounded up, in levels of Fatigue (see Dark
Heresy, page 200 for more information on
Fatigue and its effects). A garrotte is considered
to have the Snare quality on any Round in which
it inflicts Damage or Fatigue on its victim,
though the attacker gains none of the usual
benefits from his victim being Helpless as he
must already devote his full attention to
maintaining the garrottes grip.

burns from the writhing energy fields that

spark when the chain is in motion.
Constructed as they are, a lightning chains
entire length becomes charged and conductive.
As a result, the wielder must wear thick gloves
made from the tough hides of certain animals
native to Acreage; these provide sufficient
insulation so that a lighting chains wielder isnt
shocked by his own weapon during normal use,
although accidentally striking ones self with the
hitting end of the chain is always possible.

Groxwhip

Acreage Lightning Gauntlet

A groxwhip is formed out of strong metallic

cable interspersed with wicked-looking barbs
and hooks, making it a decidedly frightening
weapon to behold. Whether or not groxwhips
are actually used in the herding of the beasts of
the same name is a matter of debate, but most
onlookers could think of no other application
that such a disastrous-looking weapon could
possibly be used for. A groxwhip is perhaps
somewhat less effective than the more common
neural whip at persuading a miscreant to
behave, but they have the advantage of not
requiring any sort of power cell to function, and
can inflict terrible injuries on a man who isnt
wearing decent armour.
A groxwhip can be used against a target up to
three metres away, but loses the Flexible and
Tearing qualities against adjacent opponents as
the whip cannot build up the high speed or
twisting movements that cause its frightening
effects when used on foes further away.

These are made from the same metal alloys as

the Acreage lightning chain, giving them similar
shocking properties. They are often worn by
knights and other well-paid soldiers of Acreages
armies, who incorporate them as fixtures of their
sturdy plate armour. A lightning gauntlet cannot
be swung as fast as its chain counterpart, so the
kinetic effect is somewhat lessened, but it is still
far more deadly than an ordinary punch, and
being struck in the face by a lightning gauntlet is
likely to cause serious harm, if not death, to the
unfortunate victim. The gauntlets are
constructed atop gloves and bracers made of the
same insulating leather as a lightning chains
wielder uses and offer similar protection against
being accidentally shocked.

Acreage Lightning Chain

At a glance, this length of spiked chain
roughly a metre-and-a-half long appears to be a
completely mundane and unremarkable, if
painful, looking weapon. However, the unique
alloys found on Acreage allow it to somehow
store kinetic energy, which is released in the
form of blue-coloured sparks when the chain
moves with any kind of sharp, excessive force.
When properly used in combat, victims of a
lightning chain attack not only receive dreadful
lacerations and broken bones, but also suffer

118

Sieve Blade
Original examples of this weapon were made
from the hollow, spiky fronds of the
spindlethorn plant, where it would be loaded
with the venomous sap of the same for use
against predators. While some purists insist on
a weapon grown in the old ways, similar
examples constructed from modern materials
have become popular with a number of cults and
Assassinorum operatives. The flat sides of the
blade have hundreds of tiny pore-like holes,
allowing the substance inside to spread into any
wound it causes. A reproduction sieve blade
otherwise resembles a common short sword with
a slightly wider blade.
Any hit with a sieve blade that causes at least
one Wound will also inject a dose of whatever
substance its owner has placed in the hollow.

However, due to the indiscriminate nature of

this delivery system, a dose is expended out of
the blade on any successful hit; if the sieve blade
scrapes harmlessly off the targets armour, the
dose is wasted as it dribbles out on the victims
protective gear and clothing.
A more sophisticated sieve blade, costing an
additional 100 Thrones, includes a pressure
valve in the grip to hold the dose within; it is
released by a stub on the pommel, which is
typically done when the wielder believes he has
scored a firm strike. This version only expends
the dosed substance at the wielders discretion,
and the decision can be made after Damage has
been rolled.

Soft Sword
Also known as an assassins belt, soft swords
are forged from a polymorphic material that has
been of great interest to Mechanicus Magi since
it was discovered on planets near the Heathen
Stars. Normally flexible like thick cloth, when an
electrical current is run through the material it
suddenly springs to the consistency of welltempered steel, and can be employed just like a
fine blade. Soft swords are of particular utility to
those who desire a more unassuming appearance
while still being armed, or who want a hidden
weapon should their obvious ones be removed.
While inactive, a soft sword does not show up
as a weapon on an auspex or similar scanner.
When readied, it can act as either a sword or a
staff (dealing Impact rather than Rending
Damage) at the wielders choice.

Vivisector
The Vivisector is a long ornate gauntlet that
locks over the users forearm with sufficient
clearance to be worn over most types of armour.
Servo-augmented articulation extends over the
fingers, which are tipped with laser cutters, biosolvents, shears and flensing instruments. While
the ignorant may confuse a Vivisector with a
medical device, this is no instrument of healing.
A Vivisectors true purpose is to dismantle and
portion organic tissues in a forge worlds flesh
works as well as servicing and maintaining
servitors; to a Tech-Priest, it is simply another

119

tool to use on biological machinery. Of course,

these same qualities allow it to be used as a
horrific melee weapon, and while perhaps
unsuited for full-scale battles, a single savage
blow from a Vivisector has administered the
justice of the Cult Mechanicus to many labourhelots who have dared rise up against their
masters. Other scummers and recidivists that
have tried to mug or murder a lone enginseer for
whatever foul purpose have been similarly
dispatched as the apparently weapon less TechPriest proves his Vivisector is far from just a
simple tool.
A Vivisector grants the wielder a +10 bonus to
Medicae Tests for the purposes of repairing
servitors or conducting autopsies. Its frightening
appearance is also a useful tool in and of itself,
and grants the wielder a +10 bonus to
Interrogation and Intimidation Tests as well. For
an additional 500 Thrones, a Vivisector may be
upgraded with stronger bio-solvents and other
corrosives that give it the Toxic quality as well.

Upgrades

Weapons Upgrades
Name

Weight

Cost

Test

Availability

Backpack Ammo Pack

+25kg

100

+10

Rare

Bipod

+2kg

10

+30

Average

Calamity Vent

+0.5kg

250

+0

Very Rare

Combi-Weapon

Special

Special

-20

Special

Combi-Weapon (Military)

Special

Special

+0

Special

Compact

x 1/2

50

+0

Average

Dipole Mag-Lock

+0.5kg

75

+30

Average

Duplus Ammo Clips

10

Scarce

Exterminator

+1kg

35

+30

Common

Exterminator Cartridge

+0.5kg

50

+30

Average

Extra Grip

+0.5kg

25

+10

Average

Fire Selector

+0.5kg

50

+20

Scarce

Force Weapon

3,500

-20

Very Rare

Forearm Weapon Mount

+1kg

300

+0

Scarce

Gene-Lock Circuit

+0.5kg

100

+0

Rare

Grav-Accelerator

+2kg

550

-20

Very Rare

Integrated Weapon

+0.5kg

200

-30

Extremely Rare

Lathe Blade

2,500

-20

Very Rare

Melee Attachment

+0.3kg

+30

Plentiful

Mono Edge

40

-10

Scarce

Mono-Sight

+1kg

400

+10

Scarce

Motion Predictor

+0.5kg

1,000

+10

Rare

Pyre-Lance Aperture

+0.5kg

200

+0

Rare

Backpack Ammo Pack

Rangefinder Sight

+1.5kg

1,200

+0

Rare

Upgrades: Most non-primitive ranged weapons

Most ranged weapons store their ammunition
in clips, canisters or packs attached to the
weapon itself, but for extended battles or
situations where the user doesnt want to reload,
a large external supply can be carried in a
backpack. A backpack ammo pack employs a
powered feed for projectiles or a cable supply for
other sources that plugs into the weapons
loading port, keeping a steady supply of
ammunition ready to be fired at the wearers
foes. Because of its bulk, backpack ammo packs
are often employed by fighters wearing power
armour, but a brawny trooper can muscle one
along if need be.

Red-Dot Laser Sight

+0.5kg

50

+20

Scarce

Sanctified Weapon

500

Very Rare

Silencer

+1kg

10

+30

Plentiful

Spoor Targeter

+1.5kg

3,000

-10

Very Rare

Stabiliser Rig

+8kg

700

+10

Scarce

Starflare Vent

+0.5kg

300

-10

Very Rare

Stutter-Las

50

-10

Average

Suspensors

x 1/2

2,500

-10

Extremely Rare

Targeter

+1.5kg

2,250

+0

Rare

Telescopic Sight

+1kg

35

+20

Average

Tripod

+5kg

20

+30

Common

Vox Operated

+0.3kg

500

+10

Rare

Whisper-Bolt Discharger

+2kg

80

+0

Scarce

While a weapon is only as efficient as its wielder

whose performance in combat is no better
than his faith in the Emperor various types of
modifications and additional equipment can be
used to augment this to some extent. Upgrades
enhance the performance or capability of a
weapon in some way, and can perform a variety
of functions. Upgrading a weapon requires a
successful Trade (Armourer) Test, whose
difficulty depends on the upgrade itself. Trade
(Technomat) can be used instead, but the
difficulty increases by two steps.
The cost and availability of each upgrade
refers to the component itself, not the cost of
attaching it. Characters that cant perform that
work will usually have to pay separately for an
armourer to do the labour. Some weapons may
already have one or more upgrades already
installed; in this case, simply add the cost of the
upgrade to the weapons cost. An upgrade may
modify a weapons weight as well. Upgrades
usually do not modify a weapons availability,
although especially rare ones may be an
exception at the GMs discretion.

This upgrade requires the attentions of a suitable member of the Ecclesiarchy

120

A backpack ammo pack is the size of a normal

backpack, but has half of its volume given over
to ammunition storage and a feed mechanism.
Most las, solid projectile, bolt, melta, plasma,
and flame weapons can be used with a backpack
ammo pack. Grenades and rockets used by
launchers are too large for any sort of
meaningful feed line, and exotic weapons in
general are varied to such an extent that trying to
make a backpack ammo pack for one would be a
tech-nightmare in and of itself. Some weapons,
such as man-portable lascannons, already
include an external ammunition or power source
and cannot benefit from this upgrade. Unless
otherwise stated, a backpack ammo pack can
provide sufficient ammo for 300 shots for las
weapons (high-powered hellguns and hellpistols
consume this more quickly), 80 shots for plasma
and melta weapons, 200 shots for bolt and solid
projectile weapons, and 60 shots for flame
weapons. Note that some weapons may not be
compatible with a backpack ammo pack in spite
of their type, often due to design considerations.
Creating a backpack ammo pack for a stub
revolver, for example, would likely be
impossible. The GM has final discretion on what
may or may not be upgraded with a backpack
ammo pack.

Bipod
Upgrades: Heavy weapons
A bipod consists of two telescoping metal legs
attached to a weapons barrel or housing,
allowing it to be stably deployed on any sort of
flat surface, including windowsills and low walls.
Bipods are sometimes used on sniper rifles to
help steady the snipers aim, but their main
application is in bearing some of the weight and
recoil of heavy weapons. When fitted with a
bipod, a heavy weapon can be Braced as a HalfAction, and the firer can use it to attack targets
within a 90-degree arc of his position.

Calamity Vent
Upgrades: Plasma weapons
These emergency cut-offs are carefully
installed into the capacitance rings of plasma

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weapons and are designed to activate if a

dangerous overload is detected by a small
cogitator unit. Instead of dumping heat into the
weapons housing, often causing injury to the
firer, the calamity vents cause it to be harmlessly
expelled in a gout of searing blue flame away
from the firers hands and body. When they
function as designed, a calamity vent gives the
plasma weapons wielder a surprise but nothing
else, the overheat dissipated and weapon ready
to be used again. However, these intrusions do
not sit well with the machine spirits of most
plasma weapons, and a mishap with one can be
worse than if the weapon had been allowed to
overheat in the first place.
If a plasma weapon with calamity vents
overheats, roll 1d10. On a roll of "4" or higher,
the vents function as designed and the plasma is
jettisoned safely. This attack is simply treated as
a miss, and the weapon does not need to spend a
round cooling off. On a "2" or "3", however, the
overheat is still vented away, but it goes directly
into the wielders face instead! Resolve this as if
the wielder was shot by the plasma weapon,
including the normal Damage and Penetration
values; the wayward blast hits the wielder in the
body unless they had used the Aim action just
before the overheat, in which case it hits them in
the head. On a result of "1", the vents have
caused a catastrophic feedback loop and the
plasma weapon violently explodes; treat this as
though the weapon had rolled maximum
Damage with a Blast of 3. The wielder cannot
attempt an Agility Test to avoid the blast.

Combi-Weapon
Upgrades: Any two Basic weapons
A combi-weapon is formed from two weapons
that have been combined together, giving a
fighter a high degree of versatility. Combiweapons are typically formed from two different
types of weapons; the firer can choose to shoot
either one at will, without having to switch
between two separate guns (not to mention
carrying both at once). A combi-weapon starts
off with a primary weapon, typically an
autogun or bolt gun, with a secondary weapon

attached under it. Most are formed using a more

powerful, but less versatile, firearm as the
secondary weapon. Combi-weapons are
uncommon armaments not only due to the
valuable weapons that are used in their
construction, but due to the difficulty of getting
two distinct machine spirits to cooperate with
one another. As a result, combi-weapons are
often very finely crafted, and many become
heirloom items whose choice in individual
weapons speaks volumes about the original
commissioner of the gun in the first place.
Combi-weapons of this style are invariably
produced by commission in the Imperiums
greater forges; the Fane of Fykos in Scintillas
Gunmetal City is probably the best known
producer of combi-weapons in the Calixis
Sector.
When armed with a combi-weapon, the
user may fire either weapon, but not both,
in any given Round. A combi-weapons
primary weapon uses the same statistics as it
would on its own, while the secondary
weapons Clip size is reduced by half (round
up) as it must be made small enough to fit
below the primary without significantly
altering its profile. A combi-weapons cost is
usually that of the primary weapon plus
double that of the secondary weapon, and its
rarity is one step rarer than whichever
weapon is the rarest of the two. The GM has
the final say on which weapons may and
may not be combined.

Combi-Weapon (Military)
Upgrades: Any two Pistol or Basic weapons
A simpler style of combi-weapon is
employed by the Adepta Soroitas and other
well-equipped
military
organizations.
Military combi-weapons are Munitorumsanctioned tools that are produced on many
forge worlds, and are often carried by
Imperial Guard assault troops, Sisters of
Battle, Inquisitorial Storm Troopers, and
even Space Marines are known to wield
combi-weapons employing their own
divinely-powerful (and divinely-large) guns.

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This type of combi-weapon makes no attempt to

reconcile the quibbling machine spirits of the
individual weapons; the secondary weapon is
intentionally designed so that it can only be fired
once between reloads, keeping the amount of
cross machine interference to a minimum.
A military combi-weapons secondary weapon
can only be fired once before needing to be
reloaded; its RoF becomes S/-/- and Clip size
becomes 1. Its weight is also reduced by half. A
military combi-weapons cost is just the
combined cost of both of the weapons used to
make it, and its rarity is equal to the rarer of the
two weapons. A military combi-weapon may be
formed from two Basic weapons, two Pistol
weapons, or a Basic weapon with a Pistol
weapon as the secondary.

Compact
Upgrades: Any Pistol or Basic Las, Solid
Projectile, Flame, Bolt, or Plasma weapon
By reducing the size of the barrel and clip, a
weapon can be made significantly smaller. This
assists in concealment, handling, as well as the
ease of carrying an otherwise heavy gun all day.
Compact weapons are favoured by those that
believe in subterfuge more than pure firepower.
A compact weapons Weight, Clip size, and
Range are all reduced by half, and its Damage is
also decreased by 1 as well. If the weapon has the
Accurate quality it loses it, as there is insufficient
barrel remaining to adequately stabilize the
projectile for pinpoint shots. Pistol class
weapons grant a +10 bonus on Sleight of Hand
Tests made to conceal the weapon, while Basic
class weapons can be used in melee combat as if
they were pistols.

Dipole Mag-Lock
Upgrades: Any Pistol or melee weapon that can
be wielded in one hand
Mag-locks are common pieces of equipment
used to secure articulated sections of power
armour together. They are also used in a wide
variety of other applications, such as on large
monotask cargo haulers. Enterprising armourers
have found that the use of a dipole mag-lock can
also replace a holster or baldric for users wearing
carapace or power armour. When fitted to a
weapon, the dipole mag-lock causes it to stick
to a paired plate attached to the users armour.
The mag-lock is usually released by a small stud
on the weapons grip, though more advanced
(and expensive) versions might use a proximity
trigger, vox-link operation, or some other
somatic cue to produce the same effect.
A dipole mag-lock grants the Quick Draw
talent for the upgraded weapon. If the user
already has Quick Draw, the weapon may
instead be drawn as part of a Reaction, such as to
produce a pistol while diving for cover, or to
draw a melee weapon to Parry an incoming
attack. A dipole mag-lock is only usable if the
character is wearing carapace or power armour,

123

as lesser armours lack the suitable rigidity to

support a weapon attached to them.

Duplus Ammo Clips

Upgrades: Any Pistol or Basic Las, Solid
Projectile, or Bolt weapon with a removable clip
These double-ended clips store twice as much
ammunition (or two charge packs) as the
standard models, and when one runs dry, the
user simply flips it over and inserts the other
end. This significantly shortens reload time, and
experienced users can load a fresh clip with
almost no dead time at all.
A duplus ammo clip reduces a weapons
Reload time by half when used to switch between
its stored ammunition. For example, a weapon
that normally takes two Full Actions to reload
becomes a single Full Action. If the user also has
the Rapid Reload talent, it further decreases to a
Half Action. Duplus ammo clips cant be used in
a weapon with a fire selector due to their size.

Exterminator
Upgrades: Any Basic weapon or melee weapon
without the Flexible quality that deals at least
1d10 Damage
This small device stores highly compressed
Promethium with a gas cartridge to propel it,
and is designed to be attached to another
weapon. On command, it can unleash a burst of
purifying fire just like a flamer, and is something
of a poor mans combi-weapon that can be
encountered among many different groups.
Redemptionists are especially fond of them, and
have been known to affix Exterminators to their
melee weapons in addition to whatever other
ordnance they may wield (Eviscerators are a
particular
favourite).
Once
fired
the
Exterminator burns out and must be discarded.
However, they are cheap to manufacture and
produced in significant quantities; it is easier to
consider an Exterminator to be a unit of ammo
rather than a weapon upgrade.
The wielder of a weapon fitted with an
Exterminator may choose to fire it instead of use
the weapons normal attack for that Round. Its
effect is identical to a standard flamer. Because

of its weight, an Exterminator can be

detrimental to a melee weapons handling; if
attached to a melee weapon with the Balanced
quality, it loses that quality as long as the
Exterminator is attached (including after it has
been expended).

Exterminator Cartridge
Upgrades: Any weapon
An even smaller Exterminator, the Cartridge
version could easily fit in a pocket and can be
attached to just about any other weapon.
Although its flame is somewhat less impressive,
few would expect a cumbersome heavy stubber
or missile launcher to suddenly spew forth a
column of fire at them.
An Exterminator Cartridge uses the same
rules as the normal Exterminator except it
counts as a standard hand flamer. It can be fired
in melee combat even if attached to a Basic or
Heavy weapon.

Extra Grip
Upgrades: Any Basic weapon
Most Basic weapons can be fired with one
hand, but the extremely awkward balancing and
position of the grip make this an emergency

124

measure at best. For those wielders who must

keep a hand free, an extra grip is a valuable
upgrade. As the name suggests, this installs a
second grip along with a trigger near the
weapons centre of gravity, allowing it to be held
more naturally with one hand. Though
functional, some precision is lost as it becomes
difficult to aim carefully.
A Basic weapon with an extra grip can be fired
with one hand without incurring the usual -20
penalty to Ballistic Skill Tests. However, its
Range is halved and it gains the Inaccurate
quality while being wielded like this. An extra
grip does not remove the weapons standard grip
and trigger, and it can still be held with two
hands and used at its normal capabilities.

Fire Selector
Upgrades: Any Pistol or Basic Solid Projectile or
Bolt weapon with a removable clip
Some weapons have the ability to use different
types of ammunition readily, but this usually
requires switching clips to do so. A fire selector
is a mechanical device that replaces the weapons
feed port, and when paired with a special clip,
allows the user to select between ammunition
loaded inside. This creates a somewhat bulky

look, but few would argue its efficiency in

combat, and fire selectors are common additions
among professional mercenaries, assault troops,
and other types of operatives.
A weapon fitted with a fire selector can have
any combination of specialty or unusual ammo
loaded into its clip. At the start of the users
Turn, he can use the fire selector to choose
which type of ammo he wishes to use for that
Round.

Force Weapon
Upgrades: Special, see text
A force weapon is capable of channelling the
mental power and aggression of a psyker into a
deadly, reality-rending force. It is said that force
weapons were originally designed by the
Emperor himself, and the Holy Ordos of the
Inquisition carefully guards the method of their
manufacture. Force weapons are created by reforging the blade of a high quality weapon with
an arcane psi-convector and channelling
circuitry, which take the form of a precise
serpentine pattern visible on the sides of the
blade under close observation. Axes, swords, and
staffs are the most common type of force
weapon, but theoretically almost any solid
weapon could be remade as a force weapon.
Force weapons are perhaps best associated with
the Ordo Malleus famed Grey Knights, but they
are also carried by psychic Inquisitors and some
sanctioned psykers in the military service to the
Imperial Guard.
A Best craftsmanship Primitive melee weapon
that has received the Mono Edge upgrade can be
reforged into a force weapon. Chain weapons
lack enough suitable surface to inscribe the
sacred runes and psi-convector, while a power
weapon would have to have its power field
deactivated for the psykers own channelled
force to run through it; such a weapon would be
extravagantly expensive, at any rate. The force
weapon retains all its normal properties
(including the benefits of Best craftsmanship)
and can be used by anyone, but only a psyker
can bring out its true potential. The weapons
Damage and Penetration values increase by 1

125

point for every point of the wielders Psy Rating;

for example, a force staff wielder with Psy Rating
3 would add 3 points to his weapons Damage
and Penetration.
In addition, whenever a psyker damages an
opponent with his force weapon, he may channel
yet more psychic energy into the instrument,
turning his hatred of the opponent into a killing
power in and of itself. Treat this effect as a
psychic power with a Threshold of 6 that is a
Free Action to manifest. If the psyker succeeds
in manifesting the power, he and his victim
make Opposed Willpower Tests. Every Degree of
Success over the opponent by the psyker allows
him to deal an additional 1d10 Energy Damage;
this extra Damage is pure psychic force and
ignores the victims Armour and Toughness.
When wielded by a psyker, a force weapon
cannot be destroyed by another weapon with the
Power Field quality.
Finally, for an additional 200 Thrones, a force
weapon may include a psy-focus that is
integrated into its form, giving the weapons
wielder its benefits any time the weapon is held.

Forearm Weapon Mounting

Upgrades: Any Pistol or Basic weapon (see text)
A heavy bracing replaces the upgraded
weapons trigger and grip, allowing it to be fixed
along the line of the users forearm. A special
cable-attached glove is provided to control the
weapons functions and triggering. This
arrangement keeps the wielders hands free,
allowing them to use other weapons or perform
fine manipulation while keeping their attached
weapon ready to be used at a moments notice.
The weapon is usually turned on its axis with the
clip positioned straight up or towards the
wielders body to assist in reloading. It also
creates a strong visual impression as bolts, flame
or plasma blasts seem to erupt from the users
outstretched arm.
A weapon fitted to a forearm weapon
mountings range is reduced by 30% but
otherwise functions normally and is always
considered Readied. Pistol class weapons can be
used by anyone in a forearm weapon mounting.

If the user is wearing power armour or heavy

power armour, the increased size of the arm and
augmented strength can be used to mount a
Basic weapon in this way instead.

Gene-Lock Circuit
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive ranged weapon
This upgrade is designed for those who have a
special dislike of the idea of being shot with their
own gun. A gene-lock circuit is installed in the
grip and interfaces with the weapons firing
mechanism, and prevents the gun from being
discharged unless it is deactivated. Most use a
reader strip that matches the thumb or palm
prints of the weapons owner; users who wear
gloves or heavy armours can have a tensiometric
pad instead, while more sophisticated versions

might use a micro-needle to take a sample of the

wielders blood or a proximity detector linked to
a subdermal implant. Regardless of its exact
construction, a weapon upgraded with a genelock circuit will not fire unless wielded by the
hand that was keyed to it.
Gene-locks are excellent precautions against
theft and being disarmed in combat, but they are
far from immune to the predations of a skilled
tech-adept. A gene-lock can be reset to a
different owner or simply shut off so the weapon
will function for anyone with a Hard (-20)
Tech-Use Test that takes about an hour.
Normally there are no consequences for a failed
Test, though specially-crafted gene-locks might
include some sort of booby trap.

Grav-Accelerator
Upgrades: Any Pistol or Basic Solid
Projectile weapon
Slug-throwers of all walks and means
invariably rely on controlled explosions of
their chemical propellant charges to fling a
projectile at speed down the barrel. The
velocity, and by association power, can be
increased through the crude expedience of
simply using more propellant, but those
with access to salvaged or recycled gravplating have devised an altogether more
efficient, though entirely illegal, means of
putting more force into their shots. A gravaccelerator is permanently attached to the
housing of a slug-thrower and linked into its
firing system. When the weapon is fired, a
directional gravitic force is blasted at the
projectile to put greater power behind it
without the risk of exploding the barrel or
chamber. While succeeding admirably at
improving the slug-throwers ballistic
performance, the grav-accelerator does add
considerably to the weapons bulk and
recoil. Further, the accelerator requires a
separate power source to function,
complicating reloading and increasing the
complexity of the gun. As an ancillary
concern, the Cult Mechanicus considers
most of these modifications to be proscribed

126

in the extreme as a result, most who would

dare to upgrade their gun in such a fashion are
those already on the wrong side of the law.
A grav-accelerator increases the weapons
Damage by 1 and Range by 10 metres. If applied
to a Pistol class weapon, the enhanced recoil
inflicts a -10 penalty to the shooters Ballistic
Skill Tests unless the shooter has a Strength
Bonus of 4 or higher, or holds the weapon with
both hands. If the weapon already has a similar
requirement, the shooters Strength Bonus must
be 5 or higher instead. Finally, the gravaccelerator itself requires an additional power
source, typically a small battery unit or lasgun
charge pack. The accelerator is configured to
expend power equally as the guns Clip is
exhausted and must be replaced when it runs out
of bullets or shells, adding another Full Action to
its Reload time.

Integrated Weapon
Upgrades: See text
Integrated weapons blur the line between
personal weapons and augmetics, deriving their
superior lethality from the wielder's own body.
This sort of weapon is a wonder of the
Mechanicus Magi of the Lathe Worlds and are
common fixtures for their elite Venatorii
"Crimson Guard"; so far, they have been
extraordinarily resistant to its propagation to
other arms of the Priesthood, much less the
broader Imperium. An integrated weapon is
directly linked by a cable or conduit connection
to the wielder's potentia coil - as a result, only
ordained Tech-Priests or Venatorius can use
them in their intended fashion. This nearly
limitless supply of bio-power can be used for a
variety of purposes depending on the type of
weapon that is integrated to it, typically either
improving firepower, stretching ammunition
supply, or increasing reliability. In all cases, the
weapon loses the benefits of this upgrade, and
may cease to function entirely, if it loses a direct
connection to a potentia coil.
To use an integrated weapon, a character must
have the relevant Training talent for the base
weapon as well as the Exotic Weapon Training

127

(Integrated Ranged Weapons) or (Integrated

Melee Weapons) as appropriate. Integrated
ranged weapons do not suffer from jamming or
misfires; any result that would cause a Jam to
occur is automatically cleared by the shooter's
potentia coil, though doing so inflicts 1 level of
Fatigue from the strain. An integrated weapon is
semi-permanently connected to its wielder, and
requires an Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use Test to
connect or disconnect; this is normally a Half
Action, though more augmetic weapons may
take longer, require Medicae Tests, and so forth
like many other types of augmetics. Without a
connection to a potentia coil, an integrated
weapon
quickly
loses
its
numerous
improvements. All abilities derived from this
upgrade are lost immediately. Ranged weapons
with an improved or unlimited Clip size
dwindles to 1d5, and after those shots have been
fired it becomes inert until reconnected.
Integrated melee weapons lose power after 1d5
Rounds, becoming Primitive weapons of the
same type.
Through Tech-Use or Trade
(Armourer) Tests is may be possible to jury-rig
an improvised power source, but this varies from
weapon to weapon and can have disastrous
consequences with a failed Test. Weapons that
can be turned into an integrated weapon gain
different effects and qualities depending on their
type and usage. In general, only Pistol and Basic
ranged weapons can become integrated
weapons; a single potentia coil likely cannot
provide enough energy to upgrade a Heavy
weapon in this fashion.
Las: Drawing from the shooter's potentia coil
gives these weapons an unlimited Clip size. The
extra power available maxes out the las weapon's
firepower, changing its Damage to 1d10+5, its
Penetration to 2, and giving the weapon the
Tearing quality. An integrated las weapon can
functionally shoot all day, making these the most
common and favoured integrated weapons of
the "Crimson Guard".
Solid Projectile: The motion of the gun's
operating parts, typically achieved through the
force of bullets being fired, is augmented by the
shooter's potentia coil, improving its operation

and rate of fire. All solid projectile weapons gain

the Reliable quality, and those with a Semi-Auto
or Full-Auto setting gain the Storm quality as
well. A liquid cooling sleeve with cycled
refrigerating chemicals is used to prevent barrels
from deforming due to the high volume of shots.
Melta and Plasma: Energy from the shooter's
potentia coil is used to assist the power-heavy
beam emitters and fusion cores of melta and
plasma weapons (respectively), making them
consume ammunition with greater efficiency
and help control the violent, unstable reactions
these weapons use to obliterate their targets.
Melta and plasma weapons double their
standard Clip size. If the weapon Overheats, it
does not inflict any Damage on the shooter as
the potentia coil sucks up the dangerous thermal
energy, though this inflicts 1 level of Fatigue on
the shooter as if it had suffered a Jam.
Launcher: Grenade launchers used as
integrated weapons augment their gas
compressors with stored kinetic energy, while
rocket and missile launchers created a shortlived charged field around the warhead that
significantly improves its aerodynamic profile
and stability. These weapons improve their
Range by 50%.
Chain: By imbuing the spinning teeth and
motor with extra power from the wielder's
potentia coil, a chain weapon's cutting power
can rival that of a power field when its business
end gets a solid hold of a victim. An integrated
chain weapon gains the Razor Sharp quality.
Power: The wielder's potentia coil bleeds extra
energy into the power field generator, producing
a power field that is dangerously overcharged
and crackles violently as if reaching out towards
a potential victim. An integrated power weapon's
Damage and Penetration increases by 2 and it
gains the Unstable quality.
Shock: Through the crude but effective
expedience of pumping more current into the
business end, the debilitating effect of an
integrated shock weapon is much harder to
shake off. Toughness Tests made to avoid being
stunned suffer a -30 penalty after any bonus
from Armour is taken into account.

128

Lathe Blade
Upgrades: Any edged melee weapon with the
Primitive quality
The astronomical and gravitic alignment of
the Lathe Worlds creates conditions where metal
alloys of rare and singular properties can be
manufactured. If used in the construction of a
bladed melee weapon, an armament of exquisite
quality can be made. A Lathe blades edge is
paper thin, yet is flexible enough to withstand
savage blows in combat. They are also virtually
indestructible even the devastating action of a
power field cant shatter one. A Lathe blades
cutting power rivals that of a power weapon
simply on account of its construction, and there
are some users who favour these weapons for
their quality and repute. There are others who
prefer the lack of a power weapons crackling
arcane energy field, and there is certainly
something to be said for a Lathe blades ability to
kill quietly.
A weapon forged as a Lathe blade replaces the
Primitive quality with the Razor Sharp quality
and increases its Damage and Penetration by 3.
Lathe blades are invariably of Best craftsmanship
and give their wielder a +10 bonus on Weapon
Skill Tests made to attack (the extra Damage is
already factored in). Finally, a Lathe blade
cannot be destroyed by being parried by another
weapon with a power field.

Melee Attachment
Upgrades: Any Basic weapon
Basic weapons are usually too cumbersome to
be used against an opponent in melee combat.
By fitting a close combat weapon under the Basic
weapons barrel, a handy and immediately
available melee weapon can be created. A melee
attachment creates a sturdy hardpoint for a onehanded edged melee weapon to be fixed to. Most
lasguns already have this upgrade installed, and
some military-type autoguns include it as well.
A knife or similar blade allows the Basic
weapon to be used as a spear, while a longer
weapon like a sword allows it to be used as an
axe. Use the Damage and Penetration values of
those weapons or that of the mounted weapon,

whichever is favourable, and special qualities

having to do with Damage Power Field,
Tearing, Toxic, and so forth are maintained as
well, while the spear and axe retain their other
qualities as normal (such as the axes
Unbalanced quality). Either one requires both
hands to wield.

Mono Edge
Upgrades: Any Primitive melee weapon with
the Primitive quality
Normal knives and swords can cut through
flesh and bone just fine, but typically have a
much harder time puncturing armour made on
any of the Imperiums many forges. By reforging
the blade with a monomolecular edge (Mono for
short), these simple weapons stand a much
better chance at digging through an opponents
protective gear and mangling the soft flesh
behind it. A mono-edged blade never loses its
sharpness no matter how often it is used as each
slice and chop causes the blade to hone itself
rather than becoming duller. Mono-knives and
swords are fairly common equipment for better
equipped fighters throughout the Imperium.
Only an edged weapon can benefit from
having a monomolecular edge, however this

129

upgrade can also be used to represent a similar

modification or re-design of blunt weapons too;
a hammer might have a pneumatic accelerator
built into the head, while a staff could have a
liquid metal core that enhances the force of
struck blows. In all cases, the weapon loses the
Primitive quality and increases its Penetration
value by 2. Note that weapons which have
received the Mono Edge upgrade cannot benefit
from any other upgrades that require a weapon
to have the Primitive quality.

Mono-Sight
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive ranged weapon
Typically
the
purview
of
well-paid
mercenaries and more tactical hit-teams, a
mono-sight integrates a high-quality pict-thief in
a scope mount that provides its visual data to a
wired augmetic monocle. This allows the shooter
to aim without actually shouldering his weapon
simply by focusing on the monocle; the visual is
displayed from the guns point of view. While
this may have an interesting appeal on its own,
the main application is in allowing the shooter to
look around corners or above cover, exposing
only the weapon and the arms holding it. With
steady hands, firing the weapon while aiming
through the mono-sight is possible, making this

an exceptional tool for tactical advances and

infiltration missions. Its use in battle situations
or large-scale combats is significantly less
impressive as these environs typically do not
feature a large amount of heavy cover, leaving
the mono-sight taking up valuable scope space.
A character can use a mono-sight to look
around corners or over obstacles, and can use
the weapon to attack targets he observes through
the mono-sight. The shooter must use the Aim
action to take advantage of the mono-sight in
this way. A mono-sight counts towards a guns
one sight limit.

Motion Predictor
Upgrades: Any ranged weapon with a Full
Automatic setting
Motion predictors are something of a poor
mans targeter, although that expression is
somewhat inaccurate as they are still costly
pieces of wargear. A motion predictor uses an
onboard cogitator unit to calculate a targets
movements and literally chases them with a
full auto barrage. Motion predictors are most
often employed by mercenaries and the crack
troops of noble house militias; elite Imperial
Guard Storm Troopers are provided with more
advanced targeters instead.
A weapon fitted with a motion predictor
grants its wielder a +10 bonus to his Ballistic
Skill Tests made to attack as part of a Full Auto
Burst. This stacks with the Full Auto Bursts
usual +20 bonus for a total bonus of +30. The
weapon uses ammunition at the normal rate, but
its maximum number of hits are halved (round
up) to reflect some wasted shots as the motion
predictor tracks the target. A motion predictor
does not count towards a gun's one sight limit,
but cannot be used in conjunction with a proper
targeter - the machine spirits are simply
incompatible with one another.

Pyre-Lance Aperture
Upgrades: Any Melta weapon other than Marspattern weapons
A favoured modification by the Orders
Militant of the Adepta Soroitas as well as the
best-equipped Redemptionist fanatics, a pyre-

130

lance aperture adds extra focusing emitters to

the barrel and muzzle of most common
meltaguns, giving a more focused blast that can
extend the reach of these staggeringly powerful
weapons out to a more meaningful distance. The
baroque, brazier-like pyre-lance creates a very
dramatic appearance as well, keeping up with the
aesthetics and fearsome look that the Sisters of
Battle prefer. However, the modified aperture is
woefully inefficient with the weapons fuel
supply, burning off a substantial amount of the
chemical admixture for several seconds after
every firing and further reinforcing the
incendiary appearance. The well-equipped
Orders Militant typically do not have any
difficulty keeping up the flow of supplies, while
Redemption Cultists rarely get into the sort of
intense, pitched battles that would leave them
with impressive-looking clubs. The same cannot
be said for most Imperial Guard regiments and
legions, however, so this modification can be
considered a strictly "non-military" upgrade.
Melta weapons outfitted with a pyre-lance
aperture increase their Range by 10 metres but
halve the Clip size due to horribly wasteful
(though visually stunning) use of fuel. The
threatening yet elegant appearance of a melta
weapon modified by this upgrade grants a +10
bonus to Intimidate Skill Tests in anytime the
weapon has been fired in the previous Round.
This is in addition to the Carry a Big Gun rule
(see The Inquisitors Handbook, page 232 for
more information).

Rangefinder Sight
Upgrades: Any Basic or Heavy Las, Solid
Projectile, Bolt, Plasma, or Launcher weapon
Rangefinders
are
most
commonly
encountered in the targeting apparatuses of
Imperial tanks, but smaller and less powerful
versions exist to equip man-portable weapons as
well. Most ranged weapons are lethal well
beyond the distance at which they can be fired
with even the thinnest margin of a successful hit;
a rangefinder sight combines the magnification
of a telescopic sight with the ballistic calculance
cogitator stacks of a targeter with the sole
purpose of making those hits possible. By

aggregating atmospheric pressure, wind speed,

the trajectory characteristics of the weapon, and
a host of other esoteric and arcane measures, a
rangefinder scope can guide the shooter to
making truly heroic shots. This application is of
particular use to military snipers as well as
hunters tracking the most dangerous and savage
of death world game, but heavy weapons teams
in fixed positions can also make use of this
assistance to rain death on attacking enemy
forces even longer.
A character using a rangefinder sight must
spend a Full Action to Aim to obtain its benefits.
Any Ballistic Skill Tests made to attack
benefitting from the Aim ignores the normal
penalties for Long and Extreme range;
furthermore, its Extreme range increases to five
times the weapon's listed Range, rather than the
usual four. The shooter can passively use the
rangefinder sight to determine the exact distance
of any target he Aims at. A rangefinder sight
counts towards a guns one sight limit.

Red-Dot Laser Sight

Upgrades: Any non-Primitive ranged weapon
This simple but highly effective sight projects

131

a low-power red laser at whatever the weapon is

pointed at. The firer is able to determine exactly
where his shot will land simply based on where
the dot created by the laser lies. Being painted
by a laser sight can be a potent tool of
intimidation as well, the targeted character
having exact knowledge of where a bullet or bolt
is about to land on them. However, the bright
targeting beam can have detrimental effects on a
character
attempting
to
shoot
from
concealment. A red-dot laser sight automatically
shuts off if the weapon it is attached to is fired
on Semi-Auto or Full Auto as the vibration can
destroy the focusing lens if it is powered up.
A weapon fitted with a red-dot laser sight
grants the wielder a +10 bonus to his Ballistic
Skill Test made to attack whenever it is fired on
single shot. If used to threaten a character as part
of an Intimidate Test, it grants a +10 bonus to
that Test as well. If the shooter is hiding,
attacking or Aiming while using the sight grants
opponents a +30 bonus to their Awareness Tests
to spot the shooter. A red-dot laser sight counts
towards a guns one sight limit.

Sanctified Weapon
Upgrades: Any Primitive or Chain melee
weapon of Good or Best craftsmanship
The prayers and blessings of those of true faith
in the God-Emperor of Mankind, coupled with
the ancient lore of Ecclesiastical alchemistry, is
able to turn a mundane blade into a fell weapon
that can cut down the foul denizens of the warp
and other unnatural horrors. Once soaked in
anointing oils, affixed with purity seals and
blessed in the name of the Emperor, even a
humble sword can become a powerful weapon
against warp-spawned fiends.
The effect of this upgrade is to make the
Damage caused by the upgraded weapon be
counted as Holy, which has certain effects on
some Daemonic and warp creatures (as will be
noted in their description). It also takes on a
distinctly sacred appearance, which can put the
wielder in better graces when interacting with
members of the Ecclesiarchy.

Silencer
Upgrades: Pistol and Basic Solid Projectile
weapons without the Scatter quality
A silencer is a large can-like device fitted to
the muzzle of a compatible weapon. Its internal
baffles absorb the sound and flash of gunfire,
making it far harder to detect by its victims (and
sparing the shooter from future deafness). It is a
favourite of snipers, assassins, and other types of
operatives who value stealthy approaches.
Awareness Tests to hear or spot shots made
with a silenced weapon suffer a -20 penalty and
can only be attempted within the weapons
standard range. At the GMs discretion, the
targets of a Suppressing Fire action may receive a
bonus on their Tests to resist Pinning as the
racket of automatic gunfire greatly enhances the
intimidating effect.

Spoor Targeter
Upgrades: Any ranged weapon without the
Blast, Flame, or any similar qualities
This rare and highly specialized gun-scope
contains extremely sophisticated spoor-sniffers
and miniature cogitators linked directly to the
attached weapons firing mechanism. A spoor

132

targeter prevents a gun from being fired when

pointed directly at someone it has been
programmed to recognise as an ally, making it
literally impossible for the user to shoot his
comrades in the swirling confusion of combat.
Because of their cost and very specific purpose,
spoor targeters are typically only employed by
the most elite of the Imperiums combat troops:
squads of Inquisitorial agents, Adeptus Arbites
kill-teams, and so forth.
A spoor targeter may be loaded with the
profiles of up to 10 allies. This process takes
about 10 minutes and requires a successful
Routine (+20) Tech-Use Test. Once the allys
profile is loaded into the targeter, the attached
weapon cannot shoot that ally. Even if pointed
directly at them, the weapon simply refuses to
fire. The user may unleash a fully automatic
volley into a melee combat involving his allies
with absolute confidence; if any shots would hit
an ally the spoor targeter recognises, either
count them as misses or resolve them against
another enemy, whichever is more appropriate
for the situation.
As a tool that is employed by the Inquisition, a
spoor targeter is designed not to leave its user
helpless should an unfortunate situation arise.
To this effect, it can be switched off at any point.
A spoor targeter counts towards a gun's one
sight limit.

Stabiliser Rig
Upgrades: Any Heavy weapon
A stabiliser rig makes use of a powered,
articulated metal armature attached to a bulky
chest harness to support some of the ungainly
mass of Heavy weapons. While effective at
spreading the weight of the ported weapon out
over the wielder's body, the rig on the whole is
an awkward and cumbersome affair, making it
ill suited for troops that need to move fast or
with any degree of stealth. However, a stabiliser
rig is greatly less costly and exceptional than a
suspensor set, making it available to many of he
Imperium's more humble forces that would
ordinarily be saddled with dragging around
tripods and sandbags. Finally, while not an
explicit design feature, a stabiliser rig does

prevent the attached weapon from leaving the

wielder's possession (for better or worse).
When using a Heavy weapon affixed to a
stabiliser rig, the shooter counts as having the
Bulging Biceps talent regardless of whether they
meet the prerequisites, and cannot lose the
weapon as a result of a Disarm attack. The bulk
and poor balance of the rig and the weapon
attached to it cause the shooter to suffer a -10
penalty to all movement-related Tests. Donning
or removing a stabiliser rig is an Extended
Action that takes 3 Rounds.

Starflare Vent
Upgrades: Any Plasma weapon
This modification is both dangerous and a
blatant act of tech-heresy, but the results are
stunning enough that heretek tinkerers and
outlaw tech-wrights with the right skill and luck
seem to have no shortage of demand. By
deliberately weakening and obfuscating a plasma
weapon's magnetic containment field, the
weapon ceases being able to generate coherent
bolts of photonic hydrogen and instead vomits
forth a great column of annihilation out to a
short distance. On already temperamental
weapons armed with fickle fusion cores and
unstable ammunition, use of a starflare vent can
very easily have disastrous consequences - and
not just from the righteous retribution of
incensed Tech-Priests and their Secutors
cohorts. Of course, the power to utterly vaporise
an entire mob of enemies with a single burst of
solar intensity can make these concerns seem
significantly less pressing.
A plasma weapon modified with a starflare
vent reduces its Range to one quarter (25%) its
normal value, its Rate of Fire becomes S/-/- if it
wasn't already, and its Clip size is halved due to
the massively increased rate of hydrogen
consumption. However, the weapon's massive
attack now affects an area as though it had the
Flame quality. If a plasma weapon modified with
a starflare vent overheats, roll 1d10. On a result
of "8" or higher, the vents have caused a
catastrophic feedback loop and the plasma
weapon violently explodes; treat this as though
the weapon had rolled maximum Damage with a

133

Blast of 5. The wielder cannot attempt an Agility

Test to avoid the blast. This modification is
essentially permanent; only the Tech-Priests of
Ryza or another forge world blessed with the
rare understanding of plasma weaponry could
reverse the modifications, which most would be
eager to do immediately after terminating the
fool that would bring them such a
blasphemously defiled weapon.

Stutter-Las
Upgrades: Any Pistol or Basic Las weapon
without a Full-Auto setting
While proscribed by the Mechanicus for very
obvious reasons, stutter-las weapons are
remarkably common gear in the hands of
various scummers operating on the far side of
the law. By modifying the fast-discharge
capacitors used on most las weapons, the rate of
fire can be significantly increased, albeit at the
cost of modestly reduced beam intensity. As this
upgrade is commonly favoured by those with a
preference for quantity over quality, the wielder
of a stutter-las will commonly opine that the loss
of power is more than made up for by volume of
fire. Moreover, the dull red las-bolts and short
bursts of sparks that are often created can make
a fine stand-in for the rattle of automatic gunfire
on worlds and within regions where obtaining
bullets for slug-throwers is more difficult than
ubiquitous lasgun charge packs.
A stutter-las gains a Full-Auto setting that
expends 5 shots as well as the Inaccurate quality
and reduces its Damage to 1d10+2 E when using
standard charge packs; if the weapon's Damage
was already lower than this value then the
upgrade has no further reduction.

Suspensors
Upgrades: Any Heavy weapon
These plates and studs are similar to those
employed on skimmers and grav-cars, effectively
reducing the mass of a weapon they are attached
to. Elite Imperial troops make use of suspensors
to make their Heavy weapons more portable,
allowing one trooper to haul around the weapon
as well as its ammunition with surprising speed.
A Heavy weapon fitted with suspensors can be

Targeter
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive ranged weapon
Targeters are incredibly valuable and soughtafter devices that boost the efficiency of any
weapon they are attached to. A miniature
guidance cogitator along with a multi-spectrum
omni-scope calculates and tabulates ballistic
information and other values, such as windage,
and aggregates them into easily-readable data
that is displayed on a cable-attached visor or
some similar item worn by the user. Armed
with this knowledge, a trained shooter can
make far more accurate shots in any condition.
Targeters are standard-issue wargear for the
Imperial Guards elite Storm Troopers as well
as their Inquisitorial counterparts, and may be
employed by well-funded mercenaries, bounty
hunters, and other private troops as well.
A targeter grants a +10 bonus to all Ballistic
Skill Tests made to attack with the weapon it is
attached to. Additionally, the shooter is always
aware of his exact distance to a target within the
weapons range, prevalent wind speed and
pressure, and how much ammunition remains
within the weapons Clip. A targeter counts
towards a gun's one sight limit.

Telescopic Sight

fired without bracing first, giving its shooter

great mobility and the ability to support his allies
during tactical advances and manoeuvres. As a
result, suspensors are an invaluable asset to
assault teams and other forces that rely on
moving quickly.
A Heavy weapon fitted with suspensors has its
weight reduced by half, and the operator is
considered to have the Auto-stabilised Trait as
well (see Trait Descriptions on page 329 of
Dark Heresy). Note that suspensors do not
reduce the weight of external ammunition
supplies, such as a man-portable lascannons
power cells or a heavy flamers Promethium
tanks. Subtract the weight of the ammunition
supply first, then factor the suspensors
reduction on the remaining weight.

134

Upgrades: Any Pistol with the Accurate quality

or any Basic ranged weapon
Also known as a sniper scope, a telescopic
sight magnifies distant targets, making them
easier to shoot than with the naked eye alone.
Basic sights will just include a rudimentary but
functional set of crosshairs, while more
advanced models might include adjustable
reticules or range-estimating stadia marks as
part of the sight itself. Telescopic sights are
usually employed by marksmen and hunters to
better pick out a far-away victim, but assassins
who prefer to do their work from a healthy
distance make use of them as well. There are
anecdotal stories of snipers betraying their
position when sunlight glints off the lenses of
their scopes, and as a result some sharpshooters
believe that a true sniper wouldnt use a

telescope, their own eyes being far superior to

any mechanical device.
When the shooter takes an Aim action, a
weapon with a telescopic sight ignores penalties
to Ballistic Skill Tests made to attack a target at
Long or Extreme range. A telescopic sight counts
towards a guns one sight limit.

Tripod
Upgrades: Any Heavy weapon
A tripod is a large and sturdy three-legged
mount commonly used by Imperial Guard heavy
weapon teams. A tripod attaches to a weapons
centre of gravity and allows the wielder to turn it
in any direction, a handy feature for use in
defensive positions such as dugouts and
pillboxes. Because of their bulk and that they do
not offer any benefits until the weapon is set
down, a tripod is usually carried separately by an
assistant, with the gunner planting the weapon
down via a mag-lock onto the tripods central
shaft after reaching a suitable point.
Bracing with a tripod is a Full Action. Once
Braced, the firer may attack any target within a
180-degree arc of his position.

Vox Operated
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive ranged weapon
(including Grenades)
For some users, simply clicking a switch or
pressing a stud just isnt good enough. A
specially coded vox receiver can be integrated
into a weapons firing mechanism and other
innards so that the user can operate it simply by
speaking the appropriate command words. This
includes firing, switching fire modes, and
ejecting a spent clip (though it must be replaced
manually as normal). Weapons with a fire
selector upgrade can have it operated vocally as
well, and some who make use of this esoteric
upgrade take particular appreciation of stating
out loud exactly what type of projectile they are
about to blast a foe with. For security reasons
each receiver is usually keyed to a specific voice
pattern to prevent unintended operation at a
potentially disastrous moment.

135

A vox operated weapon can be adjusted and

fired without direct physical manipulation but
otherwise has no immediate statistical effect.
The receiver can pick out the shooters voice
from around 10 metres away, though this range
may be extended or reduced based on ambient
noise. Vox operated weapons may have some
other situational utility; for example, if the
wielder has been apprehended by his opponents
who are presently rifling through his equipment.

Whisper-Bolt Discharger
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive ranged weapon
Las weapons, produced in countless billions by
forges and manufactorums across the Imperium,
are well designed for the large-scale battles that
the Imperial Guard is constantly mired in.
However, the lightning-like crack and bright
beam of energy are very poorly suited for stealth
and infiltration, and conventional blast and flash
mufflers and silencers can't be used with a las
weapon for obvious reasons. "Whisper-Bolts" are
a type of modified lasgun produced by a few
lesser manufactorums largely for use by
mercenary companies and other "private"
concerns - modification of an STC design is
frowned upon at best and violently persecuted
by the Adeptus Mechanicus at worst, so most
stay well clear of such efforts. The modified
discharger shifts the las-bolt out of the visible
spectrum; combined with a noise dampener
wrapping around the length of the barrel, a
"Whisper-Bolt" is almost as difficult to observe
as a silenced slug-thrower. The modified
discharger does reduce the lasgun's overall
power, however, making this upgrade more
suitable for use in ambushes or infiltrations than
open combat.
A las weapon with a whisper-bolt discharger
forces a -20 penalty on Awareness Tests to hear
or spot the attack, and can only be attempted
within the weapon's standard Range, though the
las-bolts can still be seen by characters wearing
IR goggles or holo-visors. Energy is lost in
hiding the beam within the visible spectrum;
reduce the weapon's Damage by 1.

Ammunition
Without ammunition, even the most exquisite
firearms are reduced to glorified cudgels.
Different types of weapons make use of different
ammo, and while some simplifications are made
with regards to ease of playing the game, no
amount of effort, no matter how valiant, will
ever make a lasgun charge pack fit into an
autoguns feed port (much less allow it to
shoot!). The table details the availability as well
as how much the ammunition costs. Weapons
that fire single projectiles (Solid Projectile, Bolt,
and Primitive weapons) as well as refillable
Flamer tanks are calculated based on the price of
individual projectiles, while those that use
containerized ammo (Las, Melta, and Plasma
weapons) is for one tank, pack or canister that
usually provides a full clips worth of shots.
Check the weapons entry for further
information. The weight of ammunition is not
listed; unless the weapon includes a set weight,
such as a flamers optional 10kg fuel tank,
assume a full clips weight weighs 10% of the
weight of the weapon itself.
This section is for standard ammo types,
which allow a ranged weapon to function as its
individual entry describes. Unusual and specialty
ammunition is listed in the next section.

Arrows/Quarrels
Used With: Bows, crossbows, and similar weapons

Arrows and quarrels come in a variety of

shapes, sizes, and materials ranging from crude
wooden sticks with flint tips (common on feral
worlds), finely crafted shafts with iron or steel
heads and feather fletching (standard for feudal
armies), or metallic shafts with razor-sharp
points (for bows made on more advanced
planets). Because of their characteristics, an
arrow or quarrel may be re-usable once the firer
has plucked it out of his victim (or a piece of
scenery, in the event of a miss). Arrows are used
for hand-drawn bows, while crossbows and
similar weapons use quarrels.

136

Ammunition
Name

Cost/Amount

Availability

Arrows/Quarrels

1/30

Common

Bolts, 0.75-calibre

15/1

Rare

Bolts, 1-calibre

20/1

Rare

Bullets

1/30

Plentiful

Bullets, high calibre

1/20

Scarce

Charge Pack (pistol)

10/1 pack

Common

Charge Pack (basic)

15/1 pack

Common

Exotic Ammo

20/1

Very Rare

Flamer Fuel

3/1

Scarce

Hellgun Capacitor

50/1 pack

Rare

Lascannon Power Pack

30/1 pack

Rare

Melta Canister (pistol)

20/1 pack

Very Rare

Melta Canister (basic)

15/1 pack

Rare

Melta Canister (heavy)

40/1 pack

Rare

Plasma Flask

18/1 pack

Rare

Plasma Tank

50/1 pack

Very Rare

Shot

1/20

Common

Shotgun Shells

1/15

Plentiful

Bolts
Used With: Bolt weapons
The ammunition used by bolters are precisely
engineered and fine-crafted projectiles designed
to utterly shred ones foes in the Emperors
name. Each bolt contains a mass-reactive
warhead and rocket propulsion cell in the base.
After slamming into a victim at bone-shattering
speed, the bolt violently explodes to rend their
bodies apart. Bolt guns and pistols almost
invariably use .75-calibre bolts that are totally
interchangeable, while heavy bolters use more
powerful 1-calibre bolts that are powerful
enough to be anti-vehicular weapons. Bolts are
difficult to manufacture, and their ammunition
is consequently expensive; this factor is what
keeps bolters out of the hands of most common
Imperial servants.

Bullets
Used With: Most Solid Projectile weapons
without the Scatter quality
Bullets is a general term for ammunition
used by most slug-throwing weapons with the
exception of shotguns. There are several types of
bullets: caseless ammo burns up entirely when
fired, and is used in most autoguns and
autopistols, while stub rounds have a metallic
case that is ejected after the gun is fired, and are
used in stub revolvers and automatics, hand
cannons, hunting rifles, and some other
weapons. Whether a Solid Projectile weapon
uses caseless ammo or stub rounds will be listed
in its entry. Almost all weapons that use caseless
ammo are interchangeable, which is a major
advantage of that type of weapon. Stub rounds
are more specific and can only be used for one
type of weapon: for example, the long, heavy
rounds used by a hunting rifle are far too large to
fit, much less be fired, in a stub revolver.
Autocannons and assault cannons use high
calibre stub bullets that are completely exclusive
to their respective weapons.

Charge Pack
Used With: Pistol and Basic las weapons
These liquid-cored thermal batteries store
energy for las weapons, and are famously robust
and easy to use. Pistols use smaller charge packs,
while Basic weapons employ larger models, but
otherwise any charge pack will function in just
about any las weapon. Because of their ease of
availability, charge packs are also sometimes
used as a power source for equipment and Exotic
weapons too.

Exotic Ammo
Used With: Exotic ranged weapons without a
specific ammunition type
Exotic weapons usually make use of equally
exotic ammunition; for some, obtaining a
reliable supply of ammo can be just as difficult, if
not more so, than acquiring the weapon itself.
This type of ammo can be used to represent
needler cartridges or web chem canisters, being
the most common types of Exotic weapons used
in the Imperium, but they may also be used for

137

unique stub ammunition, crystal shards, and

other strange projectiles. Unless an Exotic
weapon has its own type of ammunition
specified in its entry, use the rules for Exotic
ammo when acquiring new reloads.

Flamer Fuel
Used With: Most weapons with the Flame quality

Liquid fuel is used by most flamers regardless

of whether they are simple hand flamers or the
giant incineration devices mounted to Imperial
armoured vehicles. Promethium is the most
common choice, but backwater worlds might
make due with crude alcohols or oil, and most
flame weapons include a pilot light to ignite
these sub-standard fuels. Most types of flamer
fuels can also be ignited and burn things down
by themselves as well.

Hellgun Capacitor
Used With: Hellguns and Hellpistols

Hellgun capacitors resemble multiple banks of

charge packs linked together in a series, the
energy charge becoming more powerful with
each bank until reaching the level of strength
associated with a hellguns penetrating shots.
The capacitor itself fits into the backpack rig
when in use, and can be recharged just like a
standard charge pack.

Lascannon Power Pack

Used With: Lascannons

These enormous thermal batteries serve the

same purpose as standard charge packs but are
much different in construction to accommodate
the far more potent energy required by a
lascannon. They cannot be recharged and must
be discarded once depleted.

Melta Canister
Used With: Melta weapons

Inferno pistols, meltaguns, and similar

weapons use a special mixture of chemicals that
are stored in pressurised canisters and fired at
the enemy as a superheated gas. A melta weapon
makes an instantly recognisable hissing noise for
a few seconds as the canisters pressure equalizes
with that of the weapon; very often a harbinger
of doom for the melta gunners enemies. Care

must be taken with the storage of melta canisters

as they can rupture with great force if stored
improperly and roughly handled.

Plasma Flask
Used With: Plasma weapons

These heavily reinforced flasks store volatile

photonic hydrogen in a magnetic field, ready to
be compressed, energized, and spit forth at an
unfortunate victim by the plasma gun. Unlike
most weapons, almost all plasma weapons make
use of the same type of flask, which helps
simplify the supply lines to some extent. Most
plasma guns use two flasks, while pistols use one,
and they are fully interchangeable. Plasma flasks
are known to have a shelf life, slowly becoming
unstable over time if they are left in storage for
too long without adequate appeasing rituals.

Plasma Tank
Used With: Plasma Cannons

A plasma tank is essentially a very large

plasma flask with added safety devices and a
cable hose feed, designed to be worn on the back.
This provides a steady supply of solar firepower
to plasma cannons, whose rapid consumption
especially in the Maximal mode would drain
normal plasma flasks in just a few shots.

138

Shot
Used With: Most Primitive firearms
Solid lead or stone projectiles, usually just a
simple ball, are used by early muzzle-loading
guns like muskets and flintlock pistols. Some use
a single ball, while others use multiple smaller
projectiles, but all are propelled by a powder
charge that is poured down the barrel or into the
breech before the shot itself is tamped into place.
The listed cost includes the projectiles as well as
a suitable powder charge to propel them.

Shotgun Shells
Used With: Shotguns (all types)
Shells for use in shotguns contain a number of
small projectiles that expand into a deadly cloud
after leaving the weapons muzzle. They are
especially lethal at close range where a victim is
likely to be struck by every single projectile; men
lacking sturdy armour are simply ripped apart.
Shotgun shells are usually large metal cartridges
resembling oversized stub rounds, but monopoly versions are also common, and may be
colour-coded to identify what size and how
many projectiles are contained by the shell.

UNUSUAL AMMO

Ammunition
Name

Cost/Amount

Availability

Acid Bolts

+8/1

Very Rare

Acid Shells

16/1

Rare

Airtorch Canister

+10/1 pack

Extremely Rare

Amputator Bullets

12/1

Extremely Rare

Amputator Shells

10/1

Extremely Rare

Blazer Shells

4/1

Common

Bleeder Rounds

10/1

Rare

Blessed Ammunition

+50/clip

Very Rare

Cryptus Bolts

+15/1

Extremely Rare

Cryptus Shells

10/1

Very Rare

Dumdum Bullets

1/5

Scarce

Executioner Shells

150/1

Very Rare

Expander Bullets

1/2

Scarce

Explosive Arrows/Quarrels

1/5

Scarce

Explosive Bullets

+3/1

Very Rare

Flechette Shells

3/2

Rare

Hotshot Pack

15/1 pack

Scarce

Hyper-Density Penetrators

100/1

Rare

Inferno Bolts

20/1

Very Rare

Inferno Shells

12/1

Rare

Man-Stopper Bullets

5/6

Scarce

Microburst Flask

35/1 pack

Very Rare

Nephium Fuel

14/1

Very Rare

Organgrinder Bolts

50/1

Extremely Rare

Organgrinder Bullets

15/1

Very Rare

Organgrinder Shells

20/1

Very Rare

Overcharge Pack

12/1

Common

Acid Shells/Bolts

Psyflame Fuel

+100/clip

Very Rare

Used With: All shotguns and Bolt weapons

Psycannon Bolt

250/1

Very Rare

Rejected Bolts

6/1

Scarce

Slug Shells

1/4

Common

Snare Shells

10/1

Rare

Solid Bolts

25/1

Very Rare

Stun Shells

15/1

Scarce

Tempest Bolts

200/1

Extremely Rare

Tracer Bolts

+2/1

Scarce

Tracer Bullets

1/10

Average

Void Rounds

5/1

Scarce

Few things in the Imperium are created equal,

and munitions are no exception. There are many
types of specialty and unique ammunition that
function differently from the standard fare that
most militants use. Some types of unusual ammo
are costly to produce or intentionally restricted
by authorities, making them difficult to obtain,
while others are only suited for certain situations
and would be inappropriate for a general
combat. Regardless of the exact purpose,
unusual ammo is somehow different from more
common types, and their usage is one of the first
divisions between common fighters and
professional warriors. Unless otherwise stated,
unusual ammo weighs the same as standard
types and can only be used with certain weapons
as detailed in its description. Only one kind of
unusual ammo can be used at once (i.e. their
effects cannot be combined), and like standard
ammo types, unusual ammo for different
weapons is not usually interchangeable. A
bleeder round for an autopistol will fit in an
autogun, but an amputator shell for a shotgun
wont fit in either of those weapons. If a weapon
uses specialty ammunition already, such as a
Naval Shotcannon or Nomad sniper rifle, add
the cost of the unusual ammo to the weapons
own ammunition and increase its rarity by one
step, using the rarer of the two as a starting
point. If this would push the ammunitions
availability beyond Extremely Rare, the
combination is simply not possible.

Acid shells replace their multiple pellets with a

single slug containing a large amount of
incredibly corrosive acid that can eat through
almost any material. An unarmoured man will
have his flesh melted from his bones in
moments, while even heavy protective gear can
be worn away with alarming speed. Acid bolts
function in the same way as their shotgun
counterparts, replacing their mass-reactive
warheads with a vessel containing the same acid.

139

Effects: Change the weapons Damage to 2d10

Energy and Penetration to 0. If used in a shotgun
the weapon loses the Scatter quality. Should the
target takes any damage after reduction for
Armour and Toughness they suffer the same
effects as being set on fire for 1d5 Rounds,
representing the awful chemical burns that the
acid can cause. If the unmodified Damage roll is
more than 10, the targets worn armour has its
AP reduced by 1 on the hit location; multiple
hits can reduce the armours APs to 0. Damaged
armour can be repaired with a Difficult (-10)
Trade (Armourer) Test; see Expanded Skills,
page 240 of The Inquisitors Handbook for
more information.

Airtorch Canister

Blazer Shells
Used With: All shotguns

These shells are packed with pyrotechnic

materials instead of shot pellets, producing a
huge gout of flame when the shotgun is fired.
The intensity of the fire is somewhat less than
burning Promethium from a proper flamer, but
it is far easier to carry a few blazer shells than a
bulky flame weapon, and shotguns are more
easily obtained by most users anyway.
Effects: Change the shotguns Damage type to
Energy and replace the Scatter quality with the
Flame and Primitive qualities. The range
decreases to 15 metres or half the shotguns
normal range, whichever is lower. Because of the
duration of the flame, a shotgun using blazer
shells can only be fired on single-shot mode.

Used With: Any Pistol or Basic Melta weapon

Whilst regular melta weapons are known for

the tight focus of incredibly superheated blasts
they generate, a specially modified Airtorch
chemical mixture can be used to cause an almost
uncontrolled reaction that sets the air itself on
fire. The blast roars forth in an overwhelming
swath, and unfortunate firers have occasionally
been burnt to a crisp by their own meltagun
when using an Airtorch canister.
Effects: The weapons range is halved and it
gains the Scatter quality due to the extreme
spread of the blast. However, it also gains the
Overheats quality as the intense heat is often
simply too great for even a meltagun to handle.

Amputator Rounds
Used With: Any Pistol or Basic Solid Projectile
weapon, including shotguns

Amputator rounds are so named for their

frightening tendency to blow the limbs off of
unfortunate victims hit by them. Amputator
rounds replace the bullet or shot pellets with
explosive micro-shrapnel that can shear flesh
and shatter bones.
Effects: The weapon gains the Vicious quality.
If the attack results in Critical Damage, add an
additional 3 points to the total Critical Damage
suffered by the target.

140

Bleeder Bullets
Used With: Any Pistol or Basic Solid Projectile
weapon without the Scatter quality
Bleeder rounds are designed to break into
sharp, irregular fragments, causing ragged
wounds that do not heal well. For added effect,
they are laced with strong anti-coagulants to
increase the likelihood that the victim will
simply bleed out from their injuries.
Effects: As long as the weapon deals at least 1
point of Damage after reduction for Armour and
Toughness, the victim takes an additional 3
points of Damage as their wounds are
aggravated. Creatures with the Daemonic or
Machine Traits are immune to this extra
Damage, along with any other targets immune to
the effects of Blood Loss.

Blessed Ammunition
Used With: Any Bolt, Flame, and Solid
Projectile weapons
The truly faithful of the Imperial Creed, when
properly equipped with the correct unguents,
incense, and oils, can render the ammunition of
weapons most suitable into devastating
implements of the Emperors justice when
employed against the foul warp-spawned
creatures that threaten the Imperium. This work
is usually performed on sacred bolters and

purifying flamers, but even a humble autogun

can benefit from it.
Effects: The weapons Damage is counted as
Holy, which has certain effects on some
Daemonic and warp creatures (as will be noted
in their description).

Cryptus Shells/Bolts
Used With: All shotguns and Bolt weapons
The Templum of the Sacred Lights on the
world of Cryptus, renowned for its gleaming
glass construction, was burned to the ground
during a siege by heretical cultists in 702.M39.
The flames consumed the temple's last defenders
and every last one of the renegades; the act was
considered a miracle by the Ecclesiarchy, while
the Ordo Malleus showed a particular interest in
that the flames even consumed the great
daemons that the cultists had summoned. When
the inferno subsided, a field of white glass shards
covered the site for kilometres in every direction.
With the Inquisition in at least nominal control
over the site, the glass remnants of the temple
came to be used as a potent weapon against
daemons and other warp-spawn, the righteous
retribution of that day still present in the shards
centuries later. When packed into bolts or
shotgun shells, the glass shards can be fired into
abominable beings where they burn brightly just
as the Templum of the Sacred Lights did.
Because of the limited (if nevertheless great)
quantity of glass shards, only the Inquisition is at least in theory - able to manufacture these
weapons. However, pilgrims and their overseers
from the Adeptus Ministorum will often sneak
shards off the world during the annual
pilgrimage on the anniversary of the Templum's
burning, and as a result the militant arms of the
Ecclesiarchy can sometimes obtain a small
number of this ammunition too.
Effects: Shotguns and Bolt weapons using
Cryptus shells or bolts gain the Vicious quality
when used against Daemons, warp creatures,
and other creatures with a Psy Rating; if they
take Damage from the attack, the affected targets
must succeed on a Challenging (+0) Toughness
Test or be blinded for 1d5 Rounds. The Damage
they inflict is considered "Holy", which has

141

certain affects on some Daemonic and warp

creatures (as will be noted in their description).

Dumdum Bullets
Used With: Stub pistols and hand cannons
These heavy, blunt bullets are designed to
cause maximum damage against soft tissue and
can tear great gaping holes in an unprotected
target. However, these same qualities make them
ineffective at penetrating even half-decent
armour. Dumdum bullets are commonly used by
gangers and other low-rent scummers as their
usual victims dont wear carapace breastplates.
Effects: The weapons Damage increases by 3
but it also gains the Primitive quality.

Executioner Shells
Used With: Shotguns that use standard shells
An Executioner is an incredibly sophisticated
piece of ammunition with more in common with

a missile than a shotgun shell. Each contains a

miniature propulsion and stabilisation system as
well as a tiny guidance cogitator. After being
sighted in and fired, the shell can literally lock
on and track its victim. Once targeted by an
Executioner, doom is almost assured. The
mechanisms that are used to provide this deadly
capability are little understood and can only be
replicated by a handful of forges throughout the
Imperium, and as a result they are highly rare
items that are typically only issued to veteran
troopers of the Adeptus Arbites. Agents of the
Inquisition are also known to make use of them
on occasion, and giving where they are made,
likely employed (on a strictly non-official basis)
by Skitarii Tech-Guards and Secutors of the
Adeptus Mechanicus.
Effects: The weapon loses the Scatter quality,
but adds +4 to its Damage and Penetration.
Executioners ignore any cover the target may be
benefitting from, and when fired at Short or
standard (but not Point Blank, Long or Extreme)
range the firer may reroll a failed Ballistic Skill
Test made to attack with it (including if the
target successfully Dodged the first attack).

Expander Bullets
Used With: Any Pistol or Basic Solid Projectile
weapons without the Scatter quality
Savage to the point that they are outlawed on
some worlds, these dense shells are designed to
hold their shape until after piercing the targets
body, after which they shred open to cause their
victim further suffering through internal
wounds and ripped organs. As a side effect, the
expanded slugs can be frustratingly difficult to
remove after the fact as well.
Effects: Increase the weapons Damage and
Penetration by 1. Medicae Tests made to
administer First Aid to a target that has taken
Damage from expander bullets suffer a -10
penalty; this condition persists until the target
no longer has any Damage.

Explosive Arrows/Quarrels
Used With: Bows, crossbows, and similar weapons

Careful use of modern explosives can turn

even the humble bow into a wholly deadly

142

weapon whose operation though not result is

completely silent. The arrow or quarrel might
have a hollow body filled with an impactsensitive blasting substance, or coated and
soaked in an unstable alchemical compound.
Regardless of its specific means of action, the
projectile violently explodes with the power of a
small bomb when it strikes its target.
Effects: The weapons Damage type becomes
Explosive and it loses the Primitive quality, but
the awkward balancing of the projectiles imposes
a -10 penalty to the firers Ballistic Skill Tests
when using the explosive arrow or quarrel.

Explosive Bullets
Used With: All Solid Projectile weapons
without the Scatter quality
These bullets replace their metallic projectiles
with a thin alloy shell packed full of high
explosive compounds that detonate on impact
with the target with an effect that is broadly
similar to a bolt weapon. Lesser weapons tend to
have a very minor effect that leaves broad but
shallow wounds instead of thin penetrating
injuries, but as the slug-thrower's calibre
increases the effect can become frighteningly
noticeable. However, without the ballistic cap of
a bolt, explosive bullets have little penetrative
ability and so aren't nearly as useful in areas of
dense cover or against well armoured targets.
Effects: The weapon's Damage type changes
to Explosive and its Penetration becomes 0. For
each point of Penetration reduced from the
weapon's normal value, to a maximum of 4, the
weapon gains the Proven quality with the same
value; a hand cannon with Pen 2 would gain the
Proven (2) quality, while an autocannon with
Pen 4 would gain the Proven (4) quality.

Flechette Shells
Used With: Shotguns that use standard shells
Flechette shells replace a shotgun's load of
dense metal shot with a bundle of thin, monoedged darts. The fin-stabilised projectiles spread
out less and are more stable in flight, giving the
shotgun a modest increase in its effective range.
They also offer superior penetration of cover and

personal armour; military shotgunners operating

in dense environments or against armoured
opponents tend to be the largest users of
flechette shells. The darts themselves are no
more lethal than much cheaper shot loads,
however, so their expense is broadly unnecessary
for hunters and most enforcer types.
Effects: Flechette shells increase the shotgun's
range by 10 metres and its Penetration value to
2. Shotguns that already have Pen 2 or higher
don't gain any additional benefits.

Hotshot Pack
Used With: Pistol and Basic Las weapons

Though similar in design and construction to

standard charge packs for laspistols and lasguns,
a hotshot pack is specially designed to expend all
of its stored energy in one powerful blast.
Snipers in the Imperial Guard often use these
charge packs to give their long las rifles some
more punch; the fact that they go dry after one
shot is of little concern to troops who are
supposed to kill with one shot anyway.
Effects: A weapon using a hotshot pack
increases its Damage by 1, its Penetration to 4
(weapons that already have Pen 4 or higher dont
increase any further), and gains the Tearing
quality. The weapons Clip size becomes 1 and
therefore can only be fired on single shot mode.
When using a hotshot pack, the weapons
reliability decreases by one step; if the weapon
has the Reliable quality it loses it, and if it
doesnt it gains the Unreliable quality. If the
weapon is already Unreliable, it instead gains the
Overheats quality.
Some las weapons may have different
consequences for using a hotshot pack; if
applicable, these are described in their entries.

Hyper-Density Penetrators
Used With: Hand cannons, hunting rifles, and
all shotguns
Famously nicknamed Lathe Body-Blowers
for their incredible effect at ploughing through
vulnerable flesh, these bullets are cast from a
unique dense metal alloy only made possible by
exploiting the strange gravitational forces within

143

the Lathe Worlds. A victim hit by a hyperdensity penetrator can be totally blown in half as
the great mass and velocity of the projectile tears
through armour as easily as flesh and bone.
Hyper-density penetrators produce extreme
recoil and pressure, and can only be used in the
sturdiest of weapons.
Effects: Hyper-density penetrators increase
the weapons Damage and Penetration values by
2. The weapon gains the Tearing and Vicious
qualities if it didn't already have them. If used in
a shotgun it loses the Scatter quality.

Inferno Shells/Bolts
Used With: All shotguns and Bolt weapons
This type of round is augmented by a
phosphor-gel that ignites as the projectile(s)
strike their target. Shotgun shells are the most
common type due to their availability and the
fact that the large volume of the shell is optimal
for storing the flammable additive. Inferno bolts
function on much the same principle, the massreactive warheads composition altered to
include phosphor-gel that sets the target ablaze
as well as blowing it apart.
Effects: Targets hit by an inferno shell or bolt
must succeed on a Challenging (+0) Agility
Test or be set on fire. Aside from other
characters, an inferno shell or bolt can be used to
ignite certain objects (flammable liquids, plants,
sleeping grox, and so forth) at the discretion of
the GM.

Man-Stopper Bullets
Used With: Any Pistol or Basic Solid Projectile
weapon without the Scatter quality
These projectiles are made of a solid hardened
core that is designed to easily puncture armour
and cover that an enemy might be hiding
behind. The wounds they make are no more
grievous than normal bullets, but they can still
have quite an impressive effect once the target
realises that the flakboard wall he is shielded by
offers him absolutely no protection at all.
Effects: Increase the weapons Penetration
value to 3. Weapons that already have Pen 3 or
higher dont gain any additional benefits.

Microburst Flask

Nephium Fuel

Used With: Any Pistol or Basic Plasma weapon

The photonic hydrogen stored in these flasks
has a much higher concentration of heavy ions,
which has a number of effects on the burst of
plasma produced when the weapon is fired. A
Microburst flask produces bolts that are smaller
and less intense, but with a significantly higher
velocity and density. The lower temperature of
the fusion core also makes the plasma weapon
significantly safer for its user as well.
Effects: Plasma weapons using a Microburst
flask decrease their Damage and increase their
Penetration by 2 each. Range is increased by 10
metres, but the weapon cannot be fired on the
Maximal setting (if it has one), and it
additionally loses the Overheats quality.

Used With: Any Flame weapon that uses

standard flamer fuel
Nephium is an unstable accelerant that is
normally used in extremely high temperature
forges in the creating of adamantine plates and
other very dense metal alloys. However, while it
is dangerous to do so, encapsulated Nephium
motes can be mixed in with the Promethium fuel
used by flamers to produce devastating tongues
of fire that can rival a meltagun in intensity. The
use of Nephium as an additive is common
knowledge among the Adeptus Mechanicus but
most others would have no idea of its potency;
among those that do, only a certain few would
risk using it in spite of its great potency.
Effects: Increase the flame weapons Damage
by 2 and it gains the Unstable quality. Agility
Tests made to avoid the flames from Nephium
fuel suffer a -10 penalty. If the weapon suffers a
jam while using Nephium fuel, roll 1d10. On a
result of 9 or 10 the fuel tank or canister
spontaneously combusts in a terrible
conflagration; treat this as an explosion with a
Blast equal to how many shots the flamer had
left in its Clip (up to a maximum 10) that deals
the flamers Damage and Penetration to
anything within that area, including the penalty
to Agility Tests to avoid it. The flame weapons
wielder may not make an Agility Test to attempt
to evade the blast and suffers double the Damage
result of the blast.
Nephium fuel and regular fuel cant be
combined in the same weapon, though a fuel
tank or canister can be partially filled with it.

Organgrinder Rounds
Used With: Hand cannons, hunting rifles,
shotguns that use standard shells, and all Bolt
weapons that use 0.75-calibre bolts
Most types of unusual ammo, regardless of
their exact function, are designed to make their
weapon immediately more lethal towards its
victims. The grisly organgrinder rounds are an
exception to this rule, intended explicitly to
cause a slow, lingering death from an
excruciating wound. After striking the victim, an

144

organgrinder round deploys spiralled ridges that

lacerate flesh and bone into a pulp of viscera.
These also dramatically slow the projectiles
speed, ensuring that the round will be left inside
the victims body to cause further complications
and misery. These rounds are difficult to forge
and can only be used in the largest slug-throwing
weapons due to their diameter; of course, a bolt
is plenty big enough to accommodate their
terrible payload.
Effects: Organgrinder rounds work similar to
a weapon with the Toxic quality. If the target
takes Damage after reduction for Armour and
Toughness, they must succeed on a Challenging
(+0) Toughness Test; the round imposes a -10
penalty on this Test for every point of Damage it
successfully dealt. If the victim succeeds then the
round has failed to operate; on a failure, the
round works as designed, immediately causing
another 2d5 points of Rending Damage that are
not reduced by Armour or Toughness. Even if
the victim survives, the round remains within
their body until removed, which requires a
Medicae Test as though the victim was having a
broken limb amputated, with the same difficulty
and consequences of failure (see Damage &
Healing on Page 211 of Dark Heresy). If left
untreated, an organgrinder round can cause
further complications even years later. If the
victim ever takes Critical Damage again, the
organgrinder round shifts and worms about,
increasing the Critical Damage result by 1. If the
Critical Damage affects the same hit location
that the round is still embedded in, the victim
takes 2 more Critical Damage instead.
If organgrinder shells are used in a shotgun it
loses the Scatter quality, while organgrinder
bolts change the damage type of their weapon
from Explosive to Impact.

Overcharge Pack
Used With: Pistol or Basic Las weapons
Overcharge packs provide a more rapid beam
discharge than standard charge packs, which
increases the weapons power, though it also
runs out of energy more quickly as well.
Guardsmen who have proven their merit in

145

battle are often issued these packs as they can be

trusted to make their shots count even in a hectic
combat, and many accomplished snipers were
first identified as common soldiers using
overcharge packs to great effect.
Effects: Increase the weapons Damage and
Penetration by 1 but halve the Clip size.

Psycannon Bolts
Used With: All Bolt weapons
Typically only the legendary Grey Knights can
readily access psycannons, fell bolt weapons that
can cut down even horrendous daemons and
warp-spawned filth with ease. However, the
Ordo Malleus is able to manufacture individual
bolts with a small measure of a psycannons
power for use by trusted servants and others who
often battle the foul denizens of the unknown. A
psycannon bolts mass-reactive warhead is
augmented by psy-anathemic compounds and
are blessed and sanctified to strike true against
the daemon and the witch, and can rip through
warp-stuff and psychic barriers with remarkable
efficiency. Of course, a psycannon bolts superior
construction can still rend even a non-psyker to
shreds in the Emperors name. Psycannon bolts
are a jealously guarded secret of the Ordo
Malleus, and even the Tech-Priest Magi of the
Mechanicus are forbidden from trying to
examine or study them. Only an Inquisitor can
issue psycannon bolts, and just to carry one of
these pieces of ammunition without the Malleus
blessing is likely sufficient grounds for
execution, or worse
Effects: Against all targets, any Critical
Damage inflicted by a psycannon bolt is
increased by 5. Warp entities, Daemons, and
creatures with a Psy Rating can use their
Armour and Toughness to reduce Damage from
a psycannon bolt normally, but they suffer
double Damage from any that remains as well as
1 additional point for each Psy Rating they have;
for example, if a witch with Psy Rating 3 reduces
a psycannon bolts Damage to 4 from Armour
and Toughness, it then suffers 11 Damage from
the bolts unique and holy construction. A
psycannon bolt is invariably a "Holy" weapon,

which has additional effects on Daemons and

warp creatures, and it completely ignores warp
and psychic barriers, shields, and armour (such
as Daemonic Resilience, Catch Projectiles,
Telekinetic Shield, and so on).

Psyflame Fuel
Used With: Any Flame weapon that uses
standard flamer fuel
The sacred promethium fuel used to burn
heretics and sinners can be further enhanced
with a number of arcane psy-reactive
compounds and additives that seem to turn the
gouts of purifying flame into a living
embodiment of hatred towards the witch and the
Daemon. This produces a lesser though still
impressive effect similar to that of the
Incinerators of the Ordo Malleus' Grey Knights,
the flames seemingly trying to wrap around and
immolate the wicked as if they had a mind of
their own. Psyflame fuel is manufactured and
consecrated only under the careful eye of the
Inquisition and is meted out in small measure to
its minions and agents, the Adepta Soroitas, and
other loyal and fervent warriors.

146

Effects: The Damage produced by a flamer

using psyfuel flame is considered "Holy" and
completely ignores warp and psychic barriers,
shields, and armour (such as Daemonic
Resilience, Telekinetic Shield, and so on).
Targets with a Psy Rating suffer a -5 penalty to
the Agility Test to avoid the flames as well as
being lit on fire for every point; for example, a
witch with Psy Rating 3 would suffer a -15
penalty to its Agility Test.

Rejected Bolts
Used With: Shotguns that use standard shells
and all Bolt weapons
Bolts are precision-engineered munitions that
must meet very specific tolerances and receive
various liturgical blessings during their
manufacture. Many do not pass muster and are
rejected by the circumspect Tech-Priests or
adepts tasked with verifying the sanctity of the
projectile, ensuring that no righteous Imperial
citizen will be failed by a defective bolt's inability
to launch or detonate. These rejected bolts are
supposed to be destroyed, but many wind up
being smuggled out and illicitly traded by
reclaimators and scav-workshops. Bolts that lack

acceptance runes are completely illegal to even

possess on most Forge worlds, and while they
are much more likely to malfunction than a
properly manufactured one, a rejected bolt will
(usually) still blast an opponent apart with just
as much potency. Because they have not yet
received their final casings, this type of bolt can
also be made to fit and be fired from common
shotguns, though such lesser weapons have been
known to fail with spectacular effect.
Effects: All weapons using rejected bolts gain
the Unreliable quality. If the weapon was already
Unreliable, it instead jams on any failed roll to
hit. A shotgun using rejected bolts increases its
Range by 50%, changes its Damage to 1d10+5
Explosive, its Penetration to 4, and gains the
Tearing quality while losing the Scatter quality.
However, if the shotgun jams, roll 1d10. On a
result of "6" or above, the bolt detonates in the
barrel, causing the shotgun to catastrophically
explode. Resolve this as though the shooter was
hit in the Body location by the shotgun's attack
while inflicting Damage as a frag grenade to any
other characters within 4 metres of the shooter.

Slug Shells
Used With: Shotguns that use standard shells
Slug shells contain a single alloy projectile in
place of a handful of small pellets. This
concentrates a shotgun's considerable power
onto a smaller area, which greatly increases its
destructive ability at longer ranges. Slug shells
are commonly used by hunters to take game at
greater distances than normal shot shells, though
gangers and irregular troops will sometimes
carry this type of shell in lieu of bringing a
second weapon with greater reach.
Effects: A shotgun using slug shells increases
its Damage by 2 and Penetration by 1 but loses
the Scatter quality.

Snare Shells
Used With: All shotguns
These shells replace much of their shot pellets
with small capsules of web chem which explode
into a mass of ensnaring sticky filaments.
Contact with the air causes them to solidify,

147

making it almost impossible for the target to

escape. Using snare shells is not as effective as a
proper webber or web pistol, but the fact that
they can be used in any shotgun with no special
training makes them an extremely handy
accessory to use. Snare shells can still kill an
unfortunate victim who takes a strong hit, so
they are poor choices where a safe capture of the
target is absolutely necessary.
Effects: A shotgun using snare shells reduces
its Damage by 2 but gains the Snare quality. The
sticky webs created by one break down on their
own after 1d5+1 Rounds.

Solid Bolts
Used With: All Bolt weapons
Bolters are best known for the horrific injuries
that their mass-reactive warheads cause, but
some forges are known to produce bolts
designed expressly for piercing even the heaviest
armour by replacing the warhead with a solid
monolithic core of super-dense alloy. The
bolters usually devastating effect is somewhat
reduced, but against the greatest beasts (or
armoured vehicles) the extra penetration can be
the difference between life and death.
Effects: Increase the weapons Penetration
value by 3 but remove the Tearing quality. The
weapons Damage type changes from Explosive
to Impact.

Stun Shells
Used With: Shotguns that use standard shells
A favourite of the Adeptus Arbites and wellfunded enforcer outfits, stun shells are
essentially a single-use shock weapon crammed
into a shotgun slug. In flight, a stun shell deploys
three metal prongs that bury themselves in the
flesh of a victim before discharging a powerful
jolt that can incapacitate a target at distance.
Stun shells are designed to be used for a nonlethal takedown, but the velocity of the projectile
itself can still kill those of a frail constitution; as
a result, great care must be taken in their
employment when loss of life is unacceptable.
Effects: A shotgun using stun shells gains the
Shocking quality and loses the Scatter quality.

Targets hit by a stun shell make their Toughness

Test to avoid being Stunned at a -10 penalty, and
gain no bonus on this Test for the first 3 Armour
Points on the hit location. After reduction for
Armour and Toughness, the target takes only
half of the remaining Damage (minimum 1).

Tempest Bolts
Used With: All Bolt weapons
Tempest bolts are designed to be extremely
destructive towards machinery and cybernetics,
allowing them to be used in cutting down even
monstrous servitors and other such targets.
Tempest bolts contain a miniature plasma-shock
generator that releases a pulse of electromagnetic
and thermal energy on impact, which can be
debilitating against almost any target but is
especially destructive to machinery. Giving what
an effective weapon this would be against
members of the Cult Mechanicus, it is perhaps
not surprising that only they hold the secrets to
manufacturing tempest bolts. Only the great
forges of Mars itself can manufacture these bolts,
and that is entirely by design. The forces of the
Magos Militants of a number of forge worlds,
including the Lathes in the Calixis Sector,
maintain a stockpile of these bolts specifically for
use in hunting down hereteks and traitors, and
they may be gifted to trusted allies who
accompany the Destructor Covenants on such
expeditions. Of course, even the forces of the
Emperors most holy Inquisition are not above
the scrutiny of the Magi, and those who have
callously demanded supplies of these bolts seem
to frequently suffer terrible accidents of a
mechanical nature at a later point.
Effects: The weapon gains the Shock quality
and changes its Damage type from Explosive to
Energy. Increase the Damage and Penetration
value by 3 when used against targets with the
Machine trait or other mechanical objects (such
as door lock mechanisms, cogitator cores, and
anything else the GM deems appropriate).

Tracer Rounds
Used With: All Solid Projectile and Bolt weapons

Most heavy weapon teams use tracer rounds

in their support weapons whenever possible as

148

they make it far easier to guide and adjust a

firing pattern. Tracer rounds include a dab of
pyrophoric chemical on the back of the
projectile; this flares brightly once the bullet or
bolt leaves a hot barrel. Of course, this also gives
away the firers position, and can make return
fire more accurate as well, leading to the popular
Guard expression tracers work both ways.
Tracer rounds could be manufactured for
theoretically any weapon that uses a physical
projectile, but they only have any significant
appreciable benefit to weapons firing in long
automatic bursts.
Effects: The weapons firer gains a +5 bonus
to Ballistic Skill Tests when firing the weapon on
Full Auto. In certain ambient conditions, the
bright tracers also allow other characters
(including enemies) to immediately pinpoint the
firers location. If used in areas of fog, mist,
shadow, smoke, or darkness, anyone with line of
sight to the firers position gains a +5 bonus on
Ballistic Skill Tests made to fire back at them.
Because tracer rounds have a small amount of
burning chemical on the back of them, they may
be able to ignite very flammable substances such
as storage drums of Promethium or stockpiled
ammunition in an open dump.

Void Rounds
Used With: All Solid Projectile weapons

Conventional slug-throwers usually do not

work as well in airless environments as the lack
of atmospheric pressure causes propelling gases
to lose force more quickly. The absence of air
also tends to increase jams due to overheated
barrels and chambers. Void rounds are designed
to remedy these problems. They are
manufactured as stub ammo, caseless bullets,
and shotgun shells, all coated with a special heatabsorbing laminate that also seals the barrel and
chamber, ensuring that each round will function
just as it would on a planetary environment.
Effects: The weapon functions normally in an
airless or void environment. If used in
atmosphere the rounds reduce the weapons
Damage by 1 due to their coating slowing down
the projectile via air resistance.

Armour
The 41st Millennium is not only filled with
dangerous enemies but also dangerous weapons,
either of which could easily maim or kill in a
heartbeat. Nearly every race in the galaxy has
developed defensive measures, ranging from
simple animal skins to highly sophisticated
powered battlesuits and protective energy fields.
Mankind is no exception, and the abundance of
armours within the Imperium is such that even
everyday clothes might offer some protective
value. Military personnel and Imperial agents
are almost always equipped with some sort of
personal armour, be it cheap layered padding
that can turn away knives or artificer-crafted
power suits that can withstand almost any
attack. Regardless of what shape it takes, armour
exists to protect the wearers body from harm
of course, any true servant of the Emperor would
know that while armour may protect the flesh,
only faith can protect the soul.
Worn armour provides Armour Points (APs)
to various locations on the body, as described in
their entries. Some kinds of armour might have
special properties as well, which will also be
noted where appropriate.
Armour Type: What sort of armour it is.
Location(s) Covered: What locations the
armour covers. These are the same as the
possible hit locations for an attack: arms, legs,
body, and head. An armour that states All
means it has suitable components to protect
every location.
AP (Armour Points): How many Armour
Points the armour provides for the locations
covered. Note that any armour that provides 7 or
more APs inflicts a -30 penalty on the wearers
Concealment and Silent Move Tests.
Wt (Weight): Represents how much the
armour weighs in kilograms.
Cost: This indicates the standard price of the
armour in the Imperium.

149

Availability:
Identifies
the
armours
availability; see the Availability section for more
information on the consequences of availability.

ARMOUR CRAFTSMANSHIP
All of the armours listed in this section assume
they are of Common craftsmanship. Armour
that is made to a higher standard or that which is
poorly made or designed has several gameplay
effects aside from the obvious appearances.
Poor: Badly fitted, seriously damaged, or just
designed by someone having no business doing
so, Poor armour is generally difficult to wear.
Characters wearing Poor craftsmanship armour
take a -10 penalty on all Agility Tests as the
armour seems to deliberate hinder them.
Good: Well constructed and often sized for
the wearer, Good armour is much easier to wear
and more comfortable too. The first time the
wearer is successfully attacked in each Round
this armour increases its AP by 1.
Best: Finely wrought and perfectly fitted in
every way, even heavy suits of Best armour move
effortlessly with their wearer as though they were
a second skin. Best craftsmanship armour
weighs half as much as normal and has 1 more
AP at all times.
Use the armours base AP to determine if the
user suffers any penalties for encumbrance or
wearing heavy armour

MIXING ARMOUR
You can mix pieces of armour, but their
protective qualities do not stack when worn in
the same locations. In cases where an area which
is covered by multiple pieces of armour is struck,
use the most beneficial armour to calculate
Damage reduction. For example, if a character
wearing a mesh vest (4 AP) and a flak coat (3
AP) is hit in the body, the mesh vests AP is used
while the flak coats is ignored. If the attack
happens to be a blast, the flak coats is used
instead, as flak armour counts as AP 5 against
blasts and similar effects.

Fervious Banded Mail

PRIMITIVE ARMOUR
Primitive Armour is the norm on many feudal
and feral planets, though low-grade protective
gear and sturdy clothing found on the lower
levels of hive worlds fits into this category as
well. Protection at this level often consists of
reinforced animal hides (fur shawls or ganger
jackets simply depends on the worlds tech level),
metal plating worn over the chest, chainmail, or
combinations of these and other crude methods.
Primitive armour will rarely stop a las-bolt but
can turn aside a blade and is usually better than
no protection at all. Primitive armour only
counts half of its AP value (round up) against
attacks from weapons that do not also have the
Primitive quality. A suit of feudal plate armour
will easily ward off blows from swords and
arrows, but a shot from a bolt pistol will likely
plough right through it.
When calculating the effects of Penetration, a
Primitive armours APs are halved against nonPrimitive weapons before reduction for the
weapons Penetration value.
Primitive Armours

Beast Furs
The pelts of various creatures can make
suitable clothing, with the denser types having
adequate strength to fend off blades and claws.
The nature of the furs is highly dependent on
their world of origin and whos wearing them.
Feral savages might wear ragged strips
of fur sewn together to provide
Availability
rudimentary protection and warmth,
Plentiful
while ermine or sand-fox furs can be
finely bound into luxuriously soft
Average
coats or vests for hive nobles, trading
Common
magnates, and other well-to-do
Average
citizens.

Name

Location(s) Covered

AP

Wt

Bracers

Arms

0.5kg

10

Ganger Leathers

Arms, Body, Legs

5 kg

25

Heavy Leathers

Arms, Body, Legs

7 kg

100

Body

10 kg

All

12 kg

20

Scarce

Quilted Vest

Body

2 kg

10

Common

Bone Armour

Scrag Furs

Body

7 kg

Common

Banded Mail

Arms, Body, Legs

12 kg

50

Rare

Chain Coat

Arms, Body, Legs

18 kg

50

Average

Grox Hides

Body

14 kg

60

Common

Scale Armour

Arms, Body, Legs

15 kg

1,000

Very Rare

Silkmail

Arms, Body, Legs

5 kg

150

Rare

Legs

8 kg

50

Average

Plate

All

30 kg

120

Scarce

Heavy Plate

All

28 kg

300

Scarce

Volcanis Shroud

All

20 kg

350

Average

Body

22 kg

5,000

Very Rare

On many feral worlds the strongest

material available is bone, and so it
falls to this crude substance to provide
some measure of protection. Bone
armour is made from the skeletal
remains of beasts, the design and
shape wholly dependent on the world
of origin and the type of animal bones
used.
There are a few common themes, no
matter where the armour was made.
The skull is usually hollowed out and
serves as a helmet, with the user
looking out through the mouth, while

Beast Furs
Bone

Mirkers Greaves

Xeno Hides

150

Cost

This type of armour is made from layers of

tough, laminated strips of hide, bonded or sewn
to cushioned leather. On Fervious, it is
specifically intended to protect against the razorsharp long-sabres that that worlds smiths are
famous for. It is also highly effective at stopping
arrows and crossbows while being reasonably
easy to move in, making it popular with warriors
who want to stay mobile or cant afford heavy
plate armours. Due to the callous nature of
Fervious culture, where murder is an acceptable
way of dispatching rivals, paranoid nobles often
make use of these as well. Some are decorated
with fineries and furs, intended to be worn as
part of the nobles dress attire for daily affairs.

ribcages and thick bone plates form the

breastplate. Sometimes the armour is also
dressed in furs and hides, but more often than
not, the bone is on full display to give the wearer
a fearsome appearance. This quality also sees
bone armours crafted on some feudal worlds and
even more advanced planets as well, though
usually only for ritualistic purposes.

Bracers
Bracers are worn on the wrists and forearms,
and may be made from hide, leather, or metal.
They serve a dual purpose in offering modest
protection, turning the blade of a dagger or
sword, as well as assisting archers to steady their
wrist when drawing a bowstring.
Like many types of armour, bracers are often
decorated, from finely carved and intricate
designs, to being inlaid with precious stones and
metals to show the owners wealth. Like many
other sorts of primitive items, bracers have
found their way into Imperial society, primarily
as a fashion accessory. Clever wearers might also
use a bracer to conceal a useful gadget or piece of
equipment, like a refractor field generator or
hidden communication device.

armour by any stretch of the imagination, there

are many gangers whove had a knife turned
aside by their sturdy jackets; these lucky leathers
are often worn perpetually thereafter.

Grox Hides
Grox are exceptionally common beasts on
many worlds that are farmed in massive
numbers to feed meat-hungry citizens of the
Imperium. Livestock or no, they are famed for
their foul tempers and thick hides; the latter can
be formed into protective clothing without even
being cured or tanned, and rebellions on agriworlds commonly yield peasants decked out in
the hides of the creatures they were previously
tasked with tending.

Heavy Leathers
Feral warriors and low-rent troops on feudal
planets often make due with leather armour as it
is simple and inexpensive to create on any world
where there are suitable beasts to tan. On more
advanced worlds, long leather coats and dusters
are worn as fashion items or for protection from
rain, and they are obligatory among bikers and
other two-wheeled enthusiasts.

Chainmail Coat

Heavy Plate Armour

This armour is formed by links of small metal

rings that are bound together, making a
protective suit that offers excellent protection
against blades, though arrows and quarrels can
sometimes force their way through by splitting
the individual links. Chainmail is extremely
flexible and moves with the wearer, but it is also
quite weighty and tiring to wear as most of the
armours mass hangs from the shoulders.

More developed feudal worlds have often

unlocked a sufficient understanding of
metallurgy to craft massive suits of allencompassing plate armour. These heavy plate
armours often require weeks worth of labour by
several smiths at once, and are often decorated
with elaborate engravings and flourishes. A
knight in heavy plate can often wade through
whole squads of lesser troops, riddled with
arrows like a spine-hog but with hardly any
injury to show for it. Heavy plate is usually
reserved for the most elite warriors and the
militants of the nobility due to the cost and
workmanship required to create it. Because of its
exquisite appearance and value, there is also a
thriving collectors market for complete sets of
heavy plate armour on many worlds throughout
the Imperium.

Ganger Leathers
Leather jackets and pants are common
clothing worn by gangers and other scum on
countless hives throughout the Imperium.
Ganger leathers are often studded with metallic
spikes, barbs, fastener pins, and any other
combination of accessories that make the wearer
look more intimidating towards potential
victims and rivals. While not technically an

151

Plate Armour
Strong articulated suits of iron or steel plates
are the preferred gear for feudal knights and
well-paid men-at-arms. These typically consist
of a number of large plates that can articulate or
slide over one another, with chainmail links
covering the joints and other areas. Armour of
this type is a notably expensive piece of
equipment due to the large amount of metal as
well as a skilled smith necessary to make it;
many feudal worlds that practice ransoming
captured knights back to their respective camps
do so out of the value of their plate armour just
as much as the knight himself.

Quilted Vest

Mirkers Greaves
These rather unusual forms of leg wear and
boots are common in one form or another to the
ill-fortuned (but often well-paid) men and
women who are sent to hunt vermin and clear
debris in the thousands upon thousands of
kilometres of sewer and drainage systems that
riddle most hive cities. The blind, rancid things
encountered in these sumps are usually more
than capable of biting (or even burning) through
most fabrics, and mirkers greaves are usually
reinforced with polyflex and metal plates, and
sometimes razored or studded for good measure.
Although used in nearly every hive city to some
extent, they are unsurprisingly widespread daily
wear on Volg.
A kick from someone wearing mirkers
greaves has the same effect as if they were
punching using knuckle dusters.

152

Sturdy fabric garments are worn underneath

most types of metal armour used on feudal
worlds; this provides essential cushioning to
reduce the force of blows that strike the armour,
as well as to prevent chafing and other noncombat-related ills. If worn on its own, it can
provide a modicum of protection by itself,
though it is a poor substitute for just about
anything else. On more advanced worlds,
heavier clothing worn for protection from the
cold or just to show the wearers taste in fashion
can also function as a very modest form of
armour in a pinch.

Monrass Scale Armour

The Monrass Scar Dragons are in danger of
vanishing from that world since their scales are
valued for the construction of a particularly
durable form of armour. Despite their fearsome
nature, men who are eager to reap the rewards
that the creatures skin can bring have hunted
the Scar Dragon to near extinction. Once killed,
the hunters skin the dragon and drag off the
carcass to be sold as meat (which is very tough
but still considered a delicacy for its delicious
taste and supposed health benefits). The scales
are the turned into suits of armour. It is a highly
skilled job that can only be performed by a
member of the Scale Jakkers Guild. The
manufacture of such armour takes many

months, as each scale needs to be properly

aligned and then bonded to the tough hide that
forms the basis of the suit.
For reasons yet unknown, suits of scale
armour seem particularly resistant to fire and
heat-based attacks, the wearer often able to
emerge even from a stream of burning
Promethium without serious injury. Some who
have witnessed the effectiveness of the armour
have spoken of establishing a captive dragon
population off-world in order to farm the
creatures as a source of fire-proof outfits.
Monrass scale armour retains its full
protective value against Flame and Melta
weapons, and grants the wearer a +10 bonus to
Agility Tests made to avoid catching on fire and
subsequent Tests to put the flames out.

Scrag Furs
Made from the hide of the ill-tempered and
ill-smelling Scrag Bear, this armour is cheaper
than other types of fur due to its distinctive
stench that outlives the bear itself for many
years. The odour, somewhere between rancid
ham and vomit, ensures that the wearer of scrag
furs is not a popular fellow.
A character wearing scrag furs takes a -10
penalty on all Fellowship Tests made in the
company of anyone with a sense of smell.

Acreage Silkmail
Chainmail is a staple defence on many feudal
worlds throughout the Imperium, but the
armour-artisans of Acreage produce some of the
absolute finest examples. Far finer and lighter
than common mail and entirely more
comfortable, silkmail, as it is known, is favoured
by the nobility of Acreage and highly prized by
off-worlder collectors for its workmanship.

Volcanis Shroud
The shroud is a common name for an
integrated suit of heavy protective gear including
a temperature-insulating under-suit and a heavy,
hooded blast coat of polymer and ceramite-alloy
weave. The entire shroud is treated with a flamerepelling laminate, providing superb protection

153

against blistering heat. This garb takes its name

from the vast magma-fed forges of Volcanis
deep beneath the surface of Mars itself, and suits
like this are a staple of heavy industrial hives and
forges throughout the Imperium. In Magnagorsk
on Fenksworld the shrouds are almost everyday
wear for both the foundry guilders as well as
other workers who tend to almost every function
of that flame-ensconced hive, though they are
almost as common in the industrial vaults of
Scintillas Gunmetal City and Ambulon as well.
A Volcanis shroud is not considered Primitive
against Flame and Melta weapons and provides
its full AP against fires, acids and corrosives of
all types. However, the extreme bulk of the
shroud imposes a -10 penalty on any Agility
Tests the wearer makes while wrapped up in it. A
Volcanis shroud includes a rebreather and
photo-visor, and when both are worn with the
hood pulled up and fastened it counts as sealed
armour for the purposes of resisting gases.

Xeno Hides
Many frightening creatures exist on the
periphery of the Imperium, and among the brave
and daring there is a well-organized trade of
pelts, skin, and hides from some of the more
notable monstrosities. Some are so tough and
heavy that they can serve as armour rather
effectively, harmlessly turning blades aside and
even absorbing weaker las-bolts. The only thing
more interesting, and perhaps more frightening,
than the ability of these dead husks to protect
their wearer is what sorts of feral horrors must
have worn them in life. Xeno hides are often
worn by hardened barbarian warriors who
occupy feral or death worlds shared with these
creatures; such is the ferocity of these beastskinwearing fighters that planets of that sort often
serve as recruiting grounds for the Imperiums
legendary Space Marines.

FLAK ARMOUR

Flak Armours
Name

Flak armour is likely the most

Flak Gauntlets
common type of personal body
Flak Helmet
armour in the galaxy, thanks
primarily due to the huge
Light Flak Jacket
infrastructure that exists to turn it
Flakweave Cloak
out for the Imperial Guard. Untold
Flak Jacket
millions of Guardsmen going to war
Flak Vest
on a thousand worlds at any given
time go forth with at least some
Flak Greatcoat
modest protection from their flak
Guard Flak Armour
armour, and that ubiquity ensures
that there are often ample surpluses, not to
mention stolen quantities, of flak armour
available to reach the arms market. Flak armour
is made of layered ablative and impact absorbing
material the more layers, the greater the
protective qualities of the armour. It is
particularly effective at saving the wearer from
shrapnel and flying fragmentation from
explosive weapons. Artillery bombardments,
detonating grenades, and other explosions tend
to cause the most casualties in battle, so the
Munitorum has placed special emphasis on
deflecting or absorbing these attacks while
keeping production costs as low as possible.
Better armour exists, of course, but there is
nothing that could be made and supplied on the
same scale as flak.
Because of these properties, as long as the
wearer is not directly hit or on the target spot of
detonation, flak armour counts as having AP 5
(6 for Good and Best craftsmanship versions)
against Explosive Damage from weapons with
the Blast quality.

Flakweave Cloak
This heavy cloak includes a separate hood and
cape that is fastened around the shoulders, and
vaguely resembles an Ecclesiarchial mantellum.
It is made from many thin flakweave layers that
move smoothly over top one another as the
wearers body is in motion, which permits ease
of movement in spite of the cloaks weight. It
offers a reasonable degree of protection while
not appearing unlike normal if heavy clothing,

154

Location(s) Covered

AP

Wt

Cost

Availability

Arms

1 kg

50

Average

Head

2 kg

25

Average

Arms, Body, Legs

4 kg

80

Scarce

All

8 kg

80

Scarce

Arms, Body, Legs

6 kg

100

Average

Body

5 kg

50

Average

Arms, Body, Legs

9 kg

150

Average

All

11 kg

300

Scarce

and the expansive folds of the cloak can also

allow the wearer to stow a lot of hardware
against their body without being too visually
conspicuous to outside observation.

Flak Gauntlets
Flak gauntlets are formed in the main by
sturdy plates worn around the arms over a
reinforced fabric glove that reaches up to the
elbow. Theres usually an additional plate to
protect the back of the hand as well, and more
advanced models might even include
reinforcement on the tops of the fingers too.

Flak Greatcoat
Perhaps best associated with fearsome
Commissars, flak greatcoats offer excellent
protection while simultaneously looking stylish
as well as protecting the wearer from the
elements. It uses thick, overlapping flak plates
fused together into a flexible fabric, and is often
decorated with regimental insignia and awards
for use in conjunction with a uniform or even as
one by itself. Aside from Commissars, Imperial
Guard officers and some civilian fighters are
known to favour this type of armour due to its
imposing yet classic appearance.
A flak greatcoat only protects the wearers
arms unless it is fully buttoned or secured
around the front of the body.

Flak Helmet
Flak helmets variously take the form of
rounded ballistic shells or stiff, low-brimmed

hats, both invariably formed of rigid flak layers

designed to protect the head. Suddenly
incapacitating injuries strike the head more than
any other area, so even the most backwater PDF
troops and low-rent mercenaries will often at
least have a flak helmet if nothing else.

Flak Jacket
Standard combat gear for many militants in
the Imperium, a flak jacket covers the entire
torso with a flexible fabric tunic that includes
rigid plates within. Some models have long
sleeves to protect the arms, while others end
above the elbow and use separate gauntlets. All
will invariably include sturdy boots or leggings,
and the outfit has a distinctively military-looking
appearance, often riddled with pockets and gearclips to store equipment. Light flak jackets use
thinner plates and offer proportionally inferior
protection, but unlike the heavier versions they
can easily pass for everyday clothing.

Flak Vest
This is essentially a reduced flak jacket that is
only designed to protect the torso. This makes it
lighter and easier to wear while still offering
protection to a mans largest target area.

155

Undercover enforcers and investigative agents

often make use of armour like this to maintain
some personal safety while trying to appear as
average hivers or non-militant adeptus.

Guard Flak Armour

Guard Flak Armour is the heaviest type of flak
armour commonly produced, and is designed
purely for combat. It consists of carbon-fibre
and thermoplas strips wrapped around a
lightweight flexible metal frame, which is given
its final shape by a ruggedized outer shell. It is
therefore significantly more rigid than other
types of flak armour, making it ill-suited for
concealment but significantly more robust
against bullets and shrapnel. Most patterns
consist of a strong breastplate with articulated
shrouds for the shoulders, a close-fitting helmet,
gauntlets with bracers, and tall boots with knee
pads, giving the Guardsman fairly good
protection for his entire body. Gear-clips and
tac-harnesses are often added to keep handy
equipment (grenades, charge packs, and so
forth) readily available.
Guard Flak Armour of at least Common
craftsmanship includes an inbuilt micro-bead in
the helmet as well as a removable gas mask.

MESH ARMOUR

Mesh Armours
Name

This advanced and extremely

Mesh Cowl
lightweight armour may well be of
Mesh Gloves
alien origin, but it is purely
Imperial in construction and
Mesh Combat Cloak
execution now. Mesh armour is
Mesh Vest
formed from bonded lattices of
Shield Robes
thermoplas
cells
that
are
seamlessly linked together in high-intensity
presses, creating an armour that is extremely
light and flexible yet just as good, if not better,
than the more common though cheaper flak
suits. Mesh armour protects the wearer by
responding to impacts and heat by suddenly
becoming extremely rigid; once the blow has
been deflected, the material returns to its
normally soft and flexible state. It is a favourite
of agents, assassins, and others who expect

156

Location(s) Covered

AP

Wt

Cost

Availability

Head

0.5 kg

100

Rare

Arms

0.5 kg

120

Rare

All

1.5 kg

350

Very Rare

Body

1 kg

150

Rare

Arms, Body, Legs

2 kg

5,000

Very Rare

violence but who cannot afford strutting about

in more obvious forms of protection.

Mesh Combat Cloak

This armour offers a superb combination of
protection and easy wearing characteristics,
making it a favourite of just about any fighter
who can afford its expense. Depending on style,
a mesh combat cloak could easily pass for a long
raincoat, outerwear for a chilly day, or if suitably

decorated, a cape or robe fit for a nobles

masquerade ball. The folds of a combat cloak are
long and loose enough to cover the wearers
arms and legs, while a removable hood offers
protection for the head as well. A mesh combat
cloak is worn similar to the much more common
(and less expensive) flakweave cloak, and
possession of one is a sure example of a fighters
financial standings (or that of his employers).

Mesh Cowl
Mesh headgear can take the form of a closefitting cowl or mask, a hood attached to a duster,
or a wide-brimmed hat paired with a tall collar
(this look is particularly favoured by witchhunting Inquisitors and their henchmen).
Thanks to meshs lightweight properties, no
matter what style a cowl takes, it can be donned
quickly, which is handy when the wearer is
trying to blend in with groups that do not often
wear hats.

Mesh Gloves
Although usually looking no different
than common fabric gloves worn for
fashion or protection from cool weather,
the mesh construction can allow the
wearer to literally grab an attackers knife
by the blade and yank it out of his hand.
Powdered steel is sometimes sewn into
the knuckles and backs of the palm to
create a more painful punch, which can be
useful in situations where the wearer cant
use a more effective weapon.

Mesh Vest
This plain but no less effective vest can
be easily worn under almost any kind of
clothing, protecting the wearers vitals
while allowing him to operate undercover
with almost no difficulty in concealing his
armour. Most are simply pulled over the
head, the wondrous construction
stretching effortlessly when being put on
but becoming a sturdy shield against
blades and bullets immediately thereafter.

157

Shield Robes
When not clad in their well-known power
armour, the Adepta Soroitas will usually wear a
set of these fine mesh robes, which serve
perfectly for devotional study or martial
training. They are also traditionally worn by the
Orders Non-militant in their support roles as
well as noviciates as they are being instructed in
the ways of the Sisterhood. Aside from their
signature power armour, these robes are often
the only clothes that a Battle Sister will wear.
They are not exclusive items to the Adepta
Soroitas, however, and clerics and other
Ecclesiarchial servants who often find
themselves in battle will wear them as well. They
are often stylized and detailed with images from
the lives of saints, iconography meaningful to
the wearers favoured cult, and other holy works.
Shield robes include the Ecclesiarchy Overlay
upgrade.

CARAPACE
ARMOUR

Carapace Armours
Name
Carapace Helm

Location(s) Covered

AP

Wt

Cost

Availability

Head

2 kg

250

Rare

Carapace armour, so named because

Carapace Greaves
Legs
5
3 kg
375
full suits of it make the wearer
Carapace Vambraces
Arms
5
2 kg
300
resemble some kind of plated
Arbitrator Carapace
All
5
15.5 kg 1,350
creature, are the heaviest and most
protective suits that are mass
Enforcer Carapace
Arms, Body, Legs
5
15 kg
575
produced in the Imperium. Carapace
Magistratum Carapace
All
5
16 kg
1,100
is formed from heavy interlocking
Carapace Chest Plate
Body
6
7 kg
600
plates of armaplas or ceramite,
moulded to the shape of the wearers
Storm Trooper Carapace
All
6
17 kg
3,750
body, that are relatively thin but still
Venatorii Armour
All
6
6 kg
12,500
extremely strong; a carapaceto the protective coats worn by dog handlers in
armoured trooper can often withstand a direct
prehistory, while judges and marshals often affix
hit from a lasgun blast with little if any injury to
a golden eagle insignia or ornament to their
show for it. The suits make use of the same
helmets, literally bringing the symbol of the
principles as the plate armour worn on feudal
Emperors Justice to recidivists and scummers
worlds: individual plates move and slide over top
while keeping their hands free to use weapons
one another, with flakweave panels installed to
and other combat gear.
protect the joints. Carapace armour is more
Arbitrator combat armour includes an integral
costly to create than other types, and it can also
micro-bead and Good craftsmanship photobe tiring to wear for long periods of time. As a
visor in the helmet. The micro-bead can power
result, it is usually only worn by the Imperial
an attached vox-amplifier, which can turn the
Guards elite Storm Troopers and their
wearers shouts into deafening roars, and small
Inquisitorial counterparts, Navy response teams,
stab-lights can be attached to the armours
and hit squads of the Adeptus Arbites these
shoulders. These systems can be powered by a
fighters can usually afford to don their armour
small battery unit or a lasgun charge pack, which
just before combat begins, and often do not
has enough energy for up to a weeks worth of
march long distances on their own.
continuous use (about 170 hours).

Arbitrator Combat Carapace

Worn by even novice troopers in the field all
the way up to the stern judges and marshals, the
Adeptus Arbites are probably best known by
their fierce-looking carapace suits. Arbitrator
carapace is a full body suit of articulated
ceramite plates, with broad shoulders and
reinforced boots and gauntlets meant for
hands-on work. A visored helmet covers the
head and most of the face, and can be fitted with
a rebreather for use during gas attacks or patrols
in underhive sumps. While the armour itself is
more or less standardized, Arbites agents often
customize it based on their rank and roles.
Troopers controlling cyber-mastiffs usually don
a storm coat over their armour to hearken back

158

Carapace Chest Plate

A sturdy carapace breastplate shrouds its
wearers torso with several armaplas plates,
keeping organs and other vitals safely ensconced
from blades and bullets alike. Carapace chest
plates are usually too large and rigid to conceal;
instead, they are typically worn in conjunction
with a lighter and more comfortable mesh or
flakweave armour on the wearers limbs, giving
them solid protection for the most essential body
parts without sacrificing ease of movement.

Carapace Greaves
Strong boots totally enclose the wearers shins
and calves, with separate plates for the top of the

Rare
Rare
Very Rare
Rare
Rare
Rare
Very Rare
Tech-Priest Only

foot and thighs. Flakweave protects the joints

and an articulated segment covers the front and
sides of the knee, which gives a stable surface for
kneeling too.

Carapace Helm
Carapace headgear inevitably takes the form of
a sturdy helmet due to its construction, and by
and large has a distinctly military appearance.
Regardless of their exact shape, most carapace
helms include mounting positions for photovisors and rebreathers.

Carapace Vambraces
These vambraces totally protect the wearers
arms, with tubular armaplas or ceramite sections
for the forearm and upper arms and fully
articulated sections for the elbow and hand.
Some versions totally protect the back of the
wearers hands and may have segmented
sections for the digits as well, often bonded to a
mesh or flakweave glove to maintain flexibility.
Because of their sturdy construction, a punch

159

from a carapace-armoured fist is often just as

deadly, if not more so, than a knuckle duster.

Enforcer Light Carapace

So named because it is a frequent choice for
PDF heavies and the private troops of noble
houses and planetary leaders, enforcer light
carapace is a lightweight suit of armour that is
fairly easy to wear and maintain. It is more costly
than lesser armours, but is still modestly priced
for how much protection it offers. Enforcer
carapaces individual plates are designed to be
easily replaced if they become damaged, which
helps keep operating expenses reasonable. Of
course, it can also be considered something of a
bad omen to receive a suit of armour with a
single obviously new plate.

Magistratum Combat Carapace

This articulated carapace suit is produced by
the forge of Hax-Orthlack for the Lord Sectors
Magistratum enforcers on Scintilla, but is also
sold to similar organizations on other hive

worlds throughout the Calixis Sector. Though its

armour protection is modest, designed to turn
away knives and low-calibre guns typically used
by ganger scum, the Magistratum armour is very
well designed and almost completely encloses
the wearers body. The helmet is deliberately
designed to resemble a skull, with a vent-like
respirator
and
individual
flash-reactive
eyepieces, while rugged but elegant styling make
the wearer vaguely resemble a Terran cohort of
the Adeptus Custodes, right down to the leather
balteum worn at the waist. The skeletal visages of
carapace-armoured Magistratum enforcers are
often the last things seen by a recidivist in Hive
Sibellus, assuming the Arbitrators dont get to
him first.
The suit of armour includes a respirator,
micro-bead, and photo-visor in its helmet. The
respirator normally functions as a gas mask, but
can also be used as a closed-cycle rebreather, and
with all parts of the Magistratum carapace worn,
the wearer is concealed to be in sealed armour as
long as the rebreather is active. Additionally, the
fierce visage of the helmet itself grants the
wearer a +10 bonus on Intimidate Tests.

Storm Trooper Carapace

The elite of the elite, Storm Troopers in the
service of the Imperial Guard and Inquisition
alike often must face the fiercest resistance from
aliens, heretics, mutants, and other forms of
Emperor-forsaken scum while performing their
duties. As a result, they are invariably equipped
with the finest armour that can be reasonably
mass-produced. Storm Trooper carapace is
heavily reinforced over all areas, and while tiring
to wear for any extended period of time, it offers
the best protection possible without resorting to
power-assistance. The armour is also equipped
with an array of useful gear that helps the wearer
act decisively and efficiently in battle, whether
purging dens of cultists, gunning down warpspawned fiends, or infiltrating enemy positions.
Storm Trooper carapace includes an integral
auspex unit with wrist display and a backpack
attachment for a vox-caster or grav-chute. The
helmet is equipped with a removable rebreather,

160

photo-visor, micro-bead, and there are clip

attachments on the side for lamp packs, vidrecorders, and other useful gear. The armours
integrated systems can be powered by a small
battery or a lasgun charge pack, which has
enough energy for up to a weeks worth of
continuous use (about 170 hours).

Venatorii Armour
This unbelievably fine set of carapace armour
is the exclusive provenance of the Venatorii
"Crimson Guard" of the Lathe Worlds. Though
wholly unnecessary for the often heavilyaugmented Venatorius, the armour is forged
using the same materials and techniques used in
other Lathe-wrought gear and equipment,
making it extremely light and easy to move in.
Furthermore, the astronomical and gravitic
alignment of the Lathe Worlds creates
conditions for the production of alloys and
composites with impossibly good sectional
density in spite of their low overall weight,
making this armour far more protective than it
initially appears. Combined with the brute
strength and resiliency of the Venatorii
themselves, instances of elites of the "Crimson
Guard" surviving point-blank shots from
meltaguns is not unheard-of. The leering
faceplate of the armour's helmet, resembling a
mechanical skull not entirely unlike that present
on the cog symbol of the Adeptus Mechanicus,
adds a further level of intimidation - as if the
Venatorius' red robes and integrated weapons
were not sufficiently imposing enough.
Venatorii armour is inherently of Best
Craftsmanship, and includes a Good
Craftsmanship photo-visor and upgrades the
wearer's respirator unit to a closed-cycle system,
treating them as though they were wearing
sealed armour as long as it is worn. Finally,
Venatorii armour's unique material construction
is exceptionally resistant to being perforated reduce the Penetration value of all weapons
attacking the wearer by half (minimum 1, round
up). A character must have the Mechanicus
Implants trait in order to wear Venatorii
Armour.

POWER ARMOUR

Power Armours
Name

Location(s) Covered

AP

Wt

Cost

Mankind has always placed a strong

Lidhl Power Armour
All
6
35 kg
6,300
emphasis on wearing armour in battle, and
Light Power Armour
All
7
40 kg
8,000
while most races in the galaxy employ some
kind of personal protection, only humanity
Artificer Armour
All
7
22 kg
32,000
has truly gone to such lengths in turning its
Soroitas Power Armour
All
35 kg
20,000
7
warriors into mobile battle fortresses.
Dragon Scale
All
8
20 kg
7,500
Power armour is the fullest realisation of
Ignatus Power Armour
All
8
15 kg
22,000
the Imperiums drives at personal
protection, formed in the main from
Power Armour
All
8
65 kg
15,000
enormous overlapping ceramite plates that
150 kg 24,000
Heavy Power Armour
All
9
are far too heavy for their wearer to easily
Malleus Power Armour
All
9
100 kg 35,000
move in without the aid of power assistance
Malleus Terminator
Issued
All
12
220 kg
systems built into the suits frame. Like the
Armour
Only
boltgun, power armour is a rare but
This armours AP is 1 higher on the Body location
instantly recognisable symbol of the
obtain. There are also numerous rituals and
Imperium. Its use dates back to the Age of Strife
liturgies that must be performed during
and the Emperors Great Crusade, and is
maintenance and the donning of the armour as
perhaps best associated with the Imperiums
well heavier suits typically require extra help
mighty Space Marines, though smaller and less
just to put on, much less to awaken the machine
sophisticated suits are forged for lesser humans
spirits necessary to keep the armour functioning.
as well. Power armour has evolved and shifted
All power armour requires a constant power
over the millennia, but in virtually all cases they
source to operate and increases the wearers
are venerated objects maintained with religious
Strength Characteristic; see the individual entry
duty and dedication. Some suits, especially those
of each for details. A user must wear all of a suit
worn by the Adeptus Astartes, may be thousands
of power armours components in order to gain
of years old, scarred and scratched after
its benefits, though the helmet can be removed
centuries of war but still no less effective at
for wearers who wish to see things with their
protecting their wearer than the newest marks
own eyes or who dont mind bullets whizzing by
and patterns. Power armour uses a sophisticated
their skulls. As long as the suit is powered, its
network of electrically-motivated fibre bundles
Weight does not count against the wearers
that move with the wearers motions, carrying
carrying capacity, and unless otherwise stated,
the weight of the bulky ceramite plates while
wearing a full suit of power armour counts as
greatly enhancing the wearers physical strength
being in sealed armour, making the wearer
as well. Most power armour is totally enclosed
immune to gases and airborne toxins, among
once its various segments have been fitted, and
other effects.
with the aid of built-in rebreathers and an
oxygen supply can keep the wearer alive even in
Artificer Armour
the oblivion of the void for long periods of time.
Magnificently crafted of the finest materials
Power armour requires a great deal of skill and
and
invariably custom-fit to the wearer, artificer
raw materials to craft, and only certain armourarmour is exquisitely designed and almost
artificers of the Adeptus Mechanicus possess a
always commissioned by a wealthy patron.
full understanding of its manufacture. As a
Because of the great care taken in its forging,
result, it is a prohibitively expensive item that
sparing no expense and often dredging through
only the best-funded and equipped forces, such
data-vaults sectors away for inspiration, artificer
as the Sisters of Battle and high-ranking
armour provides excellent protection while
Inquisitorial cells and cabals, can regularly

161

Availability
Very Rare
Very Rare
Near Unique
Very Rare
Tech-Priest Only
Extremely Rare
Very Rare
Extremely Rare
Near Unique
Unique

being remarkably lightweight and easy to move

in. The motor-fibre network has been treated
with special unguents and solutions that make it
nearly silent in operation as well, making it quite
possible to be stealthy while wearing the suit a
feature that Inquisitors, the most common
wearers of these master-crafted armours, often
find most useful in the course of their duties.
Artificer armour is considered to be of Best
Craftsmanship and therefore does not inflict any
penalties on the wearers Concealment and
Silent Move Tests. When powered it provides a
+10 bonus to the wearers Strength
Characteristic, and includes a built-in auspex
with wrist display, though a wearer with a Mind
Impulse Unit can also have that information
piped directly into their mind if desired. A
micro-bead is integrated at the throat, as most
wearers of these magnificent armours choose not
to wear the helmet. Depending on the
commissioners preferences, a suit of artificer

162

armour may have hexagramatic wards, a

targeter, or a forearm power blade installed at
the time of construction; the commissioners
choice is included in the cost. Artificer armours
power supply is internal and spread throughout
the suits frame to improve the wearers balance.
Because of its superior construction, this armour
uses very little power; its power supply is
adequate for an entire week of combat
operation. Less intensive activities, such as
walking around during an investigation or
navigating a space hulks airless passages, use far
less energy, and the armour could operate for up
to a month on a single charge. Should this
armour ever lose power it ceases offering a
bonus to Strength and instead imposes a -10
penalty to the wearers Agility Characteristic, but
can otherwise still be worn; its seals are
automatically opened to prevent suffocation
should the wearer be helmeted at the time.

Dragon Scale
This armour is designed to be worn by the
warrior-priests of the Magos Militant and the
field enginseers assigned to frontline duty with
the Imperial Guard, and is almost more of an
augmetic than a suit of armour. Each set of
dragon scale is individually hand-forged from
adamantine and ceramite plating woven with
prayers of permanence and micro-etched with
sacred machine code and fractal incantations of
defence. A Tech-Priest fitted with a set of dragon
scale is protected by the equivalent of a full suit
of power armour, but with only minimal
encumbrance due to the direct interface with his
cyber-mantle, and because it draws power from
his potentia coil, it will never require recharging.
Among Mechanicus Secutors and the ranking
Magos Ordinatos, who are likely the most
devoted members of the Priesthood as far as
heavy augmetics go, a set of dragon scale is often
permanently attached to the Tech-Priests cybermantle, forming a new and much more effective
skin and flesh while also doing a fine job of
hiding what little offensive biologics remain on
the priests body.
Dragon scale upgrades the Tech-Priests
respirator unit with a closed-cycle supply, and
they are treated as wearing sealed armour as long
as it is worn. A Good Craftsmanship photo-visor
is integrated into the helmet, with separate
models for Tech-Priests who still have organic
eyes and those who have wisely replaced them
with bionic equivalents. While worn, dragon
scale provides a +10 bonus to the Tech-Priests
Strength Characteristic. Good or Best
Craftsmanship dragon scale increases this bonus
to +20, but also increases the wearers size by one
step; an average Magos would become Hulking,
while a heavily augmented one with the
Machinator Array talent would become
Enormous. Unless the Tech-Priests potentia coil
is somehow damaged, this armour never
becomes unpowered.

Heavy Power Armour

Standard suits of power armour turn the
wearer into a fierce juggernaut that can wade

163

through storms of lesser weapons and lesser

enemies with ease. However, for those who
absolutely require the most physical protection
possible, some forges create even more
monstrous armours. Heavy power armour
makes use of additional plasteel plates and a
laminate coating to bulk up the wearers body
even more, with a bulging rack of power cells
festooned with thermal radiator fins attached to
the back of the chestplate to activate hugely
oversized motive bundles. Elaborate bracing
protects the most vulnerable areas, and with
such massive shoulders and a gorget, the
wearers helmeted head looks almost comically
small in comparison. Almost no considerations
have been made for utility outside of combat: the
mitten-like gauntlets are useless for any sort of
tasks that require dexterity, the power cells
radiators make the suit stand out like a beacon to
those with IR goggles, and the expansive plates
moving atop one another make a racket akin to a
pair of grav-cars colliding whenever the wearer
moves. However, excluding Space Marines or
the most heavily augmented Mechanicus Magi,
there is little more capable of withstanding
punishing blows in combat than a heavy power
armoured warrior.
Heavy power armour is cumbersome to the
extreme, imposing a -20 penalty to any Agility
Tests the wearer may make. Acrobatics,
Contortionist, and Dodge Tests are simply
impossible, as are any Skill Tests involving
manual dexterity (repairing a cogitator, picking
a lock, playing cards, and any other uses the GM
deems appropriate). Heavy power armour grants
a +30 bonus to the wearers Strength
Characteristic and increases his size by one step,
so a standard human would become Hulking.
The helmet includes an inbuilt micro-bead and
vox-caster, Good Craftsmanship photo-visor,
and an auspex display. The combat systems
contained within the reinforced arms allow the
wearer to wield ranged weapons as though they
were wearing recoil gloves, and the servobracing grants the wearer the Auto-Stabilised
trait. The armours power cells have enough
energy for 12 hours of continuous use, and can

be recharged from most standard power sources;

it takes roughly twice as long to charge, so a fully
depleted power cell would need to be recharged
for a full day. Should the suit become
unpowered, the armours vents open
automatically to ensure the wearer doesnt
suffocate, but movement is nearly impossible.
Most wearers simply topple over, immobile and
all but helpless; if the wearers Carrying Weight
is above that of the armour (see Carrying and
Lifting on Page 215 of Dark Heresy), they can
still stumble around awkwardly by succeeding
on a Hard (-20) Strength Test; success allows
the wearer to make a Half Move each Round for
a number of Rounds equal to the wearers
Toughness Bonus, after which they must succeed
on another Hard Strength Test to keep moving.
Even still, all physical actions suffer a -30 penalty
until the wearer is extracted from his unpowered
suit or receives power once more.

with a cerebral plug or Mind Impulse Unit. The

wearers size increases by one step, so an average
human would become Hulking, and as long as
the armour has power, it grants a +20 bonus to
his Strength Characteristic. The backpack power
supply is an extremely high quality unit, capable
of providing enough high-discharge energy for
five days of continuous combat operations; work
that requires less energy, such as walking around
or conducting investigations, might let a suit of
Ignatus power armour function for several
weeks between recharges. Should the armour
become unpowered, however, its joints lock up
and systems shut down, leaving the wearer
extremely vulnerable. Movement is all but
impossible, though the wearer can still (slowly)
work his way out of an unpowered suit. This
takes about an hour and inflicts one level of
Fatigue on the wearer.

Lidhl Power Armour

Ignatus-pattern Power Armour
Ignatus power armour is produced by skilled
Mechanicus artisans for the express purpose of
equipping agents of the Inquisition, and many
militant Inquisitors and their ranking minions
have plunged headlong into battle with the
enemies of the Emperor whilst girded by this
fine style of power armour. Ignatus-pattern suits
are a cut above the marks that are manufactured
for dilettante nobles, mercantile cartels, and the
personal troops of a wealthy Rogue Trader;
while similar in function, with large ceramite
plates articulated by motive-fibre bundles, this
pattern also has many finer features that are
useful to a warrior in the service of the
Inquisition. They are almost exclusively
decorated with religious iconography and
symbols of the Holy Ordos, with many likewise
flourished with the personal insignia of an
Inquisitors cadre.
Ignatus-pattern power armour has the
equivalent of a Good craftsmanship photo-visor,
micro-bead, and an auspex display built into its
helmet. These devices can be controlled by
speaking to the armours machine spirit, though
the wearer can also commune with his armour

164

This style of light power armour is on the low

end of protective value. While little better than a
good carapace suit in terms of warding off
bullets and blades, it is far easier to move in
thanks to its power assistance, while the fairly
simple design and construction requires much
less specialized knowledge and liturgical rituals
to coax the machine spirits into action. Higherranking Imperial Guard officers of various
regiments throughout the Calixis Sector are
known to favour this type of armour for these
reasons, often decorating them with awards and
achievements; some are explicitly crafted to be
suitable for wear as a uniform in the field.
Lidhl power armour grants the wearer a +10
bonus to their Strength Characteristic as long as
it has power. The backpack power supply has
enough energy for 1d3 days of operation, after
which it must be recharged. This can be done
from most power sources and takes exactly
twelve hours. If the armour becomes unpowered
it ceases offering its bonus to Strength and
instead imposes a -20 penalty to the wearers
Agility Characteristic. Without power the
rebreathers and life sustainers cease functioning

as well; this can suffocate the wearer, though

pulling the helmet off can prevent this fate.

Light Power Armour

Light power armour is a generic term for suits
of power armour that are smaller and less
protective than larger and heavier styles. While
less impressive to behold and possessing inferior
protection, light power armour is also easier to
move in and requires less in the way of arcane
tech-rituals and specialized equipment to use.
Though still rare and expensive, it is likely one of
the more common types of power armour in use,
with many wealthy operators nobles on
planetary expeditions, the trusted underlings of
militant Rogue Traders, and even the best
established recidivists and gang lords in

various parts of the Calixis Sector.

Light power armour grants the wearer a +10
bonus to their Strength Characteristic as long as
it has power. Power is provided by a cell unit on
the back; a standard non-military supply has
enough power for 1d5 hours of use, while a more
costly and efficient unit can keep the armour
operating for 12 hours (at an extra cost of 1,000
Thrones). If the armour loses power it no longer
increases the wearers Strength and instead
imposes a -30 penalty to the wearers Agility
Characteristic as the wearer must stagger around
and force the fibre motive bundles to move with
his own muscle. Without power the rebreathers
and life sustainers cease functioning as well; this
can suffocate the wearer, though pulling the
helmet off will prevent this fate.

Malleus Power Armour

Rare even among the Holy Ordos, this style of
power armour is constructed by secret cabals of
armour-artisans explicitly for the use of Ordo
Malleus Inquisitors and their most militant
minions; as a result, the baroque and
extravagant suits are often known informally as
"daemonhunter armour" (or "gelt armour"
among members of the other Ordos). Malleus
power armour is ritually inscribed and engraved
with wards of protection and incantations
against the warp and the Daemon, the runic
scripture glowing brightly as it repulses the
touch of warp-spawned abominations. Each suit
is powered by a small fusion device stored on
the wearers back, similar to those used by the
Adeptus Astartes, and can keep the armour
running forever with proper care and
maintenance. The heavy ceramite plates and
motive-fibre bundles leave little for subtlety or
stealth, and are heavily accented with decorative
fixtures and artwork as well, often including the
seal of the armour's patron Inquisitor. The
armour itself can be seen as something of a
representation of the modus operandi of the
Ordo Malleus on the whole, bright and
uncompromising
in
direct,
frontal
confrontation with the eldritch horrors that lurk
in the beyond.

165

Better or worse Craftsmanship versions of this

armour do not exist. Malleus power armour
grants the wearer a +20 bonus to their Strength
Characteristic as long as it has power, and the
wearer increases by one size while wearing it (an
average human would become Hulking). Autobracing rigs in the armour's gauntlets and
vambraces treat the wearer as being Braced (as
per the Bulging Biceps talent) at all times. The
helmet includes a Good Craftsmanship photovisor and an in-built micro-bead. The backpack
fusion unit provides power for the armour
indefinitely, though it can be damaged. If the
wearer sustains Critical Damage to the Body
location and the attack originated from behind
them, consult the Fusion Unit Critical Damage
chart in addition to the normal injuries suffered
by the wearer. Any problems that are sustained
continue until the unit can be repaired, which
requires a successful Challenging (+0) TechUse Test. Should the armour become
unpowered, its joints lock up and systems shut
down, leaving the wearer extremely vulnerable.
Movement is all but impossible, though the
wearer can still (slowly) work his way out of an
unpowered suit. This takes about an hour and
inflicts one level of Fatigue on the wearer.
Malleus power armour is hexagramatically
warded, granting a +20 bonus on Tests made to
resist any direct psychic attack or manipulation
used against the wearer. Furthermore, the
armour provides double its normal Armour
Points against attacks of psychic force or warp
energy that directly deal Damage (such as the
Psychic Blade or Fire Bolt psychic powers), and
keeps its normal value against attacks with the
Warp Weapon effect. Finally, the long rites and
rituals of imbued protection can help protect the
wearer against the worst the warp has to offer.
Malleus power armour blocks up to 6
Corruption Points gained from direct exposure
to warp material and psychic powers; this
prevention occurs once for each exposure, and
has no effect on other sources of Corruption.
Daemons and other warp creatures that
successfully strike the wearer in melee combat

166

suffer 1d5 Damage that is not reduced by their

Armour and Toughness.

FUSION UNIT CRITICAL DAMAGE

Damage
1-3

4-5

6+

Result
Unaffected: The power unit shrugs off
the attack and continues functioning
normally, though the wearer may be
worse for wear
Damaged: The power flow has been
diminished or interrupted due to
damaged components, causing system
failures and difficulty moving. All
benefits granted by the armour (except
its inherent AP) are lost, and all physical
actions suffer a -10 penalty.
Unpowered: The suit completely shuts
down as its fusion unit sputters out.
Unless otherwise stated, the wearers
Base Movement decreases by 2, and
must succeed on a Difficult (-10)
Strength Test to move more than a
Half Move every Round. All physical
actions suffer a -20 penalty.

Malleus Terminator Armour

Malleus terminator armour is a pale imitation
of the famous Tactical Dreadnought Armour of
the Adeptus Astartes, but nevertheless it
represents an absolute pinnacle of individual
protection among men. Inquisitors of the Ordo
Malleus that don this armour become massive
defenders of the Imperium, heavily armed and
ensconced behind truly massive plates of blessed
ceramite ready to wade into the most horrific
spawn of the immaterium. Each of these
incredibly exquisite suits of armour is crafted for
the individual Inquisitor that commissioned it,
often taking years or decades of focused labour
by secretive armour-artisan cabals with the end
result being a truly spectacular panoply that is
just as much a work of art as protective gear. In
theory, a suit could be adopted for another user,
but this is rare in the extreme; other than the
great expense and time required, Inquisitors of
the Ordo Malleus that don these suits typically
leave nothing behind when some warp fiend

finally manages to utterly destroy them. So

substantial is this armour that the wearer could
be mistaken for an actual Astartes at first glance,
though those with even some familiarity with the
Angels of Death would quickly recognise the
overly-long limbs and comparatively tiny size of
the helmet in relation to the armour's massive
shoulders. As would be fitting for such a glorious
representation of the might of the Inquisition,
Malleus terminator armour is invariably etched,
engraved, and warded on every available surface,
often depicting scenes of great triumphs, the
purgation of Daemons and cultists, and
spectacular heraldic symbols and devices.

167

Malleus terminator armour is not the choice

of those who favour precision. The armour's
bulk imposes a -20 penalty to any Agility Tests
the wearer may make, along with any other Tests
that require manual dexterity. Acrobatics,
Contortionist, and Dodge Tests are simply
impossible, and the wearer cannot run (though
they can charge). The armour grants the wearer
a +30 bonus to their Strength Characteristic, and
superior actuator and stabilisation systems treat
the wearer as though they had the AutoStabilised trait; additionally, the wearer can even
wield Heavy ranged weapons with one hand.
The heaviest portions of this armour are so solid
that even severe attacks can harmlessly glance off
it. Whenever the wearer of Malleus terminator
armour is attacked, roll a d100 - if the result is
"35" or less, the attack is deflected harmlessly or
totally absorbed by the armour's massive bulk.
Malleus terminator armour is identical to
Malleus power armour in terms of protective
wards and guards against the warp and
daemonic attacks, and is powered by the same
fusion unit that can operate theoretically forever.
However, if the fusion unit is damaged and
would have suffered an unpowered result, it
instead explodes with solar intensity. This is an
intentional design feature; no self-respecting
Inquisitor militant enough to don this exquisite
armour would allow it to become a tomb or
subject themselves to the depredations of
daemonic horrors. This explosion inflicts
4d10+10 Energy Damage with a Blast of 8. The
wearer can manually detonate his armour with
the same effect if desired. More than a few
Inquisitors of the Ordo Malleus have met their
demise in this way, gone on to join the Emperor
safe in the knowledge that their final act of
defiance likely annihilated whatever nightmarish
fiend had finally cornered them.

Power Armour
As close to standard as these exceptional
types of armour can be called, power armour
wraps its wearer in a sturdy suit of ceramite
plates and electrically-motivated fibre bundles,
allowing him to strut about with remarkable ease
despite the great bulk of armour that weighs

more than the average hive ganger. Because of

the bulky size and noisy operation, power
armour is usually only worn by the most militant
fighters with a large amount of Thrones to burn,
and some of these suits, commissioned centuries
earlier, can still be found in use by the original
wearers descendants or other warriors in the
employ of that organization. Many sets of power
armour are elaborately decorated with specific
motifs or ornate embellishments, such as family
heraldry or planetary and sector insignia.
However, it is said that the plain and featureless
suits are by far the most intimidating, as they
represent mysterious and shadowy groups with
great financial strength and no doubt shadowy
and nefarious objectives.
Power armour grants the wearer a +20 bonus
to their Strength Characteristic as long as it has
power, and the wearer increases by one size
while wearing it (an average human would
become Hulking). For an additional 500
Thrones, the armours arms may be reinforced
with an auto-brace rig, making the wearer
always considered to be Braced (as per the
Bulging Biceps talent). A rack of power cells
stored on the back provide energy for the
armours motive fibre network. A standard nonmilitary unit lasts for 1d5 hours; a more efficient
(and expensive) power unit costing 1,000
Thrones can provide power for up to 12 hours
before it must be recharged. Should the armour
lose power it no longer increases the wearers
Strength and becomes a stiff prison that just
barely moves, and then only under great effort.
The wearer must succeed on a Very Hard (-30)
Strength Test just to move; their Agility
Characteristic suffers a -30 penalty, and all other
physical actions suffer a -10 penalty as well.
Without the rebreathers and life sustainers, the
wearer is at risk of suffocation inside their
armour. This can be averted by pulling the
helmet off (a successful Challenging (+0)
Strength Test), though if the wearer hadnt
donned the helmet in the first place this is not a
concern.

168

Soroitas Power Armour

The custom power armours worn by the
militants of the Sisters of Battle are expertly
crafted relics that have changed little from the
Age of Apostasy, and demonstrate a level of
quality and techno-craft that is only surpassed
by the armour worn by the Space Marines
themselves. These suits were originally
commissioned by Goge Vandire himself; with
the most talented armour-artificers at his
disposal, the mad High Lord saw to it that his
Brides of the Emperor would have the finest
protection possible for unaugmented humans.
Each suit is powered by a small fusion device
stored on the wearers back, similar to those used
by the Adeptus Astartes, and can keep the
armour running forever with proper care and
maintenance. The Orders of the Adepta Soroitas
keep close watch and sustention over their
armours, and many are used by numerous
Sisters after their previous wearer is killed or
retires to a non-militant order. As a result, they
are exceptionally difficult to obtain outside that
organization, although there are at least a few
examples of these great protective suits going
unaccounted for.
Soroitas power armour grants the wearer a
+10 bonus to their Strength Characteristic as
long as it has power. The helmet includes an
inbuilt micro-bead and a targeter that grants its
Ballistic Skill bonus to any non-Exotic ranged
weapon held by the wearer. The backpack fusion
unit provides power for the armour indefinitely,
though it can be damaged. If the wearer sustains
Critical Damage to the Body location and the
attack originated from behind them, consult the
Fusion Unit Critical Damage chart in addition to
the normal injuries suffered by the wearer. Any
problems that are sustained continue until the
unit can be repaired, which requires a successful
Challenging (+0) Tech-Use Test. If the suit
loses power, the vents in the helmet open
automatically to prevent the wearer from
suffocating inside her own armour.

OTHER ARMOURS

Other Armours
Name

Location(s) Covered

AP

Wt

Cost

Availability

Most forms of armour worn in the

Environmental
All
1
5 kg
625
Rare
Imperium can be divided up into
Envelope
categories based on their common
Blur Field Cloak
All
2
6 kg
800
Rare
features. All mesh armour protects
Synskin
All
2
2 kg
2,500
Very Rare
the wearer by using thermoplas cells
Preysense Mask Suit
All
3
7 kg
650
Rare
that harden on impact, while
carapace armours rigid armaplas
Slither Boots
Legs
3
6 kg
500
Rare
plates do the same. There are,
Wind Armour
All
3
18 kg
2,200
Rare
however, forms of armour that
Hardened Body Glove
Arms, Legs, Body
3
5 kg
300
Scarce
simply cannot be classified as any
Boarding Armour
Head, Body/Arms, Legs
5/3
20 kg
1,225
Rare
one given type. These are either
Hospitaller Armour
Head/Arms, Legs, Body
4/5
20 kg
10,000
Very Rare
uniquely
constructed,
worn
differently, or have some kind of
Armoured Body Glove
Arms, Legs, Body
5
7 kg
1,300
Rare
inherent feature or ability that sets
Engine-Plate
All
7
30 kg
700
Rare
them apart from other armour types.
scanner waves that common IR sensors and
Whether designed for special purposes or made
auspexes generate, making it significantly harder
from rare materials, armours dumped into this
to spot the wearer with such equipment.
category are likely about as similar to one
Attempts to detect the wearer with an auspex,
another as an Aquila Lander is to a pair of boots.
IR goggles, or similar gear take a -20 penalty.

Armoured Body Glove

This form-fitting armour is crafted from
armaplas micro-fibre that is bonded together in
a similar style to the more common mesh
armour. An armoured body glove is costly and
difficult to craft, as even the most skilled
armour-artisans must often start over several
times when microscopic imperfections turn up
in the bonding process, but the protection it
offers is incredible considering its mass and
flexibility. It is also much more comfortable to
wear than any light carapace suit, making it an
ideal choice for operatives who must remain
undercover for days at a time. Assassins and
Inquisitorial agents are likely the most common
users, as they must frequently undertake such
missions and usually have suitable funding for
the more costly equipment, but well-equipped
bounty hunters and house enforcers are known
to sport it as well.
For twice the listed price, an armoured body
glove may be manufactured with a removable
hood that, when pulled up, provides the same
AP to the head location. This version is treated
with a special laminate coating that absorbs

169

Blur Field Cloak

A blur field is a curious side effect of
Mechanicus attempts to mimic Eldar holofields.
While not nearly as effective as that xenotech, a
blur field integrated into a cloak can significantly
disrupt the wearers shape, and is much more
economical (and less heretical!) to produce. A
blur field does not hide so much as distort the
wearers silhouette, rendering it difficult to focus
on or identify details. It also causes interference
in some types of electronics, and hinders the
ability of systems that use pattern recognition by
fouling their scanners.
A blur field cloak can be used as armour, or
worn over heavier suits; its APs do not stack,
though it still provides its other benefits. A blur
field imposes a -10 penalty on all sight-based
Tests made against the user while it is active,
Ballistic Skill and Weapon Skill Tests made to
attack, as well as any attempts to locate the
wearer on an auspex or IR goggles. The blur
fields generator can use most common power
cells or a lasgun charge pack to operate; either
one lasts for about five minutes. The blur field
takes 1d5 Rounds to power up once activated but

can be disabled as a Half Action. Because of the

network of wiring and cables that produce the
blur field effect, an attack that punctures the
cloak can cause additional harm to the wearer;
any attack that successfully inflicts Damage on
wearer (it is not totally reduced by Armour and
Toughness) also gains the Shocking quality if the
cloak is active, and the wearer does not gain the
usual armour bonuses to their Toughness Test.

Boarding Armour
When conducting offensive actions, repelling
enemy boarders, or conducting investigations in
perilous black holds, Imperial Navy armsmen
and the militants of armed merchant ships often
don these armoured kits which provide
protection from blades and bolts along with the
hard vacuum of the void. Boarding armour
consists of a sealed void suit that has been
reinforced with a full flakweave skin, while a
strong ceramite breastplate and helmet protect
the most important areas. Most styles of

170

boarding armour, which can be

quite varied, include a backpackmounted impellor unit that gives
the wearer some mobility in a low
or zero gravity environment.
Boarding armour grants 3 APs
of flak armour to the wearers
Arms and Legs, and 5 APs of
carapace armour to the Body and
Head. The wearer is considered to
be wearing sealed armour and can
operate safely in the void as long as
the suits rebreather canister lasts
(usually about an hour). Canisters
can be replaced without removing
the armour, and most wearers will
carry a spare as a precaution.
Boarding armour includes an
inbuilt micro-bead and photovisor in the helmet, and there are
external pouches and gear-clips to
attach useful items (seal patching
kits, lasgun charge packs, a
grapnel/clasp, and so forth). The
boarding armours impellor can
propel the wearer in zero or
reduced gravity conditions with a Movement of
6, but its bulk imposes a -10 penalty on all
Agility Tests once the wearer returns to anything
like normal gravity.

Engine-Plate
This heavy plated suit is used primarily by the
enginarium crews of great starships, its ability to
withstand extreme heat and radiation being
invaluable in areas that are thoroughly saturated
with both. Rigid ceramite-bonded plasteel plates,
alloyed with dense metals that soak up deadly
radioactive particles, form an outer shell that
articulates to a flakweave body suit, the whole
affair being securely attached to a vulcanised
rubber glove to keep out superheated fluids and
seal the rig against scalding vapours and toxic
gases. A closed-cycle respiratory system and
vanes of thermo-reactive cooling coils integrated
into the back of the suit isolate the wearer from
the outside environment entirely. These fine
protective qualities could make engine-plate

suits very useful as armour, but the extreme bulk

and rigid construction hinders the wearer's
mobility to a considerable degree as well as
making an obnoxious racket as the outer plates
grind and rattle against each other. Further, the
cycling of the powerful respirator could be
compared to a bull grox with a lung infection,
making a wheezing noise audible at well beyond
conversation distance. Nonetheless, while illsuited for battlefields, more eccentric (or
deranged) boarding parties might use engineplate for short-range combat aboard a vessel;
these types are well known for their comparative
lack of concern for starting shipboard fires as
their huge, blackened suits are quite immune to
the normally horrifying effects.
Engine-plate uses a large respirator system to
provide the wearer with an isolated air supply
that lasts for up to eight hours (usually just
enough to cover a shift in the enginarium).
While active the wearer counts as being in sealed
armour and can be safely exposed to fire and
even exceptionally extreme heat; they are
immune to most Flame weapons, and the
engine-plate is considered to have 10 APs
against Energy weapons that rely on heat, such
as lasguns and meltaguns. The respirator system
does not use standard re-breather canisters and
must be refilled with an external compressor
between uses; the suit's helmet must be removed
when its air supply runs out or else the wearer
will begin to suffocate. In all cases, the additional
immunities to heat and flames are lost whenever
the engine-plate is not sealed. Because of their
ungainly size and mass, engine-plate reduces the
wearer's Agility Characteristic by 10 and imposes
a further -10 penalty on Acrobatics,
Contortionist, and Dodge Tests as well as any
other Tests requiring fine manual dexterity.
Suits of engine-plate include an internal microbead and Common craftsmanship magboots and
photo-visor.

Environmental Envelope
Professional travellers and explorers in the
Imperium are an uncommon and foolish (some
would say) sort; the costs of travel, combined
with dangerous voidfaring and the questionable

171

customs of Imperial citizens from other worlds,

means most will never leave the (relative) safety
of their homeworld. However, those that do go
out into the unknown often despair over the
many environments they must prepare for as
they travel between systems. Bulky void suits are
frequently impractical, especially when a given
worlds atmosphere is simply unpleasant rather
than dangerous or deadly, and there are few void
suits that actually provide any armour
protection to their wearer. Travellers on the
frontiers of the galaxy have an especially difficult
time of it, for if they discover a planet with
unexpected environmental conditions, the
proper equipment may be long months away.
Several of the worthies of the various Malfian
noble houses decided that the situation of
exploration in the Calixis Sector was intolerable
and set about designing a series of form-fitting
full body suits that can withstand multiple
extreme conditions while still maintaining their
wearer in relative comfort. The suits were a great
success at once, and various models are
produced in small quantities on Malfi, Vaxanide,
and Scintilla. Environmental envelope is a
generic name for a wide variety of suits; these are
often named after the house line that produces
them, such as the Mariette Explorer Glove or
Hax Hostile field suit.
An environmental envelope covers the
wearers entire body and sustains them at a
constant temperature, despite all but the most
extreme external conditions, making them ideal
as outerwear for desert worlds and a useful inner
layer for particularly cold environments. Pockets
within the suits recycle sweat and other bodily
fluids, cooling or warming them as necessary, in
order to regulate temperature and provide
emergency water rations. The suits are
waterproof, which makes them useful in marshy
terrain, and capable of keeping the wearer dry
while conducting underwater expeditions.
Wearing an environmental envelope makes
the wearer immune to most conditions one
might encounter on a planet, such as extreme
heat or cold, toxic or acid rain, and other
unpleasantness. Note that this protection is

limited, and while the envelope could keep the

wearer alive and comfortable in a scorching
desert, it would be burnt to a crisp (along with
its owner) in short order by a plasma reactor or a
baked world perilously close to its star. A
rebreather that uses standard canisters can keep
the wearer alive underwater or in poisonous
atmospheres, and an environmental envelope
also includes an inbuilt micro-bead and photovisor. The envelope grants the wearer a +10
bonus on Survival Tests, and as long as the
rebreather is active they are considered to be in
sealed armour. The envelope can be worn in
conjunction with other armour to gain its
effects; its AP stacks with lighter armour,
but can never increase the wearers
Armour to more than 5. This means that
it could be worn with a suit of Guard Flak
Armour and still count, but would be
ignored if worn with Light Carapace or
any type of power armour.

Hardened Body Glove

Intended as a covert form of personal
armour, the hardened body glove
comprises a form-fitting suit made up of a
flexible mesh fibre material that tenses
when struck to disperse the impact. The
suit is also reinforced with micro-scale
inserts hardened ceramic lamellar plating
over vital areas. Because of how well it
follows the form of the wearers body, it
can be easily worn under loose-fitting or
other specially tailored clothing, making it
a very handy choice for troops engaged in
undercover operations, bodyguards at
formal functions, and anyone else who
desires good physical protection without
an overt show of doing so. Because it
moves and even feels like clothing,
physical contact doesnt produce a tactile
response indicative of armour, and
certain types of body gloves are even
disguised to look like clothing in their
own right.
For twice the listed cost, a hardened
body glove can be purchased with a
sealable hood that covers the head,

172

changing the Locations Covered to All. This

version has inherent stealth features that make
the wearer harder to detect with auspexes, IR
vision, and other equipment, imposing a -20
penalty on Tests made to notice the wearer with
any such gear.

Hospitaller Armour
Often serving in combat zones, a Sister
Hospitaller requires more protection than her
allies in the other Non-militant Orders. The
distinctive armour is a welcome sight to injured
guardsmen and Acolytes alike, an angel of mercy

sent by the God-Emperor himself. In addition to

its protective qualities, the hooded habit is often
coated in incense and unguents and the rest of
the armour is sealed and treated against toxins,
an invaluable feature for someone who
inevitably must work in foul conditions. Various
tools and equipment suitable for medicae work
are integrated into the armour so the Sister can
immediately start treating casualties without the
need to haul separate gear with her. Many of
these implements are also quite suitable for use
in interrogations, however, and it is not
unheard-of for an Inquisitor to request the
assistance of a Sister Hospitaller to aid (under
close supervision) in cracking a particularly
defiant subject.
Hospitaller armours rebreather and purity
treatments grant the wearer a +20 bonus to resist
toxins or diseases that do not penetrate the
armour (such as a poison dart), regardless of
whether the gas ordinarily reduces the
effectiveness of such items. These features also
grant a +10 bonus on any Fear Test with an
olfactory component (such as rotting bodies).
Hospitaller armour includes a diagnosticator, an
injector rig to quickly apply serums and drugs to
the wounded, and a chain blade to cut a victim
out of damaged armour or a crumpled vehicle.
The chain blade can be used as a weapon in
conjunction with the injector rig; treat this as a
chain knife with the Toxic and Unwieldy
qualities.

Preysense Masking Suit

While visual masking will often confound
sentries and simple scanners, often ones own
body heat will give you away to an auspex or
thermal sensor. Preysense masking suits use a
simple but effective method to thwart detection
by using a liquid cooling agent that circulates
through capillaries throughout the exterior of
the garment. A small integrated cogitator causes
the cooling system to activate when necessary to
maintain the suits exterior temperature to that
of the local environment. The wearer simply
melts into the background on thermal scanning,
rendering him far harder to spot with IR goggles
and other gear that looks for heat. Because the

173

likely users of such a device will often find

themselves in harms way, the suit is built into a
flakweave outfit to provide some protection
should their camouflage prove inadequate. Of
course, it can also be wrapped around or worn
under heavier suits of armour for those who
expect trouble but still want to confound
thermal detectors.
A preysense masking suit provides a +20
bonus to the wearers Concealment Tests when
opposed by any kind of infrared sensor or
detection, including creatures whose sight is
based on heat. This effect can be sustained for up
to an hour before it must be turned off to allow
the cooling agents to recharge, which takes
another hour. It provides the listed amount of
flak armour to the locations indicated; the suit
can be worn with most other armour but its APs
do not stack. The preysense mask suits shielding
is not powerful enough to block out the heat
created by bulky suits of power armour; if the
wearer is already in armour that provides 7 or
more APs (taking the usual -30 penalty to
Concealment and Silent Move Tests), the suit
has no effect.

Slither Boots
Slither boots are designed for exploration on
worlds with polluted or hostile environments
where the soil itself is destructive and toxic. The
salt-fens of Acreage, acid storm wastes of
Grangold, or deadly slime jungles of Vaxanide
can cut any expedition to a halt in short order as
the ground itself eats away a travellers footwear
and exposes them to the toxicity of their
surroundings. Locals simply avoid such places
whenever possible, whilst the unprepared
adventurers often return horribly injured, or not
at all. Those equipped with slither boots,
however, can brave almost any terrain. Slither
boots are highly advanced footwear that
incorporate a variety of materials, including
ceramite-woven leather and a circuitryembedded inner frame, to ward off the
environment. Instead of breaking down into
mush, slither boots slowly bleed off chemicals
that shield the wearers feet and legs from acidic
or alkaline soil and muck. Finally, as their name

suggests, slither boots do not slip. Regardless of

how tractionless a surface may seem, the soles of
the boots exude small gelatinous tendrils that
help compensate for the wearers movements.
Slither boots provide a +10 bonus to Agility
Tests made to maintain footing in treacherous or
slick conditions, and their Armour Points are
doubled against corrosives and other
disintegrating substances that the wearer might
find himself stepping in.

Synskin
A favourite of assassins and others who prefer
stealth to brawn to accomplish their tasks,
synskin is a highly advanced bio-reactive body
glove with an inert, non-reflective surface that
moulds itself perfectly to the wearers form,
offering absolutely no encumbrance other than a
slightly clammy sensation. It has many curious
properties that are not fully understood by many
priests of the Mechanicus, much less the
operatives who wear them, but for deep
infiltrations and espionage there are few better
options, and that knowledge alone is usually
enough for even the most seasoned agent. The
suit is less donned and more poured or
stretched, appearing as a block or sheet of a
matte black rubbery substance when dormant.
The stuffs properties become apparent when the
wearer thrusts a limb through the synskin and it
binds perfectly to their form, with the wearer
applying it to the rest of their body by simply
pulling and stretching it until no slack remains.
Care must be taken to ensure that the wearer is
also familiar with how to safely create openings
in the substance, as it is entirely possible to
suffocate by foolishly thrusting ones head into
the material. Synskin is similar, though less
advanced (and far less costly), than the highly
specialized stealth suits used by the Officio
Assassinorum, and there are some that believe
that shadowy and enigmatic organization is
responsible for their creation.
Synskin grants the wearer a +20 bonus to
Concealment and Silent Move Tests, and renders
him invisible to infrared scanning and Dark
Sight. Synskin can be worn under other armour
though its stealth properties are reduced and its

174

armour points do not stack. If worn in

conjunction with other armour, it no longer
grants a bonus to Concealment or Silent Move,
Tests, but the wearer is still rendered invisible to
IR goggles and dark sight unless their armour
provides 7 or more APs, in which case it is
simply too large and cumbersome to be
adequately hidden by synskins stealth features.

Wind Armour
Wind armour, a seemingly fanciful concept, is
built and designed to deal with a very real
problem. There are many worlds in the Calixis
Sector that boast powerful storms the
infamous Splinter Winds of Baraspine travel at
over 700 kilometres an hour, and are more than
capable of stripping an armoured man to dust
inside of one minute. Against such force, even a
void shield would be hard-pressed to cope.
Understanding that simply trying to stand
against the wind was ultimately foolhardy, the
designers at the Fane of Doru on Scintilla came
up with a clever idea of creating a series of autoreactive ceramsteel plates that would redirect
wind force. The aerodynamic shape allows the
wearer to advance in lighter storms, and at least
hunker down to survive the more intense ones.
Wind armour is formed from a light articulated
carapace suit that has an enclosed body glove
under it, with a closed-cycle air supply and other
features all designed to keep the wearer alive in
the most severe wind and storm conditions.
While popular with explorers, it is not designed
for combat and its protection against weapons is
inferior to other types of carapace armour.
Wind armour includes an inbuilt vox-caster
and photo-visor in the helmet along with an
advanced air filtration life sustainer whose tank
lasts three times as long as a standard rebreather.
The tank can be replaced without removing the
suit as a Full Action. As long as the life sustainer
is active the wearer is immune to the effects of
dire storms and wings, and counts as being in
sealed armour, though only within an
atmospheric or aquatic environment; it cannot
protect the wearer from hard vacuum.
Replacement sustainer tanks have a base price of
60 Thrones, weigh 1 kg, and are Rare.

ARMOUR UPGRADES

Weapons Upgrades
Name

Weight

Cost

Test

Availability

Depending on their construction and the

Armour Reinforcement
preferences of the owner, suits of armour will
Deflective Construction +1 kg
1,000
-30
Scarce
often include various pieces of useful
equipment built in to their frames. FlashImpact Gel Cells +0.5 kg
700
-20
Rare
reactive films and visors protect the wearers
Reflec Alloy 800
-20
Rare
eyes from glare and photon grenades,
Cameleoline Coating
+1 kg
600
-20
Very Rare
rebreathers and air filtration systems keep out
Concealed Compartment
+0.5kg
300
-10
Rare
poison gases and toxic vapours, auspexes
detect hidden opponents, and a micro-bead
Iron Collar
+3 kg
20
+10
Common
or vox-caster lets the wearer stay in touch
Lathe-Wrought
1/2
20
Near-Unique

with allies outside of earshot. However, the

Lumen-Heraldry
70
-10
Scarce
bulk of these features are simply analogous to
Ecclesiarchy Overlay
+2 kg
1,000
+10
Rare
individual pieces of gear or equipment that
Hexagramatic Wards
+1 kg
2,500
-30
Very Rare
can be donned on their own by anyone who
can afford to purchase one.
Modern Materials
5
-30
Very Rare
Armour upgrades refer to a very specific set
Power-Assist
+15kg
2,000
-20
Very Rare
of modifications that add some kind of extra
Sanctified Armour
+0.5 kg
1,500
Very Rare

function or capability that must be integrated

Servo-Manipulators
+1 kg
1,200
-20
Rare
into a suit of armour to obtain their benefits.
Some upgrades can only be added to certain
This upgrade cannot be performed by common armourers; see text
types of armour; this will be listed in the
included with the armour at the time of its
description where appropriate. Adding these
creation. Multiple reinforcements can be used in
upgrades to a suit of armour requires the Trade
the same armour, but the work gets
(Armourer) Skill, and may have other
progressively more difficult and costly as extra
requirements depending on the nature of the
inlays, coatings, and composites must be
upgrade itself.
crammed into the same space. Each additional
reinforcement increases the difficulty of the first
Armour Reinforcement
reinforcement's Trade (Armourer) Test by one
Upgrades: Carapace and power armour
step while decreasing the Availability of the
Customisation of gear and equipment is all
reinforcement by one step as well. The combined
but mandatory among high-rent mercenaries
cost of the reinforcements is multiplied by 3 if
and other fighters who earn their keep by
two reinforcements are added or multiplied by
reputation and style. Weapons and clothing tend
10 if three reinforcements are added.
to be the first choice, but heavier styles of body
Deflective Construction: This armour
armour can receive a number of modifications
incorporates odd or incongruous angles, ridges,
and integral upgrades that create a more
and projections in its outer surfaces while
dramatic look as well as offer improvements to
integrating denser alloys in certain areas that
the armour's protective qualities. These
expertly catch and deflect bladed weapons,
reinforcements are permanently integrated into
channelling even the roaring teeth of a chain axe
the armour itself while it is made, requiring a
into the most protective areas. The armour is
significant amount of skill at forging and casting
further
impregnated
with
blast-reactive
as well as a true intuitive grasp of the armourcompounds and a dense flakweave inner layer
monger's craft.
that can absorb explosive forces with greatly
Armour reinforcements cannot be added to
improved efficiency over solid ceramite or
armour that already exists; they must be
armaplas. Armour with this reinforcement

175

improves its Armour Points by 2 against

weapons that inflict Rending Damage as well as
Explosive Damage with the Blast quality.
Impact Gel Cells: Wafer-thin gel cells are
sandwiched between several layers of the base
armour materials, offering greatly improved
absorption of physical blows and bullet strikes
alike. When struck with a sharp impact, the gel
cells abruptly stiffen and increase their sectional
density, distributing the impact force through
the individual cells and reducing the strength of
the blow before it transmits fully through the
armour. Fine seams and creases in what would
ordinarily be solid plates indicate the presence of
this reinforcement, and many wearers will often
add gleaming trim to these areas to make an
otherwise unassuming armour show its refined
pedigree. This reinforcement is often thought of
as a tool for close combat to provide extra
protection against bludgeons, but it is just as
effective at shielded the wearer from solid slugs
and even potentially lethal falls. Armour with
this reinforcement improves its Armour Points
by 2 against weapons that inflict Impact Damage
(except for that caused by the Toxic quality), and
moreover can reduce Falling Damage as well.
Reflec Alloy: The metals and materials used
in the construction of this armour have been
alloyed with reflec, a glossy, silvery compound
that imparts a mirror-like sheen which never
seems to dull. Other than keeping the armour
looking immaculate through dirt and grime,
reflec alloy has a curious though wonderfully
useful dispersing effect against las-bolts that
begins disrupting the beam before it actually
contacts the armour material itself. The effect is
negligible against a powerful weapon like a
lascannon, but more common lasguns and
carbines can glance off it entirely, leaving not
even the tiniest of scorches or burns behind once
the bolt has dissipated. Armour with this
upgrade improves its Armour Points by 2
against Las weapons (and never seems to rust or
corrode either). Because of its reflective qualities,
this upgrade may inflict a penalty to
Concealment Tests if a bright source of light
illuminates it.

176

Concealed Compartment
Upgrades: Carapace and power armour
The large armour plates of heavy carapace
suits as well as most types of power armour
provide a great level of protection against many
types of common weapons due to their bulk and
density. However, many armours of this style are
often overbuilt and excessively thick in areas that
blows are unlikely to fall. More eccentric
armourers - and their equally eccentric patrons have been known to hollow out small areas of an
armour's least-struck locations in order to create
a small sleeve or pocket that can be used to hide
small items, including weapons. While sealed,
the concealed compartment is impervious to the
outside environment, and moreover, the
contents of the compartment can't be seen on an
auspex or scanner - it merely returns that the
wearer is in armour, not that there's something
hidden within it. The inside of the compartment
and the armour below it is lined with very dense
alloy to make up for the loss of sectional
thickness that the compartment created, which

prevents the compartment itself from becoming

a weak point in the armour.
A concealed compartment can hide an object
no longer than an average knife or a compact
pistol, or a number of smaller items that take up
about the same amount of space. As long as it's
sealed, the concealed compartment cannot be
discovered by Awareness Tests; hands-on
inspection could reveal the compartment with a
Very Hard (-30) Search Test.

Cameleoline Coating
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive armour
This substance is laminated onto the exterior
surfaces of a suit of armour, mimicking the
effects of the better-known cameleoline cloak
without the need for a separate garment that
might get caught on obstructions or provide a
handhold for an enemy in close combat.
Armour treated with a cameleoline coating
acts as though the wearer were wearing a
cameleoline cloak, giving them a +20 bonus to
Concealment Tests and counting the wearer as
being at Extreme range as long as they take no
movement actions. If applied to power armour,
which ordinarily imposes a -30 penalty to the
wearers Concealment and Silent Move Tests, it
instead cancels out the penalty to Concealment
entirely, but does not count the wearer as being
further away.

Ecclesiarchy Overlay
Upgrades: Any armour
Comprised of a battery of extensive
Ministorum-approved iconography, engraved
prayers, mottos, and purity seals, an Overlay can
be applied to both armour as well as sturdy
clothing, and immediately marks the wearer as a
particularly vocal follower of the God-Emperor.
Such accoutrements can inspire other members
of the faithful, put the wearer in good graces
with the Ecclesiarchy, and is utterly revolting to
wicked heretics and other creatures who shudder
away from the radiant light of the Emperor.
The wearer of an Ecclesiarchy Overlay receives
a +10 bonus to Command and Fellowship Tests
when trying to inspire, lead, or rally the faithful,
and a +10 bonus on Charm Tests when

177

fraternizing with members of the Ecclesiarchy.

Additionally, the aura of purity that is radiated
by this regalia punishes foul warp-denizens and
other cretins. Any supernatural creatures within
20 metres of the wearer take a -10 penalty on all
Willpower Tests.

Hexagramatic Wards
Upgrades: Carapace and power armour that
covers the Body location
Powerful wards, null-psy lattice circuits and
prayers of protection are woven and etched into
armour carrying this upgrade, often visually
represented by ornate carvings and graven icons
embellishing its surface. Armour upgraded in
this way not only serves to protect the wearers
body, but their soul as well.
Armour with this upgrade provides its wearer
with a +20 bonus on Tests made to resist any
direct psychic attack or manipulation used
against them. This effect persists regardless of
what type of armour receives this upgrade.
Furthermore, the armour provides double its
normal Armour Points against attacks of psychic
force or warp energy that directly deal Damage
(such as the Psychic Blade or Fire Bolt psychic
powers), and keeps its normal value against
attacks with the Warp Weapon effect. This
quality is dependent on the type of armour
worn: a carapace breastplate only provides those
additional bonuses against attacks that hit the
Body location, while a full suit of power armour
applies it to the wearers whole form.

Iron Collar
Upgrades: Carapace and power armour that
covers the Body location
There are many ways to literally lose one's
head in combat, nevermind the existence of
murderous cults and savage warriors that place a
premium on skull-taking rites and rituals.
Armours made on the feudal world of Fervious
tend to have large, overly tall collars specifically
to offer maximum protection to the neck for just
this reason, but the style is also sometimes used
on wholly more modern protective suits for
exactly the same reasons. Iron collars are
typically not made of iron at all, using modern

armaplas or ceramite as appropriate; the name is

simply used to imply the strength and solidity
that the upgrade provides. The collar's height
also partly obscures the wearer's face, which can
create an intimidating look as well. It does tend
to make the armour more cumbersome to wear,
however, as the shoulders and torso can't twist
or turn quite as far as they would otherwise be
able to if unencumbered.
An iron collar protects the wearer's head but
reduces his mobility. Any time the wearer is hit
in the Head location by a melee attack, roll 1d10
- on a result of "7" or higher the attack is
deflected downward by the collar and hits the
wearer's Body location instead. If the wearer
takes Critical Damage to the Head location, the
Damage is reduced by 3 (to a minimum of 0).
However, the restrictive nature of the collar
imposes a -10 penalty to Acrobatics,
Contortionist, and Dodge Tests.

Lathe-Wrought
Upgrades: Carapace and power armour
The astronomical and gravitic alignment of
the Lathe Worlds creates unique conditions
where production of metal alloys of rare and
singular properties is possible. Lathe blades,
renowned for their incredible sharpness, and
hyperdensity penetrator bullets, infamous for
literally blowing men apart, are likely the best
known examples of Lathe metalworking in the
broader Calixis Sector, but for those with the
most exclusive of connections (and virtually
bottomless purses), entire suits of armour can be
made by the craft of Lathe tech-artificers. Lathewrought armour is marvellously light and easy
to move in, yet its tensile strength and sectional
density are staggeringly better than even the
finest of bonded ceramite and armaplas; with a
bit of luck, the wearer might survive a
bombardment that would totally obliterate a
lesser armour made with conventional materials.
However, the sheer amount of metalworking
and forging necessary to create a suit of armour
using Lathe techniques and alloys is staggering,
easily consuming many times as much raw
materials as even a master-crafted armour
would. Moreover, only the ranking Magos

178

Technicus and Metallurgicus of the Lathes have

the prerequisite skill and inspiration to forge
these armours; even the great armour-mongers
and tech-artisans of many of Calixis' great
manufactorums, if given access to the Lathes'
materials and facilities, would be unable to bend
the metals to their will for the desired effect.
Outside of the ranks of the Venatorii "Crimson
Guard", Lathe-wrought armour is almost
nonexistent, with perhaps a few suits
manufactured to commission by wealthy
benefactors to the Cult Mechanicus of the Lathes
every few years. Explorators on the fringes of the
Sector seem especially incensed by the
exclusivity of this wonder of arcane armourcraft,
and it is not unheard-of for the owner of a suit of
Lathe-wrought armour to turn up dead at the
hands of a covetous Magos for no reason other
than the rarity of the armour itself.
Lathe-wrought armour is always considered to
be Best Craftsmanship, reducing its Weight by
half while increasing its APs by 1. Because of its
magnificently resistant qualities, a weapon's
Penetration value is reduced by half (round up)
before it begins reducing the armour's APs as
normal. For example, a Lathe-wrought carapace
chest plate would provide 7 APs to the wearer's
Body location. If the wearer were to be shot with
a plasma gun, its Penetration of 7 would be
reduced to 4, meaning the armour still reduces
the inflicted Damage by 3.

Lumen-Heraldry
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive armour
Lumen-heraldry is a "high-tech" variation
traditional armour customisation, replacing
careful engraving and inscription of the material
with a laminate coating or etched layer of lumogel that can display heraldic symbols and coats
of arms, depictions of battle or animated murals,
terrifying images, or just flashing or glowing
abstract colours. Regardless of the individual
choice of visual, armour with lumen-heraldry
creates a dramatic and stunning appearance that
can be activated or deactivated with a simple
push of a button or switch. Moreover, unlike
traditional engraving, flexible armours like mesh
and flakweave suits can be impregnated with

lumo-gel, and it is quite possible to add multiple

sets of lumen-heraldry, the wearer using
whichever one is the most appropriate for a
given situation.
As long as the lumen-heraldry is of an
appropriate theme, this upgrade grants the
wearer a +10 bonus on Command and/or
Intimidate Tests, but the bright glowing
appearance imposes a -30 penalty to
Concealment Tests for the same reason. Lumenheraldry takes 1d5 Rounds to activate as the
lumo-gel is charged, and one minute to
deactivate while it bleeds off energy. This
upgrade requires a power source to operate,
usually an energy cell or lasgun charge pack
that's kept in a pocket and connected to a cable;
this allows the lumen-heraldry to be used for
about five days before the power source must be
recharged. In the case of power armour, the
lumen-heraldry can simply draw from its power
supply with negligible effect.

Modern Materials
Upgrades: Any Primitive armour
Primitive armour can be perfectly effective at
deflecting blades, fists, and thrown bricks or
arrows from a bow, but even the heaviest
examples of feudal plate suits tend to crumple
like empty rotgut cans when struck by a largecalibre bullet or bolt. Compared to armaplas,
flakweave and ceramite, tanned leather and
tempered iron simply lacks the ability to
withstand modern weaponry. By substituting
modern armour materials for the much simpler,
basic components used by feudal smiths and
feral tanners, replicas of many types of Primitive
armour can be created that can be just as
protective as a flak jacket or carapace breastplate.
The end result of such an effort is perfectly
functional as a protective item, but very often
will require a higher level of skill in its assembly
as well as a use of rarer tools and components;
this translates almost invariably into greater
expense than simply buying a comparable piece
of modern armour. Easily dismissed as a
functionally pointless endeavour, replica
armours made in this way are broadly only
useful for those who desire the specific

179

appearance the armour gives, such as gleaming

feudal plate for a questing knight, or stylish
leather coats and jackets that will still ward off
bullets like a flak vest.
Most types of Primitive armour can benefit
from this upgrade, but it can only be applied
when the armour is first made. Primitive armour
made with modern materials uses its full AP
value against non-Primitive weapons.

Power-Assist
Upgrades: Carapace and other armour that
provides 5 or more APs and covers all locations
A complex array of supports and servos
supports the weight of the armour it is bonded
to, improving the physical strength of the wearer
as well as reducing the "base" load they have to
carry. While nominally similar to power armour
in function, a power-assist is much simpler and
less capable, primarily intended for utilitarian

purposes rather than for use in combat. Most

commonly used in conjunction with engineplate suits, power-assisted enginarium crews can
plod around with large stacks of isotropic fuel
rods or remove the heads of operating plasma
reactors by themselves. Of course, there are
those who would use a power-assisted armour
for battle anyway, typically those who desire the
improved handling and physical enhancement
that power armour bestows but without the
means to obtain such exclusive wargear.
Armour with a power-assist provides a +10
bonus to the wearer's Strength Characteristic,
and the armour's Weight does not count towards
calculating the wearer's normal carrying limits.
Power is provided by a cell unit on the back; a
standard non-military supply has enough power
for 1d5 hours of use, while a more costly and
efficient unit can keep the armour operating for
12 hours (at an extra cost of 1,000 Thrones). If
the power-assist runs out of energy it no longer
increases the wearers Strength and instead
imposes a -30 penalty to the wearers Agility
Characteristic as the wearer must stagger around
and force the servo-struts and rotators to move
with his own muscle. The humming and
whirring of the power-assist's moving parts
inflicts a -30 penalty to Concealment and Silent
Move Tests just as though the wearer was in
armour that provided 7 or more APs.

Sanctified Armour
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive armour that
provides 3 or more APs
Created with great care by Ministorum priests
and often performed on the robes of militant
clerics and power armour of the Sisters of Battle,
sanctifying armour turns it into a bastion of holy
might against the corrupting powers of the warp
and the unclean. Sanctified armour nearly
always features engraved prayers or knit symbols
on numerous areas, while large holy symbols are
set or hang over the chest and along each limb.
Finally, the entire suit is blessed and anointed
with sacred oils, taking on a glossy sheen that
never becomes dirtied, no matter how many
blades strike it or heretic blood is spilled over it.
Sanctified armour is often paired with an

180

Ecclesiarchy Overlay to create a truly glorious

tribute to the Emperors might in battle.
Sanctified armour grants the wearer the
following benefits. First, it provides a +10 bonus
on Tests made to resist any direct psychic attack
or manipulation used against the user.
Additionally, it provides full Armour Points
against attacks made of psychic force or warp
energy that deals damage directly, as well as
attacks made with the Warp Weapon effect.
Finally, punches and kicks made by the wearer,
whether using unarmed attacks for lighter
armour or the armoured gauntlets of carapace or
power armour, are considered to be Holy in
nature and will have additional effects on some
Daemonic creatures and warp entities (as will be
noted in their descriptions).

Servo-Manipulators
Upgrades: Any non-Primitive armour
Heavier suits of armour are often shackled
with a "sliding scale" of hindrance; as the
armour's protective qualities improve, the
wearer's ability to do anything besides kill
decreases. Thick armoured gloves or mitten-like
gauntlets impede manual dexterity, while
massive ceramite or armaplas plates reduce the
wearer's range of motion when activities other
than aiming a gun or swinging a blade are
involved. Warriors who don an armour, earn
their keep, then peel it off will rarely give
thought towards these considerations, but those
who must spend long periods of time inside
protective suits, or who wear such gear for
protection from harsh environments or the void
rather than bullets and bolts, must often make
hard choices between their personal safety and
ability to get the job done. Servo-manipulators
are a specialised tool, integrated into a suit of
armour, that can significantly offset this
shortcoming when tasks requiring careful
manipulation are involved. Typically mounted
along the wrists or back of the hand, a set of
servo-manipulators will contain an array of
small probes, pinchers, magno-clamps, bit and
impact drivers, and other fine appendages. The
manipulators are controlled by the wearer either
through tracking eye movements (a low-power

laser in the helmet relays instructions to the

tools) or via a sense-link if the wearer has a Mind
Impulse Unit or similar augmetic installed. In all
cases, the wearer need not use their actual
fingers to fumble around with most precision
tools; the manipulators do the work for him.
Whenever the wearer can use the servomanipulators, this upgrade ignores penalties to
Agility or Tests requiring fine manual dexterity
imposed by heavy or bulky armour. This does
not allow the wearer to run faster or Dodge
better, but can be extremely useful when
attempting a Tech-Use or Security Test to
manipulate small equipment or a Demolition
Test to disarm a bomb. Using the servomanipulators takes twice as long as usual, the
eye-reading inputs requiring more time to move
the tools than if the wearer was wielding them
directly. However, if the wearer has a Mind
Impulse Unit, he can connect to the servomanipulators directly, in which case they can be
used at the normal speed and rate.

Shock Field Generator

Upgrades: Carapace and power armour
Shock weapons are commonly used by the
Adeptus Arbites, among many other sorts of
enforcers and authority types. Usually this is in
the form of a melee weapon, such as the
ubiquitous shock maul, but there are some
groups who make use of a more unusual but no

181

less effective way to deliver a nasty jolt to

scummers and recidivists. By incorporating a
shock field generator directly into a suit of
armour, anyone who successfully lands a blow
against the wearer is rewarded with a shock as
the current travels through their weapon and
into their bodies. The wearer is grounded by
virtue of the generator fields design equally
charging their armour, so he is at no risk of
shocking himself. Allies, however, are another
story, and most shock field generators will have a
hidden emergency cut-off to facilitate a
wounded wearer being dragged away by a
comrade. The elite White Hands of the Adeptus
Arbites on Scintilla are the largest known users
of shock field generators, incorporating them
into their carapace armour as an extra line of
defence against the underhivers that they all too
often must go to war against.
Any successful melee attack made against the
wearer of a suit of armour with a shock field
generator can shock the attacker. If the weapon
is conductive anything not made of wood,
glass, ceramite, or a similar material the
attacker must make a Toughness Test as though
they were struck with a weapon with the
Shocking quality. This effect targets the wearer
in the arm (or leg, if making a kick) used to
make the attack, and includes unarmed attacks
unless the wearer has some kind of nonconductive gauntlets or gloves.