Bolter - Description: The bolter is a large .75 calibre assault weapon. It has a much greater mass than most standard-issue Imperial weapons such as the Lasgun, although it is slightly shorter in length. Unlike most Imperial ranged infantry weapons, it lacks a stock, resulting in a grip much like a pistol's or a submachine gun's.A Space Marine's bulky power armour would make shouldering a stock an awkward experience, and Power Armour is most likely also able to compensate for firing vibrations and oscillation, making a stock redundant. Stocks are sometimes used, however, with an extended barrel and an M40 Targeter System to transform the bolter into a sniping weapon system. These sniper bolters, known as Stalker Pattern Bolters, are most often used with Stalker Silenced Shells.The Space Marines are not the only warriors of the Imperium to carry Boltguns into battle, but the version carried by the Adeptus Astartes, the Mark Vb Godwyn Pattern Boltgun, is by far the largest and most devastating. By comparison, the smaller patterns of boltgun carried by the Adeptus Sororitas or the champions of the Astra Militarum are pale reflections. So large is the Godwyn Pattern that no normal man could heft one, let alone survive its unforgiving recoil.A blessed creation of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Godwyn Pattern has served the Space Marines for millennia, its design based upon ancient STC technology from long before the birth of the Imperium. The Godwyn is not the only pattern of Boltgun used by the Adeptus Astartes though, and many of the Space Marine Chapters have their own variants, such as the "Angelus" Bolter used by the Blood Angels, or the "Fenris" Pattern boltgun used by the Space Wolves. However, the Godwyn Pattern remains the most common weapon of the Firstborn Space Marines and fills the role of the sacred bolter, as cited in the Codex Astartes as the primary weapon of a battle-brother.This variant has a built-in ammunition counter which indicates how many rounds are remaining in the weapon on an external display. The number of remaining rounds will also be shown in the auto-senses display of an Astartes' helmet. The Mark Vb Godwyn Pattern uses a Sinister/Dexter locking mechanism with a sickle-shaped magazine that carries 30 bolts and can fire in bursts of up to four rounds with a single trigger pull.Other features include a biometric sensor integrated into the weapon's grip that allows the bolter to identify its user's genetic signature so that only Astartes can make use of the bolter. The Godwyn Pattern also possesses an integral targeter that links with the Space Marine's auto-senses for enhanced accuracy. Bolters make a unique roaring sound when fired, which is caused as the propellant in their shells ignites, followed by an explosion when the bolt detonates upon hitting its target.Like other Space Marine weaponry, Astartes bolters are designed to be handled by their superhuman physique. The weight of each Godwyn Pattern Bolter means that most normal humans cannot handle the weapon comfortably without the aid of a supporting brace, and the weapon's handgrips are too large for a mortal to grasp without assistance. However, even if a mortal were to fire the bolter, the resulting recoil would most likely rip his or her arm from its socket.It is illegal within the Imperium for a non-Astartes to wield an Astartes pattern bolter, which is one reason why the weapons are genetically coded so that only a Space Marine can fire them. An Imperial citizen caught in unauthorised possession of a bolter or even of just a bolt round can be harshly sentenced by the Adeptus Arbites. However, some bolter patterns like the Godwyn-De'az or Locke Patterns are specifically built to be wielded by unaugmented humans, and the weapon is sometimes favoured by officers of the Imperial Guard and members of the Adeptus Arbites who require a weapon with more stopping power.The major advantage of the bolter in comparison to the ubiquitous Lasgun is its stopping power, as the bolt's kinetic force and explosive head can deliver much more damage on a target than the coherent light beam from a Lasgun. However, the major reason that the bolter never was favoured as a weapon for the soldiers of the ancient Imperial Army is that next to its mass and weight, it is also a temperamental weapon that requires lots of care and maintenance to function properly. Where the Lasgun only requires a quick daily disassembly and cleaning while mumbling a prayer to its Machine Spirit to keep it going for over 10,000 shots, the bolter requires much more careful tending and cleaning to ensure its proper function.While a centuries-old Astartes Veteran can tend to his bolter blindfolded in less time than a freshly recruited Guardsman tends to his Lasgun, such familiarity with a weapon is impossible to attain for the average Human soldier, hence the need for a simpler standard armament. Another disadvantage of the bolter is the need for its heavy and cumbersome ammunition compared to the small and easily recharged power packs of the Lasgun. While this is seldom an issue for the Astartes, due to their focus on rapid and overwhelming assault tactics, the risk of finding oneself out of ammunition is very real for Imperial Guardsmen who favour the weapon during prolonged operations, or on missions where resupply is improbable or difficult.The Boltgun can also be modified for a variety of roles; the Adeptus Astartes and the sacred texts of the Machine God sanction some of these, others are crafted by Battle-Brothers themselves and remain confined to specific Chapters. Scopes of all kinds are a common addition to Boltguns, even though most marks of power armour incorporate optical enhancements. A scope can be tailored to its environment, keyed to different visual spectrums or the heat-trace of certain foes, giving a Space Marine a better chance to find his target.Drum-shaped magazines are sometimes used to increase the ammunition storage capabilities of a boltgun, replacing the standard sickle clip. This extra ammunition reduces the time between reloads and allows a battle-brother to keep up a sustained stream of killing fire. Regardless of modification or pattern, a bolter remains an ancient and deadly weapon in the hands of a Space Marine, and if all else fails, it is solid enough to crack skulls and snap bones with its heavy casing.