Plasma Weapons - Imperial Plasma Weapons: Imperial Plasma Weapons represent a dying technological art for the contemporary Imperium of Man, with the secrets of their design and construction almost lost outside the select circles of the Adeptus Mechanicus and their Tech-adept artisans.Their inner workings are a mystery for the most part in the wider Imperium, and only a select few Forge Worlds still know how to construct them. Existing weapons must be carefully maintained and passed down generation to generation with each operator ensuring all the proper blessings of the Machine God are bestowed before use.As such, these relics of a bygone era of advanced Human technology are greatly revered; and it is considered a great honour to be able to wield one. Plasma Weapons are more commonly found in the elite ranks of the Adeptus Astartes than amongst the troopers of the Astra Militarum, although the weapons are still uncommon amongst even the ranks of the Space Marines.Most notably, plasma technology is frequently found in the hands of the Dark Angels Chapter, which has maintained a large number of such weapons and the art of their construction since their Founding.Plasma is an incredibly dangerous and unstable substance to deal with, and Imperial Plasma Weapon designs are some of the most unstable due to the inherent imperfections and flaws within them. Imperial Plasma Weapons tax their cooling systems considerably, and even Space Marines must push the limits of their own resilience by using them.However, the hydrogen fuel the forces of the Adeptus Astartes use in their Plasma Weapons is of a higher quantum state than that of standard Imperial patterns. The colossal energies generated by Imperial Plasma Weapons must be contained within an electromagnetic field. Failure of this field can result in the weapon overheating and producing a devastating meltdown within the miniature fusion reactor core.Imperial Plasma Weapons mounted on vehicles are a safer form of the technology, as their mounts can carry the specialised cooling equipment needed to prevent catastrophic overheating. However, Plasma Weapons are nevertheless valued for their destructive power -- and many an Imperial soldier owes their life to the timely use of such weapons.Plasma Pistol – Perhaps the most destructive sidearm in common use in the Imperium, a soldier with a Plasma Pistol wields the power of a small sun in his hands. Plasma Pistols are the smallest variant in the Imperial Plasma Weapon family, and their small and compact design allows them to be wielded in a single hand. They are most commonly paired with a close-combat weapon of some form. Each shot from a Plasma Pistol leaves the destructive fury of larger Plasma Guns undiminished in a smaller package, although its diminished size means it must sacrifice range and rate of fire. Those willing to take the risk of using one possess a weapon capable of taking down almost any foe at close range. Plasma Pistols are a favourite of Imperial officers, who view it as a status symbol to be entrusted with such a valuable and venerated weapon. Few pistols are deadlier than a Plasma Pistol, and even many ranking Adeptus Astartes find them worth the trouble of acquiring and the risk of their use acceptable as a result of their sheer efficiency in eliminating foes at close range. However, Plasma Pistols hold smaller hydrogen flasks than larger Plasma Weapons and can thus only fire a handful of shots. They are dangerous to use on board voidships as a single shot can penetrate several bulkheads. Plasma Pistols most commonly have two modes of fire -- a standard mode, and a maximal mode which uses more fuel in a single shot for additional stopping power. However, the user must wait a short time whilst the weapon recharges and replenishes its internal fuel reserves when using the latter setting.Barrage Plasma Pistol – Barrage Plasma Pistols are deadly side arms and are a variant of the standard Plasma Pistol that is unique to the Jericho Reach Deathwatch, and few exist even within their hallowed armouries. Barrage Plasma Pistols feature a higher rate of fire than standard Plasma Pistols at the cost of increased energy consumption and chance of overheating.Plasma Torch – A Plasma Torch is a common tool utilised by Imperial engineers and Tech-priests, exploration teams who need to breach multiple barriers, and Space Marine Techmarines. Plasma Torches utilise a controlled plasma arc to make precise alterations when fixing Imperial technologies, although they are more commonly used to cut through impeding bulkheads within voidships. Plasma Torches are capable of cutting through adamantine plating that is up to 20 centimetres thick in a standard minute, and can cut thinner and weaker materials far faster. Plasma Torches can also be fired as a weapon in a similar way to a Plasma Pistol, albeit at a shorter range and without the ability to fire on maximal mode. Many a foe who has come too close has been struck by a bolt of superheated plasma from a Plasma Torch.Plasma Grenade – Imperial Plasma Grenades are an exceedingly rare form of grenade used by the armed forces of the Imperium that most likely originated when a wielder improperly handled a Plasma Flask. Plasma Grenades are most commonly only used by those who are able to acquire them, such as Deathwatch Space Marines, high ranking Space Marines and Inquisitors. These highly lethal grenades use a deliberate plasma containment field failure so that they erupt into blasts of white-hot energy. The dense plasma core of an Astartes Plasma Grenade is designed to not be fully consumed in the initial explosion, so it leaves a glowing, energised orb that continues to sear the area like a miniature sun. This tiny stellar body can continue to cause great damage to the immediate area for some time. It is of note that Imperial Plasma Grenades are cruder, although more potent, than the Eldar Plasma Grenades commonly used by Eldar assault troops.Plasma Gun – Plasma Guns are probably the most common pattern of Imperial Plasma Weapons, and are powerful weapons in their own right. Rifle-sized and intended to be wielded by a single trooper, Plasma Guns fire compact "pulses" of plasma energy and have a reasonably quick rate of fire. Plasma Guns are often deployed in situations where raw takedown power is required against highly resilient or armoured targets as they can easily punch through armour and leave brightly glowing holes. Despite the risks it often poses to the bearer, Imperial soldiers who have access to these weapons will often select them from the armoury, willing to take the risk in exchange for their devastating power. Most extant Plasma Guns are hundreds, if not thousands, of standard years old. However, as a testament to their design, they remain as deadly today as they were on the day of their fabrication. Due to their sturdy construction, even in the event of an overheat, the weapon is likely to survive, though the wielder is often less fortunate. In the Imperial Guard, it is a rare "honour" to serve as a squad’s plasma gunner. Whilst destructive, Plasma Guns are prone to overheating and few Guardsmen survive long enough to truly master these revered weapons. Plasma Guns most commonly have two modes of fire -- a standard mode, and a maximal mode which uses more fuel in a single shot for additional stopping power; although the user must wait a short time whilst the weapon recharges and replenishes its internal fuel reserves.Barrage Plasma Gun – Barrage Plasma Guns are rare and venerated weapons that are jealously guarded by the Techmarines of the Jericho Reach Deathwatch, and issued only to the most honoured Space Marines. Barrage Plasma Guns are highly tuned, rapid-fire weapons that can lay down incredible volumes of devastating plasma energy. While their ability to fire in semi-automatic and automatic modes make them both versatile and deadly, they use an immense amount of energy and are more prone to overheating than a typical Plasma Weapon. Deathwatch Space Marines see this as a small price to pay for the ability to spray volleys of plasma energy into charging bands of xenos.Combi-Plasma Gun – Combi-Weapons are Bolters that have been specially modified by skilled artisans. Each has been expertly converted to house another weapon, which can be a Plasma Gun. This extra weapon carries only a limited charge, allowing the bearer a single fusillade -- perfect for emergencies.Phased Plasma-fusil – Phased Plasma-fusils are relics of the bygone era of the Horus Heresy, and are potent Plasma Weapons that are used only by the Thallax Cohorts of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Each Phased Plasma-fusil is similar to a Plasma Gun, except that it trades strength and armour penetration capabilities for a faster rate of fire, especially when standing still.Plasma Talon – The Dark Angels and their Unforgiven Successor Chapters utilise a unique form of relic Plasma Weapon known as the Plasma Talon. The Dark Angels Ravenwing Black Knights make use of them, for their Mark IV Raven Pattern Bikes have their twin-linked Bolters replaced with twin-linked Plasma Talons. With a range in between a Plasma Pistol and a Plasma Gun, a Plasma Talon gives the Black Knights a significant boost in power. With these weapons affixed to their metallic steeds, the Black Knights can tear holes in the enemy lines before they ride into combat to smash apart the foe.Plasma Blaster – Plasma Blasters are relics of the bygone era of the Horus Heresy, and are potent Plasma Weapons that were only wielded as specialist weapons in Terminator Squads wearing Cataphractii Pattern Tactical Dreadnought Armour. They are nearly identical in power and function to Plasma Talons, except they were of a more archaic double-barrelled design. Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts have also been known to mount a Plasma Blaster embedded within their Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon instead of a Storm Bolter.Plasma Cannon – The largest man-portable Plasma Weapon is the Plasma Cannon, which is also known as the Heavy Plasma Gun. Fearsome to behold, a Plasma Cannon can drench an area in molten plasma when it fires its "bolts" of molten gas that explode on impact—burning, melting, and dissolving almost everything it touches with the destructive heat of a small sun. These weapons are so large they require a backpack fuel canister containing the weapon’s store of hydrogen fuel, instead of using attached Plasma Flasks for ammunition, though only a Space Marine or one of their Traitor brethren would think about carrying such a weapon into battle. More often, Plasma Cannons are mounted on vehicles, which can carry the specialised cooling equipment needed to prevent catastrophic overheating. Plasma Cannons has a much longer range and ammunition supply than a Plasma Gun, and its violent discharges, hurled like miniature suns from the barrel, have a large impact area. The weapon can also be fired in a special maximal mode that exhausts more fuel in a single shot to provide a larger blast of heat on impact, creating a truly devastating raging fireball. After this, the Plasma Cannon must recharge and replenish its internal fuel reserves before it can fire again. Plasma Cannons are best employed against clusters of heavily armoured troops or light vehicles; although due to its larger size, its incidences of overheating and meltdowns often prove to be even more catastrophic then what would be the norm for Plasma Weapons.Missile Launcher Plasma Missile – A larger incarnation of the Imperial Plasma Grenade, a salvo of Plasma Missiles can easily turn enemy troops into a smoking crater. Indeed, a soldier must take care when firing one of these rare and dangerous weapons to make sure his own squad and friendly forces are sufficiently out of harm’s way. Plasma Missiles have the same continuing effect as an Imperial Plasma Grenade. However, in addition to this, they pose an additional threat to vehicles. The plasma core of a Plasma Missile can become fused with the hull of a target vehicle, leaving no escape whilst the plasma core burns its way inside.Plasma Storm Battery – A Plasma Storm Battery is an ancient weapon found only in the armouries of the Dark Angels and their Unforgiven Successor Chapters. Since the discovery of the Land Speeder Vengeance STC, it has since been mounted on these vehicles to create a devastating mobile weapons platform. A Plasma Storm Battery is capable of firing in two modes -- a rapid burst mode of plasma pules similar to those fired by a Plasma Gun, or a slower super-charged mode that sends a toroid of plasma to explode over an even larger area than that of a Plasma Cannon bolt.Executioner Plasma Destroyer – Like its smaller cousins, an Executioner Plasma Cannon, also known as a Plasma Destroyer, is a temperamental but ultimately devastating weapon of war. It is especially effective against heavily armoured infantry, for its pulsed plasma bursts, which each are the size of a standard Plasma Cannon blast, are capable of incinerating the Emperor's enemies in a focussed beam of incandescent light which burns with the fury of the sun. Executioner Plasma Cannons are most commonly found mounted as the primary weapon on its namesake, the Leman Russ Executioner, although other Turret Emplacements and rare vehicle designs such as the Deimos Pattern Predator Executioner are also able to mount these rare weapons. Gradually, over many millennia, understanding of the plasma technology used to build Executioner Plasma Cannons has almost been lost, with Ryza being one of the few Forge Worlds still capable of producing them. During short engagements, the Executioner Plasma Cannon comes into its own, but over protracted fire fights the weapon is less reliable, as the time required to recharge its hydrogen fuel cell often puts the vehicle and its crew at risk during the fast-paced frenzy of battle. Given the ferocious temperatures generated by the Executioner Plasma Cannon when it is fired, the Ryza Pattern turret mounted on a Leman Russ Executioner incorporates emergency vents to disperse the heat from each shot. These are positioned on the forward turret sides, with the crew further screened by protective heat shielding. This is enough to save them in the event of a minor breach in the cannon's containment field, allowing them time to escape. If the worst should happen however, a catastrophic containment field failure can result in the destruction of the entire vehicle and a large area around it.Deathstrike Missile – Deathstrike Missiles are massive intercontinental ballistic missiles which can be outfitted with several different types of warheads, including biological, tactical nuclear, and Titan-killers. However, by far the most common type is the plasma warhead, which is capable of vaporizing almost anything within a very large radius by unleashing a potent thermonuclear plasma reaction.Omega Pattern Plasma Blastgun – The Omega Pattern Plasma Blastgun, although available since its discovery in the late 39th Millennium by Explorator Magos Valistle Hum'nal, suffered doctrinal wranglings over the purity and completeness of its template within the Adeptus Mechanicus. This would delay its field testing and eventual deployment for centuries. The weapon's design, although more widely applicable that the arcane technologies of its forbearer -- the standard Plasma Blastgun-- lacks the stability of the superlative Ryza Pattern weapon more commonly deployed on Titans and Stormblades, and generates considerably more waste heat. However, the Omega Pattern also utilises a more compact generator design and force crucible, allowing it to be mounted on smaller super-heavy hulls such as the Macharius Omega Heavy Tank. An Omega Pattern Plasma Blastgun is capable of firing in two main modes, both of which are capable of throwing out huge toroids of plasma that are far larger than the bolts fired by the more common Plasma Cannons. The first mode is a pulsed mode which trades strength for rate of fire, whilst the second maximal mode generates a single devastating blast capable of felling anything short of a Titan. However, due to the weapon’s smaller size, an Omega Pattern Blastgun cannot fire blasts with quite the same large scale as those fired by a standard Plasma Blastgun.Plasma Blastgun – Plasma Blastguns are immense Plasma Weapons only found mounted on Titans and on the Stormblade super-heavy tank. Originally designed as a Titan weapon, it can be most commonly be found mounted as an arm weapon on a Reaver-class Titan or Warhound-class Titan, or as a carapace weapon on a Warlord-class Titan. However, the Stormblade design, which was originally designed to fulfil the same "Titan-hunter" role of the Shadowsword, trades the latter’s rare Volcano Cannon for a modified Plasma Blastgun that can be mounted on the tank’s chassis. This is an effective weapon but lacks the awesome power of the Volcano Cannon, meaning its gun crews must fire at a much shorter range to engage their enemy. First developed upon the Forge World of Ryza, the Plasma Blastgun is a devastating weapon capable of vaporising whole armies in a single salvo. On a Stormblade chassis, space created by the removal of the original Volcano Cannon’s redundant main generator and capacitors is used by massive fuel cells which more than adequately power the tank's plasma weaponry. Additional space is also taken up by the weapon's extensive cooling system, and much like its smaller cousin, the Leman Russ Executioner, a Stormblade’s crew are protected by additional heat shielding. The vehicle's larger size also allows for a more efficient main cooling system, making it a more reliable vehicle than the Executioner. A Plasma Blastgun is capable of firing in two main modes, both of which are capable of throwing out huge toroids of plasma that are far larger than the bolts fired by the more common Plasma Cannons and the Omega Pattern Plasma Blastgun. The first mode is a pulsed mode which trades strength for rate of fire, whilst the second maximal mode generates a single devastating blast capable of felling anything short of a Titan.Plasma Obliterator - A Plasma Obliterator is the ultimate expression of plasma weaponry -- an apocalyptically powerful weapon capable of unleashing the wrath of a sun's heart onto the battlefield. This cannon is so large that it requires a bastion-sized weapons platform just to hold it. In the 41st Millennium, the wisdom required to create such weapons has been lost to the depths of time, and thus the Plasma Obliterator has become venerated, not just as a gun emplacement, but as a shrine to the Imperial cult. Behind the gun, a giant stylised eagle rears up, a sure sign of the Emperor's unrivalled majesty. The Plasma Obliterator is as much a relic as a war machine as rivets and screw threads sit beside ornamental skulls. The four facings of the Plasma Obliterator are decorated with a frieze depicting a death angel, standing symbolically among writhing flames -- a fitting metaphor for the fiery death it unleashes. Plasma weapons are feared across the galaxy for their capability to destroy their target -- armour, flesh and bone -- in an explosion of super-heat. When the Plasma Obliterator fires, men and aliens are reduced to ash in an eye blink.Plasma Destructor – A Plasma Destructor is one of the largest deployable land-based Imperial Plasma Weapons, and is only found mounted as an arm weapon on a Warlord-class Titan, or as a carapace weapon on an Imperator-class Titan. It is similar in power to a Plasma Blastgun, but has a further range and increased rate of fire. A Plasma Destructor is capable of firing in two main modes, both of which throw out huge toroids of plasma that are similar in size to the bolts fired by Plasma Blastguns. The first mode is a pulsed mode which trades strength for a high rate of fire, whilst the second maximal mode generates multiple devastating blasts capable of felling almost anything in its path.Plasma Annihilator – A Plasma Annihilator is the largest deployable land-based Imperial Plasma Weapon, and is only found mounted as an arm weapon on Emperor Battle Titans such as the Imperator-class Titan. It is similar in power to a Plasma Blastgun and Plasma Destructor, but has an even further range and an increased rate of fire compared to both as it is linked directly to the Titan’s monstrous plasma reactors. A Plasma Annihilator is capable of firing in two main modes, both of which throw out huge toroids of plasma that are similar in size to the bolts fired by Plasma Blastguns and Plasma Destructors. The first mode is a pulsed mode which trades strength for an extremely high rate of fire, whilst the second maximal mode generates a devastating blast at a still relatively high rate of fire capable of felling anything that stands in the Titan’s path.Plasma Bomb – Plasma Bombs are Plasma Weapons designed to be used by Imperial Starhawk bombers to assault enemy capital ships during void combat. When a Starhawk comes in close for its bombing run on a starship's hull, it will often drop flurries of these plasma warheads from its mid-bay bomb-firing cylinders. However, larger forms of Plasma Bombs have also been known to be dropped onto planets, often as part of an orbital bombardment or Exterminatus action.Plasma Torpedo – Plasma Torpedo warheads are the standard armament for Imperial Torpedoes used in starship void combat. These systems are designed to blast through a warship’s armoured hull, using their high speed to punch deep into the target vessel. The plasma reactor that powers a Plasma Torpedo’s drive forces it deep into the bowels of the ship and then it overloads, contributing to the fury of the warhead’s detonation. This reduces complexity, making their manufacture comparatively simple. Thus, these torpedoes are the staple of many Imperial Navy warships' armouries. However, larger forms of Plasma Torpedoes have also been known to be dropped onto planets, often as part of an orbital bombardment or Exterminatus action.Plasma Lance – Plasma Lances are the most common form of Imperial warship Lance weapon that makes up Imperial Navy Lance batteries. Plasma Lance Batteries are devastating in power and effective at long ranges for pinpoint strikes to penetrate enemy ships' shields and armour.Plasma Mortar – Plasma Mortars are mounted in powerful batteries on Ramilies-class Starforts as space defence weapons. They form part of each Starfort’s overwhelming defences and are extremely powerful weapons at long range. During the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, Plasma Mortars were used in the Thanatar class Imperial Robots.Plasma Projector (Plasma Battery) – Many Imperial Navy starships are armed with powerful Plasma Batteries of Plasma Projectors which hurl out great balls of plasma energy to decimate enemy warships. The Hecutor Pattern Plasma Battery is an ancient variant of plasma macro-weaponry that refocuses the power of a plasma blast, concentrating it into a compressed packet that can be fired over extremely long distances. It is rare to see these on any but the oldest vessels, meaning many are found on Heretic vessels lost to the forces of Chaos millennia ago. Few warships can match the power requirements necessary to equip a full broadside of these weapons, so these weapons are almost exclusively the providence of Battleships and larger warships. The Tyrant-class Cruiser is also most notable for its Plasma Projectors, for its super-charged Plasma Batteries are able to project its plasma blasts considerably further than comparable cruiser weapons, whilst retaining the same weight of fire at close quarters.Plasma Culverin - A Plasma Culverin is a type of heavy Plasma Weapon deployed by the Adeptus Mechanicus' Kataphron Battle Servitors, particularly the variant known as the Kataphron Destroyer. Plasma Culverins sacrifice the range of their cannon pattern equivalents in exchange for a higher rate of fire. Only the Adeptus Mechanicus dare coax such rampant destruction from their Plasma Weapons, yet to the Adepts of the Forge World of Ryza in particular, the scars they leave on wielder and war zone alike are considered quite normal.Nova Cannon – Nova Cannons are a classification of exceptionally powerful weaponry that can only be mounted upon capital ships. Mounted below the heavily armoured prows of Imperial Navy Cruisers and Battleships, Nova Cannons have few equals in terms of their range or destructive power. While variation exists, a typical Nova Cannon consists of an array of potent gravimetric impellers designed to accelerate a projectile to a fraction of the speed of light. These projectiles vary more than the nature of the cannons themselves, although the most common comes in the form of sophisticated plasma warheads which burn with the ferocity of a small star for a fraction of a second. In any case, a well-used Nova Cannon is a terrifying weapon to face, as much a psychological tool as a weapon. These weapons, however, are often ill-favoured by the Imperial Navy, with most starship captains preferring to utilise the more traditional torpedoes. Those few who favour the weapon understand that it is difficult to use and often rendered useless at close ranges. The Ryza Pattern Nova Cannon variant uses highly unstable plasma-based macro-bombs. These weapons are even more power-hungry than the standard Stygies-pattern, but are believed to be slightly more effective as well. With this additional power does come some additional questions of stability, as weaponising such a huge quantity of plasma carries its own dangers.Plasma Incinerator - A Plasma Incinerator is a new type of Imperial Plasma Gun developed for use by the Primaris Space Marines by Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl. Imperium-produced Plasma Weapons all fire searing bursts of energy, but the Mark III Belisarius Pattern Plasma Incinerator is the most advanced of its kind, firing a potent armour-melting blast with no risk of overload for the first time since the days of the Horus Heresy. The same cannot be said when the Plasma Incinerator is fired on its deadly overcharged setting, however. The Mark III Plasma Incinerator is the preferred weapon of Primaris Space Marine Hellblaster Squads.Macro Plasma Incinerator - The Macro Plasma Incinerator is a Dreadnought-sized version of the standard Plasma Incinerator, a weapon that harnesses the heat of captive suns to melt enemy tanks to bubbling sludge. Other than its greatly increased size and corresponding damage output, it is essentially identical to the smaller weapons used by the heavy infantry of the Adeptus Astartes.Heavy Plasma Incinerator - A Heavy Plasma Incinerator is a variant of the standard Plasma Incinerator that is capable of unleashing an even more potent plasma blast that does even more damage. This extra power is generated by a large power pack that is worn on the back and is connected to the weapon by a short cord. The Heavy Plasma Incinerator is usually wielded by Primaris Space Marine Hellblaster Squads.Assault Plasma Incinerator - The Assault Plasma Incinerator is a variant of the standard Plasma Incinerator that has been outfitted with a more sophisticated targeting array. This allows the wielder to unleash far more accurate plasma blasts from the weapon.Plasma Exterminator - A Plasma Exterminator is a variant of the Plasma Incinerator that is more compact and can be wielded in one hand, much like a pistol. Primaris Space Marine Inceptors often wield two of these weapons at once in place of the more standard twin Assault Bolters that usually comprise their weapon load-out.Plasma Decimator - A Plasma Decimator is a massive, Knight-grade Imperial Plasma Weapon that serves as one of the primary armaments of the Dominus-class Knight Castellan. The Plasma Decimator is a huge and obliterative weapon capable of bathing swathes of the battlefield in searing energies and reducing the enemy to glowing ashes. Knight Castellan pilots become adept at regulating the flow of plasmic energy from their dual power cores to this potent weapon, even risking angering the Machine Spirits in order to unleash an especially ferocious blast should the situation demand it.Plasma Caster - A small Plasma Weapon unique to the Dark Angels Legion during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras. It was fitted into the vambrace of each of the Dark Angels' Knights Cenobium to allow them to fight unencumbered in combat.