Superheavy Laser Weapons
Sometimes you just need a little more firepower. Sometimes you just need to hatefuck a few new holes in your enemy. The Imperium of Man in particular has taken a liking to these weapons, especially for their reliability and accuracy: from the humble lasgun to the powerful lascannon. But it was not enough. Upsizing the weapons several times and attaching them to their Titans, the Adeptus Titanicus are the supreme masters of these weapons.
Neutron Laser Projector[edit]
The bigger and more powerful version of the regular Neutron Laser. The Neutron Laser Projector is a powerful and rare weapon used by the Imperium. Mounted on Valdor Tank Hunters and Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyers, it is a relic of the Dark Age of Technology. These little-understood and highly unstable weapons emit powerful blasts that outmatch any other Imperial weapon of its size. The projector fires a neutron beam capable of destroying even the densest material by explosive matter disruption, smashing apart the target's molecular structure and creating a massive electro-magnetic shock-pulse which can disable electronic systems while the penetrating radiation disrupts any biological matter, though this effect works only against vehicles which lack the thick shielding and protective mass of Super-Heavy Tanks.
While this makes the weapon perfect for tank-hunting, the neutron beam's unique nature means that if it fails to transfer its energy discharge entirely to the target vehicle, a dangerous feedback loop can cause damage to the weapon itself. The neutronic-coil arc-reactor which powers the weapon is also inherently unstable and, without the necessary reactor shielding, can be hazardous to operate.
In times of the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy this weapon was also installed on Sicaran Venators tanks though even then its systems and principles were barely understood by Tech-adepts.
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Cerberus Heavy... -
...Tank Destroyer -
Sicaran Venator
Atrapos Lascutter[edit]
The Cerastus Knight-Atrapos was designed with the singular purpose of destroying Heretek engines and xenos war machines whose very nature and existence was considered a blasphemy to the Omnissiah.
The Atrapos Lascutter is a type of Laser Weapon used by Imperial Knights. A variant of the much smaller Lascutter, the Atrapos lascutter sees duty as both a ranged and close combat weapon. It is most typically mounted on the Knight Atrapos.
The Atrapos Lascutter takes the function of a Lascutter to the extreme, resulting in a weapon able to cut through the hulls of enemy tanks with ease. The Atrapos can use its Lascutter to destroy enemy Knights and can even pose a threat to Battle Titans at close range. The Atrapos Lascutter can be used as a melee weapon, or can fire a longer-ranged directed energy attack, though the range remains quite limited.
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Alternate View
Lightning Cannon[edit]
The Lightning Cannon is an enlarged version of the Mechanicum Lightning Gun, which we should stress again, is NOT an actual Arc weapon. Requiring a vast energy core to draw from, the cannon fires a laser-guided electromagnetic beam that vaporizes flesh and armor with ease. It is most commonly mounted on the Krios Battle Tanks.
The Lightning Cannon is also used primarily by the Questoris Knight Magaera but can also be found in use by Freeblade Knights. The Lightning Cannon is a Knight-sized variation of the Lightning Gun carried by the Thallaxii of the Adeptus Mechanicus' Ordo Reductor. The Lightning Cannon uses focused beams of electromagnetic energy to vaporize infantry and blast apart armor.
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Back View
Las-Impulsor[edit]
The Las-Impulsor is a superheavy las weapon found only on the unique Knight Preceptors. Like a giant laser shotgun, the Las-Impulsor fires lightning-fast and devastating volley of laser blasts that can strip force shields from enemy war engines one at a time, and hammer their way through even the thickest armour or chitin to annihilate the vital systems beneath. The weapon works by building up an enormous charge of energy within capacitor shrines before cascading it down poly-sanctified conduits in escalating pulses.
However, the history of the Las-Impulsor is even more impressive. It was lost by the Imperium twice before somehow being miraculously recovered from it. The first was during the Great Crusade when the weapons were produced solely upon a trio of forge worlds that were famed for their skill in creating and innovating laser weapons. These planets, known collectively as the Deuterium Stars, held a monopoly on this weapon. Unfortunately, the Horus Heresy came by and turned one of the three planets absolutely heretical whilst destroying the other two planets in the process. The weapon became super rare after this, until M34 when somehow, an Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet discovered another Las-Impulsor STC on a fucking Ork World. It is a miracle that the STC even survived in one piece knowing how Orks like their things properly modded and kitbashed. Nonetheless, the Las-Impulsor was put back into service... until a sizable force of Chaos Space Marines descended upon the forge world of Ixas in M38 and promptly 'borrowed' it for heretical uses. It was lost until the Freeblade Moritor Repugnum then led a crusade force of Black Templars to enter the Maelstrom and 'graciously borrowed it back' from the Dark Mechanicum. Again, the STC SOMEHOW survived wholly intact without a hint of Chaotic corruption.
Nevertheless, the weapon was returned to Ixas with great ceremony in mid-M41, and has been in use ever since.
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Alternate View
Volcano Lance[edit]
A new 'fire, aim and forget' weapon that has been introduced for the Imperium.
The baby cousin of the Volcano Cannon and Magma Cannon mounted only on the Knight Castellan. Seeing how the Knight Castellan resembles a miniature version of the Warlord Titan, the equally mini-version of the Volcano Cannon mounts a lot of Dawww.
Anyways, this superheavy Laser weapon is a step up from the Lightning Cannon. With an 80″ Range, Heavy D6 shots at Str 14 Ap -5 and 3D3 Damage, this mini-monster is going to be quite effective at killing highly armored targets.
PS: You can also re-roll any failed wounds against any Titanic units with this bad boy. Oh yes, give me multiple shots of these strength 14 overcharged Lascannons on steroids please. Those tears are going to be quite delicious.
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Alternate View
Laser Destructor[edit]
Surprisingly, a Chaos exclusive.
The Laser Destructor is the more heretical brother of the Volcano Lance, even though they share the same niche. Wielded only by the Chaos Knight Desecrator. Boasting considerable range for a focused beam weapon, the Laser Destructor packs a tremendous punch.
Each shot is preceded by a sound of air and moisture igniting as energy flickers about the weapon's muzzle, before it discharges its contents of pure laser goodness. Where the Laser Destructor's actinic blast strikes, anything short of Titan-grade armour rolls for anal circumference.
The weapon is capable of coring a foot-wide hole through solid adamantium from a thousand metres away, and the irregular overpulses that race down its beam can blast apart targets like superheavy tanks and other Knight-like walkers with general ease.
Magma Cannon[edit]
Imagine a Las-Impulsor fitted on a Baneblade chassis, or the reverse if you have been around since before the Impulsor was introduced.
The Volcano Cannon's smaller brother, the Magma Cannon is a heavy Titan-killing weapon utilized on the Doomhammer Super Heavy Tanks of the Imperial Guard. The Doomhammer's Magma Cannon lacks the range and area of effect of its larger cousin, but it is still more than able to turn an enemy formation to dust and can even take on smaller Titans if needed.
At the same time however, the reduced number of capacitors needed to power the weapon allows the Doomhammer to transport infantry, thus giving the tank a more flexible battlefield role, an IFV with a big gun as opposed to a dedicated Tank Destroyer.
Hence, where a Shadowsword armed with the Volcano Cannon can easily operate as a lone Titan hunter, the Doomhammer must be supported by other elements of the Imperial Guard in order to bring a Titan down. Also, the Magma Cannon does not require the tank's engine to be stopped to fire, granting the Doomhammer the required mobility to bracket smaller targets and obliterate them
On tabletop, the Magma Cannon is a 60" Heavy 2d6 S10 AP-5 D1d6, Ignores Cover Saves, Melta Damage. Oh yes you heard that right, a 60" superheavy Melta weapon, sure it might have a shorter range than other weapons of its category. But still, a S10 Melta weapon that is 60" would ruin the day of most vehicles and infantry blobs in a single turn.
Turbo-Laser Destructor[edit]
Turbo-Lasers are known to be very destructive to the surrounding environment, capable of penetrating through the ground down to the bedrock and leaving behind long gouges of fused earth. In urban environments their scorching emissions have shivered tiles off roofs and shattered windows at their passing, and an entire block-row of buildings can be leveled in one sweep of these weapons. Against lesser foes turbo-lasers have been known to cause infantry to ignite and evaporate almost instantly. Even passing just a few meters overhead will sear the meat off the bone of exposed troopers. Turbo-lasers will also punch right through the armor of Battle Tanks, tearing them in two and disintegrating them with a single shot. Not even Baneblades are safe.
Single-Barrelled[edit]
A single massive cannon strapped to the back of a Thunderhawk, it can deal massive damage to unprepared targets. And prepared targets. The Turbo-Laser is a potent laser-based energy weapon that can come in the configuration on one, two or three barrels. The one on the Thunderhawk mounts the single-barrelled variant.
Along with the weapons mounted on Fellblades variants. It is one of the few Super Heavy that Space Marines can field. Making it the only option for years that players could take until the Horus Heresy game books were released.
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Variant
Double-Barrelled[edit]
Two Turbo-Lasers strapped together to form a single destructive weapon. Most commonly used by the Warhound Scout Titan. They are also sometimes fitted to the carapace hard-points of the larger Reaver and Warlord Battle Titan.
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Model -
Warlord Titan Invictus
Triple-Barrelled[edit]
What's better than two Turbo-Lasers? Three of course! Fitted to the Reaver Battle Titan, Warbringer Nemesis Titan, and certain patterns of Warlord Titan, with the Mars-Alpha pattern Warlord commonly mounting a pair in carapace mounts. The Imperator-class Titan can also carry one or more Laser Blasters on its carapace hard-points. These babies can REALLY fuck your shit up.
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Alternate View -
Warlord Carapace
Arachnus Magna-Blaze Cannon[edit]
"She weighs one hundred fifty tons and fires a supercharged laser at one shot per minute, costing an entire Hive World-worth of land to fire this weapon for twelve seconds. I call it Sasha."
- – Alphus Heavius, Custodes Fortress 2
And here we have the godfather of the Arachnus family. The obnoxiously long Arachnus Magna-Blaze Cannon is a heavy weapon used by the Custodian Guard during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.
The ultimate variant of Blaze Cannon, the Arachnus Magna-Blaze Cannon was one of the most potent energy weapons used by humanity and one of the most jealously guarded secrets of the Adeptus Custodes. The weapon fires beams of light akin to a solar flare; it must be cooled by heat dissipation engines. such as those mounted within atmospheric re-entry cargo spacecraft like the Ares Gunship. However such incredible firepower came at great cost, for the housing needed to protect and keep cool the release of such tremendous energy pulses is so resource-intensive that all of the wealth of a noble family of Terra could be consumed just firing one shot.
...which begs the question of just what kinda magical bullshitium is used to keep this fucking thing from melting into slag after every shot, because Emprah-damn it, no level of cool is ever gonna justify that level of impracticality.
Volcano Cannon[edit]
What's that? The Laser Blaster is not good enough for you? Then what about the massive penis extension that is the Volcano Cannon? So massive that it has to be fitted onto Reaver and greater class Titans. They can also be fitted onto the Shadowsword class Baneblade and the main cannons of the Space Marine Falchion. Yes, two of them. Because big guns need to move fast too. Unfortunately for tanks, the gun's size means that mounting it in a turret is impossible: you have to point the tank where you want to shoot. For the ultimate trolling against other Super Heavies the Falchion has the option of taking a Shock Pulse; each time the target suffers a penetrating hit it forces it to fire snap shots making EMP grenades look like the tools of script kiddies in comparison.
This long-ranged weapon is capable of slicing off the arm or leg of a Titan or killing an enemy war engine with a single shot, though even a Warhound Scout Titan with intact Void Shields can survive a direct hit. Its firepower is stupendous against lesser targets, reducing a Razorback to nothing more than a blackened scorch mark and utterly vaporizing a thick, hundred meter tall iron gate as though it never existed.
It is also tainted with the Warp as the crystals needed for the weapon to fire are taken from a mineral vein on the mining world Cinderus XI. Created when Heretic Psykers were slaughtered and buried beneath the lava rivers on the planet, after a failed plot to kill the Planetary Governor, the crystals cause a loud crackling noise to be emitted by the Volcano Cannon when fired. This noise, which some claim are the final screams of the the dead Psykers, has been known to drive those who fight beside the weapon insane; though the tank or Titan crews themselves have never been reported to suffer from these ill effects. As a result units of infantry escorting vehicles and Titans using the Volcano Cannon are subject to periodic purges. Which is beyond stupid even for the Imperium.
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Alternate View -
Shadowsword -
Falchion
Hellstorm Cannon[edit]
A giant laser revolver.
So massive it can only be fitted onto the Imperator Battle Titan, this weapon is more than able to lay waste to entire armies, laying down 8 7" pie plates PER SHOT. The Hellstorm Cannon is a multi-barreled weapon capable of firing in quick succession, giving an Imperator Titan unparalleled firepower against other enemy Titans and the power to completely decimate an entire army in just one cataclysmic salvo. The cannon is able to strip the Void Shields from a Warlord Battle Titan in one volley.
You might remember this puppy from seeing it in Dark Crusade in the Imperial Guard stronghold level, which if you go back to the world map you see it's creating a burn mark that can be seen from space. A detached Hellstorm Cannon from a long-destroyed Emperor Titan can be seen lying on its side near the city of Ironworks Bay on the planet Kronus, a monument to a Titan that fell during the Horus Heresy, the possession of which later became a rabid duck hunt for strategic importance.
Although lets be frank, other than the Imperium or maybe Chaos, none of the other factions would have any idea on how to even mount MOVE this thing in the first place, let alone find anything worthwhile to make it practical on what is basically a stationary gun that can't even move. That said the Tau would have fun taking it apart to see what makes it tick. They would likely not understand it, though. On the other hand Necrons probably would. Though considering that even Necron handheld weapons can molecularly decompile targets, it'd probably be like a nuclear capable human military looking at, say, the 16th century Tsar Cannon. It's big and it can shoot some hefty rocks, but realistically, it's a quaint antique.
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Kronus
Vengeance Cannon[edit]
A very rare weapon fitted only onto Imperator or Emperor titans, this weapon has extremely high range, and firepower more than capable of destroying enemy titans in a single shot. A step up of the Hellstorm Cannon (Yes, only in the Imperium does a six-barrelled laser cannon the size of a three story building be considered only as a step up), the Vengeance Cannon resemble two giant twin-linked Lascannons or a giant goofy looking cannon tower that is the tallest structure on top the Emperor Titan's superstructure.
This gun is used to one shot enemy Titans and deal a threat to even low orbiting Imperial ships and boy does it show in the semi-heretical rules.
With a range of goddamned 360", you can snipe a random Titan from another table. The extreme range is backed up by its Strength D, AP 2, Heavy 4 Destroyer weapon layout. This shit eats Baneblades for breakfast. And it doesn't help that it produces a 7" blast template. So that's a whole lot of smoking craters by the end of the first turn. You should basically treat this as a Titan sniper weapon because that what it is by function.
Defense Laser[edit]
Defense Lasers are a common anti-voidship defensive weapons used by the Imperial Planetary Defense Forces. A gigantic laser weapon, it is a monstrous engine of destruction so large it can only be mounted on fixed platforms. They use vast amounts of power to fire, blacking out power grids for miles around with each volley. Designed for use against invading warships in orbit, they can drive away anything up to a Cruiser.
Although in rare and unorthodox cases, the Defense Laser can be mounted on the Imperator-class Titan which is big enough of mounting one as an anti-aircraft weapon. That would be quite ridiculous if it wasn't for the fact that when they meant by 'aircraft', they meant multi-kilometer voidships.
Average length of Defense Laser's main laser chamber - is over 15m (with an overall weight of many tons) and this weapon has little use against ground-based targets, where its practical range equaled nearly a mile at ground height.
These massive laser weapons, housed in extensive installations on planetary surfaces, are classified as Lance weapons by voidship standards. Although able to project their powerful beams hundreds of miles outside of the planet's atmosphere, planet-based lasers require even more power than ship Lances to compensate for the diffraction of the energy beam caused by firing through the atmosphere. These power requirements can be satiated by on-site generatoria, or by drawing from the power grid of the planet's infrastructure. In many cases, the bulk of the defense laser silo's supporting machinery is built underground, adding the protection of hundreds of feet of rock to the meters-thick armored walls of the facility above.
There is at least one ancient Defense Laser that can drain a huge area of power to deliver a massive blast capable of vaporizing an entire unshielded escort ship.
Lance Weapon[edit]
A Defence Laser that is actually on the offense with less power juice and more mobility.
Tape it on to a navy boat, fart a twelve second prayer and tell the deck swabbers to go back to where they came from, these things can get to nearly a kilometer long.
The idea behind Lances is simple: use an ultra-heavy directed energy cannon to hit an enemy with a blast so powerful that it punches straight through its armor.
The principle of such a weapon is an extremely high-powered energy beam; the efficiency of a Lance turret is increased by the incorporation of several smaller beam projectors into a single, focused beam (just like the Death Star). The resulting weapon is capable of incinerating straight through the armored hulls of other vessels as if they were irrelevant.
Made on the off chance you need to perform an exterminatus on a budget. Or alternatively, to destroy enemy voidships when there's no planet with heretics to rain death upon from orbit (oh, also if said fleet is shooting at you), putting nukes to shame in either case.