Editing Melta (section)

== Eldar Melta Weapons ==
The [[Eldar]] employ fusion guns, fusion pistols, and fire pikes for their portable anti-tank weaponry. They also fire red energy orbs, a stark contrast to their Imperial counterparts. Fusion guns and fusion pistols are meltaguns and inferno pistols in a shape more pleasing to Eldar aesthetics, but fire pikes are longer range (18") meltaguns with no additional downsides. Fire Dragons can take a fusion gun on every squad member and their sergeant can take a fire pike.

===Fusion Pistol===
[[File:EldarHarlequinFusionPistol.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Fusion Pistol]]
The Fusion Pistol is a handheld, heat-based weapon – a Melta pistol used by the Eldar, and the baby brother of their Fusion family.

For a race that is not plagued by bureaucratic nightmares, the Fusion Pistol is curiously rather hard to find among Craftworlders – even the [[Aspect_Warrior#Fire_Dragons|Aspect Warriors who are all about the heat]] do not carry them. Only the Autarchs seem to carry them to battle. This might mean that the Fusion Pistol is similarly difficult to make like the Inferno Pistol, or that there is an Aspect Shrine exclusively tailored for usage of Fusion Pistols that we do not know about. The first conjecture is odd since, as mentioned, the Craftworld Eldar do not really stagnate in the same manner as the Imperium/Mechanicum (their “stagnation” is intentional and carefully designed for spiritual protection reasons). The second conjecture presents Aspect Warriors somehow exclusively using Fusion Pistols while remaining distinct from the Fire Dragons. These theoretical fusion cowboys might emphasize on swiftness in contrast to the Fire Dragons, taking advantage of the small size of their primary weapon. Perhaps specialized in combating heavy infantry and fast attack vehicles, like a fast or ambush version of the Fire Dragons. Which actually sounds like a pretty reasonable Aspect. Conjectures aside, another fact here is that the Harlequin Eldar carry these quite frequent. Since this lot prefers close quarters combat, it makes sense for them to have a good number of Fusion Pistols in store just in case they have to dance straight to a tank or something similarly tough. The Harlequins might actually make these Fusion Pistols in-house, and distribute the surplus to Craftworlds.

The Fusion Pistol is practically identical to the Imperium's Inferno Pistol as far as stats are concerned.
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{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="background: white;"
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AutarchFusionPistol.jpg|<center>Autarch</center>
HarlequinFusionPistol.png|<center>Harlequin</center>
Skyraider's_Kiss.png|<center>''Eternal Crusade''</center>
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=6"|s7=8|ap7=1|type7=Pistol, Melta|r8=6"|s8=8|ap8=-4|d8=D6|type8=Pistol 1|abil8=If target within half range, roll two dice for damage and discard the lowest result.}}
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===Fusion Gun===
[[File:FusionGunProfile.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Fusion Gun]]
The Eldar possess an unsurpassed mastery in heat-based weapons, and they take savage delight in the devastation they create.

The Fusion Gun is by far one of the most common heat-based weapons of the Eldar, deployed in high numbers among the Aspect Warriors known as Fire Dragons. Though it can only be used at short range, it possesses a sophisticated targeting system, as befits high status troops like Aspect Warriors. Like most Eldar technology, the weapon is psychically activated, its resonant Wraithbone construction being sensitive to the Eldar's innately psychic mind. A Fire Dragons' Fusion Gun is linked to its targeter through the handle. It is common knowledge to always replace your Eldar Flamer with a Fusion Gun as the Fusion Gun just does the Flamer's job so much better for roughly the same cost and effectiveness. The ''Skyraider's Kiss'' can be utilized by both [[Fire Dragons]], [[Aspect Warriors]] as well as [[Storm Guardians|Storm Guardian]] units. This Fusion Gun variant was initially developed for deployment on Bethalmae. The "''Skyraider's Kiss''" design was [[Blood Ravens|"borrowed"]] from Craftworld Mymeara after their prototypes proved capable at functioning at well below sub-zero conditions. The addition of extra cabling to the weapon to shunt extra coolant also allows this variant to be fired more frequently, requiring less time to cool down between shots. The trade-off for the extra cooling is that the additional coolant has to be stored within weapon, making the whole thing heavier as a result.

Despite its overall superiority in fluff, the Fusion Gun is also practically identical to the Imperium's Meltagun in terms of stats.
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{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="background: white;"
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EldarFusionGun.jpg|<center>Variant</center>
StormGuardianFusionGun.jpg|<center>Storm Guardian</center>
AutarchFusionGun.jpg|<center>Autarch</center>
FireDragonFusionGun.png|<center>Fire Dragon</center>
Fusion_Gun.jpg|<center>''Skyraider's Kiss''</center>
FusionGunPict.jpg|<center>Pict Capture</center>
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=12"|s7=8|ap7=1|type7=Assault 1, Melta|r8=12"|s8=8|ap8=-4|d8=D6|type8=Assault 1|abil8=If target within half range, roll two dice for damage and discard the lowest result.}}
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===Fire Pike===
[[File:Fire_Pike.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Fire Pike]]
Instead of making a bigger Melta and carrying it in the same manner a Dark Reaper would, the Fire Dragons realized that to increase range, they only needed to <strike>tape two fusion guns together</strike> ''extend the barrel''.

The Fire Pike is essentially a Fusion Gun with a flag pole for a barrel exclusively carried by Eldar Exarchs of the Fire Dragons Aspect Shrine. Think of it as an elongated Fusion Gun that looks [[/d/|strangely phallic and erect]]. The lengthened barrel is not just for show, however. In fact, the Fire Pike is their only handheld Melta that is actually able to hit its target beyond three meters; an exceptional feat for its size. Although the bulkier Multi-Melta still maintains a longer range, smaller frames like regular Humans and Eldar would need Power Armour to carry it around. For a Melta weapon, the Fire Pike projects its radiating heat beam a considerable distance further than the standard range of regular Melta weapons of the same size/weight melting through the toughest armor with deadly precision. Fire Pikes predate the existence of the Imperium of Man, having been created by Eldar artisans long millennia ago. And so they are pretty rare among the arsenals of the Eldar, most often borne by the mightiest champions of their kind as [[STC|relic weapons beyond contemporary means to reproduce]] even for the Eldar Craftworlds. This may translate as Fire Pikes being rather common in the past, perhaps available to all Fire Dragons. Imagine a pike square consisted of Fire Pikes. Good luck running your tanks over that.

Stats-wise, the Fire Pike is literally just the Fusion Gun with six extra inches of range. That's it.
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FireDragonExarchFireLance.png|<center>Fire Dragon Exarch</center>
FueganFirepike.png|<center>''[[Phoenix_Lord#Fuegan|Fuegan]]'s''</center>
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=18"|s7=8|ap7=1|type7=Assault 1, Melta|r8=18"|s8=8|ap8=-4|d8=D6|type8=Assault 1|abil8=If target within half range, roll two dice for damage and discard the lowest result.}}
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===Inferno Lance===
[[File:Inferno Lance.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Inferno Lance]]
The Inferno Lance is the largest Melta weapon the Eldar so far has to offer.

Inferno Lances are carried by the more elite [[Wraithknight|Skathach Wraithknights]] who can afford better gear such as the alternative [[Monofilament_Weapons#Deathshroud_Cannon|Deathshroud Cannon]]. As you can tell from the apparent barrel long enough to almost convince you that it is a long-range cannon, the weapon is a refinement based on the previous Fire Pike of the Fire Dragons. Powered by the Skathach's integral generator, the Inferno Lance is capable of burning through the armor of even the mightiest enemy war machine in a single, sustained burst of super-heated particles and high-band radiation. To make the best use of the Inferno Lances, the Wraithknights usually equip these in a pair for twice the ''Dakka''. A shame that it is not found as secondary weapons on Eldar Titans such as the [[Revenant Scout Titan]] or the more powerful [[Phantom Battle Titan]], as this would give the Space Elves a good chance in poking a dent on the Titans of the Imperium; unless, of course, they already have something bigger and better. If that is the case, it better not be another long-barreled Fusion Gun... speaking of which, since the Fire Pike is essentially a branch off the regular Fusion Gun, we have not yet seen what the Eldar "''Fusion Cannon''" proper looks like. But if one were to guess, it wouldn't have a long barrel for a start.

Strangely enough, the equivalent weapon by the Imperium's side, the Thermal Cannon, has better stats than this, though we can certainly attribute that to lighter weight and the fact that the Inferno Lance is cheaper as well.
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InfernoLance.png|<center>Alternate View</center>
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=36"|s7=8|ap7=1|type7=Heavy D3+2, Melta|r8=24"|s8=8|ap8=-4|d8=D6|type8=Heavy D6|abil8=If target within half range, roll two dice for damage and discard the lowest result.}}
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