Editing Melta (section)

== Necron Melta Weapons ==
Yep that's right, even the [[Necrons]] have Melta-Weapons in the form of the Heat Ray that can be used either as a focused beam (two shots at STR8 AP1) or as a heavy flamer (AP4 STR5) is used exclusively by the [[Triarch Stalker]], and the short-ranged but very destructive Heat Cannon used by Sentry Pylons.

===Thermal Cutting Beam===
[[File:AcanthriteThermalCutting.png|200px|right|thumb|Cutting Beam]]
The Thermal Cutting Beam is a Necron weapon only utilized by the insect-like constructs known as [[Canoptek Acanthrite|Canoptek Acanthrites]].

This Cutting Beam mounted within the Acanthrite's thorax is capable of firing a short range, highly concentrated shaft of thermic energy ray that is able to slice apart the toughest of materials, dissecting steel, stone and flesh with equal ease and precision of a surgeon’s scalpel blade. Canoptek Acanthrites often use their Cutting Beams for the destruction of armored vehicles and troops, as well as the systematic and rapid dismemberment of bunkers and fortifications. Of note, unlike the similarly focused Fire Pike and Heat Lance of the Eldar, the Cutting Beam of the Necrons is much more similar to that of a standard Meltagun, save for being far more focused and prolonged. This distinction doesn't make their effectiveness any better, though, because the Cutting Beam is more or less the same as any Meltagun out there. We may infer this similarity to the supposed function of these Canoptek constructs.

Acanthrites are deployed in swarms for the purpose of systematic disintegration of enemy fortifications and pretty much anything else that just has to be in their way. This means that the Cutting Beam is more akin to that of a precision tool for Necron mass demolitions job that just happens to be good at killing combatants who are encased in armor like a tank.

In battle, this weapon-worthy quality translates to the Acanthrites, being vanguard units, using them to soften up the enemy defenses for the following main forces to easily engage.
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=12"|s7=6|ap7=2|type7=Assault 1, Melta|r8=12"|s8=7|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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===Heat Ray===
[[File:NecronHeatRaySide.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Heat Ray]]
This here is a weapon ripped straight out of H.G. Wells '''''War of the Worlds''''' in both name and possibly function.

A Heat Ray is a multi-purpose Necron fusion weapon – that is, Melta – and it is most commonly mounted on [[Triarch Stalker|Triarch Stalkers]] whose role is to engage heavy armor and provide close fire support. Heat Rays are potent weapons in that they are capable of firing in two different modes just like those of the Orks'. Unlike the Burnas, however, the Necrons' "''cuttin flame''" actually goes well beyond melee range. If an enemy tank stalls the main Necron attack, a single Focused blast from the Heat Ray is sufficient to end the threat. Similarly, if dug-in infantry are hampering an advance, a Triarch Stalker can break the deadlock by setting the Heat Ray to fire a Dispersed beam, sending a wide cone of scorching plasma swirling into every crevasse to boil the enemy alive (it's essentially a <s>supped-up</s> ''standard'' [[Star Trek]] Phaser).

Whereas a focused beam is akin to a Melta Weapon with a significant range comparable to a Multi-Melta, the Dispersed beam is more similar to a Heavy Flamer in terms of the potential damage it can inflict. Of note, this ability of changing between Dispersed and Focused firing modes is remarkably similar to another weapon of the Salamanders, the Pyroclast Flame Projector. It seems Vulkan had been tinkering with Necron tech prior to the Horus Heresy, or that both him and the cannon found inspiration from the novel.

Or he might have found inspiration from the Orks instead. Fluff-wise, the Burna of the Orks is likely inspired by the Heat Ray of the Necrons – and hopefully not the other way around.
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=Template|s7=5|ap7=4|type7=Heavy 1|r8=8"|s8=5|ap8=-1|d8=1|type8=Heavy 2D6|abil8=Automatically hits target.}}
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=24"|s7=8|ap7=1|type7=Heavy 2, Melta|r8=24"|s8=8|ap8=-4|d8=D6|type8=Heavy 2|abil8=If target within half range, roll two dice for damage and discard the lowest result.}}
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===Heat Cannon===
[[File:SentryPylonHeatCannonSide.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Heat Cannon]]
What we see here is the Heat Ray's bigger brother. But since it is big enough to mount on a turret, it is now a cannon.

The Heat Cannon is a Necron thermal energy weapon with qualities from appearance to destructive capability similar to that of the smaller Heat Ray, only much bigger, and it is one of the three primary weapon choices for a [[Sentry Pylon]]. Unlike the Heat Ray, however, it does not have a Dispersed firing mode, and there really isn't any big reason to equip a static weapons platform with a flame cannon unless the feature is complimentary.

The Heat Cannon is a weapon of extraordinary power. This giant ray gun can reduce the most heavily-armored tanks into piles of molten slag and burn its way through the most heavily-protected fortifications at relatively great distances. With every beam it fires, it is capable of vaporizing everything in an area with a small blast, and its rate of fire allows it to continually bombard an area with impunity. By its capabilities, it is equivalent to the Thermal Cannon sported by the Questoris Knights of the Imperium of Man. Speaking of which, their possible rendition of the Knight Errant is an interesting prospect, though since it is the Necrons we're talking about, the construct in question will probably have at least six legs and not two. Well, there are the Bone Giants, but that's their Tomb Kings incarnation over Warhammer Fantasy.

However, like two other two cannons of total destruction, the Heat Cannon might actually require a lot of power and space supported by the frame of a Sentry Pylon in order to operate.
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Heat_Cannon.jpg|<center>Sketch</center>
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=36"|s7=10|ap7=1|type7=Heavy 2, Blast (3"), Melta|r8=36"|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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{{40k-Necron-Weapons}}