Grav-Weaponry
Grav-Weapons
Weapons that employ ancient Graviton technology, selectively altering gravity to turn the target's mass against them. Grav weapons were used by many of the Space Marine Legions during the Horus Heresy. However, in the 41st millennium, the secrets of how to build and maintain them are locked deep within the vaults of the Adeptus Mechanicus on Mars and are even rarer than plasma guns, and like Plasma guns this will not stop every marine and his primarch from fielding bucketloads of them. Only a select few know these secrets and only the most promising techmarines are trusted with them.
Graviton weapons from Forge World operate completely differently than the grav-weapons shown in the new Space Marine Codex. The reason for this was a mystery up until Horus Heresy III - Extermination came out and actually had a Graviton weapon that behaved like a Grav weapon: the Graviton Imploder. The explanation is that all 40k grav weapons started out as graviton weapons, but graviton weapons were not actually intended to be used as weapons at all; more likely, they were to be used like Star Trek tractor beams. Nevertheless, they were used as weapons until some guy on the Forgeworld of Tigrus figured out how to make a cheaper replacement which concentrated the energy into single targets rather than over wider areas. The tech-priests called this blasphemy, owing to the fact that it was not how the technology was originally intended, but considering they are generally more useful on the battlefield they became more common than the original design.
Special Rules
In 7e, all grav weapons have the Concussive and "Graviton" rules. Instead of comparing Strength to Toughness when rolling to wound, the firing player (you) instead rolls the target's armor save, down to a minimum of 6+. For example, if the target has a 2+, that's what they get wounded on. (Go Orks!) When rolling to Pen on vehicles, 1-5 does nothing and a 6 immobilizes the vehicle and takes a hull point (so an already immobilized vehicle loses two hull points). Graviton weapons have no effect on buildings. All grav weapons were also AP 2.
8e nerfed this down to causing D3 damage against anything with a 3+ armor save or better, and quite frankly the things deserved it. Now that immobilization doesn't exist and the gun itself is overshadowed by the improved plasma weapons, it's gone from being a gamebreaker to a slightly better bolter at best.
They come in four varieties, similar to the way plasma weapons do.
Grav-Pistol
The smallest of the grav-weapons and comparable to Plasma Pistols in terms of how often people use them. Its effect is not quite as powerful as that of its larger counterparts, but it can still do enormous damage to targets possessed of a large mass.
Like all Grav-weaponry, the Grav-Pistol fires a stream of graviton particles which affects the local gravitational field of a target area, making the targeted object either far heavier or lighter depending on the weapon's setting.
| Edition | Range | Type | S | AP | Damage | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th | 12 | Pistol | - | 2 | N/A | Concussive, Graviton |
| 8th | 12 | Pistol 1 | 5 | -3 | 1 | Becomes D3 damage vs. targets with armor save of 3+ or better |
Grav-Gun
The middle sized of the Grav Weapons. This medium-sized Grav-weapon utilizes the gravitic reaction principle most commonly seen powering grav-vehicles such as the Land Speeder. Each gun is a rare relic left over from the Dark Age of Technology and are now sacredly guarded by the Adeptus Mechanicus, and very rarely will they allow one to leave their armories, but some Space Marine Chapters still field a handful of such weapons.
| Edition | Range | Type | S | AP | Damage | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th | 18 | Salvo 2/3 | - | 2 | N/A | Concussive, Graviton |
| 8th | 18 | Rapid Fire 1 | 5 | -3 | 1 | Becomes D3 damage vs. targets with armor save of 3+ or better |
Grav-Cannon
The biggest of the Grav Weapons fielded by space marines, Grav-Cannons are carried by devastator centurions.
The Power of the Graviton Cannon is sufficient to rupture organs and crack bones even inside armor, but it's primary use is to counter enemy machinery without the risk of secondary explosions. Graviton Cannons have also been seen mounted on Rapiers as well. Standard devastators can now take them too as of recent updates.
| Edition | Range | Type | S | AP | Damage | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th | 24 | Salvo 3/5 | - | 2 | N/A | Concussive, Graviton |
| 8th | 24 | Heavy 4 | 5 | -3 | 1 | Becomes D3 damage vs. targets with armor save of 3+ or better |
Heavy Grav-Cannon
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The bigger, blacker Grav-Cannon, for Adeptus Mechanicus of course. This things can turn a tank inside out or turn the METHUL BAWKS into a even smaller and boxier METHUL BAWKS. Such is the Heavy Grav-Cannon that it is seen as a serious threat to even superheavy vehicles such as the Baneblade and its dozen brothers or even Imperial Knights. At 30' range and salvo 4/6, it could make Wraithknights cry.
| Edition | Range | Type | S | AP | Damage | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th | 30 | Salvo 4/6 | - | 2 | N/A | Concussive, Graviton |
| 8th | 30 | Heavy 5 | 5 | -3 | 1 | Becomes D3 damage vs. targets with armor save of 3+ or better |
Grav-Amp
A piece of specialist wargear that allows any grav-weapons being used in the same squad as the model holding it to re-roll failed wounds and vehicle damage (i.e. gain Shred). Large enough to rival even a Grav-Cannon. The Grav-Amp is a wonder of ancient technology all by itself as it focuses the field of a users Grav-Weapon, further amplifying the already devastating affects of a Grav-weapon due to its unique gravitational lens, hence its name, the Grav-Amp.
It is often wielded by Centurions who are big and strong enough to wield a Grav-Cannon with ease, which in itself can be upgraded into a Grav-Amp. In fact, it seems that only Grav-Cannons are big enough to allow a secondary attachment such as the Grav-Amp to act a as a force multiplier. A better view of the Grav-Amp can be seen on the Grav-Cannon image. It is the weird looking lens below the barrel of the Grav-Cannon.
As of 8e, it no longer has any affect whatsoever and just comes built into the Grav-Cannon.
Grav Flux Bombard
The Grav Flux Bombard is a type of heavy Graviton Weapon and it is fucking ECKS BAWKS HUEG. Developed for unique use by the Leviathan Dreadnought, the Grav Flux Bombard is a short range siege weapon that is essentially the Grav version of a Demolisher Cannon. Additionally, the Grav Flux Bombard looks sweet as hell, by far one of the coolest looking toys in the Horus Heresy games.
Seriously this thing clears mobs of infantry like butter. Usually leaving behind an icky paste since they get crushed by the gravitational waves. We just wish we could add this in the 41st millennium. Now we can, and it's even better than it used to be!
Graviton Singularity Cannon
Okay okay, we may be cheating a little here, but this gun is so devastating it might as well be part of the Grav family rather then the Graviton family (And seriously, would anyone complain about the similarities?). The Graviton Singularity Cannon is a type of Graviton Weapon used by Imperial Knights. This motherfucker as its name implies, shoots motherfucking BLACK HOLES! It makes the Eldar D-Cannons look fucking limp in comparison.
Of course this cannon is a a violently destructive but potentially unstable weapon, the Graviton Singularity Cannon is typically mounted on the Knight Atrapos.
Tabletop
In 7e
Grav-guns are something of an alternative plasma gun in terms of use. It has MEQ and TEQ killing potential comparable to plasma, without the chance of blowing up and if they stand still they get a extra shot. However, this comes at the cost of shorter range (which is further shortened by moving due to Salvo) and a weakness to light armor which makes them worthless against Guardsmen, Ork Boyz, and the like. Because of this grav-guns are best used at mid to short range, prioritizing heavy units to get the best use out of them. Also capable of tearing through vehicles when used in large numbers via hull point stripping that can be argued to both ignore a vehicle's cover save and deal two hull points worth of damage for every six after the first.
Essentially, grav guns are meant for killing the big, tough units in an enemy army while leaving the fodder for the rest of your army to handle.
Unfortunately, as a consequence of high RoF and AP values combined with a simply peerless anti-vehicle capacity, grav-weapons, specifically grav-cannons for space marines, single handedly shattered the relevance of vehicles in 7th edition. Statistically, a grav devastator squad pays approximately 51 points per glance for any armour value, where lascannons pay 60-210 points over the ranges of armour 10-14.
In 8e
8e addressed the above by smacking grav-weapons hard with the nerf bat; they now have S5 AP-3 D1, and Graviton has been replaced by increasing the damage to D3 if it wounds an enemy with an armor save of 3+ or higher. Between the stat changes, the removal of glancing/penetrating hits and AV, the buffs 8e gave to all plasma weapons, and the pitifully short range grav-weapons have when compared to said plasma weapons, they've been relegated to anti-heavy infantry roles (and even in that niche plasma is better most of the time).