Weapon Rules

Each weapon profile has a Short and Long range To Hit value. This represents how well a given weapon performs at different ranges. A value of 0 conveys no benefit or penalty, a positive number improves To Hit, and a negative number impedes To Hit.

When a weapon scores a hit, a check is made to see if it will wound the target. The weapon's Strength characteristic is compared with the target's Toughness characteristic using the chart below. The number shown is the minimum score on a D6 needed to convert the hit into damage. If this roll succeeds, then the target receives damage according to the weapon's Damage characteristic.

Some hits are simply not powerful enough to damage certain targets; in those cases, the hit automatically fails to wound.

There are numerous types of armor in the 41st millennium, ranging from the humble Flak jacket up to the almost impenetrable bulwark of Tactical Dreadnought Armor. If a model wearing armor is hit by a close combat or ranged weapon, an armor saving throw is made. If the model passes the save, no damage is taken. To pass an armor save, the dice roll must be greater than or equal to the Armor Save value.

Save Modifiers

Some weapons are powerful enough to negate part, or even all, of an armor's protection; this is represented by a Save Modifier on the weapon's profile. For example, if a model is wearing Mesh armor with a base save value of 5+, and it is hit by a Boltgun that has a save modifier of -1, the modified roll becomes 6+. If the modified save is greater than the highest possible dice score, then the armour is automatically penetrated.

Certain ranged weapons fire projectiles capable of attacking models within a certain radius; these are known as Blast Weapons. To shoot a Blast Weapon, select a target as normal and roll To Hit. If the nominated target is not in range, then the shot automatically misses and the projectile has no effect—it harmlessly detonates in the air, causing no damage. If the shot hits, then position the correct Blast Marker centered over the target model—this model is hit. Additionally, any other models whose entire bases are covered by the marker are hit. Any models whose bases are partially covered by the marker are hit on a D6 roll of 4+.

Scattering

When a Blast Weapon misses, a Scatter roll is made. Roll a Scatter Dice and an Artillery Dice together, then consult the following chart:

Maximum Scatter

A shot can never scatter more than half the distance between the shooter and the nominated target. If the Scatter Roll exceeds this limit, reduce the scatter distance accordingly.

Throwing Grenades

If a grenade throw misses, then roll to Scatter, halving the result rolled on the Artillery Dice. The rules for Maximum Scatter do not apply when throwing grenades.

Targeting the Ground

Blast Weapons may also target the ground, instead of a model; this is particularly useful when using non-lethal ammunition such as Smoke Grenades. When doing so, the standard To Hit roll—and any modifiers—are ignored. Instead, position the correct Blast Marker centered over a target location. On a D6 roll of 6 the shot successfully hits, but on a roll of 1-5 a roll to Scatter is then made, with one exception: a Hit & Misfire result is treated as an ↑ & Misfire instead.

Some Blast Weapons create a semi-permanent Blast Cloud—indicated by Blast remains. When a Blast Marker is placed for such a weapon, it remains in place and at the start of each player's turn a roll is made on the following chart:

Plasma weapons marked as Blast remains produce a Plasma Ball and use the following chart instead:

Some weapons fire a short-range jet—energy, burning chemicals, etc. These weapons do not roll To Hit; instead they use one of the three Flamer Templates, as indicated on their Weapon Profile. Template Weapons do not roll To Hit in the conventional manner; instead, the template is placed so that the pointed end is touching the base of the model firing the weapon, and the rounded end is covering the chosen target. Any models whose entire bases are covered by the template are hit. Any models whose bases are partially covered by the template are hit on a D6 roll of 4+. Damage and Armour Saves are then resolved as normal.

Certain weapons use volatile, burning-chemical ammunition. If a model survives a hit from such a weapon, it must roll a D6; on a result of 4+, they Catch on fire. At the start of its own turn a model that is on fire must make a Fire Test:

While On Fire

During the Movement Phase, any friendly model that is elagable to do so may move within 1" of a burning model and attempt to beat out the flames. On a D6 roll of 6 the flames are put out. For each additional friendly model that helps +1 modifier is applied. Models that help a burning model may not shoot during the Shooting Phase.

Vehicles (including Dreadnoughts), models in Terminator Armour, Frenzied troops, and Tyranid models may choose to ignore the flames and continue fighting as normal.

Some ranged weapons can fire a lengthy burst of projectiles; this is referred to as Sustained Fire. If a Sustained Fire weapon successfully hits its target, you choose at least one Sustained Fire Dice and up to the maximum indicated by Sustained fire X on the weapon's profile. The combined total of this dice roll determines the actual number of hits scored by the weapon. The first hit is always allocated to the original target; any additional hits may be assigned to other models from the same unit within 4" of the location of the first hit—and that would require a roll To Hit no greater than the origional roll To Hit. Damage is then resolved for each hit as normal.

Weapon Malfunctions

Each Sustained Fire Dice has a Jam result on one face. This result indicates the weapon has malfunctioned in some way—and the roll has failed to hit. A Jam on one die does not stop other dice from scoring hits; however, multiple Jam results can occur simultaneously. A weapon may not be fired while it has one or more malfunctions caused by Jams—although if a model has other weapons, it may still use those. During the Shooting Phase, a model may choose to clear a single Jam instead of shooting—once the weapon has no more Jams, it can be used again.

Although not explicitly stated, it seems reasonable that if a weapon mounted on a vehicle Jams, it will be cleared by that weapon's gunner—leaving other gunners (if there are any) free to continue firing their own weapons. This means the rules above apply to the gun/gunner, not the whole vehicle.

Force weapons may only be wielded by psykers. During Hand-to-Hand Combat, the weapon adds the psyker's Mastery Level to the user Strength rating. If the weapon profile has a Strength rating of its own, that be may be used instead, whichever is highest. Force weapons wound daemons automatically; normal daemonic aura saving throws are ignored.