Lasgun
From Lexicanum
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The Lasgun is an energy based weapon, and is the most common and widely used type of las weapon in the Imperium. It is standard issue for all Imperial Guard infantry and most lower officers. Lasguns are reliable, easy to maintain and to produce, and are readily available on most Imperial worlds. It has a longer range than a Laspistol, but is nowhere near as powerful as a Lascannon or with the rapid firing qualities of the Multi-laser.
The lasgun operates in the same basic way as the more compact laspistol, emitting a beam of focused light. It is a relatively un-devastating weapon when compared to many other weapons of 40K, but is capable of cleanly severing limbs and potentially even piercing the power armour of a Space Marine (but usually only through a vulnerable spot in the armour). Most designs have iron sights mounted along the top of the weapon. It is powered by a small rechargeable power pack located beneath the weapon and in front of the trigger guard which can be recharged in many ways e.g. by sunlight. The weapon has numerous power settings for adjusting the power of each shot and to conserve power (resulting in a weaker laser shot fired). The standard powered lasgun has the same killing power - in game terms - as an autogun. The weapon can be overpowered with a "Hotshot" laser pack, providing more powerful but fewer shots.
The lasgun mounts a bayonet lug, allowing the weapon to be fitted with bayonets or combat knives. The sniper variant of the lasgun, known as the long-las, is the preferred weapon of Imperial Guard sharpshooters. The barrel of the long-las is extended to bolster the weapon's accuracy. The barrel requires replacement every 20-50 shots depending on the power setting and cool down time. For this reason, the long-las is outfitted with a "slide-lock" barrel, which is easily locked and unlocked from the weapon's housing. Mad Larkin from the Gaunt's Ghosts novels by Dan Abnett carried one such modified Lasgun.
The standard pattern is known as the 'M-Galaxy' style although hundreds of thousands of variants exist, with the Cadian variant being very different from that used by the Tallarn Desert Raiders, Tanith First and Only or Elysian Drop Troops. The M-Galaxy was first put into use in 2546789.M35.
The lasgun and pistol are possibly the weakest weapons in pure killing power of all the Imperium's weaponry, and are known widely as 'flashlights'. However the power of lasguns is in their massed, concentrated use. A laspistol fired at point blank range into the eye of a blind Astropath results in the flashlight searing the brain and causing immediate death.
Known Lasgun Patterns
- Kantrael pattern - produced on Kantrael and used in the Cadian Shock Troopers 8th Regiment and the Elysian Drop Troops
- M36 Cadian pattern Lasrifle
- Mk4 Catachan Lascarbine
- Mars Pattern Lasrifle - Jouran Dragoons
- M35 M-Galaxy
- Necromunda-pattern lasguns - manufactured on Necromunda
