Lasgun
The Lasgun is an energy based weapon, and is the most common and widely used type of laser weapon in the Imperium. It is standard issue for all Imperial Guard infantry and most lower-ranked officers. Lasguns are reliable, easy to maintain and produce, and are readily available on most Imperial worlds. They have longer range and higher ammunition capacity than a Laspistol (the laspistol power packs having roughly 80 shots before depletion, compared to roughly 150 shots for a lasgun)5, but are nowhere near as powerful as a Lascannon. They also lack the rapid fire quality of the Multi-laser or the Hellgun.
The lasgun uses the same basic technology and operates along the same lines as other las weapons, emitting a beam of focused light. The high amount of energy in the beam causes the immediate surface area of a target to be vaporized in a small explosion1. It is a relatively unimpressive weapon when compared to other weapons in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, but is still capable of cleanly severing limbs or piercing the power armour of a Space Marine (but 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, in front of the trigger guard. The pack can be recharged in many ways, including sunlight. It can also be "overcharged," a trick used by Guard veterans that causes the pack to explode, turning the weapon into a makeshift grenade. This tactic is only used in last ditch situations as it results in the destruction of the weapon. The resultant explosion, however, is powerful enough to crack open the frontal armor of a Chaos Dreadnought.3 Lasguns have several lethality settings that adjust the damage of each shot in order to conserve power (weaker settings use less energy) or disable rather than kill a target. The weapon can also be fitted with a "Hotshot" pack, providing more powerful but less numerous shots.1
The lasgun features 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.
The standard pattern is known as the "M-Galaxy," although hundreds of thousands of variants exist; the Cadian variant differs greatly 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.M352.
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Known Lasgun Patterns
- M35 M-Galaxy Short Pattern Lasgun - Standard Pattern9
- M36 Kantrael - Standard lasrifle used mainly by the Cadian Shock Troopers3
- Mk4 Catachan Lascarbine - Standard of the Catachan Jungle Fighters2
- Mars Pattern Lasrifle - Standard for the Jouran Dragoons
- Mk.IV Accatran - Standard pattern used mainly by Elysian Drop Troops2
- Necromunda-pattern lasguns - manufactured on Necromunda
- Number 98 Lucius Pattern Lasrifle4 - Standard in the Death Korps of Krieg7
- Merovech Pattern Assault Lasgun6: p.111
- Triplex Pattern - Has an improved variable power setting2
Variants
Related articles
Sources
- 1:Warhammer 40,000 3rd Edition Rulebook, p. 61
- 2Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition) pg.38
- 3:Imperial Armour Volume Five - Siege of Vraks, p. 16
- 4:Ghostmaker (Novel) by Dan Abnett, p. 295
- 5:Imperial Munitorum Manual (Background Book) by Graham McNeill, p. 62
- 6:Into the Storm
- 7:Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two pg.109
- 8:Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara pg.101
- 9:The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer pg.19
- Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex)
- Warhammer 40,000: Wargear
- Cain's Last Stand (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell
