Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Is it same things technically? Both are two barreled bolters with double magazines or ammo belts.
But they work differently - rapid fire and other is assault.
How to recognize them visually - combi or storm?

Storm Bolter is dual bolters, a combi bolter is a bolter with a assault weapon attached. In a way, like a M-16 with a underslung grenade launcher.

Storm bolters are side by side barrels, and thicker then a bolter.

Combi bolters are over/under, and will have either a plasma gun, melta, flamer, or grav gun attached.

 DarkKnights44 wrote:
Storm Bolter is dual bolters, a combi bolter is a bolter with a assault weapon attached. In a way, like a M-16 with a underslung grenade launcher.

Storm bolters are side by side barrels, and thicker then a bolter.

Combi bolters are over/under, and will have either a plasma gun, melta, flamer, or grav gun attached.

He's talking CSM.
the combi-bolter is the exact same as the stormbolter in fluff, aside from the former being older.
they use the same parts.

I think he may have been referring to the Pre-heresy/Chaos combi-bolter. Which is just two bolters gaffer taped together.

Dunno about rules wise, but aesthetically there is naught difference.


EDIT: aaaaand beaten to the punch.

Well...thats mostly right, but regular combi-bolters are just side by side bolters. Look at the boxed set for Chaos Terminators. They are essentially Storm bolters in looks now, though they fire like a twin-linked bolter.

AFAIK, CSM can't take storm bolters, and loyalist marines can't take combi-bolters - right? So fluff-wise, the storm bolter is simply the newer improved version of the combi-bolter. Personally I wish they'd just merge them into one weapon though...

Yes, I'm talking about SM/Inquisitor stormbolters and CSM combi-bolters (not combi-plasma/melta/flamer).

This may help. If you use a storm Bolter for fluff just call it a Twin-Linked.


Twin-Linked Bolter - Similar to the Storm Bolter, the Twin-Linked Bolter or Combi-Bolter is simply two standard Bolters that have been mechanically combined into a one weapon, rather than having been constructed that way in the first place like a Storm Bolter. The Combi-Bolter was much more common during the Horus Heresy era than at present in the Imperium and Chaos Space Marine Attack Bikes are still often equipped with the Combi-Bolter, though the Storm Bolter has replaced it in standard Imperial usage.

In games terms the combi bolter is more effective at close range (12" and less) and the storm bolter is more effective at long range (>12".

Combi at 12" = 2 shots twin linked
Combi at 24" = 1 shots twin linked
Stormbolter = 2 shots not twin linked (at any range up to 24" )

So from this one could imagine that a Combi bolter ( the old style) maybe was less accurate but put out more shots (making it more effective up close but less effective further away).

They certainly look the same.

I guess maybe they really are identical in the way a Tau with 2 plasmaguns can be either Twin Linked or fire them as two separate weapons (but they have to decide when they buy them).

Modelling wise it looks identical but rules wise it is different... for some stupid reason.

 Sammoth wrote:
This may help. If you use a storm Bolter for fluff just call it a Twin-Linked.


Twin-Linked Bolter - Similar to the Storm Bolter, the Twin-Linked Bolter or Combi-Bolter is simply two standard Bolters that have been mechanically combined into a one weapon, rather than having been constructed that way in the first place like a Storm Bolter. The Combi-Bolter was much more common during the Horus Heresy era than at present in the Imperium and Chaos Space Marine Attack Bikes are still often equipped with the Combi-Bolter, though the Storm Bolter has replaced it in standard Imperial usage.

Right, but a TW Bolter is TW Rapid Fire. Meaning 1 or 2 shots, based on range, and rerolls, and you cant charge afterward without Relentless.

Combi/Storm Bolters are Assault 2, meaning two shots at any range, and then charges are still legal.

There is a difference, so you cant just fluff 'em in.

Gragga Da Krumpa wrote:
Right, but a TW Bolter is TW Rapid Fire. Meaning 1 or 2 shots, based on range, and rerolls, and you cant charge afterward with Relentless.

You might want to reread the rules for Relentless, unless you meant to say 'without' instead of 'with'.

Gragga Da Krumpa wrote:

 Sammoth wrote:
This may help. If you use a storm Bolter for fluff just call it a Twin-Linked.


Twin-Linked Bolter - Similar to the Storm Bolter, the Twin-Linked Bolter or Combi-Bolter is simply two standard Bolters that have been mechanically combined into a one weapon, rather than having been constructed that way in the first place like a Storm Bolter. The Combi-Bolter was much more common during the Horus Heresy era than at present in the Imperium and Chaos Space Marine Attack Bikes are still often equipped with the Combi-Bolter, though the Storm Bolter has replaced it in standard Imperial usage.

Right, but a TW Bolter is TW Rapid Fire. Meaning 1 or 2 shots, based on range, and rerolls, and you cant charge afterward with Relentless.

Combi/Storm Bolters are Assault 2, meaning two shots at any range, and then charges are still legal.

There is a difference, so you cant just fluff 'em in.

It's fluff (for looks) you can claim it to be something. Doesn't necessary mean you have to follow the rules based on the weapon it has. They usually bend them a bit. The weapons are very similar.

Example : CSM can have Twin-Linked Bolters well most models don't have this option as a part. So lets take a Stormbolter "AKA: Grey Knights" for looks to stand in for that weapon. It's very rare that someone would gripe over just the look as long as the Listed army is ok with the house/ tournament rules of the place you're playing at.

Yeah. That.