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I have been working on Sternguard conversions. I have some of the Mk. I and II Space Marine vets and many of them have plasma pistols. I also had a couple of combi-plasma and extra plasmaguns. Is anyone using these weapons? Plasmaguns seem ridiculous to take compared to meltaguns or flamers considering they cost more and "get hot". Is there ever a reasonable case to take a 15pt plasma pistol?

The only cases that can be made for them is against 2+ saves and light vehicle squadrons maybe, I would probably still rather have a meltagun since it won't fry me.

I am inclined to leave the plasma weapons on my models because my guess is that when the next edition comes out the plasma pendulum will swing back again since no one is going to take them for the next few years.

Just looking to see if anyone has found a use for these.

ShumaGorath wrote:Plasmaguns are better than meltaguns because they can fire at twice the range or twice the rate. They don't bust tanks as well but they are twice as good at killing terminators and similar high value targets. Five points isn't really that much to spend for one over the other.

The effective maximum range of a meltagun is 18" since you can move and fire.

If I knew I was going against a Deathwing or Ravenwing (any bike army) I guess I would consider it.

It seems like plasmaguns have enough built in disadvantages (rapid-fire instead of assault, "gets hot") that the price should be more in line with the meltagun (or vice versa) and the plasma pistol should not be the same price as the plasma gun.