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It seems that power weapons are readily available in 5th edition, certainly for IG at least, they are must more accessible than in 3rd edition. However, I've recently started reading some Black Library novels (never did before) to get deeper into the fluff and to build a fluffier army this time round as I return to the hobby. In the two I've read, power weapons are almost nonexistent. I just finished His Last Command, and in that novel, Ibram Gaunt is the only IG character to weild a power weapon despite several other commissars and officers being featured. Likewise, in Storm of Iron, while the Imperial Fist assault marines seem to almost all have power weapons, the two main Iron Warrior captains have only chainswords and of the Imperial officers only the Castellan is seen with a power sword. In the Ultramarines movie, there is a chaplain with his Crozius, but the Ultramarines captain doesn't even have a power weapon.

So this is leading me to believe that maybe power weapons are supposed to be quite rare, and therefore it may even be a stretch for all my officers and commissars to have them, let alone veteran sergeants in "blob" squads. To those who are much better read in the fluff than I am, what are your thoughts? In a list that is striving to be as fluffy as possible, should I take away power weapons from veteran sergeants and only give them to top officers?

They're not necessarily rare.
A lot of it comes down to preference.

The one big misnomer about Ibram Gaunt's power sword is that people mistake it as being an example of power weapons being "rare".

The power sword in question is an example of rare craftsmanship. It's a one of a kind piece, for all intents and purposes.

There are two types of power weapons, the chainsword type and the disruption forcefield type (power claws, etc.)

IG usually carry the chainsword type, which ignores armour but doesn't have any special effects. This is supposed to be because the edge is monomolecular or something, just a very sharp blade. The chainswordy bit as such is basically just a hedge trimmer.

As there are billions of IG and about one in thirty have a power weapon, it's hard to call them rare.

Presumably the monomolecular blades are made by a STC. The hedge trimmer is fairly low tech, so no doubt it can be made in an ordinary factory.

Guard Regiments equipment depends on the Recrutement world.
Some may provide power-weapons, some may not at all.
I'd suggest to consider the theme of the army.
Guard led by "aristocrats", could have rare power-weapons as badge of office of those "blue-blooded" officer-korps.
Guard from a world at a high tech level, could have power-weapons as common wargear for veterans.

Suggestions for known designs:
- Catachans, may like chainswords and powerfists, usually rely upon their own wellknown blades in CC.
- Tallarn, tend to use tulwars, thus more likely to use power-weapons as they seem to prefer single edged blades.
- Valhalla, massive ranks of infantry, may not use expensive power-weapons but OTOH cold and mechanical parts aren't BF so those are an option still.
- Cadia, at least kasrkin could have all power-weapons for Sgt.
- Mordian, seems to fit the line-infantry theme, so blades could be a good choice and power-weapons more likely than chain-weapons.

it really depends on the Regiment.

if it's well supplied, all officers might carry a power weapon as a mark of rank(and it's useful)

Powerfists will be rarer. usually, only an assault regiment/platoon will be issued one so they have options againt vehicle targets.


in the event that a Guardsmen has some heirloom weapon or something he will be allowed to carry it in battle.

you could see a regular guardsmen running around with a power sword in the fluff. this wouldn't work well in game terms so it isn't represented.



a regiment that perfers close quarter fighting will be given a higher priority to carry power weapons then one that doesn't, the imperium does hate waste.

I think that it's one of those things that, if you break one, you're not tp be able to get another one. They're not super rare, but not easily replaceable or available.

Not all that rare, really. Just expensive. Common nobles have power weapons, although not always the best types.

Kilkrazy wrote:There are two types of power weapons, the chainsword type and the disruption forcefield type (power claws, etc.).

No, chainswords are not a type of power weapon.

There IS a type of chainsword which has a power field called an eviscerator, but it is a power weapon because it actually has a power field (a crude power field generator, according to Dark Heresy).

Melissia wrote:Not all that rare, really. Just expensive. Common nobles have power weapons, although not always the best types.

Kilkrazy wrote:There are two types of power weapons, the chainsword type and the disruption forcefield type (power claws, etc.).

No, chainswords are not a type of power weapon.

There IS a type of chainsword which has a power field called an eviscerator, but it is a power weapon because it actually has a power field (a crude power field generator, according to Dark Heresy).

I agree with Melissia on this one.

power weapons are specifically those which generate a power field around their offensive edge in order to displace particles, thus part armour and flesh with ease. Whereas, chainswords/axes are used for hacking and tearing the power weapons part substance, often burning/charring the surrounding flesh/metal in the process. Think Light Sabre...

No, as far as appearance goes it's more like a traditional flaming/shocking sword from DnD except in a few cases. DoW2 did it pretty well I think. Those weaopns which have pure energy blades are RARE. Basically only Inquisitors or people of equal importance might have one, and even then probably not because they're unreliable...

Melissia wrote:There IS a type of chainsword which has a power field called an eviscerator, but it is a power weapon because it actually has a power field (a crude power field generator, according to Dark Heresy).

I thought the only eviscerator in the IoM being equipped with a power field was Blood Reaver (Gabriel Seth's personnal chainsword). I always thought the chainswords wielded by the repentia sisters (for example) were especially big chainswords, but nothing more.

Melissia wrote:Not all that rare, really. Just expensive. Common nobles have power weapons, although not always the best types.

Kilkrazy wrote:There are two types of power weapons, the chainsword type and the disruption forcefield type (power claws, etc.).

No, chainswords are not a type of power weapon.

What he likely meant to say was that there's the 'common' type(which is said to just be a finely honed blade with a monomolecular edge) and the 'disruption forcefield' type.

There IS a type of chainsword which has a power field called an eviscerator, but it is a power weapon because it actually has a power field (a crude power field generator, according to Dark Heresy).

Funny, I've yet to see anything regarding that. The only thing I've seen Eviscerators fitted with are Exterminators and suspensor field generators.

When I said power weapon I meant a melee weapon which is powered, allowing it to ignore armour.

"Power" weapons like power claws and hammers usually have a special effect too. For instance, a power claw does 2xS damage. A thunder hammer has that automatic tank crew stunning effect (can't remember the details.)

Kanluwen: Page 187 of Dark Heresy: The Inquisitor's Handbook

"[...]the eviscerator is an obscenely large double-handed chain weapon fitted with a crude version of the disruption field more commonly found on power-blades[...]"

Kilkrazy wrote:When I said power weapon I meant a melee weapon which is powered, allowing it to ignore armour.

Chainswords don't ignore armor. They count as basic CCWs, though in Dark Heresy they are a bit better than basic weapons (but they also require specialized training).

Laodamia wrote:

Melissia wrote:There IS a type of chainsword which has a power field called an eviscerator, but it is a power weapon because it actually has a power field (a crude power field generator, according to Dark Heresy).

I thought the only eviscerator in the IoM being equipped with a power field was Blood Reaver (Gabriel Seth's personnal chainsword). I always thought the chainswords wielded by the repentia sisters (for example) were especially big chainswords, but nothing more.

According to Dark Heresy, this is not true. It doesn't say either way in the WH codex.

Kilkrazy wrote:When I said power weapon I meant a melee weapon which is powered, allowing it to ignore armour.

"Power" weapons like power claws and hammers usually have a special effect too. For instance, a power claw does 2xS damage. A thunder hammer has that automatic tank crew stunning effect (can't remember the details.)

Power Claws just a re-roll to damage, and Ignore armor.

Power fist ignore armor, and Double Strength.

Thunder hammers ignore armor, Double Strength, and add Crew shaken to damaged vehicles.

Eviscerators Do have a Power field while being large unwieldy chain weapons.

Gabriel Seth's Blood Reaver does not have a power field and is just a Chain-claymore with Rending.

Power Claws just a re-roll to damage, and Ignore armor.

Lightning Claws re-roll to wound and ignore armour.

Power k(c)laws are the Ork equiv. of powerfists.

Kommissar Kel wrote:Power Claws just a re-roll to damage, and Ignore armor.

Power claws are Power fists. You're thinking of Lightning Claws.

Kilkrazy wrote:When I said power weapon I meant a melee weapon which is powered, allowing it to ignore armour.

"Power" weapons like power claws and hammers usually have a special effect too. For instance, a power claw does 2xS damage. A thunder hammer has that automatic tank crew stunning effect (can't remember the details.)

Yeah, I really don't get what you are talking about.

Chainswords don't ignore armor, and they are never referred to as power weapons.

Here is what the holy lexicanum says about this matter:

Power weapons are a type of advanced hand-to-hand combat weapon taking several forms but utilising the same basic technological principles. When activated the blade of the weapon becomes sheathed in a field of energy which disrupts solid matter, allowing the weapon to easily tear through armour

In the description of power weapons, chainswords are NOT included. Chainswords are included in the "chain weapons" category. Chainswords and power weapons use a different technology. Eviscerators are described as a chain weapon. Chainfists are included in both categories since they combine the two technologies.

So are we talking about the weapons with all lightning flashes up and down the blade/finger/peen?

Laodamia wrote:In the description of power weapons, chainswords are NOT included. Chainswords are included in the "chain weapons" category. Chainswords and power weapons use a different technology. Eviscerators are described as a chain weapon. Chainfists are included in both categories since they combine the two technologies.

Eviscerators function on the same idea as chainfists in the most recent fluff, although not as advanced.

Kilkrazy wrote:So are we talking about the weapons with all lightning flashes up and down the blade/finger/peen?

I would think so, as that is what power weapons are in 40k. The term "powered weapons" would be more general but "power weapon" is specific in the setting. Dunno how confusing that is.

OK.

That sort of power weapon is very rare. Rarer even than Space Marines.

I'm not sure. If we're talking of power weapons (a sword with lightning on the blade, etc), I guess they're not that rare since they can be found in IG regiments among officers. I suppose the main reason why they're relatively rare is because they are associated with social privileges, personal wealth, etc. As such, officers are much more likely to possess a power sword than a simple soldier. But I don't think power weapons are extremely rare. They are probably simply expensive and hard to manufacture.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. They're expensive. But anyone with money can have them,a nd quite frequently do unless they have practical reasons for preferring the chainsword (Cain comes to mind).


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kilkrazy wrote:OK.

That sort of power weapon is very rare. Rarer even than Space Marines.

Lol, no.

Power weapons are quite common. IG officers ahve them, even some NCOs. Wealthy merchants have them, as do nobles-- in fact, power swords are often associated with nobility, same with bolt weapons really.

Power weapons moreso though, as they're more expensive and flashier and thus more subjectively valuable.

To be more clear, since I started the thread, what I'm talking about when I ask "are power weapons rare?", are the type of power weapons that ignore armour saves in-game.

I think, in the end, what I'm getting from all the answers here, is that it is "fluffy" to have a regiment where the sergeants are armed with power swords since it is a regiment that specialises in close combat/assault (fluff here, if you want more detail: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/349213.page)

But I take it also that modelling chain swords on the sergeants and saying that they're power swords is not kosher. I have to actually model "normal"-looking blades onto the miniatures and paint them with lightening or somesuch to comply with WYSIWYG, correct?

Generally speaking that is what you'd do for a power weapon. Not all power weapons are swords mind you-- there's also axes, daggers, spears, hammers (which aren't thunder hammers), etc.

basically that is correct.


some people use Chainswords with some cool lightining effects as Power Weapons. of course these people don't have any normal chainswords on anyone to avoid confusion.


as long as your army is consistant with it's representation its fine.