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The answer to this is probably that it's for the artistic purpose of conveying the weapons are powerful (after all, in the real world, the bigger the projectile, the more/stronger recoil you get), but surely a lot of the weapons in 40k shouldn't have any recoil at all, yet in all the games, they recoil. Bolt weaponry fires mini RPGs, and las/plasma/etc. speaks for itself. Surely with weapons like these, there should be little to no force in the direction of the firer.

Oh...what have you done.

You've just metaphorically walked into a bar filled with an even mix of Palestinians and Israelis and asked 'why all the beef?'

Prepare yourself for a torrent of physics, anecdotal, and sci-fi fluff related arguments. Old grudges will be aired, and a dozen years of painful and bitter scores shall be settled. Every neckbeard will be palming a knife, looking for the unprotected ribs to stick it into while he quotes 'Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise' in support of his point. Eventually, after at least one Dakkaite has been found slumped facedown in their Cheerios with a poisoned blowdart in their neck, the mods will step in and send everyone back to their respective corners, and we'll all grit our teeth and slink into the shadows to bide our time until the next time this thread comes up.



On the real, though, it depends on the artist, writer, and army. Many weapons have been described as recoil-less or nearly recoil-less. There is evidence for las weapons as well as bolt weapons being available without recoil, and there is also evidence of them having a huge kick. I guess it varies based on make, model, and manufacturer. (My assumption has always been that 'bolter' is like 'assault rifle,' in that it indicates a class of many different kinds of weapons, rather than a specific model of gun from a specific manufacturing source.)

In any event, I hope that helps, and God have mercy on our souls...

Not just for artistic effect, but also for a "kickback" feel that - in direct control at least, like Fire Warrior or Space Marine - makes the weapon actually feel worthwhile. Something that didn't have any recoil or shudder at all would feel weak in comparison even if it were the most powerful. Unreal Tournament's pulse-rifle's alternate fire (the laser cutting beam) is a good example, and it's why its designers cleverly made the beam spiral out a bit before stabilising so that it looks like the weapon's actually *doing* something.

 Jimsolo wrote:


Prepare yourself for a torrent of physics, anecdotal, and sci-fi fluff related arguments. Old grudges will be aired, and a dozen years of painful and bitter scores shall be settled. Every neckbeard will be palming a knife, looking for the unprotected ribs to stick it into while he quotes 'Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise' in support of his point. Eventually, after at least one Dakkaite has been found slumped facedown in their Cheerios with a poisoned blowdart in their neck, the mods will step in and send everyone back to their respective corners, and we'll all grit our teeth and slink into the shadows to bide our time until the next time this thread comes up.

That, sir, was hillarious. hahaha

Even bolt weapons should have a recoil, as the exhaust propelling the bolt will push against the back of the breech. Hell, while it's tons bigger, look at the recoil on a shoulder-mounted RPG!

Im just gonna do a list. I will not say I am completely right but this is just what I heard and believe with basic physics.

Bolt weapons: While it has rocket propelled ammunition, the bolt round has a small explosive charge to kick it down the barrel and starting the round on its way. but supposedly the larger the bolt the larger the recoil with the smallest bolt weapons having recoil similar to a .45 (bolt pistol for human) while a heavy bolter lurches around during firing.

Las-guns: Im sure there are some freaky physics or simple fantasy but books, games and other show or describe a las gun or las weapon (like a lascannon or bigger) having a recoil depending on the amount of energy expended, with a las-pistol having a light recoil (like a small caliber pistol) and a lascannon having a heavy kick to turbo lasers or volcano cannons making the tanks or titans lean back on their legs/suspension. Frankly, I think they just have recoil in the lore to make them seem powerful

Railguns: They have recoil in 40k and in reality (look up the most recent railguns tests and the "gun" does kick back when it fires). As for how the tau deal with the recoil is dependant on the platform. With the hammer head using its thruster engines to keep itself steady and broadsides using legs and such.

Eldar weapons: Not a clue. But they seem to have recoil in games like DoW 1 and 2. would imagine using standard physics that propelling an object with mass like their wee little elfy shurikin thingys would result in an opposite reaction (recoil)

Plasma: Similar deal with lasguns. not sure but games, books and such they seem to have them or not (ex: a guardsmen hodling one in DoW 2: Ret will react to recoil, but the giant Leman Russ Executioner seems to spray plasma without even moving on its tracks, while any other cannon it will lurch backwards)

Projectile (battle cannons, and any other guns like them): all have recoil like their real counter parts.

In the end though. recoil makes a weapon seem powerful. A rocket launcher has recoil in reality but not a lot (relatively) but sometimes in games it recoils like it was a cannon for it to feel beefy and powerful, much like say the Spartan laser in HALO, when fired it recoils like crazy, yet current laser weapons (as far as I know) have no recoil but they fire different then the single large blast.

Besides. When you have green fungus creatures who love a good fight, spehess elves, BDSM spehess elves, blue fish communists people, and tanks that have more in common with the Mark 1 WW1 tanks, you have a little lee way with "reality" and "physics", even the ability to throw it all aside to make it all look cool.