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Hi all. Sorry if this has been discussed before somewhere else, I had a look and didn’t see it anywhere. I’m just getting back into Warhammer 40k after a 14 year hiatus and I’m looking for some advice on how many weapons can a single infantry/character model be equipped with. It came up recently in another army list thread I posted: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/569901.page and I thought better to discuss it separately here.

So basically, I’m looking to find out if the rules permit an individual model to have 3, 4, 5 weapons (inc. shields). I’m not necessarily looking to debate if it’s an efficient use of points to have numerous weapons, although if it is relevant to the interpretation of the rules/game play then feel free to express opinions on that too.

If I were to field a Chapter Master, who comes equipped as standard with a bolt pistol and chainsword I have the option to “replace the chainsword with a relic blade”. That’s clear, still two weapons. Or, I can “take a storm shield”. That suggests I now have three weapons. Furthermore, I can “take items from…Chapter Relics list” such as the burning blade and the primarch’s wrath. So now it seems I have 5 weapons, potentially a bolt pistol, a chainsword, a storm shield, the burning blade and the primarch’s wrath.

A more generally example would be your typical tactical marine who you decide will carry the squad’s special weapon, he comes as standard with a boltgun and bolt pistol, and can “take one item from the special weapons list” such as a meltagun, so three weapons.

Is this correct?

Thinking how this works in game, and the fact that most models have only two arms, does it mean that the tactical marine mentioned above can, during his shooting phase, decide to shoot either his boltgun or meltagun, depending on the target (a massed squad of orks or say a Rhino). Or with the Chapter Master, during the shooting phase he can fire the primarch’s wrath, then during the assault phase can choose to charge with either his storm shield and the burning blade in hand, or dual welding the relic blade and burning blade (with storm shiled slung over back and not in use).

i.e. does the additional weapons offer up flexibility as you interchange weapons between phases?

I’m lacking in battle experience all together so I’ve only the rule book and codex to follow. Any advice/discussion is appreciated. Thanks.

The restriction is Codex by Codex, rather than in the Rulebook. There is no defined upper limit but modern Codeci go with the "replace X with Y" formula, which includes the Chapter Relics list and Heavy / Special weapon lists - don't have a page number for you on those, hopefully someone with the SM Codex can help out here.

A Storm Shield (or Combat Shield) are not weapons, and do not replace anything (probably applies to non-weapon Chapter Relics too, it should be explained in the rules just above the weapon list).

Pretty sure that most of these option replace your current weapon. Storm shield tends to replace the bolt pistol. But, if the wording says otherwise you can either go with the codex or check the FAQ.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Quanar wrote:
The restriction is Codex by Codex, rather than in the Rulebook. There is no defined upper limit but modern Codeci go with the "replace X with Y" formula, which includes the Chapter Relics list and Heavy / Special weapon lists - don't have a page number for you on those, hopefully someone with the SM Codex can help out here.

A Storm Shield (or Combat Shield) are not weapons, and do not replace anything (probably applies to non-weapon Chapter Relics too, it should be explained in the rules just above the weapon list).

Damn it you beat me to it!

...It's just that some of the options specifically say "swap" while others say "take". This is what leads me to think additional weapons can be carried.

With tanks, lets say the Predator, you can "replace" the autocanon for a TW Lascanon, and/or "take" lascanon sponsons. So there is deffinatley no implied rule of exchanging X for Y, we understand that additional weapons are fitted to the tank. But it's unclear with infantry as they only have two arms...unless weapons are holstered when not in use?

As already stated there is no over arching rule that limits a model on how many weapons it can carry. The only restriction are on a case to case basis from the codex.

gw1983 wrote:
But it's unclear with infantry as they only have two arms...unless weapons are holstered when not in use?

They're holstered or the model is just so heroic that he doesn't care. Nothing demands that he must have enough hands to wield everything at one - several veteran units can outfit models with two combi-weapons or plasmagun+meltagun, for example. Space Wolf Grey Hunters have bolters, bolt pistols and CCW as standard and can shoot and fight fully well with the benefits of it all.

If your Codex allows a model to have 10 weapons he can have them. He can still only use one shooting weapon per shooting phase (unless an MC or other special rule) and the special stuff from one Close Combat Weapon (+1 attack if he has a second compatible CCW).

edit: and nothing requires models to have the weapon glued to their hands anyway. That Lascannon marine could have it shoved up where the sun don't shine and still be able to shoot it.

When it says "Swap", you exchange one weapon (Predator Autocannon turret) for another (Predator Twin-Lascannon turret).
When it says "Take", those weapons or items will be in addition to existing wargear (a Predator doesn't start with side sponsons, but can add them. A model may "take" Meltabombs without replacing anything).

On infantry, any "unused" weapons are holstered (or "mag-locked" in the case of Spare Marines) when not in use, it's perfectly legal for a model to have 3 or even more weapons, any restrictions will be specific to the Codex.

 Quanar wrote:
When it says "Swap", you exchange one weapon (Predator Autocannon turret) for another (Predator Twin-Lascannon turret).
When it says "Take", those weapons or items will be in addition to existing wargear (a Predator doesn't start with side sponsons, but can add them. A model may "take" Meltabombs without replacing anything).

On infantry, any "unused" weapons are holstered (or "mag-locked" in the case of Spare Marines) when not in use, it's perfectly legal for a model to have 3 or even more weapons, any restrictions will be specific to the Codex.

Cool, this was my interpritation. It makes sense too, although rules don't always necessarily follow sense.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Spetulhu wrote:
If your Codex allows a model to have 10 weapons he can have them. He can still only use one shooting weapon per shooting phase (unless an MC or other special rule) and the special stuff from one Close Combat Weapon (+1 attack if he has a second compatible CCW).

Thanks, this helps.