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Is there a specific lore reason why modern 40k Devastators can only take four heavy weapons even if there are ten men in the squad? Or is it just a rule that's there for whatever reason?

Heavy weapons are vital assets both immediately on the field and for long-term use in the chapter. Many of have names and stories of their own, and should be treated with the respect due to any other battle brother.

But they are slow to action and require time to set up and react to threats. The Codex Astartes therefore prohibits the deployment of such teams without a sufficient number of more nimbly kitted out battle brothers to defend their more laden brethren.

You can take two five man squads and get 8.

 Weboflies wrote:
You can take two five man squads and get 8.

Which is irrelevant.

 Captain Joystick wrote:
Heavy weapons are vital assets both immediately on the field and for long-term use in the chapter. Many of have names and stories of their own, and should be treated with the respect due to any other battle brother.

But they are slow to action and require time to set up and react to threats. The Codex Astartes therefore prohibits the deployment of such teams without a sufficient number of more nimbly kitted out battle brothers to defend their more laden brethren.

Thanks for that information, that's actually a pretty cool valid reason. I guess I just saw all the bolter wielding members as ablative wounds up until now.

The bolter marines also do things like spot targets, carry spare ammo, keep the riff-raff off while the heavies do the work, etc.

On the table, yep, meatshields. In an actual battle there is a lot of things for them to do.

In the 9th reserve company, the bolter marines in the dev squads are the first place a scout who has just transitioned to a full battle brother serve. There they learn about the various heavy weapons, and can participate in the battle in a slightly safer spot.

You can use bolter marines to fulfil their 'spotter' role, after a fashion, in game.

By moving your bolter marines around, you can influence which models in the enemy units are the closest to your unit, and as such influence which enemy models the devastators will remove first.

And detach them as a combat squad that you can use to intercept threats you your firebase.

Fluff wise if a heavy weapons gunner was hurt they could take up the weapon or help and act as a loader to keep the guns firing at full efficiency

like mantianing a stock of missiles for a launcher and ffeeding the heavy brother ammo, changing heavy bolter belts or helping ot clear a jam. basicaly there there to also help keep the firebase firing

and yes, if there all geared with las, or anti armour missiles etc
the botler marines can engage infrainty so the tank busters can do there job.

 jhe90 wrote:
Fluff wise if a heavy weapons gunner was hurt they could take up the weapon or help and act as a loader to keep the guns firing at full efficiency

like mantianing a stock of missiles for a launcher and ffeeding the heavy brother ammo, changing heavy bolter belts or helping ot clear a jam. basicaly there there to also help keep the firebase firing

and yes, if there all geared with las, or anti armour missiles etc
the botler marines can engage infrainty so the tank busters can do there job.

Horus' advocate here, but if the bolter marines had heavy bolters to even better engage the infantry the tank busters would be even less distracted .

Space Wolves do things backwards (as is tradition) with their Long Fangs aka Devastators being the opposite of Codex compliant chapters. The oldest of the Wolves who aren't in higher ranking positions become Long Fangs as their wisdom and experience serves them well to provide fire support for their more.... aggressive brethren who tend to charge into the thick of it. This also goes along with the fact that Wolf Scouts are experienced veterans unlike the codex version which are the young initiates.

In game the Long Fangs can take 5 heavy weapons with a max squad size of 5 Long Fangs + the Ancient (or Wolf Guard Pack Leader) who is the one who coordinates the shooting for the unit. In older editions the "spotter" gave the unit split fire but now its just a special rule for the unit as a whole.