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Okay. So as i was flicking through my old receipts, i distinctly remember being able to buy blister packs of Space Marines (and guardsmen) wielding "assault weapons". Unless my memory is off, they were plasma gunners and melta gunners respectively.

Now my question is, as far as i can remember, in the actual rulebooks, these kinds of weapons were classified as "special weapons" and not "assault weapons".

Can anyone remember when/what edition did the change begin?

They were classed as 'Special Weapons' for selection in the army list. 'Assault Weapon' was the actual weapon type in the rules.

the-gentleman-ranker wrote:
Okay. So as i was flicking through my old receipts, i distinctly remember being able to buy blister packs of Space Marines (and guardsmen) wielding "assault weapons". Unless my memory is off, they were plasma gunners and melta gunners respectively.

Now my question is, as far as i can remember, in the actual rulebooks, these kinds of weapons were classified as "special weapons" and not "assault weapons".

Can anyone remember when/what edition did the change begin?

I think your memory might be off. As far back as at least 2nd ed plasma and melta were "special weapons". "Assault weapons" were the melee weapons. I think you are confusing yourself as meltas and flamers come 3rd ed had the Assault weapon Type.

Edit. Now after seeing your photo, I should have checked that first, the blister is confusing. That blister is a 3rd edition blister maybe 4th (I don't remember when they stopped blisters). The bolter is not the second edition design. It may be a 3rd edition oddity.

I believe that particular blister pack is an anomaly. As tygre says, they were called special weapons in 2nd ed.

The blister is 3rd ed and contains a melta gun and a plasma gun. Only the melta has the assault type, the plasma gun was rapid fire. So it doesn't really gel with the edition at all.

I don't believe any codexes at the time used assault weapon generically in place of special weapon, because not all special weapons had the assault type.

Hold on, let me do a quick scuttle to the bookcase.

And back. Checked the Rogue Trader Battle Manual. Plasma, Melta and Flamers all listed under Basic Weapons.

So, yes. 2nd Ed started the Special Weapon thing.

It's a catalog/logistics name on that blister. It's not 100% indicative of rules.

Flashback to discussions about “assault cannons are heavy, but heavy flamers are assult”

 Nevelon wrote:
Flashback to discussions about “assault cannons are heavy, but heavy flamers are assult”

Unless you're using the Heavy Heavy Flamer from Codex: Armageddon!

I remember the blister pack with "assault weapons" having a plasma gun and melta gun, I do think it was just a catalog error of some kind since it was always referred to as a special weapon in the books that I saw.

BanjoJohn wrote:
I remember the blister pack with "assault weapons" having a plasma gun and melta gun, I do think it was just a catalog error of some kind since it was always referred to as a special weapon in the books that I saw.

Yeah, i have hazy collections from that era but i found it odd even back then.

Like there were CSM and IG versions as well

Those are Vostroyans. Vostroyans were introduced in City-Fight. So 4th ed. I speculate maybe GW was initially going to start calling special-weapons Assault-weapons (Not type, but group), but changed their minds. But that is pure speculation.