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Unless my memory is off, Tactical Squads could take 2 special weapons back in 4th edition (I believe there was a chapter tactic that allowed this). However, come fifth edition, this option was lost. And then come 10th edition (i think. or 9th), Tactical squads can now take 2 special weapons again.

Was a lore reason ever given for this?

Technically the Codex Astartes.

In the days of Legions, with vastly greater numbers under a single command, you saw really specialised squads, with pretty much dedicated combat roles.

But once you’re down to 1,000 or so Battle Brothers? You’ve got to get flexible.

It turned the Bloody Big Hammer of the Legions to the Precise Scalpel of the Chapters. And so basic squad was mixed arms, giving them greater capacity to successfully engage a wider range of foes with the fewest Astartes.

Hence Sarge, Special, Heavy. A single squad with fairly rounded options.

Now, not every Chapter follows it to the letter, but adherence (Codex Space Marines derived armies) are assumed to do so. There will be Chapters out there more flexible in that specific approach. But the game is settled on stereotypical armaments and that.

Classically it was always a heavy and a special. There were a few exceptions. The big one being SW. I think in 8th? a lot of the special cases got rolled back into the main codex as they were consolidating and going back to supplements.

That’s from a game mechanic PoV.

I can’t think of the lore ever being 2x special, but individual authors can write whatever the plot needs.

I remember back in 3rd, you could take a special and a heavy weapon even if the squad size was only 5 marines. Maybe that's where you're thinking of 2 specials per 10?

Are you confusing things with 2 5-man tac squads perhaps? That's how you'd get 2 special weapons for 10 tacticals

Nah. On page 43 of the 4th Edition Space Marine rulebook, it says "Cleanse and Purify - One member of a tactical squad may replace his missile launcher with a flamer or his lascannon with a plasma gun or melta gun."

So what was the lore reason for this not being a thing anymore?

There was none. It is just crunch that changes for the edition. Just like there is no fluff as to why Primaris HQ can't ride bikes unless there is a model for it.