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Just out of idle curiosity is there a name/pattern/fluff for the Rogue Trader and 2nd edition las guns?



The RT has no stock and no clip



While the 2nd edition has a stock but also no clip.

I think the logic at the time was the guns had internal batteries and you charged them directly, but we could also assume they had power cells inserted into the grip or the body of the gun.

The handles were the clips. That way, you never need to take your hand off the grip while you reload.

I'm full of gak. That's not a real thing, but it would be cool and at least reasonably 40k-ish.

Maybe the stocks were the ammo clips. They're really just for show on a lasgun anyhow. Rogue Trader spiderman is angry because he has no ammo, and thus cannot fulfill his duty to the Emperor! 2nd edition Mordian is overjoyed, because he has ammo. You can tell he's happy because his frown doesn't touch his chin, as angry Mordians are apt to do.

The RT one is described as Ryza pattern and the Mordian Triplex, but I'm not sure if that's canon:

Cool what's that from?

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Cool what's that from?

No idea - it's used on a few different sites but none state the source (which is why I'm not sure if it's canon). Someone once said it's from one of the RPG books, but nothing more specific than that (and I've never been able to spot it).

Paging HBMC, paging HBMC...

It doesn't look canon. Certainly none of the published game material ever had the term "pattern"; they were all just lasguns (at least two different designs, possibly three in 1st edition; look at the one-piece metal models). It also misses out the three other lasgun patterns from Necromunda as used by Ratskins, Escher (their lasgun was very reminiscent of the contemporary Eldar lasgun design) and Van Saar. Everyone else used the same as the Imperial Guard models without the aquila on the casing. Also, I'm not sure what that "Mars-pattern" one is representing. Something from 3rd edition or later, given the visible power cell.

Also, that RT picture has the muzzle on upside-down. A few artists (for example Paul Bonner) had a habit of drawing fighters with upside-down weapons, probably as a result of being given a box of minis with no instructions as reference. .

Anyone have a copy of the Only War Rulebook to hand to check this -

Well, there's a contradiction; the image posted by you previously identifies the weapon used by Catachans as a "Galaxy pattern", while that excerpt from the RPG has it as a "Triplex pattern".


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, the "pattern" can include non-obvious differences like internal components and raw materials used; that's demonstrated by the different patterns described in various Imperial Armour books from Forge World.

 AndrewGPaul wrote:
Well, there's a contradiction; the image posted by you previously identifies the weapon used by Catachans as a "Galaxy pattern", while that excerpt from the RPG has it as a "Triplex pattern".

Yeah, if that page is actually from the Only War Rulebook I think it's safe to assume my earlier image isn't canon.

I recall somewhere from maybe second edition GW referring to the “short pattern” lasgun, in reference to the short land pattern musket the British army used. Always thought it was a cool name for a pattern.

I’m building an old school guard army using mad robot minis “gognard” troops and guns so might have to call the guns short land pattern lasguns.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Pretty good list here.

https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Lasgun#M35_M-Galaxy_Short_Pattern

The first models had no magazines, as GW probably went for a futuristic look. The power source would be probably hidden under the forearm in both cases (Ryza and Triplex).
Technically, the stock is not necessary as Lasgun has little to no recoil (the only thing that can cause a kickback is an overheated air leaving the barrel, causing thrust against the shooter. That will be barely noticeable, but surely measurable.)
Later GW went for a less futuristic and more reasonable look. Stock, despite having no need to compensate for recoil, still helps with stabilization of the gun and aiming, resulting in a more accurate fire.

Also: Come on, guys...

For a lasgun, it should be called either a magazine or a power-pack (frequently used in 40k literature)

I was not aware of that technicality.

Technically correct. The best kind of correct.

 Hawky wrote:
The

Also: Come on, guys...

Spoiler:

For a lasgun, it should be called either a magazine or a power-pack (frequently used in 40k literature)

But they are future technophobes. You clip the funny box thing into place so it doesn't fall out. Hence it's a clip

The wargear book for 2nd edition only identifies them as 'lasguns' without a named pattern. Most things which aren't named are assumed to be mars pattern.

Cadian lasguns are apparently Kantrael Short-Pattern.

Pretty sure Inquisitor had a list of different lasgun types. Not sure if it had images to go along with them though.

Slipspace wrote:
Pretty sure Inquisitor had a list of different lasgun types. Not sure if it had images to go along with them though.

It had Mars, Necromunda and Triplex pattern lasguns, each with its own profile. No pictures, though.

No models in the initial Inquisitor release actually had a lasgun. It was only some of the later Fanatic/Specialist Games releases that had one or two.

IIRC, the 2nd edition lasgun was (very very vaguely) based on the AK-47, while the autogun was (again, very vaguely) based on the M-16. The influence is more noticeable on the original Necromunda Escher models, where the lasgun had a forward-canted external power pack and the autogun had a carrying handle, straight magazine and ridged barrel shroud/forward handgrip.

This is something I've researched before. Ryza pattern and Triplex-Phall pattern seem to be accepted by much of the community, but I've never been able to hunt down a source specifically linking those patterns to the designs of lasgun shown in the OP.

Basically every other lasgun pattern produced by GW/FW does have an official designation I've managed to track down in canon sources, but not those two. It is worth noting that a lot of Imperial patterns are locally produced variants of a common pattern (especially if they are mentioned in the FFG RPGs). All the various carbines (like the Mk4 carbine used by Catachans) seem to be variants of the standard M-Galaxy pattern.

The lasgun from the 1st edition plastic sprue (and the one on the metal models, which actually came first) and the metal 2nd edition one were designed before GW started with all this "pattern" stuff, that's all - and haven't really been referenced since, given that the look of Catachans and Cadians was retconned by the 3rd edition plastic models we have now. IIRC it was the release of the plastic Tactical Squad box with 3rd edition that started it; a White Dwarf article referred to the bolter as a "Godwyn-pattern".