Thursday 7 March 2013

Standard of devastation: Definition of a boltgun?


Recently i have come across quite an interesting little rule blip if you will with regards to the Dark angels standard of devastation. When i first read the rule for it i though it was very clear, all boltguns in 6 inches become salvo 2/4. That's very clear. However what is a boltgun?

I know what your saying, a boltgun is a botlgun is a boltgun, its what marines use, its a basic gun. But i have seen people arguing that the definition of a bolt gun can be found in the rule book on page 56. It combines all the different variations of bolt weaponry under the title 'Boltguns' suggesting that rules as written, every one of these weapons can become salvo 4. 

Now i sure as hell don't believe this was the rules as intended, at least i hope it isn't, i hope they just though the term boltgun was exclusive enough to stop stupid shit like this happening  but alas its not. Now if some one tries to pull this on me in a game i can't see any rules reason why they can't do it as its there in black and white. Salvo 4 bolt pistols? salvo 4 storm bolters? It can get a little crazy, and salvo 4 heavy bolter, while not that bad, still irritating. 

Before you say 'that part of the rules doesn't count' its in the middle of the rule book, its not like its tagged on the end so you might be able to disqualify it, its got rules both before and after. So that arguments out. A parallel to this rule query  is that the avatar of khaine is immune to melta weapons and flamers, so i would argue that he is immune to all weapons listed in the melta and flamer weapon sections of this page of the book (a quick FAQ search agrees with the avatar point). So what makes the avatar point valid but not the dark angels one?

What would you do if some one tried this out in a game? take it? or do you have some rules knowledge i don't to stump them? 
  

4 comments:

  1. Standard boltguns are meant. The bolter weapon list has the wrong name in the english rulebook. It's right in all the other languages though.

    And you are right there are rules before this section and after it, but that does Not make them rules. Or someone is going to argue with you because your powerklaw does not look like on the picture in the rulebook? It's just a list.

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  2. Boltgun means boltgun. As storm bolter isn't a boltgun nor is a bolt pistol. Basically those other two are of the same family, but not an actual boltgun. It would be like saying a lascannon is a lasgun as it's a laser weapon.

    If anyone tried it I would tell them to fuck off :P

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    1. Good to get a comment of you mercer. And im glad you people agree its not whats intended. Just normal bolters.

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  3. Now that's an interesting statement Mercer because when we discussed this at The Forge well over a month ago (prior to this post), you concurred that the term Boltgun was anything under the Boltgun list.

    I have used this ability/rule and although I have never had the opportunity to use it with other "bolt" firing weapons. However the rule refers to "any Boltgun" and if you look up "Boltgun" in the rules then you get a list.

    That being said, its a broken rule anyway. Almost all Boltgun's are rapid-fire. So a Salvo 2/4 weapon means that if you move, you can only fire at 12" Salvo 2. Well if you are firing at 12" you would have 2 shots anyway. So it basically forces you to stay still, which is almost the opposite of what 40K intends.

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