Boltgun patterns?

[chaplainmikey]

Hi,

 

I'm planning on starting a small Pre-Heresy army and am after some advice regarding specific Boltgun patterns.

Basically I need to know which Boltguns are compatible with certain armour types so I don't end up with marines in specifc armour using Bolters that wouldn't have been around at that time.

 

I'm interested in MK3 through MK5 armour so any tips on which Bolters make more sense as armament would be fantastic!

 

Cheers,

Mike.

[Perrin]

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Boltgun

 

Great Crusade/Heresy Era was Phobos pattern bolter but was used with mainly MK2.

Tigrus and Umbra Bolters were also GC and HH era. There's pictures of them at that link, but it doesn't say what MK they would be used with, though it probably doesn't matter too much.

[mysteriousmaskedmystery]

the umbra is probably the best 'heresy' bolter since most of the older models would have been retired. older didn't mean better during the GC, at least not to the degree it does in current 40k fluff.

 

your C:SM has pictures of many different bolters, and none of them exactly match the models available except for the godwyn. the mk IV armor has something that closely resembles an umbra though, while the mk III has something like a phobos, while the mk I and II have something i can't even identify, and the mk V and VI have what look like 'older' godwyn bolters.

 

you can use the umbra with any mark of armor though, as if you have mk IV and V armor, the umbra should be available to your warriors, and they would most likely be armed with the most current weaponry. a bolter i would think, could and would be churned out even quicker than power armor, so even your squads in older marks of armor should be able to get them. but if you want, give them phobos.

 

the tigrus is sort of off the wall, you could use if on anyone you wanted i suppose, but it's not clear yet where it fits in the timeline.

 

maybe wait for the FW:HH book and see if it has some clues?

[Grotsmasha]

You'll be safe with any model bolter besides the current model that comes with the Tac squad etc.

 

Cheers,

Jono

[Olis]

If I was going to give the Tigrus pattern bolters to a specific mark of power armour (which I wouldn't), it'd be the mk4 plate. Not sure why, but to me it just fits.

[chaplainmikey]

Thanks for the replies, you've been very helpfull.

 

So i'm pretty much good to use any of the FW Bolters with most of the armour but should steer clear of the plastic Bolters.

 

Cheers,

Mike.

[Toxichobbit]

If I was going to give the Tigrus pattern bolters to a specific mark of power armour (which I wouldn't), it'd be the mk4 plate. Not sure why, but to me it just fits.

 

The MkIV Assualt Squad uses Tigris pattern bolt pistols - maybe that's where your getting it from?

 

From the FW site;

Phobos - "closely associated with Mk II ‘Crusade’ Armour and is perhaps the most venerable design of the sacred Bolter used by the Astartes".

Umbra - "first saw use during the latter years of the Great Crusade, produced in huge numbers".

Tigrus - quickly disseminated throughout the Imperium before the outbreak of the shadowed Horus Heresy".

 

The above quotes are in (likely) chronological order. However "latter years of the Great Crusade" and "before the outbreak of ... Heresy" are around the same time, so those two quotes are pretty ambiguous. It gives some idea at least.

 

Anyway, if i was going to match specific bolter patterns to specific marks of armour, here's the way i'd do it.

 

MkII armour -Phobos pattern bolter. - from the FW site.

MkIII armour - Phobos pattern bolter. MkIII armour shares design elements with MkII, notably the backpack and shoulder pads. Sharing the same pattern of bolter would make sense, aesthetically at least.

Mk IV armour - Umbra pattern bolters. Most likely chronological match.*

Mk V armour - Umbra pattern bolters. Continuing from Mk IV. I see the Umbra being the main armament up until the MkVII/Godwyn days.*

Mk VI armour - Umbra pattern bolters. Umbra pattern is the original pattern of boltgun (from back in Rogue Trader days) alongside the MkVI armour. These two go together like rhubarb and custard. Just google RTB-01 to see what i'm talking about.*

 

*Tigrus pattern could fit here just as well, although i'd have mostly Umbra as they were described as produced in huge numbers. Going off the FW quotes, it seems both Tigrus and Umbra probably existed at about the same time, although Umbra were more common. Of course, that's just conjecture, none of it is explicitly spelt out. Lets hope The Horus Heresy I: Betrayal gives us some more info. You also have the Umbra Ferox, which is a variant of the Umbra which would go nicely on elite squads (the fact that it shares the same drum magazine and sight as Sternguard Godwyn patterns can't be just a coincidence).

 

I'd only use these as guide lines though. In reality specific bolter types wouldn't be matched to armour Mks so rigidly. For example, although i'd have most of my MkIIs with Phobos, i'd still have the odd MkII with Umbra or Tigrus. Likewise, any armour Mks that mainly use Umbra would also have the odd Phobos.

[Olis]

If I was going to give the Tigrus pattern bolters to a specific mark of power armour (which I wouldn't), it'd be the mk4 plate. Not sure why, but to me it just fits.

 

The MkIV Assualt Squad uses Tigris pattern bolt pistols - maybe that's where your getting it from?

 

That's probably it, yes. :)

[TennisBall]

Tigrus is what FW is arming it's MK4 marines with. FW has updated its MK4 marines. Originally it gave them the umbra bolters and the same backpack as the MK5 & 6 marines.

It's since changed the bolter to the tigris and created a new backpack, similar in design to the 2nd Edition plastic marine one.

The weapon the MK4 marine in the tank crew set is holding is a tigris pattern bolter and the MK4 apothecary and standard bearer are both carrying tigris pattern bolt pistols.