Warhammer Weapon Guide: Types, Lore, and Tabletop Tips

What Is a Warhammer Weapon?

In simple terms, a warhammer weapon is any tool of war used by the armies of Warhammer – from a humble lasgun to a planet-cracking volcano cannon.

They fall into a few broad buckets:

• Melee weapons – swords, axes, hammers, chainswords, power weapons

• Ranged weapons – guns, bows, bolters, plasma weapons, artillery

• Special & psychic weapons – flamers, relics, psyker staves, daemon blades

No matter which system you’re playing (Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, or a video game like Darktide), the weapon a unit carries defines:

• Its role (frontline brawler, sniper, crowd control, tank hunter, etc.)

• Its threat range (up close vs long-ranged)

• Its targets (hordes, elite infantry, vehicles/monsters)

Warhammer 40K Weapons: Iconic Ranged & Melee Options

When people say warhammer weapon, they often mean the over-the-top arsenal of Warhammer 40,000. Here are the big categories.

Core Ranged Warhammer 40K Weapons

Bolter / Boltgun

• The iconic Space Marine weapon

• Fires self-propelled explosive shells (“bolts”)

• On the tabletop: good all-rounder vs most infantry

Lasgun

• Standard gun of the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard)

• Weak individually, terrifying in massed ranks

• Great example of “weight of fire” – lots of shots, basic damage

Plasma weapons (plasma gun, plasma pistol, plasma cannon)

• High-strength, high-damage weapons with a risk of overheating

• Great vs heavy infantry and elites

• Usually more expensive in points but can delete key targets

Melta weapons (melta gun, multi-melta)

• Hyper-destructive short-range guns designed to melt armor

• Very strong vs tanks and monsters at close range

• Reward aggressive positioning and good transports

Heavy weapons (heavy bolter, missile launcher, lascannon, auto cannon)

• Mounted on infantry, vehicles, or turrets

• Cover anti-infantry, anti-tank, and anti-air roles

• Often limit mobility but bring serious firepower

Core Melee Warhammer 40K Weapons

Chainsword

• The “standard issue” Space Marine melee weapon

• Basically a sword made of spinning teeth

• Lots of attacks, great for clearing basic troops

Power sword / power axe / power maul

• Energy-wreathed weapons that cut through thick armor

• Better AP and damage than a basic blade

• Chosen depending on whether you want speed (sword), armor cracking (axe), or versatility (maul)

Thunder hammer & power fist

• Heavy, slow, devastating warhammer weapons

• Excellent at smashing tanks, monsters, and elite characters

• Often give fewer attacks but huge damage

Special & Psychic Weapons

• Force weapons (for psykers) – scale with psychic power

• Daemon weapons – cursed relics with strong but risky bonuses

• Relic weapons – named wargear with unique rules and lore

Warhammer Fantasy / Age of Sigmar Weapons

On the fantasy side, a warhammer weapon is more likely to be a runed greatsword or a storm-forged hammer than a plasma gun – but the idea is the same: your weapons define your unit’s role.

Common Fantasy Warhammer Weapons

Swords & Axes

• Mainline infantry weapons: liberators, chaos warriors, skeletons, etc.

• Basic profiles with variations for elite troops (more damage, more attacks, better hit/wound rolls)

Hammers, Mauls & Great Weapons

• High-damage two-handed weapons

• Often hit harder but with fewer attacks or lower hit chance

• Great for “hammer” units that crack elite targets or armor

Polearms & Halberds

• Spears, glaives, halberds

• Frequently offer extra reach, better damage on the charge, or bonuses vs mounted/large units

Ranged Weapons

• Bows, crossbows, handguns, artillery pieces

• Define your backline and support units – from basic archers to terrifying cannons

Magical & Relic Weapons

• Named swords, axes, and artifacts that give special rules

• Often found on heroes and leaders to differentiate them from normal troops

Warhammer Weapon Profiles: How They Work on the Tabletop

While the exact stats change between editions, most Warhammer weapon profiles share the same basic ideas.

In Warhammer 40,000

A weapon is defined by things like:

• Range – how far it can shoot (melee is always close combat)

• Type – Rapid Fire, Assault, Heavy, Pistol, etc. (affects mobility)

• Strength – higher Strength wounds tougher targets more easily

• AP (Armor Penetration) – how well it cuts through enemy armor

• Damage – how many wounds it inflicts when it gets through

• Abilities – extra rules: re-rolls, blast, ignoring cover, mortal wounds, etc.

Example logic:

• High rate of fire + moderate stats = anti-horde weapon

• High strength and damage + good AP = tank/monster killer

• Short range + deadly profile = aggressive, up-close role

In Age of Sigmar

Weapons usually have:

• Range (melee or a fixed shooting range)

• Attacks – number of dice you roll

• To Hit / To Wound values

• Rend – similar to AP, lowers enemy save

• Damage – fixed or D3/D6

• Special rules like mortal wounds, exploding hits, or buffs/debuffs

Choosing the Right Warhammer Weapon for Your Army

When you’re building a list or equipping a unit, don’t ask “what’s coolest?” first – ask:

1. What role do I need this unit to fill?

   • Anti-horde, anti-tank, objective holder, counter-charge, etc.

2. What does the rest of my army already do well?

   • Plug gaps instead of stacking redundant roles (unless you’re going all-in on a theme).

3. How do I plan to move and position?

   • Static gunline? Fast assault? Deep strike reserves? That dictates what warhammer weapons make sense.

Rough Examples

• Space Marines:

  • Bolters + a couple of special/heavy weapons = flexible infantry

  • Melta + multi-melta = dedicated tank hunting

  • Plasma + power swords = elite-killer squad

• Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard):

  • Lasguns for massed fire

  • Lascannons and battle cannons for anti-armor

  • Flamers for overwatch and close defense

• Orks:

  • Choppas & power klaws for melee

  • Big shootas & rokkits for mid-range harassment

• Age of Sigmar armies:

  • Great weapons for elite “hammer” units

  • Shields + sword/axe for “anvil” units that hold objectives

  • Bows/crossbows for consistent chip damage and zoning

Warhammer Weapon Conversions & Kitbashing

A huge part of the hobby is making your warhammer weapons look exactly how you want them.

Easy conversion ideas:

• Swap chainswords for power swords to signal a more elite squad

• Add extra guns, magazines, purity seals, or trophies to your heavy weapons

• Use bits from different kits to give characters unique signature weapons

• For fantasy, swap axes for swords to differentiate heroes from their units

Always make sure your conversions are WYSIWYG-ish (What You See Is What You Get) so your opponent can clearly understand what each warhammer weapon is meant to represent.

Painting Tips for Warhammer Weapons

Even simple models look incredible if their weapons pop. A few quick tips:

• Metallics:

  • Basecoat with a dark metallic or black, then layer a brighter silver

  • Use a wash (like a dark brown/black) to bring out details

  • Edge highlight with a lighter metallic for a crisp finish

• Energy & power weapons:

  • Use a bright color (blue, green, red) with a gradient from dark to light toward the edge

  • Add thin, irregular streaks to simulate power fields or energy veins

  • Lightly glaze surrounding areas to fake a glow (OSL) if you’re comfortable

• Plasma & glowing guns:

  • Paint the coils a bright, saturated color

  • Highlight central areas almost white for an intense glow

  • Keep the surrounding casing darker so the coil stands out

• Weathering:

  • Sponge on dark browns or dark metallics to suggest chips and scratches

  • Add heat discoloration to barrels (blue/purple/brown near the muzzle)

Well-painted weapons often draw the eye first, so even basic units gain “hero energy” when you give their warhammer weapons extra love.

Warhammer Weapons in Video Games

If you’ve met a warhammer weapon through a game first, you already know how satisfying they can feel:

• Dawn of War / Total War: Warhammer – show the effects of wargear at army scale

• Space Marine – lets you experience the bolter + chainsword fantasy up close

• Vermintide / Darktide – make hammers, axes, lasguns, and autoguns feel punchy and weighty in first-person

These games are a great way to get a feel for which warhammer weapons you enjoy before you commit to building and painting them on the tabletop.

Final Thoughts: Making the Most of Every Warhammer Weapon

From a gameplay perspective, a warhammer weapon is about role: what does this unit actually do for your army? From a hobby perspective, it’s about identity: what story does your model tell at a glance?

If you:

• Understand what each weapon is good at

• Build lists that balance roles (anti-horde, anti-tank, objective control)

• And make your weapons stand out visually

…your army will not only perform better on the table, it’ll look and feel far more cohesive and thematic.

Whether you’re gripping a bolter, hefting a thunder hammer, or drawing a rune-etched greatsword, the right warhammer weapon is what turns a basic model into a hero.