Summary
Rapid-firing Phosphor Weapon of the Adeptus Mechanicus that hurls clinging white-hot luminagenic spheres, ignoring cover and marking targets for follow-up volleys.
Lore
The Phosphor Blaster is a rapid-firing variant of the Adeptus Mechanicus’ Phosphor Weapons weapon family. It launches clusters of burning white spheres that cling tenaciously to their targets, sizzling as they melt through flesh, armour and exoskeleton alike. The phosphorescent glow these orbs exude lingers on the wounded, so that even survivors are picked out as luminagenic beacons — guiding the volleys of allied formations to strike the same target.
Unlike the lighter Phosphor Weapons sidearms favoured by Skitarii, the Blaster is a heavier carapace- or arm-mounted weapon system, deployed on the war-engines and battle-servitors of the Cult Mechanicus rather than the infantry of the Skitarii Legions.
Variants
Three principal variants are issued in the present compliance:
- Phosphor Blaster — the standard rapid-firing pattern, mounted on Kataphron Destroyer and on the carapace of the Kastelan Robot.
- Heavy Phosphor Blaster — a larger, longer-ranged pattern with greater stopping power, deployed on Kastelan Robot, Kataphron Destroyer and the Onager Dunecrawler.
- Twin Kastelan Phosphor Blaster — a paired arm-mounted configuration of the Kastelan, twin-linked for re-rolled volleys.
Wielders
The Phosphor Blaster is a Cult Mechanicus weapon, not a Skitarii one. Its primary platforms are the Kastelan Robot of the Legio Cybernetica, who may bear it on the carapace or replace their Kastelan Fists with twin Phosphor Blasters; the Kataphron Destroyer battle-servitors, on which it serves as a secondary weapon; and the Onager Dunecrawler, which mounts the Heavy pattern as one of its turret options.
Profile
Tenth-edition profiles for the Adeptus Mechanicus pattern (per Wahapedia datasheet transcription):
- Phosphor Blaster — Range 24″, A3, BS 4+, S6, AP −1, D1; Ignores Cover.
- Heavy Phosphor Blaster — Range 36″, A3, BS 4+, S6, AP −1, D2; Ignores Cover.
- Twin Kastelan Phosphor Blaster — Range 24″, A3, BS 4+, S6, AP −1, D1; Ignores Cover, Twin-linked.
The Ignores Cover clause is the rules-form of the luminagen doctrine: the target’s hiding place avails it nothing once the spheres have marked it.