Each 'special' weapon confers a number of abilities onto the warrior wielding it. This will sometimes be a bonus to their characteristic profile (normally Strength) or perhaps grant the wielder one or more special rules, as detailed in the weapon's rules.

In order to keep a weapon's abilities nice and clear, we give each a characteristic profile, much as we do for a warrior. There are four sections to a weapon's profile: Name, Range, Strength and Special Rules.

Name

A weapon's name is what you'd expect, a descriptive title that distinguishes the weapon from other ones.

Range

The range tells you at what distance the weapon can be used. If a weapon's range is 'combat' then it can only be used in close combat. If the range is a number of some kind, it is a missile weapon and the number is its maximum range.

Strength

A weapon's Strength can take three forms. If the Strength is shown as a modifier, for example +1, +2 or -1, then this is the modifier the weapon applies to the wielding model's strength. A Man (Strength 3) wielding a Halberd (Strength +1) would therefore strike Strength 4 blows when fighting in close combat.

If a weapon's Strength is shown as 'as user' then attacks made with the weapon use the wielder's own unmodified Strength.

Alternatively, if a weapon has a fixed Strength, then all attacks made with that weapon use the Strength value shown – the wielder's Strength is ignored. For example, shots fired by a Man (Strength 3) with a crossbow (Strength 4) would use the crossbow's Strength of 4, not the Man's Strength 3.

Special Rules

Many weapons confer special abilities on the attacks made by the wielder, such as the ability to fight in an extra rank. Sometimes the special rule will be explained immediately after the weapon profile. Otherwise, details on these special rules can be found in the chapter of the same name.