The Reaper Chainsword is the enormous chain weapon mounted on Imperial Knights. It’s the size of a small building and loud enough to send infantry running before it even connects.
What the reaper chainsword actually is
It’s a chain weapon, which means it kills with a fast-moving loop of toothed blades rather than a single fixed edge. What sets the Reaper apart is scale: it’s roughly the height of three men, with adamantine teeth driven by the Knight’s servo-motors.
That combination of mass and speed is the whole point. A Knight swings it with the same power that moves the suit’s limbs, so the blade doesn’t just cut, it tears through whatever it hits.
Why it matters on the battlefield
The Reaper can chew through ferrocrete bunker walls and super-heavy vehicles alike. Those are the two things a Knight is most often pointed at, and the chainsword handles both without needing a different weapon.
There’s a psychological angle too. Sources note that the sound of a Reaper Chainsword has been known to make enemies break and flee, which is a real effect in a setting where morale often decides a fight.
Where it came from
The design has humble roots. Early in humanity’s expansion into space, chainswords of this general type were used for felling trees, not foes. The Reaper is that same idea scaled up and repurposed for war.
That origin story is a nice bit of lore, but it doesn’t change what the weapon is now. It’s a dedicated close-combat arm for Knights, not a modified tool.
Patterns and related weapons
The Bellatus Pattern is a known sub-pattern of the Reaper Chainsword, used by Bellatus Pattern Knights. Beyond that, the Reaper family includes other variants worth knowing about.
- Reaper Chainfist: a related close-combat weapon in the same family.
- Reaper Chaintalon: another Reaper variant, distinct from the standard chainsword.
Key facts
- The Reaper Chainsword is a chain weapon used by Imperial Knights.
- It’s roughly the height of three men and fitted with adamantine teeth.
- It’s driven by the Knight’s servo-motors, letting it cleave bunkers and super-heavy vehicles.
- Its sound alone has been known to make enemies flee.
- The Bellatus Pattern is a known sub-pattern.
- Early versions were used for felling trees during human space colonisation.
FAQ
What is a Reaper Chainsword?
It’s a giant chain weapon carried by Imperial Knights, about the height of three men, with adamantine teeth powered by the Knight’s servo-motors.
What can a Reaper Chainsword cut through?
Sources say it can cleave through ferrocrete bunker walls and super-heavy vehicles, thanks to the Knight’s strength behind the swing.
Was the Reaper Chainsword originally a tool?
Yes. Early chainswords of this type were used for tree-felling during humanity’s early space colonisation before being adapted for war.