Combi-weapons are bolters with a second gun bolted on, usually a flamer, melta, plasma gun or volkite charger. They show up across the Imperium and Chaos forces, and they’re the go-to choice for veterans who want flexibility without carrying two separate weapons.
What a combi-weapon actually is
A combi-weapon is two guns built into one housing. The core is almost always a bolter, with a specialist weapon mounted alongside it. You can also see them written as bolter-flamer, bolter-melta and so on, or as combi-(weapon).
The idea is simple: you get the reliable, rapid-fire bolter for most targets, then switch to the attached weapon when you need to burn out a vehicle, crack heavy infantry or torch a bunker. That versatility is why veterans and officers carry them instead of a plain bolter.
The main patterns
The most common combi-weapons pair a bolter with a flamer, meltagun, plasma gun or volkite weapon. There are rarer variants too, including combi-grenade launchers, combi-needlers, combi-grav guns and combi-disintegrators, but those are far less widespread.
Combi-bolters are a special case. They’re just two bolters stuck together, used by Space Marines since before the Horus Heresy. The Imperium stopped making them in favour of the storm bolter, but plenty survive as relics, and Chaos Space Marines still field them regularly.
- Combi-flamer: anti-infantry and horde clearing, popular with Salamanders.
- Combi-melta: tank and monster hunting at close range.
- Combi-plasma: flexible mid-range firepower, though it can overheat.
- Combi-volkite: rare, prized for its beam-style shots.
- Combi-bolter: twin-linked bolters, an older design kept alive by relics and Chaos.
Who uses them
Space Marine veterans, Terminators and characters are the classic users, and the Deathwatch fields a heavy version called the infernus heavy bolter, which pairs a heavy bolter with a heavy flamer.
Chaos Space Marines use them just as much, often as ancient wargear passed down through warbands. House Goliath gangs in Necromunda also field combi-weapons, so the design isn’t limited to power armour.
Combi-weapons on the tabletop
In games, a combi-weapon usually gives you a bolter profile plus a single shot from the attached weapon. That one-shot limitation keeps them balanced, so you pick the right moment to fire the specialist half.
For Horus Heresy players, combi-weapons are a staple of veteran squads. Upgrade sets let you build combi-flamers, combi-plasmas, combi-meltas and combi-volkites in bulk, including one-handed versions for breacher squads.
Key facts
- A combi-weapon combines a bolter with a second weapon, usually a flamer, melta, plasma gun or volkite charger.
- They’re also written as bolter-flamer, bolter-melta and so on, depending on the attached gun.
- Combi-bolters are twin-linked bolters, used since before the Horus Heresy and now mostly relics or Chaos gear.
- The Deathwatch’s infernus heavy bolter is a heavy combi-flamer pairing a heavy bolter with a heavy flamer.
- On the tabletop, the attached weapon typically fires once, making combi-weapons a one-shot punch rather than sustained fire.
FAQ
What’s the difference between a combi-weapon and a combi-bolter?
A combi-weapon is a bolter plus a specialist attachment like a flamer or melta. A combi-bolter is just two bolters joined together, an older design that predates the storm bolter.
Can Chaos Space Marines use combi-weapons?
Yes. Chaos warbands field combi-weapons regularly, often as relics from the Horus Heresy era, and combi-bolters are especially common among them.
Are combi-weapons still made in the 41st millennium?
Most combi-weapon patterns are still produced, but combi-bolters specifically fell out of favour in the Imperium after the storm bolter replaced them.