The volkite charger is a compact, deadly ray weapon from Warhammer 40k’s past. It’s a Volkite weapon that saw use during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, prized for its ability to make enemies combust in a shower of fire and ash.
What it is
The volkite charger is a type of Volkite weapon, an arcane Martian technology dating back to the Age of Strife. It fires a thermodynamic beam that deflagrates organic matter, explosively burning flesh into ash and jetting fire. A direct hit can cause a target to simply combust, often taking nearby comrades with them.
While it lacks the range and raw power of its larger cousins like the volkite caliver or culverin, the charger makes up for it with greater mobility. It’s often carried by Legion Tactical Support Squads, who use it to lay down punishing fire while staying mobile.
Why it matters
Volkite weapons were once relatively common among the Space Marine Legions, but they were phased out in favour of the more flexible and easier-to-manufacture bolter. The charger is a relic of that earlier era, a symbol of the Great Crusade’s technological heights before the Horus Heresy saw them become a rarity.
For collectors and lore fans, the volkite charger represents a lost age of warfare. It’s a reminder that the Imperium once wielded weapons it can no longer easily replicate, and that the Mechanicum’s forges still hold secrets from before the Age of Strife.
Patterns and famous examples
The most common pattern was the Mars-Omega, standard issue among Legions like the Salamanders during the early Great Crusade. The Salamanders, with their technical aptitude, were one of the few Legions that could maintain and even field-manufacture Volkite weapons.
Perhaps the most famous volkite charger is Firebrand, a master-crafted weapon carried by Fulgrim, Primarch of the Emperor’s Children, when the mood suited him. It’s a rare named example of a charger in the lore.
- Mars-Omega Pattern: the most widespread charger pattern, used by many Legions.
- Firebrand: Fulgrim’s personal master-crafted volkite charger.
Volkite chargers in the wider lore
Volkite weapons are also used by the Leagues of Votann, who call them Volkanite weapons. The Kin’s technology is actually far older than the Mechanicum’s, though the Adeptus Mechanicus believes it’s based on their own designs.
During the Horus Heresy, volkite weapons were rare among the Legions, but the Mechanicum’s Taghmata still fielded them in large numbers. The charger, therefore, sits at the intersection of Imperial and Mechanicum history, a weapon that outlived its heyday but never quite disappeared.
Key facts
- The volkite charger is a compact Volkite weapon from the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras.
- It fires a deflagrating beam that burns organic matter into ash, often causing targets to combust.
- The Mars-Omega pattern was the most common, used by Legions like the Salamanders.
- Fulgrim’s personal volkite charger was named Firebrand.
- Volkite weapons were phased out in favour of the bolter due to manufacturing and maintenance issues.
- The Leagues of Votann use similar weapons called Volkanite, which are actually older than Mechanicum designs.
FAQ
What does a volkite charger do?
It fires a thermodynamic beam that deflagrates organic matter, causing targets to combust explosively. It’s a compact Volkite weapon with limited range but high killing power.
Who used volkite chargers?
They were used by the Legiones Astartes and Mechanicum during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. The Salamanders Legion was particularly known for fielding them.
Why were volkite chargers phased out?
They were too complicated to manufacture en masse and difficult to maintain in the field, so the simpler bolter became the standard weapon of the Legions.