Even though high-powered lasers and plasma weapons scour the battlefields of the 41st Millennium, close combat remains commonplace - sieges, city fighting, boarding actions and tunnel warfare are noted more for the ferocity of the fighting than any strategic nuances. Seasoned warriors always bear a deadly array of clubs, knives, frag grenades and bayonets for close-quarter fighting.
Assault troops will be even more fully equipped, taking pistols, swords and axes into battle with them. Most deadly of all are the power weapons that are sheathed in disruptive energy fields of crackling blue balefire. Power weapons splinter ceramite armour plates and melt plasteel in the blink of an eye, smashing through even the toughest armour like paper.
Specialised weaponry can give troops a real edge in close combat. Some of the most common close combat weapons and special attacks are listed below. Note that models with special close combat attacks can always choose not to use them and attack normally instead. If you're wondering why you might want to do that, read the power fist entry below! Sometimes a model might be equipped with more than one type of special weapon: a power fist in one hand and a power axe in the other for example. In this situation the player can opt to have the model strike in Initiative sequence with the power axe, counting the power fist as an additional close combat weapon, or strike at Initiative 1 with the power fist, counting the power axe as an additional close combat weapon.
Important note: Unless noted otherwise, only models in base-to-base contact with the enemy can use their special close combat attacks.