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LORE·WHITE DWARF 518

The Blessed Boltgun

November 2025·pp. 34–41

THE SHORT VERSION

The article examines the boltgun as both a weapon and a sacred emblem of Imperial power. A cutaway explains the fictional construction and firing sequence of a mass-reactive bolt, before the history of Space Marine patterns moves from Great Crusade designs to Godwyn-pattern guns and the bolt rifles introduced with the Ultima Founding.

Training, devotional rituals and named relics show why the weapon is more than standard equipment to its bearers. The survey then widens to combi-weapons, heavy bolters and larger derivatives, the lighter pattern favoured by Battle Sisters, Custodian weapons and the status attached to bolt pistols among officers and Imperial officials.

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Find this article in White Dwarf 518, pp. 34–41.

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InterviewWD 518 · pp. 16–19

The Games

Phil describes the relationship between miniatures, fictional worlds and game rules as a collaborative act of storytelling. The article recalls an earlier, more generalist studio, explains why models became the starting point for new projects, and shows how rules turn a collection into characters whose actions generate memorable stories at the table.

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CommunityWD 518 · pp. 28–33

Planet Warhammer

Reader letters and a model gallery mix anniversary nostalgia with current hobby projects, including a return to collecting Troggoths and a Hearthkyn kill team painted using different approaches. Lewis Cairns’s Gotrek display is the featured model: a raised scenic base, painted storm backdrop and lightning crossing behind the Slayer’s gem aim to capture the drama of classic fantasy book covers. Other photographed work ranges from a Warlord Titan and Horus to Gaunt’s Ghosts, Teclis and Ghazghkull.

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RulesWD 518 · pp. 42–50

Battle Through the Ages

Classic starter-box collections are translated into small games using contemporary Warhammer 40,000 datasheets. Six forces based on the second-, third- and fourth-edition boxes receive their own objectives, Enhancements and Stratagems; normal army rules and Detachments are omitted, and an optional specialist-support Stratagem brings blast and flame templates back to the table.

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November 2025Read summary