Close-Combat Weapons

A close-combat weapon is any weapon that can be used to make a melee assault. This includes various common melee weapons such as swords, knives, bayonets, maces, axes, clubs and even pistols. It also includes some unorthodox natural weapons such as claws, tails, beaks and teeth. Specific intelligent races of the galaxy maintain certain preferences for different close-combat weapon types. The Space Marines make common use of Chainswords, and occasionally of Power Weapons. The Imperial Guard prefer Power Swords and possibly Chainswords for officers and non-commissioned officers and bayonets for non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers. Certain Imperial Guard regiments also make extensive use of their Combat Knives such as the Catachan Jungle Fighters.

Two-Handed Weapons

Some Imperial troops have the option of wielding weapons that require two hands to use effectively, such as the Eviscerator. These weapons have the advantage of increasing the effective damage the wielder can bring to bear on a foe, but come with their own disadvantages, such as rapid overheating, and normally slowing the user in combat.

Frost Blade

A Frost Blade or Frost Axe is a specialised melee weapon used by some characters in the Space Wolves Chapter of Space Marines. The weapon itself is similar in look to a standard sword or axe and can come in a Chainsword version, except that the blade includes teeth taken from a creature called a Kraken -- one of the monstrous aquatic species that inhabit the Space Wolves' frozen home world of Fenris, and contains a power field generator similar to that used by Power Weapons.

Chainfist

Space Marine Terminators often replace their standard Powerfist with the Chainfist for use against enemy armoured vehicles and static defences. The Chainfist is a combination of a Powerfist and a Chainsword which usually protrudes from the back of the hand, just above the knuckles. This weapon is capable of cutting through even the toughest of armour plating, and provides additional armour penetration capability against vehicles and bunkers, though they have little utility against lightly-armoured and more mobile enemy infantry. Chainfists are so massive, encumbering and energy-inefficient that they are normally only ever seen on Space Marines equipped with Terminator Armour. However, there are smaller versions in existence that can be used by unaugmented humans.

Chainsword

The most common form of chain weapon is the Chainsword, frequently carried by assault troops and low-ranking officers of the Imperial Guard and Space Marines (including the Traitor Legions). Another common variant is the Chainaxe, which is usually carried by melee specialist Chaos Space Marines (normally of the World Eaters Traitor Legion) who are known as Khornate Berserkers. Orks employ various Chain Weapons as well, usually axes or wide-bladed swords.

Eviscerator

The Eviscerator is a larger version of the Chainsword and is usually seen in the hands of religious fanatics such as penitent Sisters of Battle or the zealous and fiery Redemptionists of the Frateris Militia; it is also used by Ecclesiarchy priests who serve with the Imperial Guard. Eviscerators closely resemble conventional chainsaws, but being large two-handed weapons they are generally powerful enough to have similar effects to the Chainfists frequently seen carried by Astartes Terminators.