Weapon Traits

Core Rule

Weapon traits are named weapon-profile hooks used by OPDAT unit cards and weapon profiles.

A weapon trait is live only if it is listed here or defined in another current weapon rule file.

Do not infer additional effects from a trait name beyond the mechanics explicitly defined here or in another approved current rule file.

Source And Approval

The uploaded Teaching.zip weapon source files provide mechanics for the original nine live OPDAT weapon traits.

Source files reviewed:

• voidsiege_ranged_weapons.md
• voidsiege_melee_weapons.md

Jason approved those Teaching source mechanics for the current weapon-trait pass on 2026-07-05, with the Auto clarification that Auto makes every successful Target Lock cause Critical Damage, not only rolls of 1.

The uploaded file 01-voidsiege_weapons.md provides additional weapon profile structure, ranged mechanics, ranged extensions, and melee mechanics imported in this pass.

Marshal review cleanup on PR #52 clarified Sniper allocation, Defensive timing, Cascade recursion, Assault full-RoF close-combat use, and Scatter/Explosive ownership links.

Ranged Weapon Traits

Ranged weapon traits are listed in the RoF line and modify how the weapon functions during Target Lock or related shooting steps.

Rapid

When this weapon is used to make a shooting attack, re-roll failed Target Lock rolls made by this weapon.

When this weapon is used during Snap Fire, use the weapon's full RoF instead of its Snap Fire RoF.

Auto

Every successful Target Lock roll made by this weapon causes Critical Damage.

When this weapon is used during Snap Fire, Target Lock rolls of 1 and 2 are successful.

Auto is broader than the default Critical Damage rule for ranged Target Lock rolls of 1. A successful Target Lock roll from an Auto weapon causes Critical Damage regardless of the successful roll value.

Volley

If the attacking unit is stationary, double this weapon's RoF for that attack.

Barrage

This weapon may make shooting attacks without Line of Sight.

After resolving an attack with this weapon, roll a command die to apply restrictions.

Barrage does not change range, target legality other than the Line of Sight exception, Cover, Target Lock, damage, damage allocation, or removal timing unless another rule explicitly states otherwise.

Scatter

This weapon uses a Dispersion Template to determine Target Lock against targets within 8 inches.

Resolve Scatter using special-rules/dispersion.md and the current template rules.

Sniper

This weapon allows the attacking player to select specific models within the target unit when assigning damage caused by this weapon.

The selected models become the models eligible to receive that Sniper weapon's assigned damage, overriding normal closest-model damage allocation for that damage.

Sniper does not increase Target Limit or the number of models that can be affected unless another rule explicitly states otherwise.

When this weapon targets models that are not in Cover, this weapon has Auto for those shots: every successful Target Lock roll made by this weapon causes Critical Damage.

Sniper does not otherwise change target legality, range, Line of Sight, Cover, Target Lock, damage, or removal timing unless another rule explicitly states otherwise.

Ranged Weapon Extensions

Ranged weapon extensions are listed in the Ext field and define effects that trigger during or after damage resolution.

Cascade

Cascade is a ranged weapon extension.

Resolve Cascade using special-rules/cascade.md.

Explosive

This weapon uses a template to apply damage.

Resolve Explosive using special-rules/explosive.md and the current template rules.

Melee Weapon Traits

Melee weapon traits are listed in the Att field and modify how melee attack dice are rolled.

A weapon may only have one mechanic in the Att field.

Fast

When this weapon is used to make melee attacks, roll the listed number of attack dice per model.

Re-roll all failed melee attack rolls made by this weapon.

Flail

When this weapon is used to make melee attacks, each success grants a bonus attack.

Rolls of 6 made by this weapon double this weapon's Force for the damage caused by that roll.

Whip

When this weapon is used to make melee attacks, each success grants 1 additional attack die.

Slashing

When this weapon is used to make melee attacks, roll the listed number of attack dice per enemy model in range.

Crushing

When this weapon is used to make melee attacks, roll the listed number of attack dice or listed dice pool.

All rolls of 4+ made by this weapon succeed.

Hammer

When this weapon is used to make melee attacks, rolls succeed if they are equal to or higher than the target's HP.

Defensive

Defensive is a melee weapon trait.

Resolve Defensive using special-rules/defensive.md.

Melee Weapon Extensions

Melee weapon extensions are listed in the Ext field and define effects that trigger during or after melee resolution.

Melee extension rules are defined in the current special-rules home unless they are explicitly defined here.

Alignment Notes

• Ranged RoF determines the number of dice rolled for Target Lock.
• Ranged mechanics are listed in the RoF line and interact with Shoot, Snap Fire, and Advance.
• Ranged extensions are listed in the Ext field and usually trigger during or after damage resolution.
• Melee Att mechanics change how melee attack dice are rolled.
• Melee extensions are listed in the Ext field and usually trigger during or after melee resolution.
• Melee weapon range defaults to 1 inch unless the weapon profile or another rule gives a different range.
• Barrage restriction results should use the current command restriction framework or the approved restriction home for that command-die result.
• Scatter and Explosive use their special-rule homes for template placement and affected-model rules.
• Cascade uses its special-rule home for generated damage dice.
• Defensive uses its special-rule home for generated melee attacks.
• Flail bonus attacks and Whip additional attack dice are generated by successful melee attack rolls from those weapons. If a later timing conflict appears, resolve it in core/melee.md or this file rather than in OPDAT.
• Hypercharge appears in the uploaded weapon file as an example melee extension to be defined in Special Rules, but no full Hypercharge rule is defined there.

Existing Trait Definitions Elsewhere

• Assault is currently defined in core/ranged_weapons.md as a ranged weapon trait.

Ownership Notes

• Use core/ranged_weapons.md for ranged weapon profile structure and ranged-weapon-specific rules.
• Use core/weapon_traits.md for reusable weapon trait vocabulary and extensions.
• Use core/melee.md for melee attack resolution.
• Use core/shooting.md for shooting attack resolution.
• Use core/damage.md for damage, Critical Damage, Sustained Damage, and related damage outcomes.
• Use core/general/templates.md, special-rules/dispersion.md, and special-rules/explosive.md for template placement and affected-model rules.
• Use special-rules/cascade.md and special-rules/defensive.md for those named mechanics.
• Because weapon traits affect weapon feel and faction identity, request Sypher review before public trait mechanics are treated as final presentation language.