Come delve into the dark, and forbidden armory of the Eldar – the sinister Distortion weapons that just remove models from existence!
lore via our friends at Lexicanum
Distortion Scythe
D-Scythes or Distortion Scythes are advanced Eldar Vortex Weapons. Considered a sinister and taboo weapon, D-Scythes can rip the soul of an enemy from their body and banish it to the Warp. When fired, a D-Scythe emits no visible blast and leaves behind no damage, save the motionless corpse of those targeted. D-Scythes are normally wielded by Wraithguards in place of their Wraithcannons.
The Eldar call the act of separating the spirit from its body ‘Cutting of the Crone’s Cord’, for in Eldar lore a strand ties the soul of a being to its material form. Tradition has it that only the Crone Goddess Morai-Heg herself has the right to sever this connection, for a mortal doing so is merely playing god. However as the desperate situation for the Eldar continues, more militant Autarchs are calling for more frequent deployment of these taboo weapons.
Wraithcannon
A Wraithcannon is an Eldar vortex weapon of deadly potency similar to the D-Cannon. Wielded by a Wraithguard and powered by the psychic energy of its spirit stone, the Wraithcannon opens a small temporary rift between real and warp space, tearing apart its target as it is torn between different dimensions. However, unlike the D-Cannon the Wraithcannon is more tightly controlled and more accurate.
Distortion Cannon
The Distortion Cannon or D-Cannon is a vortex weapon and the most dangerous of all Eldar weapons. Using the same technology which allows ships to enter the nightmare realm of the Warp, the D-Cannon causes an area of the material universe to momentarily collapse in on itself, essentially creating a miniature warp hole. If the target is lucky then violent, complex gravitational forces will merely tear it to pieces, guaranteeing almost certain death to living creatures or total wreckage to vehicles. If not, the target is sucked completely into warp space.
Even those outside the affected area can suffer from adverse consequences as the distortion of reality itself causes people and objects to be spatially displaced, potentially causing further damage. The only disadvantage of the D-Cannon is that by Eldar standards it is a short-ranged and inaccurate weapon. To an extent the D-Cannon’s unpredictability is to be expected, especially for a weapon which makes mockery of the laws of the universe.
The size of the warp hole created depends on the size of the D-Cannon, with larger weapons requiring more power and a larger chassis to mount them. The largest D-Cannons are those mounted on Eldar Cobras and Phantom Titans, and even Void Shields are useless in defending against them. These terrifying weapons are capable of swallowing multiple battle tanks in one hit, and the shockwave that results from their sudden closure can knock over other armoured vehicles lucky enough to avoid being dragged into Hell.
Efforts by the Adeptus Mechanicus to study and replicate this technology have ended in gruesome failure, particularly in 755299.M40 when unsanctioned work resulted in the Contagion of Eridanus and the deployment of a Grey Knight strike force to halt the daemonic intrusion. Since that incident draconian measures have been enforced upon the Adeptus Mechanicus to prevent their dabbling in heretical xeno technology, and those who ignore these restrictions can expect a visit from the Inquisition.
Learn more about the Eldar
~Do you like or loathe the pointy ears?
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
