Strategium Apex

The Strategium Apex refers to a small group of master-crafted Combi-weapons; rare, even amongst those already precious pieces of wargear. The original Strategium Apex was a Combi-flamer crafted by Grand Wyrm Elias of the Obsidian Wyrms. Since then, a handful of the most experienced of the Wyrms' Techmarines have sought to try and produce similar combi-weapons of different types, which are now considered as priceless relics. A Strategium Apex is formed around two core principles which guide every step and aspect of its construction from planning to the minutious assembly of its carefully crafted parts. The first core principle is Flexibility. As with all combi-weapons, they are built to allow an user to respond to as big an array of tactical situations as possible. The second core principle is sustainability. It has always been a very severe drawback of combi-weapons that the secondary ammunition was ludicrously limited; to the point where simply carrying a meltabomb or anti-personel grenade was an infinitely simpler alternative to trying to acquire a rare combi-melta or combi-flamer respectively.

Strategium Apex carry slightly higher ammunition capacity than conventional combi-weapons; their flamer variants making use of Ignis-patterns canister and insertion designs and meltaguns operating in a similar but less refined manner. A melta-based Strategium Apex is able to fire 4 shots, the equivalent of an infernus pistol, while the flamer-based variant is capable of 8 gouts of flames. There exists no Strategium Apex combi-plasma or combi-grav. This is due to the general distrust of the technology used in plasma weaponry and the lack of understanding of Obsidian Wyrms Techmarines of Grav weaponry.

The third known type of these weapons might be considered as largely archaic by most, but serves a different purpose altogether. Combi-bolters, or twin-linked bolters, have long since existed as one of the first type of combi-weapons and have since then been replaced by Storm Bolters, but Bolters-based Strategium Apex do not link both canons to a single trigger or magazine. the handle features two triggers individually controlling each bolter, however both cannot be fired at once. This configuration allows for the wielder to alternate between standard bolter shells and specialist Sternguard ammunition without needing to swap magazines around constantly.