Alright hobby faithful, gather around because this is one for the lore nerds and the rules crunchers.
The new Saturnine boxed set might get its name from the new Terminator suits and that monstrous Dreadnought, but tucked inside its chunky sprues is a deeper, weirder legacy. We’re talking disintegrators—the kind of weapon that makes plasma look tame and bolters seem quaint. Yes, seriously.
These aren’t just limited to one flashy model either. The Saturnine box is loaded with them—43 disintegrator weapons in total. From compact pistols to hulking twin-mounted cannons on the Dreadnought’s arm, they’re everywhere. And there’s a reason for that: these weapons kill like nothing else in the Heresy setting.
A Blast from the (Really Old) Past
Disintegrators aren’t some new studio experiment either. They’ve got deep roots, going all the way back to 1986. The very first Space Marine miniature, tagged LE 02, came packing one of these mystery guns. Back then, nobody knew much—Warhammer 40K was still in its infancy, and the model’s strange ribbed weapon mostly faded into obscurity.
That is, until 2016, when Games Workshop resurrected that classic model in plastic, complete with his funky-looking gun. The remake stayed true to the original and even got rules under the Legends banner in 40K. It was a nice nostalgia trip—until something much more intriguing happened.
Enter Leetu – Prototype, Marine, Enigma
Fast-forward to the Siege of Terra novels, where the character Leetu shows up—a Space Marine wrapped in mystery. He refers to himself as a prototype, and surprise, surprise, he’s wielding what sounds a lot like a disintegrator. The description? A long, ribbed barrel wound in wires, ancient tech unseen since the earliest wars of humanity.
That’s not just fluff for fluff’s sake—it’s an anchor. It links this lost weapon tech back to the Unification Wars and the early stages of the Great Crusade. These guns pre-date the Legiones Astartes themselves, making them relics of a far older kind of warfare.
What Do Disintegrators Actually Do?
Glad you asked, because this is where things get nasty—in the best way. Disintegrators fire radiant energy bolts that unmake targets at a molecular level. Yeah, it’s as horrific as it sounds. The impact doesn’t just burn through flesh and armour—it shreds them apart atom by atom. That’s right: it unravels reality at the point of contact.
Even hardened Astartes aren’t safe from these things. We’ve even seen it in action in the Saturnine cinematic trailer, where disintegrator blasts chew through formations like a hot chainsword through flak armor.
Thanks to the Saturnine set, you can now arm two full Veteran squads, six Saturnine Terminators, and one Dreadnought with these things. That’s a whole lot of instant-death potential on your tabletop.
Why Don’t We See Them in 40K?
Here’s the kicker—despite how devastating they are, disintegrators vanish after the Heresy. Nobody really knows why. Were they banned for being too dangerous? Was the tech lost? Were they deliberately buried like other pre-Imperial relics? Nobody has the full answer.
And honestly, that makes them even cooler. They’re one of those great Warhammer mysteries—something older than the Imperium, more dangerous than plasma, and now finally back in our hands.
Final Verdict – Why This Matters for You
Whether you’re deep into Heresy or just picking up the Saturnine set because it looks amazing (and it does), these disintegrator weapons are a gem. They offer more than tabletop punch—they connect us to a nearly-forgotten era of Warhammer lore. Plus, they’re some of the nastiest weapons we’ve seen in Heresy-era gameplay.
If you’re into the deep cut stuff—the stuff that rewards paying attention to the setting’s past—this is exactly your kind of detail. And if you just want to watch enemy units detonate in style, well, you’re covered too.
Stay tuned, because something tells me we haven’t seen the last of this ancient tech.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
