The Confrontation Update, Patch 14 for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, adds six new Heroic weapon variants split across melee and ranged loadouts. Each one comes with its own signature perk and a slightly different stat profile from the standard version it is based on, so the value depends heavily on the class you run and how you play. Below is a full breakdown of what each weapon does, how the six compare, and exactly how you get them.
Quick answer: Every Heroic weapon is bought from the Refinement & Redemption shop using Accolades, a currency earned by playing Eternal War PvP matches and completing Datavault challenges. There is no other way to unlock them.
How to unlock the Heroic weapons with Accolades
All six variants are locked behind Accolades, so treat them as a long-term goal rather than a quick pickup. You build up the currency by playing through Eternal War, finishing Datavault challenges, and claiming the update’s new weekly PvP rewards. Once you have enough, you spend it in the Refinement & Redemption shop to add the weapon to your arsenal.
These are variant weapons, not brand new weapon types. That means they share the base behaviour of the standard weapon they build on, and the Heroic perk is the main reason to chase them once your regular gear is already maxed.
All six Heroic weapons compared
| Weapon | Base type | Class fit | Heroic perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lord Executioner’s Axe | Thunder Hammer | Heavy melee / AoE | Whirling Strike |
| Salamanders Power Sword | Power Sword | Fast, technical | Nocturne’s Retort |
| Deathwatch Power Fist | Power Fist | Balanced melee | Burning Impact |
| Bolt Carbine Combi-Flamer | Bolt Carbine | Close range | Flame effect |
| Salamanders Melta Rifle | Melta Rifle | Tactical / Vanguard | Thermal Charge |
| Deathwatch Stalker Bolt Rifle | Stalker Bolt Rifle | Long range | Auspex Shot |
Melee Heroic weapons
Salamanders Power Sword
This is the most talked-about weapon in the update. Its perk, Nocturne’s Retort, empowers the blade after a perfect parry, adding bonus damage to your next light attack. The buff stacks up to five times, and a later change is set to raise the cap to six stacks while granting three stacks per successful parry instead of one.
Each stack carries a meaningful damage bonus, and the payoff scales further depending on how it interacts with heavier attacks. Even without any further tuning, it stands as one of the strongest fencing-style Power Swords in the game. It runs a Strength of 11, Speed of 7+, Cleaving Potential of 4, and uses a Fencing defence type.
Lord Executioner’s Axe
Built on the Thunder Hammer, the Lord Executioner’s Axe is a slow, area-of-effect powerhouse. Its perk, Whirling Strike, replaces the usual Aftershock effect with a spinning attack, and landing that spin on five or more enemies at once grants an adrenaline surge stack. The spin has a generous radius, so it clears hordes well while still hitting hard on single targets.
A contested health fix is planned for the spin attack, which should improve its healing recovery. Its stats sit at Strength 14, Speed 4, Cleaving Potential 7, with a Block defence type. Compared with the earlier fencing-style Heroic Thunder Hammer, this axe is the stronger overall pick.
Deathwatch Power Fist
The Deathwatch Power Fist uses Burning Impact. After a light attack you can pause to enter a stance, then follow up with another light attack to fire a melta blast that applies a burn status. That burn can reach airborne enemies, giving it a little extra reach during a horde fight.
It lands as the weaker of the three melee options because its effect is more situational, but a balanced Power Fist with Strength 16 and Cleaving Potential 13 still hits extremely hard regardless of the gimmick. Speed is 6, with a Balance defence type.
Ranged Heroic weapons
Salamanders Melta Rifle
The Salamanders Melta Rifle already performs strongly, especially on the Tactical class. Its perk, Thermal Charge, extends range and tightens spread in exchange for a short charge before firing, effectively turning the close-range melta into a long-range option. Paired with Auspex Scan on Tactical, it tears through several tougher enemies at once.
The charge shot also staggers, which helps against ranged threats such as Chaos units carrying heavy weapons, and it can even stagger some tougher late-game bosses. The Vanguard class gets less out of it right now, though broader buffs to all Heroic weapons should narrow that gap. Its stats include Firepower 14, Piercing 10, Range 20, a 5-round magazine, and a 15-round reserve.
Bolt Carbine Combi-Flamer
The Combi-Flamer keeps the dependable output Bolt Carbines are known for and adds a flame effect that pays off in close-quarters fights. It ranks among the better choices for short-range engagements and contested health recovery, making it one of the more well-rounded additions in the update.
Its numbers are Firepower 8, Accuracy 4, Rate of Fire 8+, Reloading Speed 5+, Piercing 1, and Range 3, with a 45-round magazine, a 225-round reserve, and a x1.5 headshot multiplier.
Deathwatch Stalker Bolt Rifle
The Deathwatch Stalker Bolt Rifle runs Auspex Shot, which creates a small scan area after five successful shots land in quick succession, on an eight-second cooldown. The trade-off is that this variant has no piercing at all, a side effect of how perks tied to landing hits on a single target work, since penetration would otherwise break the trigger.
Despite the missing piercing, its rate of fire holds up well and stands comparably next to other Relic-tier options in that category. Key stats are Firepower 9, Accuracy 10, Rate of Fire 1+, Reloading Speed 5, Range 10, an 18-round magazine, a 48-round reserve, and a x2.5 headshot multiplier.
Which Heroic weapons to prioritize
If you are spending Accolades carefully, the Salamanders Power Sword and Lord Executioner’s Axe are the standout melee buys thanks to their strong perks and clear payoff. On the ranged side, the Salamanders Melta Rifle shines on Tactical, while the Bolt Carbine Combi-Flamer is the safest all-round pick for close-range work.
The Deathwatch Power Fist and Deathwatch Stalker Bolt Rifle still hit their base numbers hard, but their perks are more situational, so they sit lower on the priority list. You will know a purchase went through when the variant appears in your weapon selection and can be equipped in the loadout screen.
The Confrontation Update closes out the game’s second year, with the next season of content set to begin in September 2026, so there is time to grind out the full set before the next wave of additions arrives.
