Projectile weapons

Projectile weapons, using ammunition of miniaturized poisoned needles, bolts and darts, were part of the standard armament of the House Troopers and other military forces of the Imperium. The technical revolution caused by the introduction of the Holtzman Shield had made projectile weapons largely obsolete, but were still favored by soldiers over the more dangerous and less reliable Lasgun. Automated heavy projectile weaponry continued to be installed on military Groundcars, Thopters, Flyers and even Spacecraft.

Fremen pointing Maula pistol (Dune CCG)

Known types of Projectile Weapons

Original Dune

• Cannons - heavy artillery projectile launchers used by House Harkonnen
• Dartguns - small projectile weapons used by Assassins
• Fremen gun
• Grenades
• Handguns - archaic weapons used by the Facedancers
• Maula pistol - spring-loaded mechanical handgun for short-to-medium range targets
• Rocket launchers - heavy artillery used by the Fremen and Sardaukar
• Slow-pellet Stunner - launches projectile that slows down to penetrate shield and stun target
• Tiny projectors of poison darts - miniature weapon used by Assassins

Extended Universe

• Boltgun
  • Disruptor Gun - anti-robot weapons used by the League of Nobles military
  • Riveting Gun
• Bow - archery weapon
  • Crossbow - archery weapon
• Cellguns - anti-cymek weapons used by the League of Nobles
• Chandler pistols
• Dart launchers - heavy projectile weapons produced by Richese
• Disk guns
• Disrupter guns - heavy and bulky weapons used by the robot guards during the Great Revolt
• double barred cannon
• Farzee rifle
• Flechette pistol
• Fremen "Tarpel Gun" (unique to the 1984 film adaptation)
• Heavy weapons - used by Bene Gesserit and Honored Matres Military
  • Projectile Launcher - heavy and bulky weapons used by the robot guards during the Great Revolt
    • Large Projectile Launcher - used in the machine crusade by the League of Nobles
      • Heavy Launcher - used by the League of Nobles military
      • Kinetic Launcher - used by the titans
      • Artillery Gun - Harkonnen weapons firing explosive shells
      • Artillery Launcher - old fashioned shoulder mounted weapon used by the Fremen
        • Siege Machines - deployed by house Atreides
          • heavy siege cannon
      • Weapon Turret
        • Surface-to-Air 'Guns
    • Small projectile launcher - used by post-Leto II Bene Gesserit Military
    • Shoulder Mounted Launcher - old fashioned artillery launcher used by the fremen
      • Explosive Projectiles
        • Rocket Launcher
        • Torpedo Launcher - used by the machine empire
          • virus canisters
      • High Pulse-Projectile launcher
        • Multiple Pulse-projectile launcher
• light mounted cannon
• machine guns
• Needlegun - light handweapons used by the Ixians
  • Stun Gun - weapons carried by League of nobles and Harkonnen military
• pulse cartridge gun
• robotic guns -
• sniper rifles -
• Stun-ball
• Stun-projector
• Torpedos

Images of projectile weapons

Atreides handgun (Dune, 1984)

Atreides handgun (Frank Herbert's Dune miniseries)

House Atreides rifle (Frank Herbert's Dune & Frank Herbert's Children of Dune miniseries)

Glossu Rabban's small projector (Dune, 1984)

Harkonnen handgun (Dune, 1984)

Harkonnen rifle (Dune, 1984)

Harkonnen assassin's handgun (Frank Herbert's Dune)

Sardaukar pistol (Dune, 1984, concept art)

Sardaukar terror trooper gun (Dune, 1984)

Sardaukar gun (Frank Herbert's Dune)

Fremen Needle projector or Maula pistol (Dune, 1984, concept art)

Fremen Needle projector or Maula pistol (Dune, 1984, prop)

Fremen "Tarpel Gun" (Dune, 1984, concept art)

Fremen handgun (Frank Herbert's Dune)

Fremen gun (Frank Herbert's Dune)

Chani pointing a Maula pistol (The Illustrated Dune, art by John Schoenherr)

Paul Atreides pointing a Maula pistol (Dune, 2021)

Maula pistol (Dune, 2021, scale model replica of the full-sized prop)

Maula pistol (Dune, 2021, scale model replica of the full-sized prop)

Maula pistol - Dune board game (Avalon Hill) illustration

Maula pistol (Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium RPG illustration)

Stunner - Dune board game (Avalon Hill) illustration

Attempted slow-pellet attack on Idaho's personal shield, fired by a sardaukar's stunner (Dune, 2021)

Paul and Chani with missile launcher (Dune: Part Two, 2024)

Gun (Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium RPG illustration)

Fremen guards serving the Atreides, holding rifles and carbines (Frank Herbert's Children of Dune miniseries, 2003)

Arrakis smugglers armed in the desert

House trooper in expensive powered armour and with projectile gun (Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium tabletop RPG)

Arrakis smugglers in the desert

Korba lying in wait with a Maula pistol (Dune CCG, art by Mark Zug)

The Sardaukar Warriors by John Schoenherr (The Illustrated Dune, 1978)

Light infantry with PWs (Dune II)

Harkonnen heavy troopers with PWs (Dune II)

Sardaukar in armour with PWs (Dune II)

Fremen warriors with PWs (Dune II)

Atreides sniper with PW (Emperor: Battle for Dune)

Atreides "Kindjal infantry" with PWs (Emperor: Battle for Dune)

Fremen warrior with PW (Emperor: Battle for Dune)

Harkonnen light infantry with PWs (Emperor: Battle for Dune)

Harkonnen heavy trooper with PW (Emperor: Battle for Dune)

Harkonnen engineer with PW (Emperor: Battle for Dune)

Ordos mortar infantry with PW (Emperor: Battle for Dune)

Ordos anti-armour trooper with PW (Emperor: Battle for Dune)

See also

• Pulse projectiles
• Lasgun - Ranged energy weapon shooting beams (impractical when firing at shields).