Special Weapons

Dawn of War allows units (such as Infantry or Vehicles) to be upgraded on the field with special weapons. The default weapons load out for a model is referred to as its squad weapon. Special weapons have their own costs (requisition, power, build time) and availability requirements. Many special weapons become available upon completion of Tier 1.5 or Tier 2, though there are exceptions such as the Ork Power Claw that depends on a research available in Tier 3.

Each purchase of a special weapon affects one model only. The model in a squad that gets equipped with a special weapon is randomly determined among all living models that are neither a squad leader nor already have a special weapon, irrespective of the current HP. This means that it is very possible for a low HP model to be equipped with a special weapon, and tragically dies moments after before it has a chance to really use it.

The standard DPS researches affect special weapons as well as squad weapons. However, the benefits are reduced. This encourages a player who focuses on special weapons to consider alternative means to increasing the lethality of special weapons. For instance:

Special Weapons of the Tactical Space Marine squad
Special weapons tend to be built faster than the original game, to encourage in-combat decision making.

DPS researches improve squad weapons more than special weapons
They are also toned down to make them non-mandatory, but still good. Note: Costs are written as Requisition/Power/Time
 * In soulstorm, you're punished for going down the Target Finder research line while getting Terminators.
 * In dowpro, the first DPS research is never as good as the second DPS research. In soulstorm, many are identical in this respect.
 * In soulstorm, upon completion of the DPS researches you were encouraged to avoid using the squad weapons for many squads.
 * Target Finders in soulstorm strangely did not improve Missile Launchers.
 * In dowpro, the DPS/HP increases are more even consistent across the game, while still encouraging racial uniqueness. This makes the game easier to understand and reason about.
 * In soulstorm, both researches being available immediately one after had a negative effect on timing windows and strategy.
 * Bionics (HP research) and Target Finder (DPS research) are now options. You can become more glass cannon or tougher.

Hero Wargear
Certain wargear can be superior to (and stack with) DPS researches for the purposes of increasing special weapon DPS. However, Enhanced Target Finder is better for squad weapons (but not as good for special weapons).

Special weapons change the dynamic of warfare
They tend to be built in seconds, even in-combat, which allows players to adapt quickly.

Each weapon has inherent advantages and disadvantages

 * Hard counter vs Soft counter
 * Anti-morale
 * Disruption
 * Set up vs no set up
 * Inaccurate when firing on the move vs accurate when firing on the move
 * Beyond visual range, less than visual range and equal to visual range
 * Their Fire on the Move accuracy may differ from other weapons

Everything can be countered, including weapons

 * Hard counter weapons are countered by engaging the wielder with a unit that has the correct armour type.
 * Anti-Morale weapons are mitigated by moral enhancing abilities.
 * Disruption can be countered by units with good mass.
 * Set up weapons are countered by disruption, such as artillery.
 * Inaccurate weapons when firing on the move can be countered by getting them to move as much as possible.
 * Beyond visual range units can be countered by killing the forward observers (which provide the line of sight)
 * Less than visual range units can be punished by picking them off at range.

Special Weapons are not mandatory

 * For most races the squad weapon is soft counter.


 * Buying special weapons reduces your HP for cost drastically.


 * Many special weapons provide hard counter DPS, whose inflexibility may end up being a key weakness.

Power is a precious resource. Buying special weapons has an opportunity cost. Two special weapons is often the cost of a standard upgrade.

Ork

 * Special weapons tend to be cheaper and/or build faster than that of the other races.
 * The capability to rapidly build Power Klaws makes even lone Ork squads a threat in the late game.

Chaos

 * The Heavy Bolter is faster to build for chaos, as their infantry research does not increase the ranged DPS of their Chaos Space Marines.

Tau

 * They are dependent on special weapons mainly for anti-tank capability.
 * Their squads tend to be pretty specialised, though not as hard counter as the Eldar.
 * These special weapons tend to be very expensive, compared to the other races.