Pistols as close combat weapons

[Azougon]

I was looking through the FAQs and errata for Codex: Space Marines the other day and I noticed something. You can swap a biker's bolt pistol for a chainsword for free. Curious, I checked the rulebook and it says pistols can be a close combat weapon. So is there actually any benefit in swapping a pistol for a close combat weapon?

[David Crossley]

Not really.

[Haighus]

As bikers are also relentless, and therefore no one is ever going to shoot the bolt pistol instead of the twin linked boltguns, it really doesn't matter either way, and comes down to which one looks cooler on the model. It really just gives more modelling opportunities :)

[Charistoph]

Pistols count as a melee weapon for terms of providing an Additional Attack, otherwise it is still a Ranged Weapon.

Now, the weapons in the Special Weapons list only allow for the Melee weapon or Boltgun to be swapped. Technically, this allows a couple bikers to take their Special Weapons allowed in their list.

[Azougon]

Thanks guys

[Azougon]

So does that mean that if I have two grav guns in the squad they can fire either the grav guns or the twin linked bolters