Dalek weaponry

Dalek weaponry was predictably (and regrettably) advanced and lethal. The Daleks appear to have used a number of different weapon systems in their travel machines, in addition to the other more powerful weapons.

Gunstick
The gunstick was the standard personal weapon.


 * See main article.

Manipulator arm
Though capable of other functions, the manipulator arm could also serve as a close-quarters weapon.


 * See main article.

Other weapons
The arm could also be replaced by a pyro-flame, essentially a flame-thrower, although given that the main gun had a limited area effect this seems mainly to have been used for defoliation. (DW: The Daleks' Master Plan)

With their main energy weapons rendered inoperative on the planet Exxilon, the Daleks replaced them with a projectile-firing percussion weapon. This weapon was effective against the primitive natives of the planet but less so against the sophisticated support and defence systems of the City of the Exxilons. (DW: Death to the Daleks)


 * ''This weapon is commonly referred to as a "machine gun'", however its relatively slow rate of fire strongly indicates it was not in fact fully automatic.

Individual Daleks were quite willing to expend their own lives for the advancement of the race, operating as suicide bombers if required. During the attempt to retrieve Davros in the Dalek-Movellan War, the Daleks improvised explosives using mining charges, strapping them about their casings. (DW: Destiny of the Daleks)

By the Last Great Time War, the Daleks had incorporated a very destructive set of explosives into the lower section of their casings, which could be used to self-destruct, utterly obliterating the Dalek. It is not not known if these charges could be used more offensively. The explosion seemed to be contained within a force field surrounded by the Dalek "bumps", so it seems unlikely. (DW: Dalek)

(For at least part of their history individual Daleks were capable of non-explosive self-destruct but this appears to have been more a frenzied pathological reflex at having failed to advance the cause of the race than a deliberate doctrine. The self-destruct in this case did nothing more than terminate the mutant involved, with even the casing not visibly damaged. DW: Death to the Daleks)

During the Dalek Civil War the Renegade Dalek faction made use of ECM (Electronic Counter-Measure) pods in their defensive positions. These devices locked onto the casings of any Imperial Daleks who came into range and infiltrated their systems, sabotaging the life-support software so the Kaled mutant within drowned in its own nutrient fluid. (DW: Remembrance of the Daleks (novelisation))

Heavy weapons
The Daleks routinely made little use of dedicated heavy weapons units, probably because the destructive power of a basic Dalek soldier made them unnecessary. However, during the Dalek Civil War, at least one Special Weapons Dalek was seen in action. This Dalek had a vastly oversized and overpowered version of the standard casing weapon. (DW: Remembrance of the Daleks)

Bacteriological weapons
Dalek vessels mounted a varied armament, some of them simple energy weapons. However they were also equipped with missiles, many of which had specialised warheads. The Daleks appeared to favour bacteriological warfare, as during the 22nd century Dalek invasion of Earth. (DW: The Dalek Invasion of Earth) They were prepared to use missiles to spread plague across planets they either wished to conquer or wanted to prevent others from visiting.(DW: Death to the Daleks)

Other armaments
During the Dalek Civil War, the Imperial Daleks had planet-busting weapons mounted on their flagship (DW: Remembrance of the Daleks). During and after the Last Great Time War, the flagship used explosive missiles, and the smaller flying saucers used weapons which could melt whole continents. (DW: The Parting of the Ways)

Time weapons
One of the most deadly weapons ever constructed by the Daleks was the Time Destructor. (DW: The Daleks' Master Plan)