Flamer
"Build a man a fire, you keep him warm for a day. Set a man on fire, you keep him warm for the rest of his life..."
- Terry Pratchett
The Flamer is a short-ranged support weapon employed in many different variations by nearly all of the races of the WH40K universe.
Overview
The flamer is a weapon that sprays an area with an extremely flammable liquid/gas known as Prometheum (no relation to the actual element Promethium but a reference to the Greek Titan Prometheus), burning anything in front of it. Now apart from the varying degrees of burns you'll receive when you're on the business end of one, your squad won't really be motivated when they see a giant firewave of painful and slow death, which will proceed to painfully and slowly kill them. In fact it's a rather terrifying experience, and anyone short of a space marine or a particularly stubborn commissar will probably bolt when they see a lot of 'em coming.
Armies field flamers in different sizes ranging from pistol-sized flame units, a regular rifle sized unit, to a big-ass flamer capable of bathing entire platoons in fire with a single burst. Table-top wise, Flamers are special weapons that ignore cover bonuses and are extremely effective against infantry. Very good against the Tyranids due to their total lack of vehicles, so you always have a chance at hurting most any tyranid unit you shoot at, plus it's great for killing all those pesky rippers. Fairly effective against Orks as well, as flamers are awfully good at killing large blobs of infantry. Still, they do fuck-all to most vehicles.
Imperial Variations
A cruel and painful weapon in its own right, this would not be 40k if there weren't several variations of the flamer, each deadlier than the last.
Hand Flamer
Also called a Burner, the Hand Flamer is a more compact pistol version requiring only one hand. Mainly used by the Adepta Sororitas, Hive Gangers, and the Inquisition, this weapon is a pint-sized flamethrower that can be wielded as if it were a pistol. Along with using a lower-capacity fuel tank it has much reduced range, which makes it suited for assault and close-combat purposes, incinerating foes at short range. Some extremely unhinged individuals go as far to dual-wield them for extra burny power. There are quite a number of Hand Flamer patterns such as:
- Ignis Pattern: Used by Space Marines, most notably the Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters.
- Akkadic Pattern: Used by Ashen Circle Legionnaires
- Exterminator
- Destroyer-Pattern: Also known as the Cadence Promethium Incineration Device, it was produced by the Inquisition in the Calixis Sector. It uses technology similar to a Plasma Gun to create super-heated thermal blast that burns fat hotter and with greater fuel efficiency than normal Hand Flamers.
Exterminator
An Exterminator is a small Hand Flamer that is seldom taken as a stand-alone weapon. It contains only enough fuel for a single shot without having to be reloaded, therefore it is commonly fitted to other weapons to augment the firepower of the user without encumbering them with another weapon to carry, or providing a degree of ranged firepower to those who only carry melee weaponry. Think of it as a small Flamer attachment to your main gun you see in Call of Duty. It is not a Combi-Weapon however, as it is meant to be a replaceable accessory, not permanently part of the gun.
Common weapon fits include:
- Lasguns
- Boltguns
- Shotguns
- Autoguns
- Eviscerators: (Exterminator/Eviscerator hybrids are particularly favored by members of Redemption Cults.)
Flamer
The regular sized flamethrower as described above, used by nearly everyone in the 41st millennium. In the case of the Imperium, there are loads and loads of different patterns of Flamers. All suitable for your occasional pyromaniacs. Usage or users of Flamers within the Imperium can be seen within the list below.
- More fanatic adherents of the Imperial Creed employ flamers against mutants and heretics as the weapon's flames are seen to cleanse sin and impurity from body and soul alike.
- It is the preferred weapon of the more fervent worshipers of the Emperor such as the fanatical Red Redemptionists and the associated Fanatics of the House of Cawdor of Necromunda.
- Among the Adepta Sororitas (As expected), as a purifying weapon, the flamer has a prominent function and for a Sister to be entrusted with one is a great honor.
- The Salamanders Chapter (Again, as expected) make wide use of flamers and melta weapons due to their preference for close-ranged combat.
- The Catachan regiments of the Imperial Guard are often deployed to areas of heavy jungle, where enemies can make as much use of the ever present cover as the Catachans themselves. Accordingly flamers and heavy flamers are especially valued by the Catachans for their ability to rob the enemy of the benefit of the terrain.
- Troops of the Adeptus Mechanicus use a more advanced version of the flamer known as the Cognis Flamer. This weapon is equipped with a Machine Spirit that continue to fire even when its wielder is distracted.
Combi-Flamer
The Orks have proven that any weapon can be made more dakka by slapping another weapon onto it. Combining this with the Imperium's love for flame weapons, the combi-flamer is a weapon that can be strapped onto a regular Bolter to allow for a single gout of fire when needed.
Some may note that this is basically the weapon Ripley uses at the end of Aliens.
Heavy Flamer
The big brother of the regular flamer, able to do far more damage. It produces a larger flame capable of enveloping more targets. Due to the longer barrel and more powerful gas propellant, the Heavy Flamer has a much longer reach then the regular Flamer, but it is off set with its higher maintenance and bulkiness due to its large and ungainly size.
Mainly used by Terminators and vehicles, they are also carried by the Sisters as a specialist weapon, by everyone in the Salamanders, and by the Catachans because they simply don't give a fuck. Strictly better than a regular flamer, which is why GW usually manually prevents you from just taking gobs of them. Unless you play a Crusade Legion list, where you can field squads of 10
Incinerator
The Grey Knights own personal flamers on steroids, dial up over 9000. Essentially exclusively wielded by the Grey Knights Purgation Squad (But can also be wielded by Terminators and Dreadnoughts as well). These fuckers have their fuel mixed in with blessed oils which when fired, essentially create a stream of flaming blue or white sanctic power. These guns cause most infantries to piss themselves red and scatter like droves, and make most regular Chaos forces to shit-launch themselves into near orbit of the sheer fear on the amount of collateral rape they will be forced to endure. Tl;dr, this is essentially the Grey Knights version of pesticide, to wipe out those hard to kill critters.
You could say that the Incinerators are one *Hell* of a gun to use as in the Dawn of War 2 Elite Mod, Incinerators are absolute rape machines capable of lolnoping almost all types of infantry save those donning the most protective armor. Not even vehicles is safe from this monstrosity of a Flamer. Light one up and watch the chaos reign in everywhere.
Incendine Combustor
The Incendine Combustor is a type of heavy Flame Weapon used by Adeptus Mechanicus Kastelan Robots. The incendine combustor hurls out great gouts of burning, thrice-blessed promethium. Laced with Magos-blessed unguents and ignited by a flame lit from the Perpetual Forge, each holy fire-thrower can turn a technoheretic into foul tallow in a matter of seconds.
Due to the size and weight, the Incendine Combustor is reserved to only to the robots of the AdMech as not even the augmented muscles of the Space Marines could use this thing in a efficient and practical manner.
Flamestorm Cannon
The Flamestorm Cannon is a large Imperial flamer, more powerful than even the heavy flamer used on several Space Marine vehicles. An even bigger variation of the flamer, found on the Land Raider Redeemer as a sponson weapon and the primary weapon of the Baal Predator. Each Flamestorm Cannon spouts a billowing tide of burning promethium into the thick of the foe, incinerating any biological matter and melting any inorganic matter in the way.
This is the weapon you wanna use to flashfry and BBQ a whole swarm of Tyranids before getting into superheavy category. Although the Inferno Cannon might be a bit better in terms of assault and price.
Inferno Cannon
The Inferno Cannon is a huge, vehicle mounted Flame Weapon. The primary weapon of the Hellhound, this weapon focuses on the "thrower" aspect of "flamethrower". Similar in strength to the Heavy Flamer, the Inferno Cannon can project its payload over a considerable distance and if used right can fuck up even vehicles if they have poor armor. It is used by the Imperial Guard and can also be equipped on Space Marine Dreadnoughts. The amount of damage it does is magnified by the explosive force it is fired with. It causes fear amongst those enemies that face it, and rightly so. The sheer amount of flame that leaves the vehicle is immense, enough to melt through most armor and even some defensive structures. The tank has to carry large barrels of Promethium, making it extremely volatile, especially under explosive fire.
When it fires, the vehicle must not be moving, as a disastrous back wash of flame would fry everyone inside the vehicle. The crew are often seen as pyromaniacs.
The Immolator tank of the Sisters of Battle uses twin-linked Heavy Flamers which produces a similar effect.
Flame Cannon
A step up from your regular Inferno Cannon. The Flame Cannon is a class of heavy Flame Weapon mounted of Imperial Knights, most notably the Knight Acheron's Acheron pattern Flame Cannon. This devastating weapon can literally project a literal hellstorm of the flame torrent to the enemy. Fire basically rains when this thing comes into play. The power of the Flame Cannon can be equally compared with the Titan class weapon.
It is just overshadowed by the even bigger Inferno Gun which may be why this weapon is not that heard off much at all.
Inferno Gun
Some men just want to watch the world burn. Others provide the matches. The Inferno Gun falls under the second category. Mounted only on the Warhound Scout Titan and the Malcador tank it will do horrifying damage against anything caught in its path. It is composed of several linked barrels firing highly flammable chemicals in massive waves of flame. It typically uses Promethium for this task, which is stored in multiple parts and pumped independently into a mixing chamber just behind the barrel to create a chemical "jelly." This jelly is then compressed and released as a jet of flaming mass which sticks to any surface. This massive gout of sun-fire can melt stone and concrete, causing buildings to collapse in on themselves, and even liquidate Power Armored infantry. It can also effectively clear minefields as the sudden heat detonates their main charges on contact.
The Inferno Gun can be fitted to the limb mounts on Warhound Scout Titans, as well as the carapace mounts found on Reaver and Warlord Battle Titans. They can also be found on the carapace mounts of some Imperator Titans. The Imperial Guard Malcador Infernus super-heavy tank also mounts an Inferno Gun as its main armament, though it must tow its Promethium fuel in a separate trailer.
Chaos Variations
Chaos Space Marines and Daemons both use flame weapons with fire generating from more warp-derived sources. Results of this are positively deadly as fuck! Additionally, CSM use a lot of the imperial flamer variants including the flamer, heavy flamer and combi-flamer.
Burning Brand of Skalathrax
Rumoured to be the weapon employed by Kharn himself to burn out his allies for being faggots and shying away from cold weather on Skalathrax, the Brand has a colourful history of burning shit to death - most notably power armoured Mary-Sues. This is a unique weapon that projects a gout of Khorne's (or Tzeentch? Nobody knows exactly) best fire at a long distance, to chase out and scorch anyone who might be hiding in cover.
Baleflamer
A larger, more common and much deadlier flamer that takes the Flamestorm Cannon one step further - in that it shoots further! These are exclusively seen on CSM Helldrakes and are super effective against almost anything NOT wearing terminator armor or hiding in METAL BAWKSES. It used to be a potent weapon of unrelenting rape as it can ignore cover and fire in a 360 degree radius on a flyer. Now it has been nerfed to be more balance. It is still powerful however, just not as game breaking as before.
Breath of Chaos
Employed exclusively by Daemons, this is less of a weapon than it is a shooting attack - a shooting attack that eats through armour, body and spirit with ease, that is. Effects of this weapon are as varied as the Changer of Ways himself, but can include anything from simple conflagration up to fire that turns things into tentacles or frogs or - well, we can't really make an accurate assessment of this attack. Seen used by Flamers of Tzeentch mostly, but also by Daemon Princes and Lords of Change.
Bile Spewer
Technically not a flamer since it doesn't shoot fire but is still based on it. Papa Nurgle's forces doesn't use fire-based weapons because it doesn't leave anything for decay (since the flesh is burned off). Instead, his forces use "Bile Spewers", weapons using the flamer as the base weapon but the promethium tank is instead replaced with a tank full of toxic substances that does the same job as a flamer (efficiently kill infantry anywhere, be it in cover or in the open) but leaves a chance for the target's corpse to rot and decay, just as Papa Nurgle would like it.
So far, this weapon's been only featured in Dawn of War II and is a great alternative to the Imperial Guard's Bane Wolf.
Warpflame Pistol
As of the introduction of Warzone Fenris: Wrath of Magnus, the Thousand Sons got some sweet new looking toys. The latest of which is the Warpflame weapons. Pretty much what happens when you trap a Flamers of Tzeentch inside a gas canister. The Warpflame Pistol is the baby of the bunch. Essentially the Chaos equivalent of the Imperium's Hand Flamer. The Warpflame Pistol has the shortest range of the Warpflame family but is off set with its ease of use and smaller profile.
As a daemonic weapon, Warpflame Pistols do not really need to worry about fuel as the very nature of the Warp makes it more likely to carry more fuel than its small canister might of originally intended. In the hands of the Thousand Sons, flame weapons such as the Warpflame Pistol hurl gouts of transmorphic fire that mutates those touched by them, turning them either into a immobile tumor to a They-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.
Warpflamer
As of the introduction of Warzone Fenris: Wrath of Magnus, the Thousand Sons got some sweet new looking toys. The latest of which is the Warpflame weapons. Pretty much what happens when you trap a Flamers of Tzeentch inside a gas canister. The Warpflamer is the middle child of the bunch. Essentially the Chaos equivalent of the Imperium's regular Flamer. The Warpflamer has a decent range and is able to hit targets that could not be reached with a Warpflame Pistol.
Warpflamers can be a great alternative to your Rubric Marines as its affects makes it quite good at dealing with those chumps that likes to get close and personal. It is also great to clear out entrenched positions as its flame affects would roll over those pesky cover.
As a daemonic weapon, Warpflamers do not really need to worry about fuel as the very nature of the Warp makes it more likely to carry more fuel than its canister might of originally intended. In the hands of the Thousand Sons, flame weapons such as the Warpflamer hurl gouts of transmorphic fire that mutates those touched by them, turning them either into a immobile tumor to a They-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.
Heavy Warpflamer
As of the introduction of Warzone Fenris: Wrath of Magnus, the Thousand Sons got some sweet new looking toys. The latest of which is the Warpflame weapons. Pretty much what happens when you trap a Flamers of Tzeentch inside a gas canister. The Heavy Warpflamer is the adult of the bunch. Essentially the Chaos equivalent of the Imperium's Heavy Flamer. The Heavy Warpflamer has a long range compared to its smaller cousins and can provide excellent covering fire from allied Thousand Sons detachments.
Due to their size, only Rubric Terminators have the strength to wield one of these with ease. They provide a good anti-infantry bonus to an army quite vulnerable to tarpit swarms like those of the Tyranids or the Orks.
As a daemonic weapon, Warpflamers do not really need to worry about fuel as the very nature of the Warp makes it more likely to carry more fuel than its canister might of originally intended. In the hands of the Thousand Sons, flame weapons such as the Warpflamer hurl gouts of transmorphic fire that mutates those touched by them, turning them either into a immobile tumor to a They-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.
Xenos Variations
Though the Imperium has by far the most flame weapons, certain aliens also employ them.
Eldar Flamer
The lazily named Eldar Flamer is used by Storm Guardians to support their role as close-quarters combat and by Wraithlords as secondary weapons for assault-oriented constructs. As all things Eldar, they are much more advance then the Imperium's version (Although how advance is up to debate).
They are the more diet-lite version of the Dragon Breath Flamer as it has a lower reach and range then the Aspect exclusive weapon. Other then that, despite the fluff they share very little if no difference then the regular Imperial Guardsmen/Space Marine/Sisters of Battle version of the regular flamer.
Dragon Breath Flamer
An upgrade to the regular Eldar Flamer. Used by exarchs of the Fire Dragons, these weapons can sear anything that gets within range of their wielder. It only exists as a piece of fluff, as while there is an option to give one to a model on the tabletop, so far no-one has been dumb enough to actually take that option over the basic fusion gun or fire lance.
They are similar to the Heavy Flamers employed by the military forces of the Imperium of Man although in terms of appearance, there is very little difference between that and the regular Eldar Flamer other than possibly the way its ammunition is held and a longer nozzle to project an increased range of the ignited fuel.
Burnas
The Orks employ Burnas for their flamer-duties. These weapons are unique because they can also be used as cutting torches to deal serious damage in close combat (AP3 marineopeners ftw! Unfortunately, they can only fire as a flamer or take on a better melee profile, but not both. FUCK YOU GW). It is often used in as a construction tool in creating Ork war machines, as well as a weapon. For fuel Burnas use toxic liquid, usually a mix of pressured squig-oil and promethium, hand-made by Ork Mekboys, each of whom has his own recipe of the 'burnin' brew'. Like most examples of Ork technology, Burnas are designed to sustain the worst sort of battering and are very robust. They have to be, given that they are often used in close combat as improvised bludgeons after the fuel runs out. Orks obsessed with fire often equip themselves with Burnas, forming up mobs of Burna Boyz.
They are also essentially a burning gas-can, strapped on a stick, to give you a hint on what they usually look like. Their vehicles occasionally employ larger versions known as Skorchas.
Splash Burna
The Splash Burna is what happens when you ask a Mek Boy to take parts from a Space Marine plasma weapon and combine them with a standard Ork Burna. Not a kombi weapon, this hybrid functions (essentially) like a Plasma gun, but the fuel source is liquid based, rather than plasma coil based.
The coils still perform a vital function, super heating the fuel to extreme temperatures, and the liquid itself clings to the target causing sustained damage. The fuel pack, on the other hand, is extremely precarious and often explodes if shot. As usual with most Ork weapons, the Splash Burna is prone to failure and self-destruction. Due to its plasma nature, the risks of things going wrong is absolutely high. Expect a lot of Orks being blown up by their own weapons because of the lack of any cooling ports located in the Splash Burna
Think of it as a 'Plasmathrower' of sorts or a Melta that fires a continuous stream of atomizing radiological masers. Or in any other case, it is the Okified version of the Tau Phased Plasma Flamer in terms of nature but it is an Ork Melta in terms of function.
Skorcha
The Ork's version of a Inferno Cannon or a Heavy Flamer. The Skorcha unlike the Burna is literally a tried and true flame-thrower, a device designed to hurl burning fuel, with a volatile mixture of gases and liquids compressed into a cylinder. When a valve is opened, the mixture is forced through the Skorcha's nozzle and sprayed over a target area, reducing it to burning shambles in seconds.
It is basically the Ork equivalent of a Heavy Flamer, usually mounted on vehicles such as Killa Kans, Grot Tanks or Wartrakk Skorchas, or as a secondary weapon on bigger Ork war machines. Skorchas are dangerous, unreliable and spectacular weapons and so are very popular among Orks.
Tau Flamer
Used solely by Crisis Battlesuits, they are meant to deter close-range attackers. The Tau Empire's Earth Caste has developed Flamers designed for use as a weapon system for Tau XV8 Crisis Battlesuits. XV8 Crisis Battlesuits can also choose to use twin-linked Flamers, in which case it will take up two of their three available system hardpoints.
Most often equipped when Battlesuit teams are expected to be fighting massed, lightly-armored opponents, Tau Flamers are lethal weapons when used against foes in dense terrain. Due to the nature of said battlesuits, they are not intended to be used as a primary weapon (Farsight's pyromaniac buddy/possible fangirl Torchstar gives zero shits about this and she dual-wields them anyway).
Tau Phased Plasma Flamer
Trust the Games Workshop to make a gatling version of any weapon, however inappropriate it is... Plasma Flamer is a triple-barreled gatling flamer, mounded on Y'Vahra battlesuit that shoots fire so hot it burns through terminator armour (one that is designed to work inside a nuclear reactor) and turns a marine inside into a crisp in a split second, and much like imperial flame cannons or chaos baleflamers it spurts that fire at a considerable range.
Its like a more efficient Ork Splash Burna without the chance of it blowing up in your face if you accidentally nudge a loose screw. Didn't I mention if fires in bursts? Because it does. Your army is now officially fucked.
Gauntlet of Fire
A Gauntlet of Fire is a Necron weapon that takes the form of an armored glove and vambrace, whose length crackles and flows with viridian flame. The gauntlet’s mechanisms are controlled by a series of sub-mechadermal filaments, allowing the wielder a level of control over the gauntlet as fine as that over his own hand. A Gauntlet of Fire is capable of firing a great column of green flame, with similar effects to an Imperial Flamer, or can be used in close combat for fiery attacks that are more likely to hit and harm the foe, as well as set them alight for a time. Gauntlets of Fire are weapons found exclusively as part of the armories of Necron royals, such as Necron Overlords, Necron Lords and Necron Destroyer Lords.
Despite having ostensibly the most advanced weapons in the setting, the only Necron template weapon short of Apocalypse is the Lord-only Gauntlet of Fire. It projects a blast of green flame mechanically identical to a regular flamer, and can also reroll to hit and to wound in melee. So why don't you remember it? Because a melee-fighting Necron isn't going to not bring a Warscythe. You may see some more in 7th now that they can bring BOTH. As of 8th Edition's Index Xenos 1, nobody can take one except Imotekh.
Tyranid Flamespurt cannon
Used by the Pyrovores, notable for being smarter than the creatures that carry them. The Pyrovore is little more than an ambulatory digestive system set in a squat and vicious body, containing nothing that does not serve it in sating the Great Devourer’s hunger. Its role within the Tyranid swarms is to find the choicest morsels of the worlds the Hive Fleet consumes, from living flesh to exotic minerals required by the strange leviathans in orbit above it. In return, the Flamespurt Cannon uses the digested chemicals as fuel to ejaculate its hot, sticky liquid at the opposing foe.
Unfortunately, the Flamespurt Cannon's reputation is legendarily inept at its job as well as the fact that the Pyro is such a huge pile of fail that nobody even bothered to write an entry until now.