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Of all the units you'd think they'd have the most use for them, but they do not. What gives?

M.

A flamethrower is a specialised, short range combat engineer weapon. It is heavy, temperamental and uses ammo very quickly. This kind of weapon is not suitable for a light infantry reconnaissance unit.

I would imagine that it would also be quite hard to infiltrate deep behind the enemys position, whilst havind a gun that essentualy creates a massive bonfire every time you use it.

that sorta thing tends to get noticed.

Para-Bat wrote:I would imagine that it would also be quite hard to infiltrate deep behind the enemys position, whilst havind a gun that essentualy creates a massive bonfire every time you use it.

that sorta thing tends to get noticed.

Exactly, it would be useless to a unit designed to not make a spectacle of themselves.

IIRC they had access in DOW. I know different setting.

Also 3rd edition if I'm not mistaken.

M.

Bradskey wrote:

Para-Bat wrote:I would imagine that it would also be quite hard to infiltrate deep behind the enemys position, whilst havind a gun that essentualy creates a massive bonfire every time you use it.

that sorta thing tends to get noticed.

Exactly, it would be useless to a unit designed to not make a spectacle of themselves.

Unlilke weapons that fire rocket propelled explosive rounds?

I guess it is also a balancing issue. Scouts with a flamer make a nice toaster unit, it actually could make them useful, more than useful in fact.

You are wanting to sneak in early doors and taost the enemy.
Good tactic but for gaming purposes sounds cheesy.
Expect to see it for the next SM Codex to be redone

Sorry but I'm with KK and others.
Scouts are recon.
Hard hitting infiltration is something else. It's what deep striking is for perhaps?

Scott-S6 wrote:Unlilke weapons that fire rocket propelled explosive rounds?

You clearly haven't heard of Silenced Rockets Stalker Pattern Boltguns!

Silenced exploding rockets.

Even by 40K standards that's pretty stupid.

The sgt can take a combi-flamer, though.

As for why the standard scout can't take a flamer, I don't know. Maybe it was just an oversight.

Gwar! wrote:

Scott-S6 wrote:Unlilke weapons that fire rocket propelled explosive rounds?

You clearly haven't heard of Silenced Rockets Stalker Pattern Boltguns!

Only one guy has one!

Ultramarines are having a monopoly I swear!

kenshin620 wrote:

Gwar! wrote:

Scott-S6 wrote:Unlilke weapons that fire rocket propelled explosive rounds?

You clearly haven't heard of Silenced Rockets Stalker Pattern Boltguns!

Only one guy has one!

Ultramarines are having a monopoly I swear!

And he's a 50 point upgrade in a 75 point squad!

The Stalkers were an option in Deathwatch squads years ago, used to be pretty cool.

As for the Scout flamers, I think it probably was an oversight, seeing as it might have given them a second or third half decent role

Edit: Telion is awesome though, I regularly use him + 9 Snipers, 190pts but seriously useful once in cover.

Flamer sort of unbalances the unit.
They are supposed to be infiltrators, not sneaky pyromaniacs.
"Hey guys, where are our scouts?"
"Oh, they got killed after setting the jungle they were sneaking through quietly on fire with their flamer."
"... crap"

Well.. Ork Kommandos can have Burnas.. 2 in a squad..

porkuslime wrote:Well.. Ork Kommandos can have Burnas.. 2 in a squad..

But arguably Kommandos are far from stealth recon units.

They're just sneaky pyromaniacs.

SaintHazard wrote:

porkuslime wrote:Well.. Ork Kommandos can have Burnas.. 2 in a squad..

But arguably Kommandos are far from stealth recon units.

They're just sneaky pyromaniacs.

Salamander Scouts would also be sneaky Bro Tier Pyromaniacs!

Kilkrazy wrote:A flamethrower is a specialised, short range combat engineer weapon. It is heavy, temperamental and uses ammo very quickly. This kind of weapon is not suitable for a light infantry reconnaissance unit.

Same thing could be said about Heavy Bolters though. I mean seriously, how stealthy can you be lugging that thing around let alone shooting it without getting noticed

Jake Bake A Cake wrote:

Kilkrazy wrote:A flamethrower is a specialised, short range combat engineer weapon. It is heavy, temperamental and uses ammo very quickly. This kind of weapon is not suitable for a light infantry reconnaissance unit.

Same thing could be said about Heavy Bolters though. I mean seriously, how stealthy can you be lugging that thing around let alone shooting it without getting noticed

And missile launchers.

Yes I did miss the missiles didn't I... They're just that stealthy you see

Maybe for the same reason Recon units IRL would have Grenades of some sort?

They have Missiles and HBolters in case they need to engage the enemy.

However, their job is to NOT EVEN GET CLOSE ENOUGH to engage the enemy, which is why they don't have flamers.

Gwar! wrote:Maybe for the same reason Recon units IRL would have Grenades of some sort?

They have Missiles and HBolters in case they need to engage the enemy.

Missiles an HBs are a far cry from grenades.

Imagine a team of Deltas carrying M249s or Javelins around and you get the idea.

It doesn't really fit.

With the exception of a special objective that requires such a weapon.

Gwar! wrote:Maybe for the same reason Recon units IRL would have Grenades of some sort?

They have Missiles and HBolters in case they need to engage the enemy.

However, their job is to NOT EVEN GET CLOSE ENOUGH to engage the enemy, which is why they don't have flamers.

But they can take shotguns and ccws...?

4th Ed Scouts also had Autocannons, which I think were the better weapon choice over the HB. Two shots at better Ap/Str.

Gwar! wrote:However, their job is to NOT EVEN GET CLOSE ENOUGH to engage the enemy, which is why they don't have flamers.

Which is why they can be armed with pistols and knives?

Scott-S6 wrote:

Gwar! wrote:However, their job is to NOT EVEN GET CLOSE ENOUGH to engage the enemy, which is why they don't have flamers.

Which is why they can be armed with pistols and knives?

Can be Armed ≠ Good idea to arm them with.

But clearly there is an intent for some scouts to be getting extremely close to the enemy where a flamer would be extremely handy.

i think them not having flamers is probably either an oversight, or maybe a potential balance decision (until they added Snikrot and his gang)

Fluff wise I think like this - The Scouts are forward recon. they are there to put knives in people as long as possible. They have light armor and comparitively less experience/training then full battle brothers. When they get neck deep in it their strength comes from sitting in hard cover and long range fire supression. Having to get somone close enough to use a flamer would endanger the entire squad coherancy wise. If you dont kill all of your targets, the scouts are going to be in close combat next round (Or worse).

So thinking of Marine tactics while someone in Mk Battle armor can sing "bullets be damned" and set some people on fire. The flamer scout is probably going to live a much shorter life (with a much more festive end).

Not to mention in most Black library books promethium is described as smellng to high heaven. While not an issue while stalking orks, it might raise a few Eldar eyebrows if they get upwind.