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I'm sure it's obvious so I'm sorry but why can't space marines other than stern guard take heavy flamers. Or can they? I thought maybe I'm missing something but I'd like to take heavy flamers.

nope, they cant. as to why? because gw logic thats why. though blood angels are an exception because they are hot headed and love fire.

If you want a bit of historical context and fluff, way back in 2nd edition quite a bit of the gear SM now carry around was only usable by terminators.

Lightning claws and thunderhammer/ stormshield needed too much power for the SM armor to provide, had to be hooked into terminator armor. I think you could get lightning claws for dreadnoughts, but not thunderhammers, or stormshields.

Assault cannons could only be carried by dreadnoughts, vehicles and terminator armor. The weight, recoil, and ammo needed was too much even for a SM to carry.

Heavy flamers were also dreadnought, vehicle and terminator armor as well. I don't remember a fluff reason why SM couldn't carry them, maybe the fuel and base unit too heavy.

Just seems like GW keeps taking thing away from terminators that made them special, without giving them anything back. At this point feels like the venerable terminator needs a redesign or retirement.

Because they need something to make Blood Angels special.

Rumbleguts wrote:
Lightning claws and thunderhammer/ stormshield needed too much power for the SM armor to provide, had to be hooked into terminator armor. I think you could get lightning claws for dreadnoughts, but not thunderhammers, or stormshields.

Lightning claws were available to power armour as well. Bjorn was the only dreadnought that had one.

But currently Sternguard and terminators can take them correct? Same with legion of the damned. Seems off tacticals can't.

It can seem however it wants to seem. GW is under no obligation to make logical sense with their rules. I point you towards the Terminator being just as 'hidden' by nineteen trees, seven squads of other models and 98% obscured by a building and a fence as it would be standing two inches in front of the shooter. That 2+ save doesn't change. Logical? Nope, but them's the rules.