# Hand Flamers - Worth it?



## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

While tossing around ideas for the BA army I'm building, I had created a build that had given each of my Assault Squad Sergeants a hand flamer for the sake of having a template weapon.

...then I switched HQ choices from a Librarian to Astorath the Grim and my Sanguinary Guard to Death Company and suddenly had much less points to play around with. Are hand flamers and their fairly weak attack really worth the 10 points that they cost? Doing the combat calculator and given an idea situation (1 hand flamer hitting 10 models in an opposing Toughness 4 Armour Save 3+) the weapon will wound an average of 1.111 model... out of ten. Which is better than the chances if he had but a bolt pistol, but I'm not really banking on the shooting phase anyway since I'll be going straight into assault.

Hopefully that makes sense, it was a bit of a 'stream-of consciousness' post. But yeah, bottom line up front, are Hand Flamers worth getting?


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## KingOfCheese (Jan 4, 2010)

Personally i really don't see the point in them.

The only thing they are any good against are T3 6+ units (gaunts etc).
Even if your hitting half a dozen Ork Boyz under the template, you are still only taking out 2 on average.

10 points that are better spent elsewhere.


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

That's what I was thinking, especially since pimping out the death company is proving to be quite expensive haha.


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## Astorath333 (Sep 27, 2010)

no s3 doesn't work worth anything, I've tried it many times.


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## KingOfCheese (Jan 4, 2010)

Astorath333 said:


> no s3 doesn't work worth anything, I've tried it many times.


Obviously somebody who has never been at the receiving end of FRFSRF. :laugh:


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## Astorath333 (Sep 27, 2010)

KingOfCheese said:


> Obviously somebody who has never been at the receiving end of FRFSRF. :laugh:


If you mean Tau, then yes I have been on the recieving end.


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## KingOfCheese (Jan 4, 2010)

Astorath333 said:


> If you mean Tau, then yes I have been on the recieving end.


*facepalm*

Imperial Guard
FRFSRF = First Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire

Have seen a unit of 5 TH/SS Terminators go down quite easily to S3 Lasguns.


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## CursedUNTILLDEATH (Apr 25, 2010)

Go ahead, hate on the str3...just you wait... (cleans las-gun)

hand flamers are only really usefull against nids...guard get thier save, orks wound on +5...5 points maybe, 10 no way.


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## Astorath333 (Sep 27, 2010)

Well I don't expect to know much about IG considering there's only one person that has an IG army at my LGS and they RARELY play. I wasn't hating on the lasgun I have unquestioned respect for it, the hand flamer has a much lower volume of firepower, obviously when compared to a Cadian squad. You can't kill much with a hand flamer, hence why it is not worth 10 points.


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

I have seen it work on tyranid gaunts with some effect but that is about it. For 10 points not the best choice.


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## search116 (Aug 9, 2010)

you just might as well take a normal flamer


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## CursedUNTILLDEATH (Apr 25, 2010)

Astorath333 said:


> I wasn't hating on the lasgun I have unquestioned respect for it, the hand flamer has a much lower volume of firepower, obviously when compared to a Cadian squad.


Twas a joke mate, twas a joke.


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## Mathai (Sep 1, 2010)

Not knowing much about it, I cannot say as to its true effectiveness. But lets not forget the Eldar and Dark Eldar and a couple other armies out there with T3 as a normal thing. But yeah, at ten points I would expect something that can be at least partially effective against every army in some regard.


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## Mr.Juggernaught (Nov 16, 2010)

To put it simply then NO hand flamers are the stupidest idea ever. They could barely hurt a few flies (yes I am talking about gaunts) and I am pretty shore that if you aren't versing a hoard army its pretty much useless and if will be pretty uncommon if you hit 10 enemies in 1 shot.. I normally don't bother upgrading my close combat squads to have advanced pistols anyway as they will be hacking not shooting.


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

All right, it is decided (primarily because I don't think there are any 'nid players around) I'll be leaving the hand flamers out. Thank you all for your help!


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