How to handle the flamer...

Hi guys,

Question: how to handle the flamer? My cc orientated Kroot squad (Anghkor Prok) fought three times against IG... I managed, but got flamed by the heavy weapon specialists.. my officers were busted while prowling in cover.

The thing is... I need to come close to my opponent for cc, but have to find a way to terminate that pesky flamer.. Most of the time the flamer is screened by other untis, so I cannot shoot the bastard!

Result:

What to do?

at start of the campign i had the same problem with my orks. I moved my few shootas (komandos) on high ground to select the flamer as target (units in high level can choose target). These shooter are in hevay danger, since every IG will shoot them, but is the only way for CC squads ...

Chuchosky brings up a good solution: snipe the sucker with your Carnivores. From a higher level they are allowed to fire at any target, not just the closest.

I'll admit flamers are good - even without the regular S4 it has in 40k. Of course Prius uses two nowadays.

Slapping some more regular armor on your dudes might help, too.

Flamers aren't perfect of course. I have three, due to Lads got talent heavy weapon specialist getting promoted and they regularly get owned by the eldar (or get close enough, do no damage and then get taken OOA) of WOTW. You've already identified the big anti-flamer tactics - get high and snipe and then charge!. Ork toughness will allow enough of them to survive the flamers and let them charge!

Cheers Laney

I played a game against catachan (i play Cadian) and ill tell you this. I had my flamer in cover in some low ruins and my opponent was sneaking his way up my right flank slowly. I moved the flamer so he was out of my opponents sight and he forgot about him and in a few turns after being peppered by autoguns for those units that were not "move hide" the cqatachan officers broke hide to rush into my right flank. But oh! sneaky me had a flamer he forgot about in the ruins!

...

not such a good plan. he had reduced flak on everyone, and i have never seen so many 5's rolled... Armor man. get your dudes some armor. A flamer cant score crits and, while it does have AP 6, anything better then that will stop a flamer wound at least 1/3 of the time.

Also, remember that the flamers are volitile. if you hit them with a flaming attack such as a flamer or incidiary grenade there a chance they explode spectacularly!

so my suggestion is, if someone is trying to burn ya....you burn 'um right back

You could also try grenades. I haven't tried this yet, so take the suggestion with a pinch of salt. Two good options would be smoke, in front of the flamer, to give you a turn or two of free movement to outflank him or fragmentation from on high, as it should give you a range advantage. Downside of both of these options is cost. Smoke grenades are also risky, due to smoke dissipation rules and making sure they don't block your own lines of movement.

Grenades work as you have a chance to blow up the flamer.

Don't forget if you get the Vultures, you could flank the flamer and shoot him from behind or charge.

Also smoke grenades can hide your advance on flamers.

1) HIDE!!! When you prowl (Walk) then HIDE... they can NOT shot what they can't see.

2) SNIPE!!! Take some Kroot high up... and avoid that pesky Target Priority.

3) FIRE!!! Some Incendiary Grenades are GREAT! Fire and THEN Smoke!

Thanks all for the input! I got some new ideas to use against flaming/shooty wuzzies.

Let us know!!!!

Second Mordheimer's point, I just threw out some ideas without having had any testing experience (so I'm glad Dysturbed and Da Bank agree!) so it'd be nice to know if it had any value.

Has been a while since I played DS, but last weekend I did. Matchup against Orcs. They had three (!) burnas.. How did I manage? Well, it was a bloody massacre for both squads (read: dirty melee scrumble with lots of gore). But the input worked... a bit.

1. Hide - Probably the best option. What you can't see, you can't flame..

2. Snipe - Elevation? Good idea! But Kroot BS 3 doesn't help much... lots of misses here. 1 kill.

3. Grenades - Can be great, can be a waste of credits. Scatter makes them a gamble..

4. Tank - Get a Toughness 4 unit in charge distance. Toughness 4 can withstand Strength 3 flames..

My observation: its still a pain in the *ss to play against 3 flamers! Makes you think twice before prowling up close. Still, I'm learning and getting better at it. Once again: thanks for the input.

Smoke grenades smoke grenades smoke grenades. They are PERFECT for what you need to do. Running out into the open? Toss out 3 and watch your opponent try and figure out how to get around them.

YES! Dozer is right! Smoke Grenades can block LoS for those spots on the ground that are open. Also Incendiary grenades could trigger the Flamer's Volatile Special Rule. BOOM!!!