Hand Flamers, Flamers, and Heavy Flamers (The Flamethrowers of the 41st Millennium)

     Fire is a primordial weapon.

     The contemporary flamethrower has it's humble origins at the turn of the 20th Century. The first working model (circa 1901) was a single shot weapon that projected a jet of flame and billowing black smoke to a range of about 18 meters. Though they have been used extensively in warfare, more casualties have been attributed to the conventional weaponry supporting flamethrowers- the flames were used to drive enemy soldiers from the protection of their trenches and bunkers, while supporting infantry shot them as they became exposed. In 1978, flamethrowers were retired from the U. S. military arsenal. At that time they had an effective range of 50-80 meters.
     Since their inception, flamethrowers have seen numerous design advances and have been adapted for uses other than warfare.

     However, in the 41st Millennium there is only war. Flamer variants (aka "Burners") represent a staple weapon in the arsenal of the Imperium, and I want to redefine their utility and effects.

     First, the mechanism. Generally, a flammable liquid or gas is pressure-forced from its containment through the weapon's firing aperture. Looking at the most recent drawings of 40K Flamer weapons, we can clearly see the firing aperture more closely resembles a hooded, vented muzzle rather than a nozzle. Personally, I prefer the drawings from the era of 40K 2nd Ed- these were cylindrical nozzles. I envision the nozzle being rotated to change the AoE of the weapon, selecting either a focused (choked) or spread target area.
     Next, the fuel. Dan Abnett's character of Brostin (one of Gaunt's Ghosts) is described as frequently adjusting both the mixture of his Flamer fuel and his weapon's choke, and carefully clearing his weapon's ignition system. All of this implies a liquid fuel that requires an ignition source at the time of firing. In other publications, Prometheum is described as being akin to napalm, igniting on contact with the air. I prefer the former fuel type.

     With both mechanism and fuel more clearly defined, I move now to the utility of Flamer variants.
     Because Flamer weapons have a multipurpose nozzle, they can either be used to send a jet of fuel in a narrow AoE out to its effective range or to cover a wider AoE at a much shorter effective range. And because Flamer weapons use a fuel type requiring an ignition system located just outside their apertures, they can either be used to saturate an AoE with fuel only or to saturate an AoE with flaming fuel.

     Now that Flamer variants can be used to saturate two different AoE and with two different results, I move now to the effects.
     Flamer variants possess a number of Special Weapon Qualities that are inherent to their mechanisms and fuel: the mechanism results in all Flamer variants having the Spray Quality, and ignited fuel results in all Flamer variants having the Flame Quality.

• Hand Flamer- Pistol/Spray, Rng: Choke-10m or Spread-5m RoF: S/-/-. Dmg: d10+4[E], Pen: 2, Clip: 2, Rld: 2 AP, Flame and Spray, Loaded Wt: 3.5kg, Availability: Extremely Rare
• Flamer- Special/Spray, Rng: Choke- 20m or Spread 10m, RoF: S/-/-, Dmg: d10+4]E], Pen: 2, Clip: 6, Rld: 2 AP, Flame and Spray, Loaded Wt: 6.5kg, Availability: Very Rare
• Heavy Flamer- Heavy/Spray, Rng: Choke- 50m or Spread 25m, RoF: S/-/-, Dmg: d10+5[E], Pen: 4, Clip: 10, Rld: 4 AP, Flame and Spray, Loaded Wt: 13.5kg, Availability: Extremely Rare

1. Each 1 shot of pressurized fuel is approximately 1 liter and weighs .5kg. Hand Flamers and Flamers use pressurized screw-on fuel bottles, Heavy Flamers use backpack fuel/pressure tanks.
2. If the weapon is fired on Choke, the AoE is a 30-degree arc of fire out to Range- better for targeting particularly resilient individual enemies from a safer distance. If the weapon is fired on Spread, the AoE is a 180-degree arc of fire out to Range- better for targeting multiple less-resilient enemies in close proximity.
3. Hand Flamers and Flamers cause [BRN2], and Heavy Flamers cause [BRN4] (see below for details).
4. Contrary to Hollywood propaganda, the pressure/fuel tanks of flamethrowers do not always explode when shot. In game terms, pressurized fuel bottles and pressure/fuel tanks will only explode if penetrated with incendiary rounds. The AoE of an explosion is 2x X meters radius, where X equals the remaining ammunition, with Damage equaling that of the weapon.
5. All Flamer variants are capable of saturating an AoE with fuel that isn't ignited- useful for setting up a distraction, an ambush, etc.

     BURNING [BRN]

     Creatures hit with weapons possessing the Flame Special Quality must make a Challenging (+/-0) Agility Test or suffer the [BRN] condition for d5 Rounds. Creatures suffering the [BRN] condition may attempt to douse the flames during their Turn, requiring a successful Challenging (+/-0) WP Test and the expenditure of 2 AP for [BRN2] or 3 AP for [BRN3], and so on. As a general rule, the Penetration value of weapons possessing the Flame Special Quality indicates the [BRN] lethality.
     Flames that are not doused cause Damage at the end of each Round as follows:

     [BRN2]

1. 2
2. 6
3. 14
4. 30
5. 62

     [BRN3]

1. 3
2. 9
3. 21
4. 45
5. 93

     [BRN] Damage is not soaked by the DV of Armour unless it possesses the Bonded Ceramite Upgrade. This rule is not to be confused with Armour DV that is resistant to [E] Damage.

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