Flametrooper: A Guide for the M240

[Mobius_None]

The flamethrower is a powerful tool. A competent flametrooper can halt an entire Xeno offensive or cover an entire retreat; however, an incompetent one can cause an Alien Major. Hopefully this guide will help lessen the amount of incompetent ones.

Please note this guide is for Standard Marines, as other roles should be focused mainly on their job.

Roundstart

• Acquire the M240 flamethrower with three spare tanks from your SL.
  
  Put the three spare tanks in your ruck.
  
  Get a M4A3 sidearm and belt as a backup weapon.
  
  Get the essential fire extinguisher to put out the entire squad of baldies you will light on fire. Click it to turn off the safety.
  
  Fill the remaining room with first aid supplies from a NanoMed.
  
  Wait in the RO line and get a magnetic harness for your M240

Basic Tactics

Your primary role is area denial, not getting kills (except for that really dumb Young Runner that pounced into your fire). You are a force multiplier, you make it easier for everyone else to kill the Xenos.
When pushing utilize the M240 to cut off Xeno flanks (such as holes in walls, open rooms, etc) so that they are concentrated or forced to flee, or to halt or slow a xeno counter-assault.
When retreating use the M240 to create a wall of fire to cover the limping Marines with a pistol firing wildly.

Remember that Ravagers and Queens are immune to fire; don't even bother, use your pistol while running away to safety. You are a high value target to the Xenos, so always have a buddy near you to save you.

UPDATE: With the addition of a Pyro Specialists and the subsequent nerfs to the M240 your role has shifted slightly, the Pyro now performs area denial more effectively than you will. Try to keep your distance from the Pyro to make sure every Xeno gets some.

[Jroinc1]

Reccomendation- NEVER drop an empty tank. Put it back in your backpack, and refill them, as they're much rarer than other ammo types.

[darkwahn]

Queen is immune to fire as well unless something has changed.

[Karmac]

Queens are not immune to fire, they cannot be set on fire but they do take damage from the blast and fire tiles.

[darkwahn]

Queens are not immune to fire, they cannot be set on fire but they do take damage from the blast and fire tiles.

Really? I was told multiple times that they were immune to it in chat, etc.

Hnh.

[Karmac]

T'was changed recently (I think), I only found out after checking vars on a queen that'd been hit by a flamethrower a couple times

[Dolth]

T'was changed recently (I think), I only found out after checking vars on a queen that'd been hit by a flamethrower a couple times

Another silent update, tho I believe queens are still immune to fire. Not sure tho.

Nice guide btw, expecting more extinguishers-troopers.

[Szunti]

My points:

1. Xenos like to tackle-drag marines into fire. Especially crushers, but others can too eg. when boiler cloud blinding the marines or after a screech. Neurotoxin spitters may try to spit and drag you into your own fire.
2. Don't halt a push by burning tiles between the marine line and xenos. Don't use the flamer in chokes when on the offensive unless they are stickied. This only helps the xenos to have time to heal and regain plasma. It can also trap the forward marines between your flame wall and the marines behind. Boilers love that.
3. Don't cut off or narrow a marine retreat route with your flames. Don't trap marines with flames. Don't split a marine group. These are what you should do to the xenos.
4. Even if your flames would only halt the push you can be useful. Burn sticky resin or weeds around you to make room for marines to dodge. But don't do this if your flames are in the way. You can even burn just a couple tiles at once if that is acceptable but a huge field of fire is not.
5. Don't burn every single tile, it's just a waste of fuel.
6. Flamer is a short range weapon. You will be probably FFd.
7. Flames go through girders and I think hydroponic trays and barricades facing you.
8. Your tanks can be refilled with welding fuel.

And actually unless you are an FF lord, lacking the extinguisher isn't that a big deal.

[Dolth]

Thing is. Extinguisher is not up for debate. It IS mandatory if you use a flamer. You never know how stuff will go, and anyway, better safe than sorry.

[Szunti]

Thing is. Extinguisher is not up for debate. It IS mandatory if you use a flamer. You never know how stuff will go, and anyway, better safe than sorry.

I meant it's better to have one, but don't start shooting xenos with a pistol because you forgot to pack it. Or when you find a dropped flamer, you don't need to search for an extinguisher to use it. I hardly ever burn anyone. And flamer FF isn't the most dangerous. Bit of kelotane and tramadol and it's fixed. I don't think incendiary snipers or shotgunners have extinguishers with them and it's worse, because it can crit a marine so they can't extinguish themself.

[caleeb101]

Usually I opt to not take more tanks and instead put the flamer in my armor slot and then put an M41A on my back. This is because the pistol is too flippin weak to kill anything and you can fight off T3's with an M41A. Your loadout is really weak to ravagers because the M4A3 is well... a pea shooter to all xenos (except a really silly runner) and then the flamer does jack to a ravager.

The problem with my loadout is the ammo for the flamer. Though I think there should be a belt storage item for flamer tanks. That'd be cool to see and I think it would make flamers see a lot more play.

This is a powergame-y discussion though.

[Bronimin]

What do you refill the tanks with, welding fuel? I've tried to stock them into the Requisitions ammo vendor before and it hasn't worked. Thanks for the tips, I might have to try this some time.

[WinterClould]

What do you refill the tanks with, welding fuel? I've tried to stock them into the Requisitions ammo vendor before and it hasn't worked. Thanks for the tips, I might have to try this some time.

Welding fuel should work. I hear its weaker but ey better then nothing.

[Mobius_None]

My points:

1. Xenos like to tackle-drag marines into fire. Especially crushers, but others can too eg. when boiler cloud blinding the marines or after a screech. Neurotoxin spitters may try to spit and drag you into your own fire.
2. Don't halt a push by burning tiles between the marine line and xenos. Don't use the flamer in chokes when on the offensive unless they are stickied. This only helps the xenos to have time to heal and regain plasma. It can also trap the forward marines between your flame wall and the marines behind. Boilers love that.
3. Don't cut off or narrow a marine retreat route with your flames. Don't trap marines with flames. Don't split a marine group. These are what you should do to the xenos.
4. Even if your flames would only halt the push you can be useful. Burn sticky resin or weeds around you to make room for marines to dodge. But don't do this if your flames are in the way. You can even burn just a couple tiles at once if that is acceptable but a huge field of fire is not.
5. Don't burn every single tile, it's just a waste of fuel.
6. Flamer is a short range weapon. You will be probably FFd.
7. Flames go through girders and I think hydroponic trays and barricades facing you.
8. Your tanks can be refilled with welding fuel.

And actually unless you are an FF lord, lacking the extinguisher isn't that a big deal.

Those are all great points!

[Mobius_None]

Nice guide btw, expecting more extinguishers-troopers.

Thanks!

[Mobius_None]

Usually I opt to not take more tanks and instead put the flamer in my armor slot and then put an M41A on my back. This is because the pistol is too flippin weak to kill anything and you can fight off T3's with an M41A. Your loadout is really weak to ravagers because the M4A3 is well... a pea shooter to all xenos (except a really silly runner) and then the flamer does jack to a ravager.

The problem with my loadout is the ammo for the flamer. Though I think there should be a belt storage item for flamer tanks. That'd be cool to see and I think it would make flamers see a lot more play.

This is a powergame-y discussion though.

If you do that then perhaps you should just take a M41A with a miniflamer and leave the flamethrower with someone more dedicated to it. The purpose of the M4A3 is to act as a deterrent while you are fleeing from a Rav, not necessarily to get kills.

[caleeb101]

If you do that then perhaps you should just take a M41A with a miniflamer and leave the flamethrower with someone more dedicated to it. The purpose of the M4A3 is to act as a deterrent while you are fleeing from a Rav, not necessarily to get kills.

Yes but the thing is, when I see the weapon is barely doing any damage to me at all, I just bolt straight for the target.

[Mobius_None]

It's better than nothing, you're ment to run and be near friendlies that shoot at it aswell.

[darkwahn]

If you do that then perhaps you should just take a M41A with a miniflamer and leave the flamethrower with someone more dedicated to it. The purpose of the M4A3 is to act as a deterrent while you are fleeing from a Rav, not necessarily to get kills.

The m4A3 isn't going to deter a rav, at all.

[WinterClould]

Nothing deters a Rav. That's kinda their thing. They have enough tank and speed to just push it to the limit 24/7

[Kerek]

Incinerators are fantastic for egg clearing, just don't move too much.

[ShortTemperedLeprechaun]

If req is generous, grab a SMG rig from them. Boom, bigger pistol.

[Kerek]

SMGs are good, I ran around on the Almayer during an invasion with the basketball in one hand and my SMG in the other. Got a few kills before I over extended and got myself killed.

[Mobius_None]

With the recent improvements to the SMG I would recommend taking a SMG holster, webbing (for SMG mags), and two HEDP in your armor slot to supplement the flamethrower. Also the M240 is excellent at stopping xeno pushes, keep firing diagonally if you are in a losing battle.

[Artemis111]

The flamer is literally the deadliest weapon in the game if you want to 1v1 t1s and t2s. One hit is all it takes.