Use of flamethrower

[blondandy]

for a complete list of such calculations see

http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Damage_rate_vs_distance

this includes an estimate of hit probability.

I will be improving it to reflect things like flamer only has a short range.

[breversa]

That's assuming targets have the same resistance VS bullets and fire...

[Woreczko]

Looks like I`ve got to recall my statements Unless FT has indeed 100% accuracy regardless of circumsatnces, but I`m not sure of that. Time to give that non-stylish SMG a go

[blondandy]

I do assume targets have same resistance to all damage types, so far.

I intend to tabulate some armour info too.

[EuchreJack]

I don't have much experience with the higher difficulty levels, but wouldn't weapons proficiencies play a factor whether or not to use the flamethrower.  Currently, the flamethrower is the only heavy weapon at the beginning of the game.  Thus, if you have a soldier who's only skilled at heavy weapons, then the flamethrower would be useful until other heavy weapons are developed.

[Jester]

The SMG is signifigantly more lethal than the flamethrower at close range. Even factoring in damage/TU efficiency ratios:
SMG Full Auto: 375 / 20 = 18.75
Flamethrower Inferno 180 / 12 = 15

I'm a new to this forum, but I like the game a lot and I'm pretty good with numbers.  The calculations that you have given above are true, but it seems like you'd need to include the TUs spent in reloading the SMG and AR.  (I'm not sure what they are, but that might give a slightly different look.) 

I don't recall the number of 'shots' you would get with the FT with the 'Inferno' option, but IIRC it's at least 2 and perhaps 3. 

Just thought I'd spend a few of my TUs on this. 

[Cirdan]

Looks like I`ve got to recall my statements Unless FT has indeed 100% accuracy regardless of circumsatnces, but I`m not sure of that. Time to give that non-stylish SMG a go

I've never seen a flamer miss--if the alien is in the flame area, the alien gets toasted. And I always have one on my squad, and the flamer trooper has so far racked up the most kills (followed by shotgun and sniper, though the later is irrelevant at close range). Despite the short range (and the SMG doesn't reach much further in practice) it is extremely reliable, and you get the possibility of toasting more than one opponent (my record is three) with one go, although the aliens rarely oblige you by lining up to be roasted. Additionally, on normal difficulty at least, the standard candlelight (8 TU, 1 shot) will take care of the weaker aliens, making it quite efficient.

I had one guy with the SMG once; he did passably well before dieing. Full auto is a TU-whore and woefully inaccurate, and if you're close enough to make it worthwhile it usually ends up being overkill. While on the tougher beasts, even multiple five-round bursts just won't cut it.

[swanwarrior]

I love the Flamethrower...
Every squad has one. He/she goes on ahead, as assault trooper. The others cover his/her deployment from range. Perfect to clear houses from a window, when aliens has no way to retaliate.
Perfect when they exit houses... just put him/her two/three spaces away (to avoid close combat, which could kill him/her in one shot with kerr blades or plasma blades) and everyone gets burned and charred...
Playing Normal, that's it, but the FT is just great to see, too...

How I feel powerful when shooting an Inferno burst....

 

[shevegen]

I think flamethrower is cool, but i have given up on it. My guys tend to get killed too easily, and I cant rely fully on reaction fire (sometimes 2 or 3 aliens run out from a room...)

swanwarrior, i really wonder how you can apply this on every map. There are a few maps where I dont think a flamethrower makes any sense.

[Doctor J]

swanwarrior, i really wonder how you can apply this on every map. There are a few maps where I dont think a flamethrower makes any sense.

True, but unless you know in advance that you're going to be on, for instance, the druglords map, i use it more times than not.  Since the dropship lacks a built-in armory, the alternative seems to be to carry another weapon in the backpack and drop whichever one looks unusable on the current map.

As an anecdote, today i cleaned out a crashed Harvester without the BEMs getting in a single shot.  I positioned my FT man right at the wall where they usually come out, and put him on 'Multiple Reaction Fire'.  They politely took their turns walking into his flame...  That, combined with a nice shot from my Sniper, finished them off before Turn 2!

[SpartanMarine88]

Yeah i personally like combining my guys into fire teams to sweep and clear, i keep my ft set to reaction fire while one i have as sniper rifle to do the longer ranged work and another guy with a machine gun to mow down a mob if i run into them and last i have a grenade launcher to do the finishing kills on my turn, and whenever the aliens assault me the ft just kills all who come down. so far i get very limited casualties.

[Bongo_clive]

Flamer guy gets the heaviest armour and takes the lead. Flamer is aweome in close range, but if you leave him behind any troop, there's a chance he'll fry his own man

[shevegen]

What heaviest armour? In early game there is only one armour that can be used, or?

I love flamer for close ranges but for me it is simply not worth it to use it, especially because I have had
situations where aliens survived the flames and then shot my flamer guy down, it just seems easier to use SMB
and run from cover to cover rather than enter houses with flamers

[Doctor J]

What heaviest armour? In early game there is only one armour that can be used, or?

I'm reasonably sure he meant that whatever was the heaviest armor he had, then that's what the FT guy got to wear.  Obviously, in 2.2 the only choices are Combat Armor and Nanocomposite.  As an aside, does anybody know about the "Advanced Combat Armor" in the 2.3 version?  It appears to have the exact same stats as the regular...

[Zorlen]

As an aside, does anybody know about the "Advanced Combat Armor" in the 2.3 version?  It appears to have the exact same stats as the regular...

Sounds like a marketing trick!