Kruztee Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 I'm currently playing CMAK but have spent a while on CMBO as well. I have a *LOT* of trouble utilizing my flamethrowers. Does anyone have any tips for a noob? (to the CM series and to wargaming in general.) Generally speaking they are cut down way before they can get within range of any potential targets. So far I have tried loading then onto transports and dropping them off nearer targets - but they end up getting gunned down before they can fire off a blast. Also have tried sneaking thru cover whilst using suppression fire from supporting units to get within range, but it seems as soon as they pop up to attack they are killed before they can do any damage at all. I must say that it is slightly easier to use them in CMBO but I have had nothing but abject failure with them in CMAK. As a footnote I play mainly random quick battles against the AI (thats a cool feature!) and manage to win most at even strength. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Pollock Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Coffee has yet to kick in so I'll just leave it at... It's all been hashed over before; read the Anthology of Useful posts pegged near the top of this forum and if that doesn't do it for you, run a search [function found at the top right corner of the forum pages]. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kruztee Posted February 27, 2005 Author Share Posted February 27, 2005 Thanks...My apologies, I should have checked there first. Just read the "Ft vs Armour" thread. I would probably not have assumed that FT attacks would be so deadly to armour...kewl =) Still getting them into position is really where my problem is - but it seems theres no easy way, kind of as I expected. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigrii Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 In my experience flamethrowers are too slow, vulnerable, and short-ranged to be very effective when attacking under most circumstances. These disadvantages are largely negated when defending since they don't have to move, are dug in in protective terrain, and can hide until the enemy is in range. They are best used in ambushes, and will die quickly once discovered, so just keep in mind that they're expendable. When attacking with flamethrowers, they are most useful for finishing off troops that are pinned down in their defensive positions by small arms fire. The pinned troops can't shoot at the advancing flamethrowers (always use en masse if possible because even one that gets through can do disproportionate damage), but breaking them with small arms fire is expensive in ammo and time. Run a few flamethrowers forward and burn them out. Treat flamethrowers as though they're as good as dead anyway so it doesn't matter if they get tired, brolen or killed if they have a chance to something first. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixen Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Smoke may also help them get closer to thier intended victims on the advance. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markl Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 My main use for them is burning wheat fields to keep the enemy out, or stop an advance. But you are right they get targeted too easily. When defending I try to put these fellows near a wheat field that I think the enemy may want to cross but keep them hidden. I have some other troops as spotters, say half squad. If I notice the emeny near the other side I unhide and area fire the field. Fire seems to last too long so it seems to work as area denial sometimes. If they do not get shot that is. I also try to have 2 together or more. Bit of a gamble if you re buying them in quick battles, but sometimes pays off. On attack I do not use them well at all, canon fodder. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junk2drive Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 markl, I never thought of that. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLM Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 They're useful in urban settings. I played an ME in a large town and it nearly won me the fight. There was one flag and i blasted it with flames and then blew the building apart with demo charges from pioneer squads. Then went charging in under the dust cover. Unfortunantely the fire later expanded and sent my units inside out to die, all of which were wiped out. So dont burn buildings you intend to occupy. They are extremely useful when you can actually use them. Even fanatics break against fire according to the manual. Over open groound though, forget it. They'd never last 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roqf77 Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 dont use them in the first wave!!!!!!!!!!! bring them in when your units can engage charge them forward fast and use them sort of a shock unit ive had flamethrowers wipe out 20 men and live and do it again. although ive had them slaughtered and killed none there a risk unit but with a little luck they can destroy an infantry formation but dont forget they are a support unit never use them on there own. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLM Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 yes. theres a chance you can use them against highly supressed units. Very difficult though. I once sent a flamethrower sprinting out to fry a lone enmey squad which was all that was within LOS of my flametrhower team, they got one small burst off under numerous HMG and squad fire which took down one of the flamethrower team members and made the lone guy panic and flee. I have no idea how people survived jobs like that 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kruztee Posted March 1, 2005 Author Share Posted March 1, 2005 Thanks to all who took the time to reply. There were some very useful suggestions in here for me to try. Particularly I have learnt to mainly concentrate on hiding flamethrower squads for use on defensive ambushes against stray armour and recon units, and am appreciating the value I'm getting out of them =) Especially at night or in bad weather. It would have never have occured to me to use them to burn terrain and thereby deny enemy squads channels of attack. Very clever indeed! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roqf77 Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 true it is difficult. but flamethrowers are also useful in wooded areas against infantry, using them in conjunction with mmg carriers is also good move, i tend to prefer flamethrower cariers to teams though. they are better protected. but still not much cop on there own. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiavarm Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 I like to use them against bunkers. Flank 'em and burn 'em. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiggDogg Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 This might be a small bit of an exaggeration, but it is not too far off point. "Flamethrower teams are only good for killing guys who are going to die anyway." Cheers, Richard [ March 02, 2005, 11:10 PM: Message edited by: PiggDogg ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loeffe Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Ï have a hard time using flame on attack as well, but I really like them on defence. Place them in ambush positions in the back of buildings you expect the enemy to occupy. Once the enemy enters the building its BBQ-time. Oh, you may want to leave that building afterwards if (or rather WHEN) it catches fire 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balmung Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Nice example for using flamethrower in an ambush. It was a great experience ! Just a second later, he died in a Hail of Steel ! [ March 27, 2005, 06:22 AM: Message edited by: Balmung ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergei Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Whose grass mod is that? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balmung Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 You mean the 3D-Elements ? It`s called Steppegrass by Nils Eikelenboom, available at w*w.cmmods.com The Grass-Texture seems to be the original. I have no other grass-Mods installed. Greetings Frank 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergei Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Don't mind, it's just an old forum joke, applied whenever someone posts a screenshot... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balmung Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 OK, you got me So nobody likes to see screenshots, am I right ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leakyD Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 No, we all LOVE screenies. The more the better. We also love any excuse to crack a joke. It keeps things fun around here. And on a related note, I like to use FT teams just behind a inf squad or two in attack, or even defense. Keep him hidden w. a SHORT covered arc until you need his firepower. I've found the covering squad(s) usually does a decent job of protecting the FT team. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergei Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Originally posted by Balmung: So nobody likes to see screenshots, am I right ? No, it's just old legpulling dating back to CMBO mod artists showing pics of their latest modded Panzer on which they have worked many hours, and then someone would just ask whose is that grass mod? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holman Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Another use for flamethrowers takes advantage of the fact that CM models all damage to a building equally rather than assigning damage to various parts. If you can get a FT to where he can target just the corner of a building while not being targeted by the building's occupants, he can fire the whole structure by area-attacking just that corner. Is this gamey? Some say yes, some say no. Considering the magic process by which the TacAI targets a visible FT in seconds flat, I think it's fair enough. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heide Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Someone say screen shots? How about 2 for the price of one? (To be fair the T-34 on the right was I believe either disabled or possibly abandoned): and one short burst later: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Colonel Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 I have had success with attacking with flamethrowers in woods or hilly terrain, especially for clearing out trenches and foxholes. Remember you don't have to move the flamethrower into LOS of the target. If you can sneak to where you have LOS to a point near the enemy, but not necessarily LOS to the enemy itself, then you can area target that point near the enemy. Just coming close with a flamethrower is all you need to panic the enemy and send them running out of the trench/foxhole. Also, remember that you don't have to worry about friendly fire kills with flamethrowers. In this game your troops are not affected by your own flamethower bursts. So even if you have a bunch of friendlies in the area, fire away. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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