BeauCoupDinkyDau Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 I was play testing a scenario I designed with an opponent tcp/ip. He rolls up his flampanzer to one of my HTs. Getting scared I guess, the FT team disembarks from the HT. He takes about two steps I would say when the Hetzer lights them both up. A huge explosion takes place, and when the smoke clears, the FT team and the HT were KIA. Since they were so very close together, I assumed that the FT team's tank lit up and took the HT with it. It could be the other way around though because I've never seen a CM FT explode. It was really cool, but bewildering at the same time. Anyone know this one? :confused: [ March 29, 2002, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Vader's Jester ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wacky Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 I don't think they explode. What happened was your HT got hit by the huge explosion, and because the flamethrower was so close he bought it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgdpzr Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 I think the captain is correct. I believe that only vehicles and buildings can explode. I'd say the HT suffered a catastrophic explosion and the FT was caught in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauCoupDinkyDau Posted March 30, 2002 Author Share Posted March 30, 2002 Thanks guys. Cap, check your e-mail for my play-testing report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tondu Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 I just did a test of 10 German flame thrower teams on an island without any cover surrounded by an American Rifle Battalion that had only small arms and machine guns. The Americans had their mortars, spotters, and bazooka teams excluded. Because of the water (which was on all four sides of the Germans), the Americans were out of range of the German flame throwers. After several tests, NONE of the flame throwers exploded. Not one. I certainly hope that this gets fixed for CMBB. -either before OR after it gets released. It doesn't matter to me. I say this because I think that it would be cool to see one explode like I'm sure that they did. [ March 29, 2002, 06:55 PM: Message edited by: Le Tondu ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauCoupDinkyDau Posted March 30, 2002 Author Share Posted March 30, 2002 LT, Thanks for the test. Yes, I hope this is changed in CMBB. I'm sure it will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamse Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 We have all seen the FlameThrower explode in the documentary movie SPR(=Saving Private Ryan). So without historical research, let's asume all flamethrowers that was damaged ended in a big mushroom explosion ! Asumtions is after all, the one thing that make this game great ! I've read somewhere that sometimes zookas was used in a inderect fire role. Let's asume they have a blastvalue of 1288 ! That would be sweet ! /björne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gpig Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 Well, I'm sure no expert in this field . . . but having read about 10 - 15 threads about exploding flamethrowers, I can safely say that this would have been an extremely rare occurance. Apparently flamethrowers did NOT explode when hit. Someone will be along with a more accurate discription of why that is. Gpig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamse Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 We have all seen the FlameThrower explode in the documentary movie SPR(=Saving Private Ryan). So without historical research, let's asume all flamethrowers that was damaged ended in a big mushroom explosion ! Asumtions is after all, the one thing that make this game great ! I've read somewhere that sometimes zookas was used in a inderect fire role. Let's asume they have a blastvalue of 1288 ! That would be sweet ! /björne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wacky Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 I think it would extremely easy for a flamethrower to explode. It is highly pressurized, highly flammable liquid store in a metal container. The bullet itself hitting the tank might not ignite it, but any spark that found its way inside surely would. On the other hand, I seem to recall that the liquid would only ignite when it came into contact with air. So, a bullet hole and a highly pressurized tank=highly pressurized liquid spewing out into the air, at which point it ignites, which sets off a nasty chain reaction... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tondu Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 A thought just crossed my mind that if a FT tank is pierced by a bullet from say an automatic weapon, a second one (maybe a tracer round) might be right behind the first to ignite the flammable liquids. If more than one guy is firing at a FT team with semi-automatic weapons, then the chances seem the same -I think. Now, I would certainly want to disable the equipment and hence kill the operater of the FT instead of just killing the operater because, someone else could come along and pick up the FT equipment and still use it. Just some thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gpig Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 Well, I'm not expert, fer-shure . . . but I seem to recall that the TWO tanks on the back of the pack each held a DIFFERENT substance. Only when mixed together, and touched off with a flame, would they make the ouchy heat. Thus, a bullet would have to pierce both tanks, AND mix the substances together, AND start the fire. So I think that any explosion due to flamethrower pack damage, would be a rare occurance. Someone please clear this all up, wontcha!? GPIG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liebchen Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 AFAIK a hit to a FT would result, at worst, in the spread of flame over the user's body. Not having the essential mix of O2, however, there would be no explosion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SnarkerII Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 I'll have to look a little deeper on the FT subject, but maybe this will keep you busy in the mean time. A must-have for your car. For the man who has everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SnarkerII Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 That didn't take long. Apparently the third tank contained a flammable compressed gas that acted as an ignition source for the flammable liquid in the other two tanks. Seems the flamethrower could explode. An open flame at the nozzle coupled with rapid release of the compressed gas from a puncture would be enough to cause fireworks. Toss in a punctured fuel tank and we're talking GI flambe... Found this link - you can actually work the flamethrower in the diagram. Follow the directions. http://www.howstuffworks.com/flamethrower2.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maj. Battaglia Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 FTs are area weapons, so in the case Vader's Jester is talking about, I would bet that the flame attack took out both the FT team and the HT, rather than one victim causing the demise of the other. As for exploding FTs, there are other cinematic examples of this, such as HBO's "When Trumpets Fade." This does not prove anything, but since it and SPR were apparently well researched, it might be true. Having a special graphic, though, of the FT team on fire might be a little much. FT teams die pretty easily in CM. Whether it is by bullet to the body or exploding FT is only academic. Both the Germans and US had separate tanks for pressure gas (say, nitrogen--non-flammable) and for the fuel. US typically had three tanks (two fuel, one propellant), Germans two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 I have "When Trumpets Fade" on DVD, and when the FT was hit by a bullet ( friendly fire from his commander because he was panicked and tried to get away !!! ), the tank burst out in flames, but i did NOT saw an explosion. Only the user died due to burn wounds but other soldiers near would not have been wounded i think. I will try to get a screenshot of it on this forum Monty aka Moose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukem Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 Germans at Stalingrad got paid more if they took up the risky job of carrying a flamethrower. To quote the historian Alan Clark: "It was necessary to accompany each attacking force with teams of flamethrowers so that buildings could be burnt down, but this was an extremely hazardous occupation as a single bullet could turn the operator into a flaming torch. Special rates of pay were introduced, but it was still impossible to get sufficient volunteers without recourse to the punishment battalions." Which leads me to ask will punishment battalions be included in CM:Barbarossa? The Russians used to use troops like this, without snow camouflage gear, to draw enemy machine gun fire, while the rest of the, camouflaged, units advanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 Here are 3 screenies from the movie "When Trumpets Fade" : Here is the FT who will die very soon, he panicked and is now running away: The commander of the group who are attacking the 88 mm guns is shooting at the FT : This is the result : btw the second FT in the group DID attack the 88 mm gun postitions because he did not want to be a Ronson, and he managed to take out the guns. Monty aka Moose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erwinl Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 During Verdun (WW1) the Germans tried to use flamethrowers on the battlefield. After some initially successes they retracted them. Whenever the french saw a FT team nearing (with constant artillary bombardements, there were hardly any communication trenches with to aproach unseen). Usually there happened one of two things. Either the FT carrier burst into flames (not exploding, but the differance for the man carrying the thing would have been moot) or he would be wounded and spray his comrades in his death throws (wouldn't that be fun to have in CM?) Needless to say this all was very amusing to see for the french! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tminos Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 Seeing as how I only have the demo, I'm not an expert at this game (saving $$), I've found that the FT do explode, it seems. The first time occured when a friend and I were playing, the Zeigfield<sp?> Line scenario, when one of the German 150mm inf shells landed on an FT that was walking alone in the wooded area, and it promptly detonated with a large explosion and continued to burn for the rest of the game with large flames consuming the trees nearby. The second occurence was just this morning, playing the same scenario, as the Allies, one of my FT's met the same large, fiery fate after he snuck up behind a bunker, and a German mortar landed on him.. perhaps the flamethrowers only detonate when struck with shells/mortar/artillery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patgod Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 hey tminos, up for a demo PBEM game? if so drop me a line at patgod2@adelphia.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 I seem to have heard somewhere that in the British army in WWII, carrying the flamethrower was often handed out as some kind of punishment duty. The earliest FTs were a single tank of pressurised fuel, the two part mix came later (I don't know how much later) I've never seen an FT go up in a CM game, but I think that they should, in a similar manner to FT vehicles. 'Burns easily' or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patgod Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 bumpski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodyBucket Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 A Vet talks about a flamethrower being hit. Gruesome, but interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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