Tau: supporting fire with flamers?

[knightperson]

Here's another one. If a unit within 6 inches of a crisis suit squad gets charged, the crisis suits fire overwatch (we're ignoring, for the moment, the question of whether they get to use their multitrackers as that's discussed elsewhere). If those suits have flamers, do they get to use Wall Of Flame and do automatic 1d3 hits? As far as I can tell, yes. It just seems a little silly if, for example, the crisis suits were standing directly behind the target of the charge!

"I'll save you guys. By the way, DUCK!"

[pepsi]

Normal shooting rules apply in overwatch. So far if a flamer was touching friendly units, you would not be able to target the enemy through them. I would imagine the same in overwatch. You would need to be on the sides of the unit if you plan on taking advantage of the D3.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

I think Flamers were FAQd so that you can only hit what the template touches, so outside of about 8", your flamers are useless. If you were that close, chnaces are the suits with the flamers are the ones getting punched in the face.

[knightperson]

Flamers in overwatch don't use the template at all. Since overwatch is a snapshot and area-effect weapons normally can't be snap-fired at all a template normally wouldn't be usable in overwatch at all. the 1d3 reference is on page 52 of the rulebook.

Template weapons can fire Overwatch, even though they cannot  fire Snap Shots. Instead, if a Template weapons (grammar mistake is theirs, not mine) fires Overwatch, it automatically inflicts D3 hits on the charging unit, resolved at its normal Strength and AP value. Don't worry about comparing the length of the template with the distance to the enemy. If the charge is successful, it doesn't matter anyway. If the charge failed, we can assume that the enemy ran into range of the Template weapon and were driven back.

Now that that's cleared up, can we get to back to the question of whether there is anything in the rules that would prevent the 1D3 hits when a flamer is used for supporting fire?

[Pottsey]

Flamers in overwatch don't use the template at all. Since overwatch is a snapshot and area-effect weapons normally can't be snap-fired at all a template normally wouldn't be usable in overwatch at all. the 1d3 reference is on page 52 of the rulebook.

Template weapons can fire Overwatch, even though they cannot  fire Snap Shots. Instead, if a Template weapons (grammar mistake is theirs, not mine) fires Overwatch, it automatically inflicts D3 hits on the charging unit, resolved at its normal Strength and AP value. Don't worry about comparing the length of the template with the distance to the enemy. If the charge is successful, it doesn't matter anyway. If the charge failed, we can assume that the enemy ran into range of the Template weapon and were driven back.

Now that that's cleared up, can we get to back to the question of whether there is anything in the rules that would prevent the 1D3 hits when a flamer is used for supporting fire?

I see no reason why you cannot shoot 1D3 hits but the biggest problem is range. It says don't worry about comparing the length of the template with the distance to the enemy meaning you can overwatch support fire as long as you are within 6" of the unit being charged. So even if the enemy are 18" away as long as they make the charge role you can still over watch at them with flamers. I keep thinking 2 single flamers might be fun.

[knightperson]

How about a cheap squad of suits with twinlinked burst cannon and flamer? Fire both when killing hordes, and use the flamers for supporting  fire overwatch.

[Railgun Convention]

Why not twinlinked flamer and burst cannon? Rerolls to wound are always fun.