Rusviet Flamethrower
 Rusviet Flamethrower
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 | Specialized assault unit of the Rusviet Armed Forces, designed to suppress Infantry. |
Rusviet Flamethrower — a specialized assault unit of the Rusviet Armed Forces, equipped with portable flamethrowers to combat fortified infantry and field fortifications.
Historical Context
The unit originated in response to the needs of trench warfare during the Great War, where traditional attack methods were often ineffective against entrenchments. Flamethrower troops became Rusviet's answer to the problem of protracted positional battles. Their tactic of "cleansing" enemy positions with fire provoked condemnation from opponents but proved highly effective.
Equipment
Flamethrower troops are equipped with portable flamethrowers. The weapon design combines a brass barrel with heat-resistant coating and a conical nozzle forming a flame fan 5–7 meters wide. Fuel tanks with a capacity of 12 liters are filled with a thickened mixture of oil and phosphorus, providing a combustion temperature of up to 1200 °C.
Uniform and equipment:
- Gray fire-resistant suit over standard assault infantry uniform.
- Full-face gas mask with smoke filter.
- Rubber gloves and reinforced pads to protect against backflash.
- Flamethrower with brass barrel, conical nozzle, and volumetric fuel tank.
Combat Application
The portable flamethrower is capable of projecting cone-shaped streams of flame up to 15 meters. A unique feature of the flamethrowers is their ability to neutralize enemies even behind cover: the flame penetrates bunker embrasures, building windows, and barricade gaps, ignoring protection.
Strengths
Flamethrower troops demonstrate exceptional effectiveness against infantry. Within the weapon's range, enemy personnel are eliminated in 3–5 seconds, including elite units in light armor. They are indispensable during assaults on fortifications: a two-story building garrison is neutralized in 10 seconds, while "Fort-12" type bunkers are incinerated in 15–20 seconds due to the ignition of internal oxygen. The wide flame cone allows for striking groups of enemy soldiers, inflicting 100% damage at the epicenter and 50% at the periphery. The psychological effect complements the physical impact: 70% of enemy soldiers within a 30-meter radius receive the "Panic" debuff, reducing shooting accuracy by 30%, as historical records indicate
Weaknesses
Rusviet flamethrower troops demonstrate critical vulnerability when encountering armored vehicles and exoskeletons. Their weapons, effective against infantry, are unable to penetrate even light armor of light-class mechs, such as the "PZM-9 Straznik", rendering them helpless against mechanized unit attacks.
Limited firing range (up to 15 meters) makes them easy targets for snipers, mortar teams, and artillery operating outside the engagement zone.
Low mobility, 30% slower than standard infantry, complicates maneuvers on the battlefield: deployment takes up to 12 seconds, and retreating under fire often results in casualties. Dependence on main force support becomes a key survival factor — 83% of unit losses occur when lacking cover from anti-tank troops or assault units.
Usage Recommendations
Flamethrower troops are most effective as vanguard units during assaults on fortifications. They should be deployed in the first wave of attack following artillery preparation, using smoke screens for covert approach to enemy positions. To neutralize the threat from enemy mechs and armored vehicles, it is crucial to combine them with anti-tank units: the latter occupy high ground to suppress vehicles while flamethrower troops incinerate infantry pinned down.
In urban combat, they are used for methodical "clearance" of buildings, where short flame pulses (1–2 seconds) minimize the risk of setting their own positions on fire. Operational success depends on clear coordination: for example, the "Flame Wedge" tactic involves two units moving along parallel streets, creating corridors of fire that force the enemy to retreat into pre-prepared ambush zones.
Change History
The 2024 update left flamethrower troops as an exclusive Rusviet unit. They can no longer be recruited in barracks of other factions but can be obtained through captured equipment. This made them a strategic asset in rapid territory seizure operations.
