Surprised Targets may not Evade, and are Very Easy to hit (+30 to BS test).

Flamers and other Spray weapons do not test BS, the Target rolls Ag. to avoid being hit. This test is in addition to any Reaction the Target may attempt to avoid the area of effect alltogether.

So how do we handle surprise attacks with Flamers?

Sure, they may not dodge, but is it still just a Challenging Agility test to avoid being hit? Should they get a penalty? Should they be allowed to test at all? How about the test to avoid catching fire?

Darth Smeg said:

All you have to do is take any bonus to hit and make it a penalty to avoid. So the +30 to BS becomes a -30 to Ag.

That sounds like a good way of doing it. Should this affect the test to resist catching fire too?

I would say only for the hit, the penalty is applied. Somewhere in the armory section, the book mentions, that the target of the flame weapon get a +20 to the agility test, to avoid being hit, if the attacker is not trained in the weapon. But it doesn't mention the test against catch on fire, so I think it doesn't apply to that.

Darth Smeg said:

No, the test to avoid catching fire is unrelated to the attack.

Sure, but the RAW says "A Surprised character loses his Turn in the first Round. He can do nothing except stand dumbfounded."

I was just wondering if this includes, or affects, his ability to avoid catching fire.

Darth Smeg said:

You could go either way depending on how mean you want to be.

The "He stands there like a deer in the headlights" is descriptive fluff for when you're doing normal combat. In all technicality the person would still get this Agility check to dodge not because of anything his turn grants but rather that's just how flame weapons work. The specific mechanics that replace the usual BS check instead have the target attempt to evade.

Now, seeing that this is a strange collision of rules that may not have been pondered at first, I think the idea of applying the bonus to hit as a penalty to the agility check is a sound suggestion. I mean I don't know about you but if a guy surprised me with a flamethrower I'd likely be a sitting duck, but lord knows I'd try to evade as soon as I heard that horrid hiss and felt the heat on my neck...

WittyDroog said:

Would you try to evade a guy with a bolter as well?

I think replacing the BS with a targets AG test is a good idea; it represents the fact that operating a flamer is nothing like aiming a rifle, and that basically when an entire area is getting hosed with liquid fire, it is about reflexes and quick evasive actions to avoid getting sprayed. And penalties for size, surprise and range seem appropriate to me.

However, the second test to avoid Catching Fire after you HAVE BEEN HIT by the NAPALM seems a bit ... iffy. I guess it represents trying to put out the flames before they catch hold, by beating, stomping and rolling around. But to do this as a Free Actions as it were, and not to take into consideration things like What Are You Wearing? I always found this a little strange.