In my Rogue trader group, the Navigator has decided that since his Ballistics Skill is so low, he wishes to focus on flamethrowers (specifically hand flamers, as he does not have Basic Weapon Training (Universal) yet.) He knows that getting an auto-pistol and using suppressing fire would help greatly, but I can't fault him for wanting to cause damage and mayhem. Flamers do not need a roll for Ballistics Skill, but come in pistol, basic and heavy varieties, and so he wishes to focus on them.

However, that got me thinking, are there other ranged weapons in Rogue Trader (and Dark Heresy) that do not require a Ballistics Skill roll to fire? And if so, what (and where) are they?

In Hostile Acquisitions, I think, there is a (pretty heretical) upgrade for plasma weapons that pretty much turns them into plasma flamers, as in, they spew forth all the plasma in a wide ray like flamers do with fire. He might want to look into that.

Thank you for that. I also seem to remember a gun powered by a backpack of psyker brains in The Radical's Handbook, but that seems more much heretical than modifying a plasma gun.

There is also a Voss "Nightfire" Flame Device that is pretty much a flamer, but also has a chemical in it that causes a Toxic cloud to envelope the area. And then there is a cheap Tox Spray weapon, made by scums using checmical waste material. Both are in the IH book I think.

Looks like one of your initial questions got overlooked… The only ranged weapons that don't roll to hit are all of the flame / spray type. There are some variations, like the toxic Nightfire or the microwave based Stingray, and there's even one flamer in Hostile Acquisitions, the Flameburst, that shoots in a line, not a cone. But, that doesn't change the fact that it's either use a flame weapon, or buy up your ballistic skill.

Cheers,

- V.

Grenades are an option. Even with a low bs and str, you have a pretty good chance of hitting your intended target.

jabberwoky said:

Note that (Universal) is not actually universal! The Universal group confers proficiency with most pistol weapons, including the Bolt, Las, Launcher, Melta, Plasma, and SP groups.

Flame is its own special catagory, so his opponents get a bonus to dodge your untrained attacks. You'll have to purchase a Plasma Pistol with Starflare Vents if you want to attack efficiently.