Flamethrower
Flamethrower is a Chinese ranged infantry unit introduced in The Asian Dynasties. It attacks with a short-range flame burst that deals area damage, making it dangerous to targets that bunch together or allow it to close. Its high ranged resistance helps it approach ordinary ranged fire, but the short reach means it still has to enter a threatening distance. It occupies three population and is available through Chinese Castles, Blockhouses, Forts, Fuchuan or an American Citadel.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · Chinese Castle; Blockhouse; Fort; Fuchuan; American Citadel
- Training
- 40 sec · 3 population · 34 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 210 hit points · 65% ranged resistance · 4.25 speed · 14 line of sight
Role, availability & values
Move Flamethrowers behind a screen and bring them forward after enemy units are occupied. Use their area attack against compact targets, while preventing Cavalry and melee units from reaching them. Their short range makes terrain and formation control important; do not send them alone into an already assembled ranged army simply because they resist ranged attacks.
Training & availability
Chinese; The Asian Dynasties; available at Castles, Blockhouses, Forts, Fuchuan or American Citadel; three population; short-range area flame attack; high ranged resistance.
Matchup & timing
Train them when a Chinese army needs close-range area damage and can protect the approach. Their multi-building access can help maintain production, but each unit uses three population and needs support. Scout the opponent’s counters and reserve them for targets where the flame attack can connect.
Short-range area attack
The Chinese Flamethrower is a Commerce Age ranged infantry unit introduced in The Asian Dynasties and retained in Definitive Edition. It costs 170 Wood and 170 Coin, uses three population, trains in 40 seconds and has 210 hit points, 65% ranged resistance, speed 4.25 and line of sight 14. The unit projects a short-range flame attack with area damage, making it most effective against groups that are packed together or forced to fight in a confined approach. Its high ranged resistance helps during the advance against ordinary shooters, but the short reach still requires the Flamethrower to move close enough for its attack to connect. Keep it behind a frontline until the enemy is committed, then bring it forward to hit clustered infantry. Cavalry and other melee units can exploit the need to close, so keep a screen and retreat the Flamethrowers if that screen breaks. Its three-population cost makes each loss important even though it is available early.
Production access and army composition
Flamethrowers can be produced from Chinese Castles, Blockhouses, Forts, Fuchuan or an American Citadel under the applicable rules. Several access points let a Chinese force maintain production from a defended site, but the building and age requirements should be confirmed for the selected mode. A Castle or Blockhouse near the army can reinforce a position; a forward building without support can be destroyed before the slow unit reaches the fight. Their short-range attack complements long-range units: ranged infantry can force an enemy formation to bunch or retreat, after which Flamethrowers punish the clustered troops. Do not replace all ranged units with Flamethrowers, because opponents can kite the short range or use anti-infantry counters. Add enough frontline units to absorb contact and enough mobility to catch targets that disengage. On a narrow map, the flame area can be harder to avoid; on open terrain, keep the units close to the main army and do not let them lag behind. Use the roster’s other units to handle artillery, cavalry and targets outside the flame unit’s effective zone.
Control the approach to flame range
The Flamethrower’s short reach rewards terrain and formation control. Use a frontline to hold the opponent in place, then move the flame units into range when enemy soldiers are clustered. A narrow passage or a fight around a building can make it harder for units to avoid the area attack, while open terrain lets the opponent kite away. Their 65% ranged resistance can help during an approach, but it does not protect them from melee counters or concentrated artillery. Keep cavalry and other fast units away from the group, and withdraw if the screen is broken. Three population per unit leaves less room for support, so a small protected group may be more efficient than filling the army with Flamethrowers. The available Castles, Blockhouses, Forts, Fuchuan and American Citadel offer several production routes; choose one that remains behind your line and can continue reinforcing safely.
Population and unit composition
At three population per unit, Flamethrowers consume as much army capacity as many cavalry or artillery pieces. Keep the group small enough to leave room for a screen and other counters, and add more only when the short-range area attack is consistently reaching targets. Chinese Castles, Blockhouses, Forts, Fuchuan and American Citadels can all support production under the roster’s rules; choose the safest source instead of exposing a forward building.
Answer a change in enemy formation
If the opponent spreads units to reduce flame-area damage, keep the Flamethrowers behind the main line and use other Chinese ranged units to force a closer engagement. If the opponent bunches around a chokepoint, bring the flame units forward for a short burst, then return them behind the screen before cavalry can engage.
Reinforce from a protected building
Keep production close enough to reinforce without exposing the Castle or Blockhouse. If the enemy advances on the building, withdraw the short-range units and defend the production point with the broader Chinese army.
Short-range flame and area damage
The Chinese Flamethrower is a ranged-infantry unit whose attack rewards fighting against compact groups at close range. Its area flame can damage several targets, while 65% ranged resistance helps it approach ordinary ranged fire. That resistance does not protect it from every counter: the unit must still close distance, and Cavalry or melee attackers can reach it before the flame attack has time to work. Its 210 hit points provide a buffer, not a frontline role. Move it behind a screen, wait until enemy formations commit, then bring it forward to strike clustered targets and withdraw if the opponent’s counters turn toward it.
Chinese production options and population cost
Chinese Castles, Blockhouses, Forts and Fuchuan are listed production routes, with an American Citadel as an additional access point where the rules allow. The unit costs 170 Wood and 170 Coin, takes 40 seconds to train and occupies three population. These requirements favor a deliberate mid-game investment rather than a rapid emergency response. Use the multiple production routes to reinforce a push from a protected location, but do not leave every building exposed near the frontline. The Flamethrower’s best contribution comes when its area attack can connect; combine it with units that pin opponents in place and with ranged support that punishes enemies who avoid the flame range.