Heavy Flamer for Space Marine Terminators?

[War Beast]

I'm running a 5 man Terminator squad with Lysander, to deep strike or walk upfield. Is there any sense in equipping a heavy flamer? Cyclone and AC both seem expensive, and the heavy flamer seems like it would be useful for overwatch, occupied buildings and hordes, which Terminators really can get weighed down by. Thoughts?

[Lucien Eilam]

Well, you might never get to fire it if you're walking. It's pretty good on deep striking squads, just as it is on Sternguard, but I think the other options are usually worth the greater cost. 

[Ishagu]

Assault Cannon always for me!

[Emperors Immortals]

I always take the CML, I always get a great amount of use from it.

[sal of manders]

I think it depends on the board you're playing.  I've played city maps where the heavy flamer is preferable, but in general the other two seem to be better.  The heavy flamer is usually only going to be able to do substantial damage once or twice a game, and even then it's a small gamble that you'll get the opportunity at all with some armies.  The cyclone has range and is great against meq, but I prefer the assault cannon for the extra dakka.  

[mince on toast]

id only take the HF if you were planning on closing in for the kill with the deepstrike .

Are you going to support them with pods or flyers etc, if they deepstrike ?

 

CML and AC are better overall , otherwise you limit the squads options with the HF

[Kaedes Nex]

To me CML is the best option but I always take Assault Cannon because being second best and looking the most awesome is worth it.

[Lucien Eilam]

I think with Lysander in the squad, you really need a longer ranged weapon. Your opponent will already be inclined to avoid the unit, with a heavy flamer you risk having paid 440 points for 4 storm bolters.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

The beauty of the CML is that it doesn't replace your stormbolter; so its five stormbolters plus the missiles.

[Storm Dragons 3rd Company]

I don't know that keeping a stormbolter is that great, but with Deathwing, the CML lets you leep a TH/SS or LCx2.

[DarkGuard]

In an Imperial Fists list keeping the storm bolter is quite good, thanks to their Chapter Tactics.

 

In the last Codex I ran at times a 10 man Terminator squad with 2 CMLs and Lysander. I never wanted any other weapon config, it was a great unit.

[WarriorFish]

The heavy flamer is a bit short ranged for the squad, so unless you're closing in very quickly (eg by Deep Strike) it probably isn't going to get to do much.

 

As others have mentioned, this topic is probably going to end up more as a discussion on the AC and CML... They're both great weapons so the decision mostly rests on what you want your Terminators to do.

[[TA]Typher]

In my Deathwing list i something run 2 hvy flamers in a ten man unit with Belial attached. Two flamers with split fire that don't scatter = ouch.

 

I have an example in my sig, DW vs Eldar.

[Disciple of Caliban Sgt]

Typher,

 

I used the same configuration last game (4K vs 4K Grey knights) and wiped out two whole squads of Psykers (not tough I know) on the drop and then proceeded to fry four more squads to ash. The promethium works well for me. What convinced me was under the old codex I had an assault Termi squad come out of a Land Raider and Cook an entire Fire Warrior Squad. They then loaded back up and he did it again three more times. By the time I actually assaulted something the poor Tau guy  had barely anything left.

 

DoC