What ammo does a flamethrower use?

[Vehementi]

I feel like I've looked everywhere twice but I can't figure out what ammo a flamethrower uses. In the weapons tables it doesn't have the weight / ammoweight listing. In all of the ammo tables there are no costs / data on liquid projector ammo. The descriptions in HT for each flamethrower only describe that the tank holds enough for 10 1-second bursts or 3 3-second bursts or whatever, but doesn't say anything about how much a tank weighs or costs or how to refuel them or how long it takes. So what's the deal?

Oh also, if it says 3 3-second bursts, does that mean I'm forced to fire in 3-second bursts? Can I subdivide that as you would expect and I essentially have 9 attacks worth of ammo?

[Nereidalbel]

The incendiary in a flamethrower is variable. It can be anything from gasoline to high-pressure propane, and if you can afford it, napalm.

[Vehementi]

Thanks. Can you point me to exactly where I can read more?

Also the flamethrower lists specific amounts of damage (e.g. 3d burn) - how does that interact with ammo types? And how much napalm do I need to refill?

[Nereidalbel]

Here

Different ammo types are less about the damage and more about cost, range, and safety. Napalm just has the advantage of being quite...sticky.

As for how much? Whatever size tank is on your flamethrower.

[Vehementi]

Are you being obtuse? I'm talking within the GURPS rules which seem to lack a description for flamethrower ammo. Napalm has no price listed for example.

[DangerousThing]

Originally Posted by Vehementi

Are you being obtuse? I'm talking within the GURPS rules which seem to lack a description for flamethrower ammo. Napalm has no price listed for example.

Actually he answered your question well and politely.

For GURPS rules, High Tech p. 178-180 has a lot of information.

Please remember GURPS is a game and sometimes highly detailed information just isn't there. And sometimes you have to read the specific text that describes the general class of weapons as well as each weapon.

About the rate of fire, if it says three 3 second bursts I would say that a three second burst is the minimum length of a burst.

[Vehementi]

Originally Posted by DangerousThing

Actually he answered your question well and politely.

For GURPS rules, High Tech p. 178-180 has a lot of information.

I've read through those sections multiple times, which is what I was referring to in my post. Those give info on damage and burning, but nothing about reload time, cost of ammo, weight of ammo, weight of ammo tanks. The flamethrower type gives the amount of liquid in gallons. Nowhere that I can see are prices for gasoline in general, napalm as he mentioned, etc. or rules for those things having different mechanics (the only mention is that TL7 flamethrowers can use thickened or unthickened fuel but again doesn't give any info on that). This is anomalous because every other gun & ammo in HT has stats.

Linking to a wikipedia page on flamethrowers isn't helpful at answering these questions.

Also can quick draw be used to reduce or remove the 2 rounds of set up time for a flamethrower?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Vehementi

I've read through those sections multiple times, which is what I was referring to in my post. Those give info on damage and burning, but nothing about reload time, cost of ammo, weight of ammo, weight of ammo tanks. The flamethrower type gives the amount of liquid in gallons. Nowhere that I can see are prices for gasoline in general,

The gasoline costs the same as it did in the real world at that time and place. i.e. highly variable. Refilling the Beattie in post WWII America could cost you 17 cents (RW dollars and not Gurps $) per gallon.

The jelling agent is extra but not expensive. Discarded animal fat could be literally free.

There's a recharge cost for the propellant gas to but that also is quite small.

I can not actually imagine a case where your PCs would be restricted in their flamethrower ammo by cost before availability or bulk/weight.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

The gasoline costs the same as it did in the real world at that time and place. i.e. highly variable.

Well, no, it's GURPS Standard $, not RW $, which puts it at around year 2000. The lack of weight/cost information for flamethrower ammunition is certainly a flaw, but I suspect the flamethrower in Basic is based on an M2 (43 lb empty, 68 lb full), which puts a full load at 25 lb and maybe $10, though you might need to make your own.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Vehementi

I feel like I've looked everywhere twice but I can't figure out what ammo a flamethrower uses.

Suggested gasoline prices are on page 16. Thickened fuels presumably cost a bit more.

Originally Posted by Vehementi

Oh also, if it says 3 3-second bursts, does that mean I'm forced to fire in 3-second bursts? Can I subdivide that as you would expect and I essentially have 9 attacks worth of ammo?

Each time you fire it must be for a full three seconds.

Originally Posted by Anthony

Well, no, it's GURPS Standard $, not RW $, which puts it at around year 2000.

GURPS$ aren't magic. A GURPS$ is worth as much in 2000 as it in in 1700 but, for example, you can buy a lot more aluminum with it in 2000 because the cost of the goods is different.