Editing Fire Warrior (section)

== On the Tabletop (7th Edition and earlier) ==
[[File:2013-07-12 13.37.14.png|thumb|200px|left|Funny thing is, that [[Killa Kan]] is in more pain than the Fire Warrior.]]

Costing slightly more than two Guardsmen per model, Fire Warriors sport a 4+ Armour Save that makes them twice as survivable against basic (S4, AP5) guns compared to Guardsmen, and are outfitted with arguably the best basic infantry weapon in the game—the S5, AP5, Range 30", [[Rage|RAPID FIRE]] pulse rifle, which makes them two to five times killier depending on what they're shooting at. Mathammer-wise they trade evenly in a firefight with an equal points worth of tactical [[Space Marines|Marines]] when unsupported. But there is a LOT of support available for them—Buffmander can grant them twin-linked, Ignores Cover and Tank/Monster Hunter (and remember, S5 can glance [[Rhino|METAL BOXES]]!), Ethereals and Fireblades grant extra shots, and markerlights can boost their accuracy to potentially goofy levels. With proper support, things within that ever-nifty 30" of your Fire Warriors are gonna die and die fast. So all in all, unless you have taken them only to fill your mandatory Troops slots (in which case you might consider taking some [[Kroot]] instead, or going [[Farsight|Enclaves]]), it's highly advisable to actually support your Fire Warriors.

One Fire Warrior in a squad can and probably ''should'' be upgraded to Shas'ui, not only because it grants +1 Leadership, but also for the wargear, specifically the cheap blacksun filter (night vision) and markerlight/target lock combo. The last one allows your little blue sergeant not only to spot targets for other units, but also to man (Tau?) fortification gun emplacements without compromising the squad's targeting.

There is a common belief that Fire Warriors immediately disintegrate like wet newspaper the moment they come into base-to-base contact with the enemy, and like many common beliefs, this one is wrong, at least as far as combat with other basic infantry (they have been known to kill the likes of [[Necron Warrior]]s [[What|in close combat]]). See, WS2 actually doesn't matter much against the common WS3 or 4 (they'll still need a 4+ to hit; the only difference is that enemies only need a 3+ to hit them), and they have average Strength (3) for basic infantry along with a solid 4+ Armor Save. Plus, with photon grenades, charging enemies will have to take an Initiative test or go Blind, reducing their WS to 1 and turning the 3+/4+ thing the other way around the first turn. The only effective disadvantage they're at is their piss-poor Initiative (2). Before the assault even starts, though, you can potentially get a ton of supporting fire that guarantees at least a few enemies won't make it to base-to-base contact due to a massive multiple-squad Overwatch. Don't get me wrong — they're eventually going to die in close combat with pretty much anything, but it could take a turn or two, or even three, and Fire Warriors have a decent chance to take at least a few enemy models with them. And hey, if they do break and flee, and they don't get run down by a Sweeping Advance (unlikely, unless they are fighting other low-inititive enemies, terminators, or slow and purposeful), you can just blast the shit out of the enemy squad next turn with all your other [[shooty|shootiness]] and save the survivors.

If equipped with EMP grenades Fire Warriors could actually be a scary force in melee, at least against vehicles, including walkers. A squad of Fire Warriors can wreck a Dreadnought in one turn of combat, losing only three or four members, and things like Killa Kans, Tomb Stalkers or Sentinels would go down even easier. Hell, they could have a fighting chance against Imperial Knights or even Titans. Unfortunately, as they lack any assault delivery system (unlike other haywire grenade users in the game), this upgrade is rarely taken, as it could only be useful if your opponent is stupid enough to move his mech units near your Fire Warriors. Then again, just knowing that your Fire Warriors have EMP grenades might be enough to suppress your opponent's walker or force them into a bad position.

*Alternate Assessment: Fire warriors trade evenly with marines if and only if the marines don't have ranged chapter tactics and it assumes that neither squad breaks, which Fire Warriors are more likely to do. In melee, against MEQs you're not just being hit on 3's but wounded on 3's, as well, and the enemy is generally likely to have a melee-weapon serge that will wound better and/or ignore your armour. Fire Warriors aren't stubborn and losing combat by even a small margin puts them at serious risk of being wiped out by sweeping advances. Moreover, you want to die in a single round against an enemy charge for the greater good. Holding up for one turn only allows the enemy to break you in your own melee phase, thus letting them charge again in theirs.

*Furthermore, their armour and toughness is precisely where heavy bolters and heavy flamers (and the guns of [[Necron Immortal]]s, who refute your claim for strongest basic infantry gun) want it to be. Thus, you can get killed very quickly, even at range, if you choose their foes poorly.
*Stay in cover, keep your head down, choose your firefights well, get support, and never assume you can hold for a round in combat.