Flame Tank Company
Article · Flame Tank Company
Flame Tank Company in Hearts of Iron IV
In plain terms: why the flame tank company is overpowered for tanks, why you almost never put it on infantry, and how to make a cheap flamethrower on a medium chassis.
What is a Flame Tank Company
In HoI4 this is a support company built around flamethrower tanks. In-game it is called Light / Medium / Heavy Flame Tank Company. In conversation people usually just say "flamethrower" or "flame tank company".
This is not a regular tank battalion in the template grid. You add it on the Support Companies tab. It does not add combat width. Only one flame type per division — you cannot mix light and medium together.
Each division needs 15 flamethrower tanks of the matching class. Not extra equipment — actual tanks with the Flame role.
Why you need a Flame Tank Company
Short answer: terrain buffs. And they are huge.
Urban (+35%), fort (+40%), jungle (+20%), forest (+15%), river (+10%) — attack usually drops everywhere. The Flame Tank Company fills that gap: the division hits noticeably harder in "tough" provinces. That is why it is overpowered on tanks.
- Massive terrain bonuses. The main reason to take the company. Not "a little more convenient" — a genuinely strong attack buff in cities, forts, jungles, and other difficult terrain.
- Applies to the whole division. The value is not that the company itself burns like a tank battalion. Its combat stats are trimmed. The value is the buffs it gives the template.
- +5% breakthrough to infantry. There is also this bonus to all infantry battalions in the division. Nice, but secondary. Terrain is still the main thing.
- No width cost. A strong slot that does not bloat combat width.
Important point for beginners: how strong the flamethrower tank itself is does not matter for these buffs. You can build a cheap "box" — terrain will still be buffed the same. In the tank designer you must pick the Flame role — otherwise it counts as a regular tank.
When and whom needs a Flame Tank Company
- Tanks — highly recommended, almost mandatory. Tank divisions attack constantly and often run into cities, forests, rivers, fortifications. The flame company shines there. Tank divisions also have huge terrain debuffs on their own, and a Flame Tank Company helps reduce or remove them. If the support slot is free — add it.
- Infantry — usually no. On infantry the buffs feel weak, and the support slot is expensive: engineers, artillery, Recon Company, and anti-tank almost always matter more. As an exception you can add it to assault infantry — for example infantry divisions that often attack the enemy rather than just holding the line on defense.
- Garrison / rear — no. They do not need terrain assault power.
- No No Step Back — you cannot get it. The company unlocks via the Flamethrower Tank special project.
Short answer for beginners: see a tank template — think about a flame company. See regular infantry — you will almost certainly skip it.
How to get a Flame Tank Company in a division
Four steps:
- Research Engineer Company I. It unlocks the Flamethrower Tank special project (requires the No Step Back DLC).
- Complete the Flamethrower Tank special project. This unlocks the companies and lets you build flamethrower tanks in the designer.
- Make a cheap design on a medium chassis. Flame role. For cheapness, Medium Fixed Superstructure and a basic Flamethrower (the first one, not upgraded) are enough. Skip armor and expensive modules: they do not affect terrain buffs. Each division needs 15 of these vehicles.
- Add a Medium Flame Tank Company to the tank template on the Support Companies tab.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Where in the designer | Support Companies |
| Combat width | 0 |
| Manpower | 300 |
| Equipment | 15 flamethrower tanks of the matching class |
| Organization | 20 |
| Breakthrough to division infantry | +5% |
| Terrain buffs | forest (+15%), hills (+15%), mountains (+5%), urban (+35%), jungle (+20%), marsh (+5%), fort (+40%), river (+10%), amphibious landing (+10%) — attack for Medium Flame Tank Company |
Types of Flame Tank Companies
Three types. In practice you almost always pick the medium one.
| Type | What to supply | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Light Flame Tank Company | Light flamethrower tanks | Weaker terrain buffs than medium. Usually not needed |
| Medium Flame Tank Company | Medium flamethrower tanks | Best pick. Strong buffs, reasonable cost |
| Heavy Flame Tank Company | Heavy flamethrower tanks | More expensive and usually not worth it. Not a priority |
How to choose as a beginner. Build the medium company on a medium chassis and keep it simple. You can ignore light and heavy in most playthroughs.
Cheap design: medium chassis → Medium Fixed Superstructure → Flamethrower → Flame role. That is enough. Do not build an expensive "combat" flamethrower for the company's own damage — terrain buffs will not grow from that.
Where it shines
- Tank divisions. The company fully comes into its own here.
- Cities, forts, jungles, and difficult terrain. The main point of the slot.
- Cheap entry. You can feed it with a bare-bones cheap design.
- No width cost. A fat buff that does not eat width.
Where it falls short
- Regular infantry. Buffs feel weak; the slot is better spent elsewhere.
- Before the special project. No Flamethrower Tank project — no company.
- The company's own damage. It barely hits — do not expect artillery.
- Garrison. Do not add it — useless.
Flame Tank Company by role
| Role | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Tank template | Excellent | Almost a mandatory slot — pick the medium company |
| Assaulting cities / forts with tanks | Excellent | This is where the huge terrain buffs really matter |
| Regular line infantry | Weak | Little point — better give the slot to other companies |
| Garrison | Weak | Do not add it |
What it looks like in practice
- Research Engineer Company I and complete the Flamethrower Tank special project.
- In the designer, build a cheap medium flamethrower: fixed superstructure + Flamethrower, Flame role.
- Set up production — 15 per tank division; 2–3 military factories are enough.
- Add a Medium Flame Tank Company to the tank template. Do not add it to regular infantry.
Practical rule: tanks — yes, infantry — no, chassis — medium, design — cheapest possible.
Recommendations
- Pick the medium company. Not light or heavy — the medium option works in almost every case.
- Do not over-invest in the design. Medium Fixed Superstructure + basic Flamethrower is fine. Terrain buffs do not drop because of that.
- Do not add it to all infantry. There is little point there.
- Do not expect damage from the company itself. It boosts terrain — it does not replace artillery or line tanks.
Bottom line
The Flame Tank Company is overpowered thanks to huge terrain buffs. Tanks should almost always get one; infantry usually should not. Pick the medium company on a medium chassis and make the tank as cheap as possible: fixed superstructure and basic Flamethrower. That does not affect the buffs. Short answer for beginners: tanks — yes, medium and cheap; infantry — no.