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Hi guys!

2 nights ago, a mate and I sat talking, and slipped into discussing 40k.

His no. 1 hate object in my ork lists, are my 2 units of 2 koptas, with rokkits and a buzzsaw in each. (I field units of two for the times I can't go first and wtfpwn a vehicle with the saw. 45 pts ain't much extra, and 2 twl rokkits per unit has a bigger chance of hitting something than one, but that's not what were here to discuss.)

He was pondering why no one uses the scout bikers for a similar role as the ork players use the deffkopta, ie, affecting the enemy deployment due to the risk of a scoutmove+assault on a static vehicle.

2 krak grenades and a meltbomb from the charge against a static vehicle should cause as big a boom as a buzzsaw. And the three bikers might even multicharge 2 vehicles with some luck. And all this for like 15 pts more than the lone kopta.

The scouts also booby trap a piece of choice terrain, and can bring a locator beacon to the table (for those first turn drop pods, before assaulting a vehicle).

We also discussed the possibility of his 3 pods, carrying some units and a priest, being placed close to the scouts, giving them fnp, which might let them survive a turn of sjooting, to assault something else the turn after.

With a priest nearby, the scouts would also get furios charge, meaning a powerfist toting sarge would be str 9 on the charge. Getting expensive, but it would usually mean a dead av 13 or less vehicle, and possibly even an av14s...

How come we've never seen any BA or for that matter SM lists using scout bikers?

Are we missing something?

Discuss!

/Calle

Actually I use scout bikes just as you suggest and the are fantastically successfull. On top of that, since I nearly always have podding elements in my army the bikes ensure a pin-point placement of pods for my alpha-strike and they can outflank if an alpha-strike is not advised.

You might check out this bat rep where my 195 point scout bike squad accounted for 1060 points worth of guard infantry and vehicles. Obviously this was an amazing game for them... but I find them always a very productive, flexible unit.

I often add two 5-man assault scout units in LS Storms. That gives me the possibility of 3 turn 1 assaults on stationary targets as well as bringing the drop pods down right on target... makes for one hell of an alpha-strike.

I don't really plan to use Drop Pods, but I do like Termies... so maybe the Locator Beacon isn't for me. But...

I've been wondering about using the LS Storms and Scout Bikers. I'm toying around with a Bike army (I've a handful of Bike models) and I was wondering about other fast options that compliment the army. I already plan on using a couple Typhoons for a mix of anti-trans/anti-horde.

-Reece

I play both scout bikes and the LS Storm. The scout bikes are a very effective way of causing terror in your opponents line. The threat of a first turn alpha strike will make your foe play a different game if they are a wary player. If they are not wary, they will be after a portion of their army is in flames after turn one.

I often feild the scout bikers with a combi melta and a melta bomb. They do very well in most games. The LS Storm is very effective in the same role. Used properly your opponent will entirely change their deployment in games where they have lost the initiative, even risking coming onto the board piece meal. They are not nearly as effective on boards with less terrain when you loose the initiative since a scout move puts them right in harms way.

I see in the batrep the squad is only 5 models. Is that like a magic number type deal? Can you get away with running anything smaller?

I also see that he used two LS Storms. It seems like a bit much to pile in to an alpha. I'd like it to be a small, less dedicated portion. Can I get away with a smaller squad and just a few bikes?

-Reece

For my load out 5 is optimal. Sergeant with beacon, melta bomb and power weapon, 3 astartes grenade launchers and one "ablative wound". You can go with three or four if you prefer, it just reduces their punch and staying power a bit.

I have run a single storm before... works fine too, just not as hard hitting and a bit less versatile.