Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I've been wondering this for a while, and I'm not sure what the right way to play against Nob Bike lists is, if there even is a right way. Can the standard dual Lash list (I play 2 Lash DPs, 9 termies, 21 plague marines in rhinos and 6 oblits, rather normal and boring I know) beat Nob Bikes with any kind of consistency or is it just one of those matches the Nobs roll over with relative ease (like most matches for them these days). Lash isn't enough movement to stop the fast moving bikes from charging turn 2 unless I get really good rolls for my 2d6 and the templates from the Oblit PCs are really not that good against the big models, str7 is also not enough to instant kill so I don't even get to kill whole models with them. I've currently got 13 meltas in my army (all over the termies and plague marines) but even that doesn't seem like nearly enough. The termies can't stand up to them in combat either. At the moment I'm strongly considering trading 3 termies for a Vindicator to help deal with the Bikes.

Basically, what is the ideal strategy for dealing with Nob Bikes? Is there a wa to beat them with any kind of consistency? I'm currently looking to my list to beat them, but it would be preferable if changes to the list are minimal because I'm quite comfortable with the current version against basically everything else.

Should be relatively easy, you have a better shot than most lists.
First up, use terrain or a rhino wall to hide your DPs so they don't get gunned down by dakka guns. Then with lash, to setup favorable assaults for yourself. Push the klaws and warboss out of engagement range and bring the choppas into charge range of your dps and oblits.

The bikes will come at you like this:
-------Your stuff----------
------------------------------
------00K00KW0K0------

0 - Regular bike
K - Klaw
W- Warboss

You want to set them up like this:
-----Your stuff--------
---------------------------
-----------0--------------
---------------------------
-----------0--------------
---------------------------
-----------0--------------
---------------------------
----------000-----------
--------0KWK0--------

When you charge this formation, it will be your army vs. 3 or 4 regular bikes without any klaws or warbosses. The bikes will lose horribly and be run down.

If it's dual bikenobs, select one unit that you will shoot at and the other that you plan to beat in assault. Focus all firepower on the shooting target while you wait to setup your charge on the other. Once you get them down to 9 models, start forcing those morale checks with lash and tank-shock. I personally wouldn't bother with plasma cannons, since an instant death hit is much more valuable than some wounds sprinkled around. Lashing a unit into terrain is a good way to get some wounds on there, but you'll rarely net a casualty out of it.

The termies are the only thing that'll have trouble earning value.

When they are far away, lash into clumps (in terrain) and pie plate w/ plasma cannons. When they get close they can pop rhinos if it makes them feel better, or charge Oblit squads. Whatever they do, you just mob them. Your guys are in rhinos till they attack, so they cannot get the charge. You've got power fists, 2 lashers, all the oblits, + any plasma wounds going in.

I guess terminators should stand around with the obilts and aid in the overall counterattack. More Powerfists would help, if you don't currently have any in your terminators.

Lash + Terrain = Tests!

I'd use the terminators for bait.

Moz: For some reason, it didn't cross my mind to rearrange the unit like that with Lash (which is silly because its one of my favorite things to do with it, I put the unit champ/scary weapon at the back then charge with the termies). That certainly makes things a little easier. Do you think Chaos Terminators can hit hard enough to handle even normal. Big Choppa armed Nobs though? Those str4 power weapons don't seem too hot against their T5.

40kenthusiast: There are 3 chainfists in my termie unit so that certainly does help. I also think I wouldn't have a problem commiting a Plague Marine unit to the combat to get that extra powerfist in there as well. Is it fair to say that the termies + a unit of PLague marines can end the combat in my favor in 1 full turn (ie my turn and then my opponents turn) assuming I set the opposing unit up correctly with Lash.

Canaan: I didn't consider that either and while its not really going to kill the entire unit its definitely cool for piling on a couple of additional wounds. Good call!



It would be a really simple change to my list to play a Vindicator instead of 3 termies, do you think this is worth it? The Vindi can lay on some real hurt in the first 2 turns before I have to commit to the cc with the Nob unit. This will make my main cc hammer much less scary though, as 3 termies will be 6 power weapon and 3 powerfist attacks on the charge.

Try dumping the oblits and taking 3 defilers with two extra CC arms each. Lash the nobs into a 5" pie plate shape and hit them with all 3 battle cannons. Do this hopefully a second time before they charge you. Get your defilers into combat with the bikers ASAP. The defilers will strike first with a ton of attacks and instant death even the Boss. I've done it. It works.

When looking at which units to use in the assault, prioritize str8 powerweapons with good survivability. In that regard termies, oblits, and plague marines are perfect. The DPs are great too. Remember that the bike unit is ~700+ points so don't feel too cozy until you've devoted near that much to it in assault.

So yeah, just pull one unit in while pushing the klaws out of the way. Charge it with every fist you can reach with. Then when you've won combat and killed the squad, use your consolidate moves to try to minimize the 2nd unit's countercharge and the game should be yours.

Caffran9 wrote: Can the standard dual Lash list (I play 2 Lash DPs, 9 termies, 21 plague marines in rhinos and 6 oblits, rather normal and boring I know)

Something about this statement just cracks me up. Just the fact that "dual lash" has become such a commonplace term makes me cover my face in shame.

Is there something difficult with a dual lash army beating down or defending against anything except all-mechanized lists?!

snarky comments end.

Lashing bikes into difficult terrain is mean, but effective I would imagine. All I know is that I feel dirty every time I lash someones unit and move their models. Eww! I shouldn't be able to touch their models.


- Blackbone

lol since I hadn't considered rearranging the models in the Nob Bike unit before assaulting it, and due to the fact that my templates (Plasma Cannons) can't instant kill Nobs so I'll get rocked by the wound allocation abuse, I figured the sher resilience of the unit would be too much to handle. I guess its not if I play it right.

Even mech-style lists shouldn't be extremely difficult for melta and oblit heavy lash lists since there is so much high strength nasty flying around. Its all about knocking out the transports that have the important units in them quickly. I don't see why 6-9 Lascannons (or multi meltas) wouldn't be able to at least hinder that advance.