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What do the rest of you think of this random idea. Assault marien bikers, same profile but come with two attacks and the squad can have two chain swords upgraded to power weapons or such (CC weapon version of the normal marine biker's flamers/meltas/plasmaguns.

The sgt can upgrade with cc weapons like fists, thunder hammers, lightning claws etc making the unit more cc orientated han the normal bikers and I think would both be a great addition to biker armies for that cc unit allowing more tactics (And variety!) and would not be that overpowered as the T5 would not do much vs proper cc units.

On the attack bikes they could come with the option for heavy flamer's or some other in your face assault type weapon.

opinions?

It would make White Scar armies a little bit more interesting. Also it seems like it would make sense for them to ride up to them and bash them up and then drive off. Maybe oneday they'll add something like this, but make them veteran bikers or something like that. Maybe even White Scars exclusive.

I like the idea of it, however I could not grant this idea any real merit.

I dont know about you, but riding through a warzone with not one but 2 CC weapons I have to swing around and drive the bike correctly.....

Also, I dont think bike are really an assault type vehicle.

I like it, kind of like a space marine version of ork warbikers only hopefully not as obscene as nob bikers. Also, i could see them having the twin linked bolters on the bike and a pistol and ccw in the profile, bikes make perfect sense for a suicide flamer/melta that you don't want popped by one krak missle or melta shot. Makes sense, but all you really need to do is give vanguard the option to drop the jetpacks and heroic intervention for a bike and something equally potentially useful.

Squig_herder wrote:I like the idea of it, however I could not grant this idea any real merit.

I dont know about you, but riding through a warzone with not one but 2 CC weapons I have to swing around and drive the bike correctly.....

Also, I dont think bike are really an assault type vehicle.

Command squads can do it in game terms of having two weapons, and if I remember the fluff righ tthey have super human reflexs which would give them ample time to pull out bolt pistol fire a shot and seconds later chainsaw someone down.

Also they would prob use both hands when die into CC and if movement needed a quick clip of the pistol to their belts and roar off again.

Giving assault squads the option if dropping jump packs for them for the same price (Jump pack to bike) or a small increase of 5 points for example would cover the +1T and relentless rule.

Even with the fluff in place (I once read that bikes could steer themselves while the Marine rider does his thing) the image of a Space Marine with two chainswords riding a bike is a hilarious one.

In an old Index Astartes/Chapter Approved list, the White Scars could have bikers with power halberds or something to that effect. If you look at the White Scars conversion pack, you can see what's what:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat1080005&prodId=prod1400028

So... you'd basically have Chaos Marine Bikers and to a lesser extent Space Wolve Blood Claw bikers..?

I use an all biker list.
Obviously I'd like an extra attack on basic dudes, but it (IMO) would be too much for them.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
The idea is to reinforce the idea that everything needs supporting elements and the reduction of jack of all trades (I don't consider Tacticals that way).

Squig_herder wrote:I don't know about you, but riding through a warzone with not one but 2 CC weapons I have to swing around and drive the bike correctly.....

Also, I dont think bike are really an assault type vehicle.

Agreed. Even on a superhuman HQ unit the only way I can see combat on a bike is to

1. Chop/shoot someone as you go past

2. Stop and use both hands, negating the awesomeness of the bike

3. Attach spikes to the bike and drive into/over people


You'd really need at least one hand on the steering wheel. Making them better at combat however, with base A2, however, I have no problem with. You'd just have to pay points for roughly the equivalent of a squad of sargents.

1. Ravenwing Bikers.
2. Vanilla Bikers (we shoot only)
3. Chaos Marine and Space Wolf Bikers.

Fluff achieved?

I just had a flashback of watching 'The Return of the King' with Eowyn (I think) riding under a war elephant with two swords. I suppose it's not too ridiculous.

(It is definitely a little bit ridiculous)

24" Turboboost move and T5? Why would anybody take JPs?

Bikes are fast & tough. Let them not fight well in HtH.

It's unfortunate that you need a independent character with bloodclaws in order to take full advantage of the squad :(.

A Wolfpriest on a bike is cool tho.

10 Models w/ 1 Attack Bike ; powerfist and meltagun is exactly 300 points.

is 37 attacks on charge

Plus the
2 Melta shots
16 boltgun shots

3 powerfist

:(

Oh why cant you add a wolfguard to them you can give wolfguard jump packs and bikes why would they not join swiftclaws :(

JohnHwangDD wrote:24" Turboboost move and T5? Why would anybody take JPs?

Bikes are fast & tough. Let them not fight well in HtH.

The viability of not having terrain get in the way and for rolling dangerous terrain checks. If costed righ tthey present another option, and if they turbo boost then their not shooting, where as assault squads jump then can shoot.

Suppose their bigger too so coversaves would be less, and if they were limited on CC weapons then it means more differences to the assault squad.

Maybe Flamers and the attack bike could have a heavy flamer, not sure what upgrades would be off hand.

Sanctjud wrote:So... you'd basically have Chaos Marine Bikers and to a lesser extent Space Wolve Blood Claw bikers..?

I use an all biker list.
Obviously I'd like an extra attack on basic dudes, but it (IMO) would be too much for them.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
The idea is to reinforce the idea that everything needs supporting elements and the reduction of jack of all trades (I don't consider Tacticals that way).

Kind of, I'm not looking for a uber strong unit, more a cc unit which us bike commanders could have for those CC tasks, As you pointed out normal bikers don't fight well in Hand to hand, and I'd prefer to mix my army up a bit instead of keeping at range and sniping. They would not be troops choice either, so no scoring for them.

Soup and a roll wrote:I just had a flashback of watching 'The Return of the King' with Eowyn (I think) riding under a war elephant with two swords. I suppose it's not too ridiculous.

(It is definitely a little bit ridiculous)

Even with the supposed Marnie split second reactions and movements? pull out pistol snap offf a shot, reattach at the same time grabbing chainsword to chop a few times.

Even if the bikers stopp the bike's chassis give them some protection, and since their supposedly superhuman they could easily pull off quick weapon switches or use both hands then clip one for racing off.

Duce wrote:Even with the supposed Marnie split second reactions and movements? pull out pistol snap offf a shot, reattach at the same time grabbing chainsword to chop a few times.

Even if the bikers stopp the bike's chassis give them some protection, and since their supposedly superhuman they could easily pull off quick weapon switches or use both hands then clip one for racing off.

Disagree. Would be as you say for hit-and-run combats, but, if they are bogged down, they are not high up (like horse vs infantry), they are not shielded and they would be restricted in agility compared to a walking marine. If they wanted to use two weapons they are best off stopping the bike, getting off and probably sticking the immobiliser on to stop those pesky chaos kids nicking it.

I read the title and imagined bikers with jump packs. Flying bikes with wheels as well.

I can imagine a bunch of orks sitting around and the find bikes landing on top of them.

In general, I'm not a huge fan of Biker (Except for Orks .) But this is a cool idea.

JohnHwangDD wrote:24" Turboboost move and T5? Why would anybody take JPs?

Bikes are fast & tough. Let them not fight well in HtH.

One problem with bikes is they cannot move onto upper levels with buildings.

It was a great point made that Space Marines have access to mounted command squads. They are hard as nails if built right.

G

n0t_u wrote:It would make White Scar armies a little bit more interesting. Also it seems like it would make sense for them to ride up to them and bash them up and then drive off. Maybe oneday they'll add something like this, but make them veteran bikers or something like that. Maybe even White Scars exclusive.

true, that's a white scars only thing

As previously stated, in 3rd edition, the White Scars list was set up for something similar to what you are suggesting. For a few extra points (I believe it was 3) every member of your bike squad could have a second close combat weapon, which they could actually use in HtH because of thier 'Born in the Saddle' special rule. They also all recieved Hit & Run for free, but had to pay for 'Expert Riders'. The Power Lance was a piece of war gear available to the honcho which confered a bonus to his strength on the charge ONLY and then was useless. The WS list further changed the entire way you laid out your army by limiting your number/variety of Heavy Support choices (no Vindicators or Devastator squads) & grouping attack bike units into that category. Every thing in the army was also required to be mounted, transported or jump-packed, as well. It made for a VERY interesting list, which if used properly, could be devastating. If they implimented the same types of restrictions/bonuses, it would be awesome to be able to play a list of that sort again!

The interesting thing is if they used the fast attack slot you would be thinking which to use, them or the attack bikes or land speeders.

Personally I'd love them in the elite slot so you can get a well rounded force of your main tactical bikers, attack bikes and then them as your elite hand to hand units.

If they used attack bikes in the squad like the normal bikers then giving them a heavy flamer attack bike upgradeable to a plasma cannon or twin linked plasma gun would be great.

Same for their special weapons being flamers or plasma pistols Thus keeping them as a close the distance unit.