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 toying around with an army for the Independant Characters Hobby progress challange


HQ
Vulkan he'stan
195 points

Captain
Bike
135 points

TROOPS
Bikers
- 5
- 2x Flamers
o 150 points
Bikers
- 5
- 2x Flamers
o 150 points
Bikers
- 5
- 2x Flamers
o 150 points

Bikers
- 5
- 2x Meltaguns
- Attack Bike
- Multi-Melta
o 210 points
Bikers
- 5
- 2x Meltaguns
- Attack Bike
- Multi-Melta
o 210 points

ELITES
Hammernators
5
200 points
Redeemer
Extra armour
Sidebar:
3x Predators – Var. [maximum: 555 points.]

The army allows me to paint something new, and get some bikers in my army.

IF you're wondering about the predators, you have a 400 point sidebar, which I'm just going to spend finishing my other army.

Seems like it'd be fun to play, but boring to paint all those bikers. Maybe throw in some scout bikers?

As far as the SC, isen't there a White Scars SC in the main SM codex?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oops, misread the post, lol. You weren't looking for biker SCs, huh? Sorry, my mistake.

Just on that note, All Marines are boring to paint. That's why we have captains and leigon of the damned.

True, True.

It looks like a really fun list. Now, I am quite new to space marines, however, can't bike squads only take up to two special weapons? Personally, I'd do min squads of 5 for the troops with two specials. This leaves you with alot more points to add other threats while keeping with your theme.

Which adds another question: does the attack bike count as one model or two models for the purposes of the mounted assault?

Can't bike squads only take 2 special weapons? Also, Kor'sarro is basically a Captain with a relic blade and AWESOME special rules, use him. Also, find a way to add power fists to your sergeants. Bikes are great because they can dominate every phase: movement, shooting, and assault. Why miss out on 1/3rd of your potential?

That sounds like a fun list to play but that isn't standard FO, right? Does the independent characters contest allow different FO?

Otherwise, it seems like a good, fun list! Let us know how it works out for ya!

-cgmckenzie

Space Marine Bike Captains turn Bike Squads into Troops units, that's how he's breaking the FO chart.

Oooooh yeah, that's right. It has been forever since I retired my SM for the my vastly superior IG so I am a bit rusty on some of the finer rules.

-cgmckenzie

I think you have anti tanks covered. What weapons on the preds?

I forsee problems in close combat and problems with units in cover.

Iron-Fist wrote:Can't bike squads only take 2 special weapons? Also, Kor'sarro is basically a Captain with a relic blade and AWESOME special rules, use him. Also, find a way to add power fists to your sergeants. Bikes are great because they can dominate every phase: movement, shooting, and assault. Why miss out on 1/3rd of your potential?

Actually kahn only has power sword with the ability to ID and pretty crappy special abilities. Combat tactics is way better than outflank and furious assault in a bike army.

As for the list, get som plasma in your command squad you have nothing to deal with high armor save targets.
Your squads are too big, 5 bikers at the most.
I think you need more support than your preds, typhoons go great with bikes. Rifelman dreads as well.

tedurur wrote:Actually kahn only has power sword with the ability to ID and pretty crappy special abilities. Combat tactics is way better than outflank and furious assault in a bike army.

Wrong, he has a power sword AND a bolt pistol (for the extra attack) AND furious charge (for str 5) AND hit and run (for always getting to use furious charge, always getting to shoot before charging, never getting bogged down in combat, etc), which ends up being WAY better than a relic blade, especially if he has a FNP retinue with a couple of power weapons/fists/claws. His squad abilities are among the best in the game (hit and run and furious charge with bikes are AWESOME) and outflank is absolutely necessary for a bike army to hope to beat a gun-line that gets first turn. Combat tactics only lets bikes get out of combat if they lose more models than the other guy, which almost never happens (and if it does that wasnt a combat you should have been in) and is dangerous to use otherwise, since bikes retreat 3d6''.

He costs 40pts more than a Relic Blade Captain. SO for the same price I can have a 2/3++ Captain with heellfire rounds.
The ONLY reason to ever take Khan is if you go for the command squad CC death star...but then Id rather have 5 termies and a LR for ppretty much the same price. With all the Missile spam going on today relying on a 3++ to save a ~80pts model is not always a good thing.

Outflank is most definetly not necessary to beat a gunline with bikes, thats what turbo-boosting is for 24" will get you where you want.
With the minimal damage output of bike squads in CC I fail to see how you almost never lose combat?
Combat tactics makes you pretty much imune to close range fire when facing an army with CC elements since they dont want to shoot you and risk allowing you to dodge out of assault range


As for the list, a Libby would be a good investment as well...

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, dont waste pts of PFs for your sarges.

Iron-Fist wrote:

tedurur wrote:Actually kahn only has power sword with the ability to ID and pretty crappy special abilities. Combat tactics is way better than outflank and furious assault in a bike army.

Wrong, he has a power sword AND a bolt pistol (for the extra attack) AND furious charge (for str 5) AND hit and run (for always getting to use furious charge, always getting to shoot before charging, never getting bogged down in combat, etc), which ends up being WAY better than a relic blade, especially if he has a FNP retinue with a couple of power weapons/fists/claws. His squad abilities are among the best in the game (hit and run and furious charge with bikes are AWESOME) and outflank is absolutely necessary for a bike army to hope to beat a gun-line that gets first turn. Combat tactics only lets bikes get out of combat if they lose more models than the other guy, which almost never happens (and if it does that wasnt a combat you should have been in) and is dangerous to use otherwise, since bikes retreat 3d6''.

He's right. go test this list against just about any gunline. On turn two when you only have a couple guys left you will quickly rethink kahn and outflank.

Secondly, I have found that bikes by themselves don't play very well. If you play on multi level terrain you are at a disadvantage because bikes can't climb levels. Having something else that can keep fire is nice. So take my advice or leave it, but it comes from lots of playing.

I have played against plenty of gunlines and have been doing just fine with a Normal captain. What good would outflank do if your opponent decides to play a refused flank? Getting your army obliterated in one turn is not so much army list selection as it is tactics...Spaced out and with a 3+ cover save it would take a lot of blast markers to remove a bike army. That said, this list is far from optimal so it would be an uphill struggle

Your second point is correct tho, a bike army must have long range AT to be able to compete, you need to be able to remove the opponents mobility so that you can overwhelm them without they being able to respond.

If running a command squad on bikes I would look to kit them out with some more special weapons. Maybe a few more power weapons to make them a CC beast - and possibly a combi flamer?

I think some speeders would also fit the theme of the list. Maybe typhoons?

Preds are a good idea for the HS slots. What loadout had you planned?

I would also look at either a libby or chappy on a bike as a second HQ.

Given the amount of flame in this list (melta and flamers, not argument) I'm thining of going bike captain and vulkan.

List is updated