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I'm looking at restarting my Space Marine army after not touching it since 4th, and I'm planning on focusing heavily on bikes, which were the unit I enjoyed the most from the last time I played. That being said, I'm not sure the best way to field a marine biker army. Should I get the 5th edition marine codex (I heard that you can take 5 man bike squads as troops if you have a mounted captain) or should I get the Dark Angels Codex and run them as Ravenwing?

Additionally, what sort of list should I run? How should I equip my bikes and my captain? What are some good support units? And what is the easiest way to make a biker captain?

I've gone for C:SM

Basic spine of the force is 2 x 4 Bikes with Plasma + Attack Bike with Melta, 2 x 4 Bikers with melta guns and Attack Bike with HB. This gives a balance of anti mech and anti personnel in each unit.

Captain has PF and LC with Artificier armour.

This forms my allied contingent for BA and the start point for any list as Codex marines.

Of course, with the new DA codex imminent, things may change.

I would say to go codex marines, but with the new dark angels codex on the horizon... I'd simply buy the bikes and wait to see the new DA codex before making the choice.

It is the other stuff in the DA codex that lets ravenwing down.

Ravenwing is actually really good, MSU army with reasonable hitting power. It really just lacks a good method to deal with flyers.

There are many ways to a vanilla biker list. All of them probably better rounded than ravenwing.

Almost every army lacks a reliable way to deal with flyers at the moment. I suspect that'll change as the codex conveyor for 6th rolls on.

might not be the answer your looking for, but I'd wait for the new dark angels codex to come out and see whats doing for ravenwing once they get updated. Hard to compare codex space marine with the old DA codex knowing that the new DA codex is "around the corner"

I run BA bikers for fnp.

I've had relatively good success with C:SM bike list (I'm 3:0 win/lose on vassal )

My captain is Bike, Artificer Armour, Relic Blade, runs up 180 points, can survive most things, and is excelent in challanges against MEQ.
I also have a libby on a bike. With Machine Curse and Smite. These allow me to deal with the 2 'biggest' threats in 6th (imo). Smite's AP2 for termies, and Machine Curse's auto-glance on fliers helps alot. This only takes up 135 points. Also, depending on the opponent, i swap the powers for BRB powers.

In terms of bikes, i have 2 FULL bike squads, with Power Fist, Meltabombs, 2 plasma and a MM attack bike. Runs 325 points for each full squad. I combat squad them into 1 squad with 5 bikes and 2 plasma and the other squad has 3 bikes including sarge and a MM attack bike. 650 for both squads gets me 4 5 man units.
I also run a Bike squad at minimum size. 1 additional man, 2 plasma, power fist, meltabombs and MM attack bike. This is 225 points, and my libby runs in this squad.

To deal with fliers, i have 2 Stormtalon gunships with skyhammer missiles. Supprisingly, my Assault Cannons have dealt more damage to enemy tanks (due to rending).

Anyway, like i said, i've managed to pull off 3 wins in 3 games using this list and C:SM. When i looked to the DA codex, building the large bike squads wasn't possible, and the bike squads were slightly more expensive. However you do get teleport homers with the DA bikes as standard wargear, but if you are not looking to include termies, there is no point. All could change, however, with the new codex.

Zambro wrote:
I've had relatively good success with C:SM bike list (I'm 3:0 win/lose on vassal )

My captain is Bike, Artificer Armour, Relic Blade, runs up 180 points, can survive most things, and is excelent in challanges against MEQ.
I also have a libby on a bike. With Machine Curse and Smite. These allow me to deal with the 2 'biggest' threats in 6th (imo). Smite's AP2 for termies, and Machine Curse's auto-glance on fliers helps alot. This only takes up 135 points. Also, depending on the opponent, i swap the powers for BRB powers.

In terms of bikes, i have 2 FULL bike squads, with Power Fist, Meltabombs, 2 plasma and a MM attack bike. Runs 325 points for each full squad. I combat squad them into 1 squad with 5 bikes and 2 plasma and the other squad has 3 bikes including sarge and a MM attack bike. 650 for both squads gets me 4 5 man units.
I also run a Bike squad at minimum size. 1 additional man, 2 plasma, power fist, meltabombs and MM attack bike. This is 225 points, and my libby runs in this squad.

To deal with fliers, i have 2 Stormtalon gunships with skyhammer missiles. Supprisingly, my Assault Cannons have dealt more damage to enemy tanks (due to rending).

Anyway, like i said, i've managed to pull off 3 wins in 3 games using this list and C:SM. When i looked to the DA codex, building the large bike squads wasn't possible, and the bike squads were slightly more expensive. However you do get teleport homers with the DA bikes as standard wargear, but if you are not looking to include termies, there is no point. All could change, however, with the new codex.

Machine Curse is quite horrible vs fliers since you still need to roll a 6 to hit...

As for the OP, C:SM is better than Ravenwing. They are cheaper, more flexible, combat tactics is much better than fearless and besides the cheaper Ravenwing Typhoons all support units are cheaper as well.

Well, I'd opt for vanilla Bikers since they have combat tactics.

RW Bikers are fearless which may cause drawbacks in cc.

I agree. Regular space mariness are better for now simply based on cost alone.

You can get 4 C:SM bikes for the cost of 3 Ravenwing bikes. Granted, IIRC, Ravenwing bikes have a scout move and teleport homers, but unless you're running terminators to deep strike in, you're better off with C:SM for an all biker list.

Azrael and Zambro have some really good comments as well. The only thing I disagree with is the relic blade on the captain. With it being AP3, it is no longer as useful as it once was. I would go with a powerfist, Thunderhammer, or a PF/LC combo.

For the libby on a bike, drop out the normal powers and hope for endurance. It gives a unit FNP, Relentless (yippee), and It will not die. Attach your captain and libby to that squad and watch your opponent get annoyed as wounds melt off the squad. I also thought about doing the same but attaching to a 3 bike Attack bike squadron to help with the mutliple wounds aspect to fully maximize It Will Not Die.

Lastly, if you're really worried about flyers, your best bet (for now) is to add stormtalons. They fit the fluff and style of a biker army.