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Bristol Vanquish is coming up again, highly recommend it if you live in the UK, but below is my list for the competition. I've purposefully limited myself to bikes and no allies, beyond please make any suggestions!

Minor comp for the event but its stuff like no more than 2 of the same fast attack slot etc. Not to extreme. Most of the below is already painted save the Heavy Support. And yes I know that bikes are not the most powerful build!


HQ
Captain, Power Fist, Artificer Armour, Bike - 175

TROOPS
5 Bikes, 2 Flamers - 150
5 Bikes, 2 Flamers - 150
5 Bikes, 2 Plasma Guns - 170
5 Bikes, 2 Plasma Guns - 170

FAST ATTACK
3 Attack Bike, 3 Mult-Meltas - 150
3 Landspeeder Typhoons - 270
Stomtalon Gunship, Typhoon Launcher - 155

HEAVY SUPPORT
Vindicator, Dozer Blade - 120
Vindicator, Dozer Blade - 120
Predator, Lascannon Sponsons - 120

= 1,750

I'm still new to bike armies myself so not sure if this will be useful...

My first impression is that you seem to be very light on troops. I plan on having as many scoring bikes as you have here, but in a 1k force. How confident are you that you can keep your bikers alive and taking objectives? A smart opponent may simply target your bikes, leaving you unable to win games even if your other firepower slaughters them.

Attack bikes seem like a useful addition to your scoring bike squads - is there any reason you aren't adding them in here? I think with multimeltas they'd be especially effective alongside the plasma guns, and give your bike squads more staying power.

 Hedgehog wrote:
I'm still new to bike armies myself so not sure if this will be useful...

My first impression is that you seem to be very light on troops. I plan on having as many scoring bikes as you have here, but in a 1k force. How confident are you that you can keep your bikers alive and taking objectives? A smart opponent may simply target your bikes, leaving you unable to win games even if your other firepower slaughters them.

Attack bikes seem like a useful addition to your scoring bike squads - is there any reason you aren't adding them in here? I think with multimeltas they'd be especially effective alongside the plasma guns, and give your bike squads more staying power.

I see what you're saying but based on a lot of 6th edition bike experience, bike squads need *very* careful management. They either need to stay at range (24") which means plasma or commit fully which means flamers. Dropping in one multi-melta means you're tempted to run them as anti-tank. One multi-melta in a squad =/= anti-tank.

I find with bikes you have to exploit your local superiority and speed to maximum advantage. Bikes beyond 5 men start to provide minimal returns. 4 fast, tough troops tend to be enough as they out pace most army's troops in speed and endurance.

It is VERY easy to hide 5 bikes and at 1000 points it is very easy to hide them till you need to the last turn turbo boost to secure. My 1000 points runs something list the below, and I find it strong.

Captain, Bike, Power Fist, Artificer Armour - 175
4 Bikes, 2 Plasma Guns, 1 Attack Bike - 185
5 Bikes, 2 Flamers, Melta Bomb - 155
3 Attack Bikes, 3 Multi-Meltas - 150
Stormtalon Gunship, Typhoon Launcher - 155
2 Landspeeder Typoons - 180

I think the list looks pretty solid. I Might consider trying to move stuff around for another 5 man squad, but that might not be necessary. I've certainly taken 1750 games with about that many scoring models, and not on bikes to boot!

Not sure I understand your statement about the diminishing returns that you think happens with bike squads above five, could you explain?

 Lord PoPo wrote:


Not sure I understand your statement about the diminishing returns that you think happens with bike squads above five, could you explain?

Apologies: drunk + internet =/= coherency.

So bikes are variable squad size but always two permitted special weapons. This compares to a lot of squads which get access to new stuff every 5 or 10 men.

You have to take 5 mode to make them troops so you essentially have three options:
5 bikes
4 bikes + 1 attack bike
8 bikes + 1 attack bike (combat squad)

Any other configuration is wasteful because you're spending 25 point for a bike that doesn't do anything beyond a wound, which isn't enough in a bike army. You need everything pulling its weight.

Moving from 5 bikes to 4+1 is a comparatively cheap 25 point upgrade (or 15 if you're taking the heavy bolter) but it has one major effect. It tricks you into committing your limited scoring units to a naturally dangerous anti-tank role. 12" for melta range is combat range and rapid fire range, if you're only taking one multi-melta shot there is a very real chance you won't kill what you're shooting at which can mean you're dead next turn. Leaving them as dedicated plasma delivery OR flamer delivery keeps their role (and my mind) focused.

But saying that, bikes are very very unusual and people should use them as they like 'em!

Not exactly, having "msu" bikes means you lose your VERY IMPORTANT specialty guns faster, and if you just take MSU + Mech (Have tried it before) it's much more easier for the enemy to prioritize his fires. All the same kinda target? Much harder to dilute the threat. Hence I like big bike squads and lots :3

Too easy to get to those special weapons/sergeant in a 5 man squad. I would drop some tanks and put an AB in each squad - 2 wounds at T5 so difficult to insta-kill. If you don't want MM (which still shoots at 24") then the HB is not a bad choice and the normal bolter gets to fire too.

The FA slots look good.

I'm a massive fan of a quad plasma command squad on bikes, but admit that 1,750 makes it a little tight for points.

 ruminator wrote:
Too easy to get to those special weapons/sergeant in a 5 man squad. I would drop some tanks and put an AB in each squad - 2 wounds at T5 so difficult to insta-kill. If you don't want MM (which still shoots at 24") then the HB is not a bad choice and the normal bolter gets to fire too.

The FA slots look good.

I'm a massive fan of a quad plasma command squad on bikes, but admit that 1,750 makes it a little tight for points.

Some good feedback here and above. I have tweaked on consideration. I do want to like command squads but between the cost and their lack of scoring I can't justify them!

This ups the amount of scoring units and scoring boots at the sacrifice of a few plasma guns. As much as I like plasma guns, they do hurt when they 'get hot' and burn your 40 point troops unit to the ground. With 2 vindicators I'm not too worried about terminator spam.

This would probably run as 5 Bikes w/t 2 Flamers, 5 Bikes w/t 2 Flamers, 5 Bikes w/t 2 Plasma Guns, 3 Bikes & MM Attack bike, 3 Bikes & MM Attack Bike.

HQ
Captain, Bike, Power Fist, Artificer Armour - 175

TROOPS

8 Bikes, 2 Plasma Guns, Attack Bike, Multi-Melta, Meltabomb - 300
8 Bikes, 2 Flamers, Attack Bike, Multi-Melta, Meltabomb - 280
5 Bikes, 2 Flamers - 150

FAST ATTACK

3 Attack Bikes, 3 Multi-Meltas - 150
2 Landspeeder Typphoons - 180
Stormtalon Gunship, Typhoon Launcher - 155

HEAVY SUPPORT

Vindicator, Dozer Blade - 120
Vindicator, Dozer Blade - 120
Predator, Lascannon Sponsons - 120

How do you plan to claim or contest objective that are not on the ground floor or first floor?