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I've been out of the 40k loop for a while, so have a few questions on the state of things...

-how are people feeling about Centurions? Worth it? Worth it in specific roles?

-how are the grav weapons treating people?

-how are bikes and speeders doing? I'll be playing Astral Claws, (FW chapter tactics) that give bikes skilled rider and skimmers scout- does that change your assessment?

-any major shifts in play style since previous iterations of Marines/general things I should be aware of in the new iteration of the codex?

Thanks in advance

Well, Centurions with grav cannons form a useful unit. Let them walk through the center and eliminate the biggest threat. However, the debate about the usefulness of Centurii with grav weapons still goes on.
Bikes with grav guns, however, are a decent unit. Bikes got cheaper and with their increased mobility have a good chance to go where you want them.

Centurions I am kinda iffy on if they work they REALLY work I killed a land raider and a squad of assult terminators with them in two turns

Grav weapons are okay- good on bikes if the squad dosnt get nuked ( which most bike grav squads do ) never seen them in command squads though

And given the new rules in 6th land speeders are quite soft with only two hull points and crapy armour.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
-how are people feeling about Centurions? Worth it? Worth it in specific roles?

Dev cents are good at killing MEQ or killing vehicles.
I make a case for assault centurions here but I've not had a chance to test them.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
how are the grav weapons treating people?

They work great on bikes.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
-how are bikes and speeders doing? I'll be playing Astral Claws, (FW chapter tactics) that give bikes skilled rider and skimmers scout- does that change your assessment?

Bikes are doing great. Take white scars if you can -- they get +1 cover save, ignore difficult terrain tests, and get +1 STR on HoW. If you take Khan your bikes and dedicated transports can scout.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
-any major shifts in play style since previous iterations of Marines/general things I should be aware of in the new iteration of the codex?

I talked a bit about what I've seen in this dakka post. That might help.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
-how are people feeling about Centurions? Worth it? Worth it in specific roles?

Heavy suppor grav guys are great. Assault cents with a chaplin are excellent as well.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
-how are the grav weapons treating people?

They do ok, grav as a different option than plasma though. Also good vs nids.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
-how are bikes and speeders doing? I'll be playing Astral Claws, (FW chapter tactics) that give bikes skilled rider and skimmers scout- does that change your assessment?

I've been doing bikes since 5th, the jink saves and boosts to natural toughness helps a lot. Scout will help shooty bikes get into range much faster, so against an army you need to alpha strike, it's great.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
-any major shifts in play style since previous iterations of Marines/general things I should be aware of in the new iteration of the codex?

Nothing really, everything works as it did except -2 space on drop pods and standard raiders. The AA tank with the big cannon is great vs flying vehicles and skimmers, while the other one is good vs enemy flying MC and such. The current bandwagon is grav on bikes.

Cool, thanks all.

I guess I'll start breaking out a few bikes in that case, with some magnetized special weapons. Is there an optimal size for the unit? (please say "small"...)

Yea small 6 man squads with an attack bike are good. if you are planing on running grav bikes though don't expect them to last very long people tend to obliterate them (good for getting the rest of your army in position)

 spiralingcadaver wrote:

-any major shifts in play style since previous iterations of Marines/general things I should be aware of in the new iteration of the codex?

Well, since 6th Ed has been designated "Shootyhammer", you'll be wanting to avoid melee units such as Terminators (40 ppm isn't good, even with a 2+, 5++, though a TH/SS unit can work out well sometimes).

Having 3 predators in your army can still do quite well, especially when backed up with razorbacks as long as you play keepaways with your enemy and take advantage of the terrain (I have never once defeated this).

The average SM with his 3+ armour is no longer the walking wall of immunity they once were used as, due to things like Heldrakes, which basically invalidate your troop options if there are two or more of them unless you have good AA, or some expendable allies (the best one atm is Tau for you).

Be careful of Riptides, they blow holes in just about everything.

How would good old-fashioned IG work as an ally? I have a decent IG force, while no Tau.

If you take IG allies, it'd mostly be for vendetta's.

IG is a great ally for C:SM.

Platoons with ATSKNF are sturdy and durable tarpits/objective holders and add cheap, much needed ACs or LCs to the army.

I like Dev Centurions with Grav, but the Sgt having TL Lascannon, Missiles, and the split fire wargear (name eludes me). He splits fire popping a basket, and the rest of the Cent's mop up the eggs once they have disembarked. Lucky rolling will see the basket popped, I usually try to shave a few HP off first with other units though.

Cent's also synergise nicely with Librarians if you manage to roll for Endurance (FNP and It Will Not Die are awesome on Cent's, relentless is wasted).