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'm looking for some feedback from experienced white scar players on the unit sizes prevalent in the scars netlists. On Dakka, they usually look like:

captain smashmumble
KHAAAAAAAN

Command squad with bikes, grav, apoc, and shields
6 min units of troop bike with 2 special weapons and combiweapon
thunderfire cannons or stormtalons to taste

any remaining points in the list seem to add bodies to the troops choices.

I get the use of each of those units, but why don't I ever see lists with two command squads, 0 command squads, or 8-strong bike squads with multi-melta attack bikes to enable combat squadding?

Because in 2x5 bike squads you can cram in more grav guns/melta guns.

Command Squads are shooty as hell, fast and thanks to the Apothecary+Smashf**ker tanking wounds very resilient.
To run double command squad you'd need either a third HQ and/or switch the CM to a Captain, losing some stats along the way.
Plus they're quite expensive.
Personally I don't play the Command Squad with SS, I leave them only with Grav Guns, my meta isn't as super duper competitive to need SS on everything. And playing at 1500 the Command Squad takes away a good chunk of my points.

Khan generates a very strong alpha strike, but he's not as useful in CC. Someone says Khan isn't really needed in an all-biker list, but I'm trying 2/3 tac squads in rhinos, so he's much more useful.
You can even scout LRs if you're kinky like that.

Stormtalons add much needed AA support while being able to provide BS5 fire on the ground.
TFC melt blobs. Plus Camo Scouts in ruins have a 2+ cover.

At how many points do you usually play?

Usually because combat squads are points sinks, especially for bikes.

These net lists with 5 man units of Bikes with two of Grav or Melta are min-maxing - getting maximum efficiency for minimum points cost.

In addition, White Scar Bikes are fantastic. Objective Secured 12" movement ignoring terrain units are going to be good in Maelstrom - T5 with a good damage loadout against certain units are good in EW. There isn't much a White Scars list needs after bikes. Stormtalons and Thunderfire Cannons make the cut as they do something Bikes don't do well, AA and Barrage Sniping respectively.

Thanks for the responses!

 mathaius90 wrote:

At how many points do you usually play?

I usually play fantasy, but since the End Times I'm dusting off my bikes. My FLGS used to play 1850, maybe 2K now.

Sounds like people optimize for grav guns and not T5 bodies then?

Precisely

I've had good success with 4 bikes+ attack bike. Gavs/melta+Combi-grav/melta+MM AB
All for under 175 pts

Rinse and repeat

optimusprime14 wrote:
I've had good success with 4 bikes+ attack bike. Gavs/melta+Combi-grav/melta+MM AB
All for under 175 pts

Rinse and repeat

I usually go for 5+AB, gives me an additional warm body to throw in the way while closing in on tanks.