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All in the title here folks. I just want a fast squad to run up the board and kill tanks. Basically just help me decide.
These are all for unmarked squads with two Meltaguns and a combi-Melta.
- Minimal points difference (100 for bikes, 115 for raptors)
- Bikes have T5, raptors have two expendable scrubs (I'm not a theory hammer calculator, so I'm not sure which is actually more survivable)
- Raptors could benefit from taking MoS and going into assault too (bikers can, but less effectively)
- Bikers can shoot better after the fact as they have Bolters built in.

Basically I'm just looking for an opinion as to which would be more effective. I haven't considered putting powerfists in the unit, so that's also a possibility. So, thoughts?

Raptors can be infiltrated with Huron or Ahriman also, as an infantry unit.

Bikes can be given Mon for t6, making them harder to shift. Both are fast and can get to objectives a bit quicker. If you are considering assault, bikers get HoW on every charge, rather than having to weigh up not jumping in movement phase and risking failing the charge to get it.

Personally, I'd just go for which ever models you prefer, as they are similar enough that one doesn't hold a huge advantage over the other.

Go for bikers. They're a lot more durable, especially with MoN, and they can get jink saves for low AP weaponry if they moved in the previous turn. Raptors attract a lot of fire and nearly always die, unless you're infiltrating them.

Bikes win in all situations for me.

Tougher, cheaper, HOW and fleet on all charges, relentless, can be made T6, have better guns and are a bit better in assault.

If you are running the full biker shabang, stick in a sorcerer running biomancy. Who can make them even tougher.

As a melta delivery service, I'd still say bikers, but both are okay at it.

I actually think Raptors would be preferable for Melta, due to Bikers having Relentless and therefore are able to take advantage of Plasma Guns rapid firing and then assaulting. Bikers are the better choice as a whole.

Assuming you are only taking one of them though, Melta on Bikers.

I'd probably go with raptors for melta. They can jump over obstacles, they're choppier, they have 2 meet shields. And they look cool and are not very common.

Bikes are definitely better as retinue but raptors have some advantages for this very task.

It's quite even, however. Bikes have jink and fare a bit better in challenges due to t5.

What kind of vehicles do you expect to face that you are looking at killing? Often the nuances of which choice is better depends on what you expect to face.

That said, I don't think you majorly disadvantage yourself with either option, but I take Raptors with meltas (because it fits my army's theme better).

Some points that weren't already made at the time of writing. Note this pro/con list is not exhaustive, just a couple of extra points to consider.

Raptor Pros:

Their redundant wounds mean you can take a couple more casualties before melta starts to disappear AND you get a guy to bravely throw a krak grenade.

Furthermore, the starting squad size means you may have more krak grenade attacks if you need to try finish off a vehicle in melee.

Some metas may try to ignore toughness (lots of grav, D or very high strength weaponry). In such situations ablative models become a more valuable form of protection.

They can move over instead of around intervening units/terrain (how useful this is really depends on army/board size and terrain type/density)

The bigger starting size also eliminates the risk of one man's death causing the squad starting to route.

They can deep strike, if you are into that sort of thing.

Raptor Cons:

The bigger starting size means if the squad is reduced to a man he is unlikely to rally.

Can't as quickly redeploy across the board.

Questions:

Which unit (if either) is better at dealing with bubble wrapped vehicles, does either option need more support than the other for executing their role?

Which unit has better secondary strategies if their primary strategy (kill vehicles) is not available to them (i.e. if there are no vehicles on the board)?

Which unit is better in assault? Bikers with their guaranteed HoW or Raptors with their two exta guys?

With vehicle hunting melta bikes is it to replace the ccw or tl bolter?

Raptors can't Infiltrate due to being jump pack infantry instead of just infantry.

Bikes don't have to move to claim a jink save.

The only thing that raptors have over bikes is deep strike. If you're going to deep strike, raptors, if not, bikes.

Seeing as CSM doesn't have practical means to mitigate Deep Strike, that would leave Bikers.

 JamesY wrote:
Bikes can be given Mon for t6, making them harder to shift. Both are fast and can get to objectives a bit quicker. If you are considering assault, bikers get HoW on every charge, rather than having to weigh up not jumping in movement phase and risking failing the charge to get it.

Personally, I'd just go for which ever models you prefer, as they are similar enough that one doesn't hold a huge advantage over the other.

Skme guy just told me bikers get no HoW. Can you please help me find which page in the rule book says they do so I can prove him wrong?

Choice is actually pretty simple. Would you trade 1 toughness, an invulnerable save, turbo boost, and a better hammer of wrath for two MEQ ablative wounds, one extra kill before Ld checks and a delivery method that is both risky and unreliable?

No. No you would not. Raptors are not better. Period.

I prefer Raptors. Easier to hide, can grab objectives on top of buildings, can jump over things to get to rear armour, are a great charge shield for a winged DP/lord, etc.

Plus way cooler than bikes

 Filch wrote:

 JamesY wrote:
Bikes can be given Mon for t6, making them harder to shift. Both are fast and can get to objectives a bit quicker. If you are considering assault, bikers get HoW on every charge, rather than having to weigh up not jumping in movement phase and risking failing the charge to get it.

Personally, I'd just go for which ever models you prefer, as they are similar enough that one doesn't hold a huge advantage over the other.

Skme guy just told me bikers get no HoW. Can you please help me find which page in the rule book says they do so I can prove him wrong?

In the BRB under the unit type bikers

 CrownAxe wrote:

 Filch wrote:

 JamesY wrote:
Bikes can be given Mon for t6, making them harder to shift. Both are fast and can get to objectives a bit quicker. If you are considering assault, bikers get HoW on every charge, rather than having to weigh up not jumping in movement phase and risking failing the charge to get it.

Personally, I'd just go for which ever models you prefer, as they are similar enough that one doesn't hold a huge advantage over the other.

Skme guy just told me bikers get no HoW. Can you please help me find which page in the rule book says they do so I can prove him wrong?

In the BRB under the unit type bikers

P63 - under Special Rules: "Bikes and Jetbikes have the Hammer of Wrath, Jink, Relentless and Very Bulky special rules."