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I'm a new player who's really only ready for a 200 point kill team game. The more I read the more I hear about how awesome Bikes are. How are they used and what makes them so good? Should I scrap my planned 500 point list and go for bikes? I'm curious because it seems easier and if it is as powerful as people say I want to go for the cheaper option.

Bikes are good for a few reasons White Scars chapter tactics are awesome, S5 HoW, 3+ jink saves, ignores terrain, Khan gives them scout, built in twin-linked bolters are never bad, relentless grav-guns are baller, 12inch move is SUPER valuable. That said, they scale up only okay, the higher you go the less valuable each unit becomes.

ERJAK wrote:
Bikes are good for a few reasons White Scars chapter tactics are awesome, S5 HoW, 3+ jink saves, ignores terrain, Khan gives them scout, built in twin-linked bolters are never bad, relentless grav-guns are baller, 12inch move is SUPER valuable. That said, they scale up only okay, the higher you go the less valuable each unit becomes.

Scale how? As in number of models or point value of the game?

Scale as in the points value of the game. The more points the more firepower each army has and the easier it is for any particular individual unit to get blasted to pieces. Or for the damage output of any normal single unit to be less critical to the outcome of the game.

Bikes are considered good because of long movement range, better than average toughness, built in twin linked bolters, built in jink save option, relentless for grav weapons, and the fact that they are a strong option for mounting your HQ on.

That said, I would be hesitant to recommend a new player going all in on a full bike army before getting a bit of a feel for the game and figuring out your personal play style. Bikes are good, but they are just one of many decent units that can make up a decent army.

If you are starting with kill team and building up as you gain experience, I would consider getting some of the SM bread and butter units to go along with the units that get your imagination going. A Rhino, 5-10 Tactical Marines, maybe some Scouts, and a squad of bikes (or whatever it is that made you want to play Marines in the first place) would give you enough to make a few different kill teams. They are also the type of units you are sure to use at higher points levels, so you'll be as monetarily efficient as you can be.