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.

Any suggestions for Special Weapons / load outs?

Replace them with Scout Bikers

 BaconCatBug wrote:
Replace them with Scout Bikers

Funny. Seriously however, thinking using them for special Weapons guys...

Is there going to be a captain near them for re-rolls? Plasma
Are they operating on their own without support? Grav.
Are you stuck in a mindset 3 editions ago, or hoping for a paradigm shift in 9th? Melta.
Do you just want to watch the world burn? Flamers.

Most of the time, plasma is the go-to choice in 8th. It’s just that good and flexible.
IMHO grav is better then non-overcharged plasma against a lot of targets, but not as good as overcharged. Not nearly as flexible, but has a solid niche of killing elite multi-wound mid/ toughness targets.
I want to like melta, but you pay a premium for a very small niche. When plasma is better across the board for so many things at a similar price, it’s hard to recommend melta these days.
Flamers are cheep? Synergies with the bike’s bolters? But don’t bring a lot to the table these days. Kinda a waste of the weapon slot in the squad. If you are facing off against a lot of minus to hit troops, it might have a place. But if you want anti-horde bikes, scout bikes are a much better deal.

 Nevelon wrote:
Is there going to be a captain near them for re-rolls? Plasma
Are they operating on their own without support? Grav.
Are you stuck in a mindset 3 editions ago, or hoping for a paradigm shift in 9th? Melta.
Do you just want to watch the world burn? Flamers.

Most of the time, plasma is the go-to choice in 8th. It’s just that good and flexible.
IMHO grav is better then non-overcharged plasma against a lot of targets, but not as good as overcharged. Not nearly as flexible, but has a solid niche of killing elite multi-wound mid/ toughness targets.
I want to like melta, but you pay a premium for a very small niche. When plasma is better across the board for so many things at a similar price, it’s hard to recommend melta these days.
Flamers are cheep? Synergies with the bike’s bolters? But don’t bring a lot to the table these days. Kinda a waste of the weapon slot in the squad. If you are facing off against a lot of minus to hit troops, it might have a place. But if you want anti-horde bikes, scout bikes are a much better deal.

Thank you for this. Some other details: Planning on having a unit of Vet Bikers, Normal Bikers, Scout Bikers, Assualt Biker, and a Chaplin on Bike. It is planned for my Squats army, and am leaning towards using Combi Weapons on the Vets. I also have one biker left that I can figure out what I want to do with...

JmOz01 wrote:

 BaconCatBug wrote:
Replace them with Scout Bikers

Funny. Seriously however, thinking using them for special Weapons guys...

It really isn't worth it.

If you really want the Bikers on their own, check out Deathwatch Bikers. They're decent.

I'd go plasma and combi plasma on sgt. I take some melta on my Ravenwing bikers as the list sorely misses out on solid AT (or at least did until Typhoons game down a chunk)

For the record this is a very theme based force, so yes going for them even if not the best choice.

Having said that the guns are less themes for me, so most things go for them. Plasma is tempting, my "anti Tank" right now is just 4 missile launchers, Quad launcher, and a Lascannon

If you are doing squat bikers:

Living ancestor (librarian counts as, should be in the sidecar of an attack bike)
Warlord on bike (captain counts as) (needs to be accompanied by 4 heathgurads (aka vets on bikes))
Techpriest advisor (modeled as a normal techmarine on bike)

 Nevelon wrote:
If you are doing squat bikers:

Living ancestor (librarian counts as, should be in the sidecar of an attack bike)
Warlord on bike (captain counts as) (needs to be accompanied by 4 heathgurads (aka vets on bikes))
Techpriest advisor (modeled as a normal techmarine on bike)

Thanks for this

Using Mantic Valks for the normal bikes / vets , Ramshackle bikes for scouts, and one character (Named the beer man, who will be fielded normaly as a Chaplain, but ciould fill in for a couple other things)

Salamander bikers can be decent without a babysitter.

The army will be generic (Obviously as they are not "real" marines). Right now the plan is Iron Hands as my go to chapter

One unit of Bikers in your army, or an army of mostly Bikers with some support?

It would have to be mostly Bikers. Bikers are garbage without even a singular point of redundancy, and they're even still blech with it.

 Nevelon wrote:

Are you stuck in a mindset 3 editions ago, or hoping for a paradigm shift in 9th? Melta.


Most of the time, plasma is the go-to choice in 8th. It’s just that good and flexible.
I want to like melta, but you pay a premium for a very small niche. When plasma is better across the board for so many things at a similar price, it’s hard to recommend melta these days.

This sums up my life pretty accurately. I frequently run Chaos Bikers with Melta Guns. I started running the squad in 5th edition, and have 2 bikers with Melta Guns and a champ with the combi melta. I also had a raptor squad armed similarly, but they have since swapped over to Plasma. I don't hate Melta Guns on Bikers, because the assault profile and the great movement value on bikers makes it a bit easier to close into melta range. The big problem with Melta is it is poorly priced for what you actually get, and unless you get to within 6 inches it is worse than Overcharged Plasma even against ideal targets.

I would also point out that Chaos has some real advantages over marines, namely Veterans of the Long War means melta can actually wound t8 targets on a 3+ which is incredibly helpful, and access to Endless Cacophony gives them an insurance policy if the first salvo is underwhelming or they are unloading into a super heavy or some other massive target. My Bikers do well for me, but I would replace them with something more reliable if I had more of an eye to competitive play. Still, another price drop on Marine and Chaos Marine Bikers will help them perform a bit better.

Bharring wrote:
One unit of Bikers in your army, or an army of mostly Bikers with some support?

The 2000 point list I am designing is


4 units of scouts, 2 units of tacs

2 units of Termies, 1 Iron Dred

Hellblaster, 2 Rapiers

1 of each fast bike

Plus some other stuff, so you decide

 BaconCatBug wrote:
Replace them with Scout Bikers

This is the answer LOL, i personally love UM Scout bikes