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With the decrease in cost from CA for space marines units. I found something kind of funny while looking into codex, you can now equip veteran bikers with storm shields for only 2 points, in addition, they can take an additional weapon on top of that. So you can take a special weapon per a veteran... So!

5 Company Vets
1 with Bolter and Plasma Pistol
4 with Flamers and Storm Shield

For 217 points you will get: 2 Wounds Per a Model, Toughness 5, ++3 +3 14" Movement, 2 twin bolt guns each, with an apothecary on bike you have an instant reviving deathstar running around... Depending what you equip them this could be a pretty devastating unit.

For cheaper and without flamers it would be 193 pts... without plasma pistol it would 188pts. This not only puts out more firepower than terminators but it is probably one of the best elite choices currently for space marines (just from doing the math).

Umm what? Is this intended? What crazy combinations have you guys come up with space marine vets? (don't know if this is supposed to be for army lists or you make the da call or general discussion!)

217pts for 5 guys with Flamers? Doesn't matter how many Storm Shields you give them, it looks like they won't be performing miracles anytime soon.

 Valkyrie wrote:
217pts for 5 guys with Flamers? Doesn't matter how many Storm Shields you give them, it looks like they won't be performing miracles anytime soon.

Yeah this was my thought too lol.

"why, it'd only take them 6 turns of continuous shooting to make their points back against guardsmen! The value!"

 Valkyrie wrote:
217pts for 5 guys with Flamers? Doesn't matter how many Storm Shields you give them, it looks like they won't be performing miracles anytime soon.

Space Marine bikers also come with twin bolt guns each. So 24" Rapid Fire 2, S4 AP0 D1. In addition to their flamers. (plus is only 4 guys with flamers, sarge cannot take a storm shield or a special weapon)

My question then becomes. If i load these guys up with a bolter, and a plasma pistol would they be able to fire all of their weapons at once?

I feel like if you're going in you might as well go all in. Thunder Hammers for everyone!

the_scotsman wrote:
I feel like if you're going in you might as well go all in. Thunder Hammers for everyone!

Close combat for space marines

For 214 points you could take 5 marines with plasma/combi-plasma in an Razorback with a twin assault cannon.

 Kellevil wrote:
For 214 points you could take 5 marines with plasma/combi-plasma in an Razorback with a twin assault cannon.

Problem is you lose out on the important part which is the ++3 and the Toughness of 5, and 2 wounds.

Or you take 5 company vets with stormshields + razorback with heavy bolter for 222pts. But you lack a Toughness 5 and 2 Wounds apiece.

Invulnerable saves are invaluable to marine units (especially veterans). I why you would ever want to take a terminator squad over a company vets on bikes I have no idea.

 Asherian Command wrote:

the_scotsman wrote:
I feel like if you're going in you might as well go all in. Thunder Hammers for everyone!

Close combat for space marines

2A Apiece and thunder hammers with chapter tactics is by no means bad, though. Considering that if you take these guys as White Scars you can move 22", shoot, and charge, that's pretty not bad. Throw mr khan in there for the rerolls and +1S and I think that's a pretty solid unit for a generally less-powerful chapter.

the_scotsman wrote:

 Asherian Command wrote:

the_scotsman wrote:
I feel like if you're going in you might as well go all in. Thunder Hammers for everyone!

Close combat for space marines

2A Apiece and thunder hammers with chapter tactics is by no means bad, though. Considering that if you take these guys as White Scars you can move 22", shoot, and charge, that's pretty not bad. Throw mr khan in there for the rerolls and +1S and I think that's a pretty solid unit for a generally less-powerful chapter.

Oh i don't disagree, but they probably cannot generate enough attacks, stormshields + thunderhammers might mean more close combat potential but that would be around 268pts for 5 thunder hammers, and 4 stormshields... (cause the sarge can't take a stormshield!) You get +2 attacks per a model +3 attacks on sarge. so 11 attacks, s10 with khan. But thats like 400 pts. For a unit that only does 11 attacks, if anything I wouldn't put the thunderhammers on as they are really expensive on that unit. Powerfists maybe, but not thunderhammers.

 Asherian Command wrote:

 Kellevil wrote:
For 214 points you could take 5 marines with plasma/combi-plasma in an Razorback with a twin assault cannon.

Problem is you lose out on the important part which is the ++3 and the Toughness of 5, and 2 wounds.

Or you take 5 company vets with stormshields + razorback with heavy bolter for 222pts. But you lack a Toughness 5 and 2 Wounds apiece.

Invulnerable saves are invaluable to marine units (especially veterans). I why you would ever want to take a terminator squad over a company vets on bikes I have no idea.

I dunno man, I usually play against Tau and their volume of st5 shots tends to delete bikes. It seems like it makes the the invuln irrelevant. I suppose it depends on who you you are playing

 Kellevil wrote:

 Asherian Command wrote:

 Kellevil wrote:
For 214 points you could take 5 marines with plasma/combi-plasma in an Razorback with a twin assault cannon.

Problem is you lose out on the important part which is the ++3 and the Toughness of 5, and 2 wounds.

Or you take 5 company vets with stormshields + razorback with heavy bolter for 222pts. But you lack a Toughness 5 and 2 Wounds apiece.

Invulnerable saves are invaluable to marine units (especially veterans). I why you would ever want to take a terminator squad over a company vets on bikes I have no idea.

I dunno man, I usually play against Tau and their volume of st5 shots tends to delete bikes. It seems like it makes the the invuln irrelevant. I suppose it depends on who you you are playing

If you've read the Space marine threads i've posted in, marines get deleted no matter what army you play against. I thought this was a fun stupid unit. I don't actually think (like most marine units) that they are useful or good. Now if space marine bikers had special ammunition along with their stats and can take a stormshield... MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, it would make them a good unit.

Why would you give them flamers? So you can still fire them with the bolters and the flamer part would not get -1 to hit?

Why not shell out 248 points and give all of them combi-plasmas and a storm shield with a power weapon for the sarge?

That gives you 10 plasma shots and 30 bolter shots when within 12".

That should be at least 5-7 dead MEQs from one round of shooting. With that many dead, you should be able to sharge and finish off the last couple without too much fear of reprisals.

They'll take a few turns to earn their points back, but they'd be tough to kill.

Just my $0.02. Take some Deathwatch Bikers with you. You get special issue ammunition to fire out of those twin bolt guns

SG

 Fifty wrote:
Why would you give them flamers? So you can still fire them with the bolters and the flamer part would not get -1 to hit?

Why not shell out 248 points and give all of them combi-plasmas and a storm shield with a power weapon for the sarge?

That gives you 10 plasma shots and 30 bolter shots when within 12".

That should be at least 5-7 dead MEQs from one round of shooting. With that many dead, you should be able to sharge and finish off the last couple without too much fear of reprisals.

They'll take a few turns to earn their points back, but they'd be tough to kill.

Seems better TBH, I made this one with cheapness in mind but yeah you could definately do that with a combi-plasma for all of them.

If you've read the Space marine threads i've posted in, marines get deleted no matter what army you play against. I thought this was a fun stupid unit. I don't actually think (like most marine units) that they are useful or good. Now if space marine bikers had special ammunition along with their stats and can take a stormshield... MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, it would make them a good unit.

fair enough

Why take Flamers when they can have Storm Bolters? That plus Twin Boltguns on the bikes is 40 shots in Rapid Fire range.

Oh, and if anyone's dead set on running melee Vet Bikes they have the Veteran keyword and can thus benefit from the Sword Brethren detachment stratagems in Vigilus.

 AlmightyWalrus wrote:
Why take Flamers when they can have Storm Bolters? That plus Twin Boltguns on the bikes is 40 shots in Rapid Fire range.

Oh, and if anyone's dead set on running melee Vet Bikes they have the Veteran keyword and can thus benefit from the Sword Brethren detachment stratagems in Vigilus.

I think they should take power axes or power lances at that point with stormshields. Would make them kind of ridicilious with the sword brethren stratagem.