Biker Command Squad Loadout

[Sanctjud]

IMO, command squads bring special weapon spam, much better value than a combat or hybrid unit if you are a player comfortable enough to play without the counter-assault-unit-training-wheels :(

[Koremu]

I still stand by my point. On any model which doesn't gain a bonus attack for having two CCW (either because it doesn't have a 2nd CCW, or because it is already prohibited from gaining it due to e.g. a Storm Shield), a Power Weapon is never a better choice than a Lightning Claw.

 

I stand by my point - that as a 15 point upgrade, the Company Champion is better than a Lightning Claw.

 

Now that is a more interesting point. A Company Champion is much better than a regular chump with just a Lightning Claw in most situations (although, curiously not on the assault against T5 creatures e.g. other bikers). The Champion's major drawback is that you can't then upgrade him further. That means potentially less firepower and less resilience.

 

If you're going for a cheap bike command squad, I agree he's probably the way to go.

 

If you're going the tricked-out way, I think you'll prefer to take a more expensive upgraded veteran.

 

So, when it comes to bike command squads, is cheap or expensive better?

 

Obviously, the list I proposed on page 1 (and the other very similar one) are probably at the extreme end of "expensive". Other than the OP's list (which I think comes somewhere in the middle), have we seen any more examples of more lightweight builds to consider?

 

I use the cheap variety. Command Squad, Vet w/ Banner + Fist, Champion, Vet w/ Storm Shield, Vet w/ Melta Bombs. That's 175 points on foot (but add a Razorback...) or 265 mounted.

 

The main event is the Captain with his Relic Blade. The Command Squad is there to cover things he can't do (hence the Power Fist and Melta Bombs), bulk the casualties in an Assault (hence the banner and WS5 Pwr Wpn), catch Krak Missiles and 'hidden' Power Fists (Storm Shield) and put up sufficient numbers to cope with an enemy that's been softened up.

[Ookami_81]

That's an interesting build cost wise, because it allows you to spend plenty of points in another part of your army.

 

Questions:

- In which points range do you use this loadout ?

- Do you use these guys as killing unit, or in another role (cleaners, sweepers, etc.)

[Koremu]

That's an interesting build cost wise, because it allows you to spend plenty of points in another part of your army.

 

Questions:

- In which points range do you use this loadout ?

- Do you use these guys as killing unit, or in another role (cleaners, sweepers, etc.)

1500

They are the final killing strike to impact a unit already weakened by my general firepower. They have in the past taken out Carnifex, Genestealer Broods, large Necron units, and tanks among others.

 

They can kill pretty much anything that's been whittled down to size.

[Ookami_81]

Hum... I think that I should therefore try to make possible to configure my unit in cheap/expensive mode...

 

I skip the use of the expensive squad in 500 => 1500 pts range because it was too expensive. Yours fits in 1500, event 1000 I think.

 

I should look at magnetizing articles in the PCA section to see how it's done...

[Jackelope King]

I don't think you can get enough bikes on the table below 1500 to have a "pure" bike list, and you're probably better off grabbing a big Bike squad or two led by the captain as your scoring units, with a more traditional army built around it.

 

I run the tricked out biker command squad at 2000 points, but it works down to about 1750. The loadout was actually recommended by someone who runs two such units at 1750 (though I instead opt for fire support in the form of Dreads, Preds, and Speeders).

[Sanctjud]

My 1500 Pure bikers that work well for me:

 

Captain, Relic, Shield, Bike.

8 Bikers, 2 melta, fist, Hvy Bolter Attack Bike.

8 Bikers, 2 melta, fist, Hvy Bolter Attack Bike.

8 Bikers, 2 flamers, fist, Hvy Bolter Attack Bike.

3 Multi-Melta Attack Bikes.

3 Multi-Melta Attack Bikes.

3 Hvy Bolter Attack Bikes.

 

Lean, Mean, and will be painted Green ;)

[Wildfire]

I use the cheap variety. Command Squad, Vet w/ Banner + Fist, Champion, Vet w/ Storm Shield, Vet w/ Melta Bombs. That's 175 points on foot (but add a Razorback...) or 265 mounted.

 

I drop the meltabombs and banner in favor of a couple of meltaguns, but other than that it's very close to my choice.

 

To those who were asking about wound allocation with single-wound models, the true test is not with weapons that ignore saves. It's with mixed fire/attacks. If you recieve 7 wounds, 2 of which ignore saves, you could choose to place either both save-ignoring wounds on the Shield vet (risky, as he has about a 50% chance of dying) or place both on the naked vet (automatically dying, but soaking up a wound that would otherwise kill a model).

[Ookami_81]

I don't think you can get enough bikes on the table below 1500 to have a "pure" bike list, and you're probably better off grabbing a big Bike squad or two led by the captain as your scoring units, with a more traditional army built around it.

 

I run the tricked out biker command squad at 2000 points, but it works down to about 1750. The loadout was actually recommended by someone who runs two such units at 1750 (though I instead opt for fire support in the form of Dreads, Preds, and Speeders).

 

Indeed ! I don't have a pure bike list anyway. I love bikes because they allow me to have true mobility, better than with a Rhino for example, increased T and shooting ability. Fluffwise I'm really into a knightly army, so, to me, you've got Footmen (in Rhinos/Razors), then you've got Knights (Bikes), and then Angels (JP assault). Note that it's a fluff-important-order, not one concerning raw power of the units: I'm well aware that my angels are softer than my knights. ;)

 

My army is not stereotyped: I like to think it like a "space marine representative" army, even if it's a joke, I want a bit of everything in it. I've got lists mixing bikers and devastator squads, for example.

 

I see my bikers as the best troop choice I have: fast, deadly in shooting, decent in assault. They are on the table to last till the end, while I always found that my tacts, when exiting out of their Rhinos and rapid firing things, tend to die much too fast for my taste. Well, they're basic expendable grunts... ;)

 

As for the fast attack slots of the FOC, I love assault bikes, the two variants, but I love as much my assault marines and my typhoons. It's a pain in the neck for me to have only 3 FA slots ! B)

[Wildfire]

It's a pain in the neck for me to have only 3 FA slots !

 

Indeed. I almost always run out of FA first. If I could swap my FA and Troops, I'd be soooo happy.

[Ookami_81]

That what's so cool with vanilla marines: they are so adaptable that everybody is complaining about something. :sweat:

For example I know many guys who feel like having more HS choices, letting their FA almost empty, because they don't play like myself at all. They prefer massive static fire lines rather than speedy precise fragile things of death.

 

Really, you can be FA oriented with a bike captain, and you're normally HS oriented with others, or even Elite oriented with a MoTF. That's a good balanced codex. Allow assault marines to be troops when the captain (and command squad) has JP, and you've got anything you can dream off in a codex in terms of versatility.