My Bikers... are they useful?

[n00b in need]

So i recently acquired some space marine bikers from ebay for dirt cheap. Now my problem is that i've never had bikers before, but i recently tried out a very mobile and fast list with my salamanders which devastated my imperial guard opponent (i tabled him in the top of Turn 2). I used 3 drop pods full of an Ironclad with 2 Heavy Flamers, a 10 man sternguard squad with 2 heavy flamers, 4 combi-flamers, and 4 combi-meltas. The last one had a squad of Vanguard Veterans that never made it in, but the other two came in first turn to wipe out his heavy weapons teams with the twin-linked flamers (Vulkan) on the Dreadnought and took out his tricked out 350pt Leman Russ with the combi-meltas. i had used a land speeder storm with a Heavy Flamer and 5 scouts with a combi-melta and Melta bombs. the scouts didn't accomplish much but taking out the Leman Russ's demolisher cannon. The storm however used its heavy flamer to great effect so i plan on removing the scouts and making it a regular land speeder with a heavy flamer and multi-melta. I also made use of Assault Marines for the first time which didn't do much but use their two flamers to take out a command squad. But i digress, I have decided to use this type of list more often so i bought the bikers and an attack bike. Currently the best i can think to use them for is tank hunting with two melta guns, melta-bombs on the sergeant, and possibly a power fist. The attack bike has a Multi-melta to further help with popping tanks.

 

So the question is... is this the best way to run them? or is their other ways that are more cost effective or productive?

 

thanks for dealing with my rambling =D

[DarkGuard]

The best way to run them is in a way that fits best with your list. If you need some tank-busting power than the best way to use them is with a couple of meltaguns, maybe a combi-melta, maybe a power fist, certainly meltabombs and a multi-melta on the attack bike.

 

If horde is your problem then consider looking at dual flamers and a heavy bolter. Or perhaps you'd like them in more of a support role? In which case look at plasma guns and the multi-melta and use them 24" away from your opponent. I know that I've thought about using a MSU biker army with many 5 man units with plasma guns and multi-meltas with a couple of specialist units.

 

Perhaps you could post your list so we could have a look at it and suggest what would be best for you? In the meantime feel free to look at the bikers section in the link in my sig, could give you some more ideas.

[Captain Denaro]

I have been running an 8 man bike squad with Attack Bike led by Kor'Sarro Khan. He makes it a Troops choice, allows you to outflank and gives you Furious Charge and Hit and Run USM. Add a few special weapons and to be honest I have found that there is little I haven't been able to take on, be it infantry, horde or armour.

[nurglephill]

I love bikers. In my Death Guard army I have two units of 7 bikers and they are COOL :) They are T6 however as opposed to the Marine T5, but for what I think my bikers are good for, the T5 of your bikers makes it doubly true. Below is an edited version of a tactica I wrote for my Nurgle bikers, I hope it makes sense and forgive any mistakes I may have made with the SM codex etc.

 

 

Right IF your thinking of taking some bikes the first thing to do is ask 'what for?' They cannot take objectives (not troops) they could tank hunt but are not as easy to hide as jump pack assault squads (important considering your IG player will keep his big nasty tank guns right at the very back of his deployment!) and FAR more expensive! So its fair to say then that other units are much better at this at far fewer points. But as troop hunters, this is where they come into their own for me. You name me a standard troop choice that can hurt a T5 model easily....and in this ED of the game troops are key. Without troops your opponent almost certainly cannot win!

 

So troop hunting we shall go, now lets then move onto weapon load outs shall we. Being 'Relentless' bikes can shot any weapon AND still assault which means that is no reason not to give them plasma guns! However despite their T5 bikers still only have one wound and giving a plasma weapon to a one wound model...an EXPENSIVE one wound model... is a bad idea for me.

 

Melta guns are great for killing tanks but I think there are much better units to kill tanks with than bikers (especially because a unit of bikes is so hard to keep hidden from the big nasty guns on tanks that WILL kill you despite your T5, I know I take units of 7 but even 5 bikes are 'bulky' on the table top), and against troops two melta guns will kill two marines...or ONLY two IG equally which is a massive waste frankly, which leaves one option left.

 

 

Flamers in this edition rock for 2 reasons. 1) cheap 2) ignores cover (again a big thing in this ED of the game). So I would load them out to kill troops and only troops ignoring everything else on the table. With two templates, relentless bolter rounds, a Sergeant with fist and charging you should be able to do a lot of damage to your opponents plans. and wipe out a unit a turn.

 

Don't leave them unsupported and try to make sure you have something between your bikes in combat and your opponents nasty unit ready to counter charge/shoot them to death. Park a rhino between them and the nearest threat for example.

 

This is what I would do, but then I am not a tournament player nor would I say I am an 'expert' ;)

 

Good luck :D

[Paulochromis]

the other big difference between chaos and loyalist in the number of attacks.

troop hunting with SM bikes can be a risky proposition. Sure with flamers you can try and cull the opponent's numbers before the assault, but what if they run/break, you're left stranded.

if they don't break, you have a poor number of attacks on the charge, and it goes down hill from there. A PF on the sergeant may keep you in the fight, but you're tarpitted, and you've sacrifieced the best element that the bikers bring to the table, mobility.

SM bikers make excellent tank hunters, since you can add the MM Attack Bike into any squad, along with 2 meltas and either a fist, combi-melta or meltabombs on the sergeant.

 

Cheers, Paul.

[ShinyRhino]

What buildout/gear do the bikers you bought have already?