Attack bikes, what and why?

[JMac]

I noticed that attack bikes are so popular among some lists. My question is why and what they use them for? I'm not against them in any way, I am just interested what people use them for. The most popular answer would be popping tanks fast, but what about the lists without any AV?

[Black Memories]

Popping tanks and being very difficult to kill before they fire their shots is obviously answer 1. In mech heavy environments attack bikes do extremely well and are so cheap its irrelevant except for kill points if they die. Against non-mech armies you'd shoot monstrous creature types or try and whittle down heavy infantry and elite type squads with concentrated melta fire. That's about it. MM attack bikes are all about bang for the buck, that's why they're so popular.

[Glendor]

everything above and also if you have to you could always charge into combat with them if there are no more vehicles to pop.

[Enzephalon]

Popping tanks and being very difficult to kill before they fire their shots is obviously answer 1. In mech heavy environments attack bikes do extremely well and are so cheap its irrelevant except for kill points if they die. Against non-mech armies you'd shoot monstrous creature types or try and whittle down heavy infantry and elite type squads with concentrated melta fire. That's about it. MM attack bikes are all about bang for the buck, that's why they're so popular.

What he said. Two models, toughness 5, 2 wounds each, 2 Multimeltas for 100 points.

They have 12" movement and 12" melta range (24" without the additional die for the melta).

 

My opponents totally didn't care about them until they started popping verhicles. Every turn. They make their points back pretty fast. And because of their low price you can even use them as a Kamikaze unit.

[Morticon]

wherever possible, i run attack bikes in the 2/1 configuration. namely- 2MM and 1HB. This opens me up to all sorts of woind allocation shenanigans, often saving me whole models.

Additionally,this little 140pnt unit puts out a whole boatload of dakka.

I usually boost them in the first turn, giving them their 3++, and giving the enemy hard choices of my rhinos/razors or the bikers.

 

Theyre fantastic against guard and tau (non mechanised elements).

I rate attack bikes as one of the best multipurpose units we have available and i will rarely, if ever, go into battle without at least 5 of them.

[JMac]

I rate attack bikes as one of the best multipurpose units we have available and i will rarely, if ever, go into battle without at least 5 of them.

 

5! Wow, thats a lot. Do you run any other fast attack?

 

Also, do these units work well in a DoA list? Any kind of units they synergize especially well with?

[JamesI]

I rate attack bikes as one of the best multipurpose units we have available and i will rarely, if ever, go into battle without at least 5 of them.

 

5! Wow, thats a lot. Do you run any other fast attack?

 

Also, do these units work well in a DoA list? Any kind of units they synergize especially well with?

I think they work well in DOA. I tend to run all jump packs, plus 4-5 attack bikes and 2 small dev squads.

 

Astorath or Tycho help Bikes. Astorath by the 50% fearless chance (worst thing about attack bikes is the leadership 8) and Tycho by the Rites of Battle rule.

[AbusePuppy]

Attack Bikes are very useful in mech armies (where they can hide behind tanks) and hybrid forces (especially jump/bike hybrids). In jump armies without a bike presence other than themselves, I don't really favor them- starting on the board makes them a target (it will be hard to hide from the ENTIRE enemy army when you're the only unit around) and in reserves they lack the reroll from DoA to insure they arrive with the rest of your forces. However, they are not an awful choice, just a middling one in my opinion. They do also have the issue of occupying FA slots (and thus limiting your Vanguard Veteran choices) in jumper armies.

 

However, most all of the points in above posts are correct- they are fast, have reasonable range and can very consistently wreck tank, forcing the enemy to throw firepower at them.

 

Mixing weapon selections is something I would avoid at all costs- that Heavy Bolter isn't going to help any when you're shooting at Rhinos and Chimeras. Attack bikes are expendable, so paying 40pts to upgrade their survivability is a losing proposition; just take more threats (i.e. Attack Bikes) and force your opponent to make decisions about what to shoot.

 

Ld8 is not really a big deal except sometimes against Pinning weapons- if you fall back, you fall back; you'll auto-regroup and get a free 3" move next turn anyways, so nothing lost.

[Midnightmare]

+1 for never leaving home without them. As I usually run two Baal's I only have room for one squad so its usually three. Here is a thought I have been pondering with them recently; anybody use a priest on a bike to roll with attack bikes? If so how'd you get on? Obviously FNP is a benefit (esp with the higher toughness) but the FC could also be beneficial when they come to support assaults with their own charge. Also a priest on a bike would rock :)

[Glendor]

I ran a priest with a squad and it worked pretty well for charging in later games and then if the priest has to he can book it to a part of the battle field where his presence is needed.