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what is the point of bikers?


girot

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The key to biker effectiveness comes in the combination of speed and being Relentless.  Since they're relentless, bikes get 3 shots at 18" from their Graviton Guns, and their maneuverability means you can put 9 grav shots into a target on Turn 1, while keeping enough distance that you're unlikely to get assaulted.  It's really the only reason you'll see bike squads in Blood Angel armies now.

Seriously, I don't get it. They are cool models, sure, but are they actuall effective.

 

Hm. I would rephrase that and instead ask 'what do JP units have that bikers do not?'.

 

The answer would be that JP are cheaper, they allow great unit size, can move more freely over terrain (JP units ignore vertical distances where bikes would need to move 3" per floor to get up somewhere) and have the ability to deep strike (most commonly seen with MSU RAS in conjunction with DoA).

Yes, the concussive is oft overlooked and can be devastating! They have a lot of potential for line breaking too, put a priest with them for FNP and you'll soon have some very resilient turn 1 in your face power that can distract from your expensive flyers.

Bikes are one of the best, most competitive units in the current Imperium arsenal. Bike spam lists do very well in tournaments all the time. They are fast, durable, and excellent gun platforms. 

 

They are particularly useful with grav guns since the bike's relentless allows you to fire the higher salvo profile at full range (3 shots at 18" range for each gun).

I'm going grav with my bikers. I'm going to rip the meltaguns off and put grav guns on them, and probably take off the sergeant's power fist and give him a grav pistol as well. With a multi-melta attack bike, two grav guns, and a grav pistol - not to mention twin-linked boltguns on everyone else - you've got a durable, fast moving, hard hitting unit that starts to present a threat at 24'', but gets more dangerous as it gets closer, something it can do with surprising speed.

Bikes are the best!

 

They synergise well with things like Sang Guards with a Sang Priest because their long bases and Jink saves makes them very effective mobile cover saves for the Guards who otherwise are very vulnerable to plasma. Between 5+ cover from the bikes and 5+ FnP, they should be saving around 55% of Ap2 wounds.

I do not have my BA codex handy... would someone mind posting the wargear options for the BA bike squadron (minus the point costs so we don't get smited by the admins)?


Oh, can we put a Grav Cannon on the Attack Bikes??  That would be outstanding!

No to the Attack Bikes. They are Centurions only (or Rapiers if you play 30k).

 

Bikes are essentially the same as they were before. The only difference is that they are cheaper per model (by a lot) and the minimum squad is a Sergeant plus two rather than it being plus four. Thus, you are only ever looking at two Special Weapon upgrades (ideally one that exploits the bike's Relentless USR) and a combi-weapon (and/or a Power Lance if you have the points to spare).

What would you hit with relentless grav over relentless plasma?

 

Well there are a number of targets that will barely shrug at a plasmagun but will quake at grav. The most obvious examples are Riptides and Wraithknights. Plus, it's Concussive. In most Marine armies that will barely register but for assault-heavy BA? That is a GODSEND. Knocking down a DP to Init 1 vastly increases your chance of smacking him down before he tears through a squad.

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For armor there are melta and lascannons,

Meltas and Lascannons only do one thing though. They are mediocre against any other type of target. That is why Grav is great - it can deal with high AV, MCs, and Elite infantry all at the same time.

grav vs riptides and knights is a second rate option at best?

Second rate? What? Name me another weapon that can bitchslap MCs around as easily as grav.

For all else nothing really shrugs off s7 ap2.

A plasmagun will fire off 2 shots at best, while the grav fires of 3. Hence everything that would be scared of a plasmagun, save maybe for light armour, will be more scared of a grav gun.

As for concussive, most sm weapons that reliably hurt melee nasties are also I1.

Then it would be kinda great for them to have a chance of taking a swing at said big nasty before buying the farm, now wouldn't it? msn-wink.gif

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