Grav Bikers, BA style

[L30n1d4s]

Grav Bikers are definitely one of the top choices in the SM codex and, though BA can't make them into troops like their SM brethren, they can make a very potent battle group as follows:

 

-5 BA Bikers with 2 Grav Guns

-Sgt with Grav Pistol

-Biker Librarian with 2 Grav Pistols and Divination

 

At 12", this little squad can put out 9 Grav shots a turn (every turn too, not limited to one use, like with Combi-Gravs)... combined with their 12" move and Prescience from the Libby for re-rolls to Hit and you have a very dangerous, fast moving "dragoon" unit that can threaten infantry and vehicles alike:

 

-Against MEQs and MCs with a 3+ save (i.e. Wraithknights, Hive Tyrants, etc), the squad has 9 shots, 8-9 hits, 5-6 wounds, and no armor saves, so about 5-6 dead Marines or about one dead MC

-Against TEQS and MCs with a 2+ save (i.e. Riptides, Dreadknights, etc.) the squad has 9 shots, 8-9 hits, 7-8 wounds, and nor armor saves, so about 5-6 dead Terminators or one dead MC

-Against Chimeras, Wave Serpents, and Land Raiders you have 9 shots, 8-9 hits, and 1-2 HPs lost and an immobilized vehicle (which make it useless as a transport, much less capable as a gunboat, and highly vulnerable to close combat assault, say from the same Bike Squad charging it with Krak grenades that same turn; the exception of course is the land Raider, with AV14 being invulnerable to Krak grenades)

 

As you can see, quite a "utility in-fielder" kind of unit which only clocks in at just over the price of a Land Raider and can knock out a critical enemy unit every turn, can turbo-boost around to seize objectives, and can even be a respectable close combat threat with S5 (from Furious Charge) and I5 (from BA detachment "Red Thirst" rules). I think deploying two squads of them alongside a pair of fast BA Vindicators would be especially effective, giving redundancy and multiple highly dangerous threats for your opponent to deal with.

[John_f]

And how much does that unit cost?

[d@n]

5 bikes 2 grav guns a combo grav and melta bomb sargeant is a pretty sweet little unit for 150 pts

[RedemptionNL]

And how much does that unit cost?

 

Exactly this. For the cost the Librarian alone you could just field another 3 bikers with 2 grav-guns and a combi-grav. Also means you have maximum firepower at 18" range instead of 12".

 

[Shaezus]

Personally I prefer 5 sternguard with combi-gravs in a pod. At a total of 195 pts it's 70 pts cheaper (95 cheaper than with an epistolary) and you get 10 shots, albeit without divination but that is not reliable enough due to 1/3 chance of getting it and its' 2 WC.

 

Pod sternguard serve also as distraction for a jump army, so the lower PV is a bonus here. Just my tuppence.

[Karhedron]

The trouble with Grav on infantry is the reduced range on the move (just 9" for grav IIRC). That means getting the Sternguard in closer than I would necessarily like. 5 Sternguard in a pod are 195 points and get 10 grav shots at 9" just once.

 

150 gets you 5 bikers (same number of wounds but T5). They can do 6 shots at 18" every turn or 9 shots one off. Plus the speed of bikes. The bikers only need 2 turns of firing to get off more shots than the Sternguard and with their speed and toughness, they should not have trouble managing that.

 

I am not against Sternguard at all, I think they are a great unit but I think they are a poor platform for grav guns. Also their grav guns rather conflict with their special issue ammo (which is the key part of the SG's cost). IMHO, the best way to get the value out of Sternguard is to allow them to fire their special ammo as much as possible. Any other use is wasting points.

[Shaezus]

As I say they have a secondary role as distraction for the jump troops, so using combigrav is 25pts cheaper than if they could possibly take grav guns. Against 2+ armour special issue ammo will not do the anti-MC job at all. Even against 3+ it would take more than 10 hellfire rounds to lay out a wraithknight. Unless the target is hugging a corner, using a pod allows them to get within 6"; getting in range with bikes has more potential pitfalls, but they have relentless don't they.

 

Bikers are more survivable perhaps, although they cannot go to ground for 2+ cover in terrain.

 

Swings and roundabouts, but for a jump army the sternguard are an all-round more useful option.

[Deschenus Maximus]

3 bikers, 2 gravguns, attack bike with multimelta, librarian with auspex. This is better. Grav pistols are massively overcosted, and this config has the same amount of wounds but bring a relentless multimelta which will greatly help against vehicles.

[Riot Earp]

What's about a Command Squad with 3 Gravguns and Jump Packs for 170 Points. You got mobility, fnp and some cc quality. I plan to Deep Strike them with Dantes DOA on an Marker in the middle or backfield. By good positioning you can stand still in the next turn and fire full volume. I add an ml 1 psyker for divination with a combigrav for more fun. Sure my opponents want them dead but they want to get the oncomming gravbikers and dantes Sguard also. :)

[appiah4]

For my bikers I'm going for 2x Plasmagun and 1x Power Fist instead.  Doubletap with S7 and hit with hidden S9..  I'll also have  Librarian with Auspex with them.

[SamaNagol]

I would never ever ever take Grav on infantry unless it was combi-grav on a Legion of the Damned sergeant.

 

If you want Grav, just ally in Vanilla marines, they do it better in every way possible.

[Deschenus Maximus]

What's about a Command Squad with 3 Gravguns and Jump Packs for 170 Points. You got mobility, fnp and some cc quality. I plan to Deep Strike them with Dantes DOA on an Marker in the middle or backfield. By good positioning you can stand still in the next turn and fire full volume. I add an ml 1 psyker for divination with a combigrav for more fun. Sure my opponents want them dead but they want to get the oncomming gravbikers and dantes Sguard also.

Grav on non-relentless models is usualy unimpressive. I'd rather take Plasma in those instances.

[Daddywarcrimes]

What's about a Command Squad with 3 Gravguns and Jump Packs for 170 Points. You got mobility, fnp and some cc quality. I plan to Deep Strike them with Dantes DOA on an Marker in the middle or backfield. By good positioning you can stand still in the next turn and fire full volume. I add an ml 1 psyker for divination with a combigrav for more fun. Sure my opponents want them dead but they want to get the oncomming gravbikers and dantes Sguard also.

Grav on non-relentless models is usualy unimpressive. I'd rather take Plasma in those instances.

This. So this. Salvo weapons on platforms that aren't either Relentless or Slow and Purposeful are extremely underwhelming. Give your command squads meltaguns or plasmaguns and save the grav for the bikers.

[Jolemai]

Today my one squad of Grav-Bikers ate two Wraithlords and four Wounds from an Avatar.

 

I think I'm in love <3

[Shaezus]

Today my one squad of Grav-Bikers ate two Wraithlords and four Wounds from an Avatar.

 

I think I'm in love <3

Holy cow, Batman O_O

 

What's the config for the unit?

 

Must admit my decision to take sternguard was based almost purely on the need for a 3rd pod and a grav unit. No points to spare from elsewhere sadly.

[Riot Earp]

My Command Squad helped to rend a landraider to death and then died to the Bloodletters who took a ride in there. I forgott that i had cast the divination shield. :/

The other bikers performed good although one squad died to khornehounds in the first turn. Won the Game with dantestar one fragioso and one gravebiker left.

[Riot Earp]

Plasma or Melta wouldn't had helped. For tripple Melta i would take other choices like sternguard or assault units. I will test the command squad in further games.

[ThatOneMarshal]

Today my one squad of Grav-Bikers ate two Wraithlords and four Wounds from an Avatar.

 

I think I'm in love <3

 

I'm in love with the cocoa. I mean grav bikers.