Do you run a Blood Angel Bike Squad?

[Helias_Tancred]

... and if you do, how do you gear them and how do they perform for you?

 

I picked up a bike box and one attack bike box. I was going to run them with 2 grav-guns, and a combi-grav on the assault biker sergeant. On the attack bike I was thinking of running the multi-melta. All at relentless is nice, especially the grav.

 

It fills a hole in my BA army, no grav.

 

It also gives me a FA option other than my 2 5 man assault marine JP melta squads.

 

I'm thinking they would hunt armor, monsters, warlords, etc.

 

 

 

 

[The Unseen]

You basically just listed the unit I sometimes run. If I'm running more armour, that unit and 2 land speeders is pretty nice. Bikes are the only good way for BA to bring any Grav, and I hate allying, and especially hate centurions.

 

So 2 grav guns and a mm help a bunch with killing MC's and such. I would just recomend making sure you have a couple ablative wounds in the unit, and try and keep them out of LOS of anything, as anything toting grav is going to be a target.

[Brother_Angelus]

5 guys, 2 grav, 1 combi-grav. Haven't used them but seem like a solid, cheap, anti-MC/TEQ unit on paper. Melta attack bike would make a decent addition.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/AvengingAngel/IMG_20150614_105829_zps5gruj7of.jpg

[appiah4]

I run a bike squad with Plasmaguns. I really like them for utility. They are not completely painted but this is what mine look like.

Configuration is Power Fist, Meltabomb, 2x Plasmagun, 2x Bolt Pistol. I hope to add a Multi-Melta Attack Bike to them at some point. I did not go for the Gravbike squad because I feel we will have Grav Cannon Devastators or Centurions in the next codex and I would rather have them in a pod than this. I also think Plasmaguns are overall more flexible than Gravguns for what they bring to the table and for what I want my units to be, i.e. well performing all-rounders.

Yes, they are Dark Vengeance figures.

[CovertToaster]

I run a bike squad with Plasmaguns. I really like them for utility. They are not completely painted but this is what mine look like.

Configuration is Power Fist, Meltabomb, 2x Plasmagun, 2x Bolt Pistol. I hope to add a Multi-Melta Attack Bike to them at some point. I did not go for the Gravbike squad because I feel we will have Grav Cannon Devastators or Centurions in the next codex and I would rather have them in a pod than this. I also think Plasmaguns are overall more flexible than Gravguns for what they bring to the table and for what I want my units to be, i.e. well performing all-rounders.

Yes, they are Dark Vengeance figures.

Nice! Now I don't feel so bad butting in!

I run DV bike squads exclusively as my RW component. They can be found cheap on eBay and two DV squads give you a 5 man squad with 2 plasma guns plus a spare seargent to convert to a character. You just need to add a combi-plasma to the sarge to give that one rapid fire turn when something needs to die fast.

At T5 with one of your BA apothecary guys, can't remember the name atm, they should give you're opponent all sorts of trouble. Also a melta bomb or powerfist will stop them from being tar pitted but I don't normally take both.

[CaptainHelion]

Sanguinary Priests are our Apothecary-analogues, thanks Toaster.

[Charlo]

I'm sorry Appiah, other than the cool factor, I just don't see the flexibility you speak of with Plasma when we have Grav access on bikes.

 

You get more shots at a better range and against 2+/3+ saves the damage output is pretty much the same or better. Plus you become a good threat against MC & GMC, not just wounding them on 4/5+

 

Against AV it's a mixed bag of course, with plasma being able to explode up to AV12, but with 13 you damage them the same and with 14 you can actually touch it. But I think considering the sheer amount of Melta in our codex it's not really worth worrying about.

 

There is also no chance to kill yourself.

 

Unless you are against only 4+ troops the Grav will almost always have a better target and provide similar or better results.

 

 

Totally interested to hear your thoughts otherwise though brother :)

[appiah4]

I'm sorry Appiah, other than the cool factor, I just don't see the flexibility you speak of with Plasma when we have Grav access on bikes.

You get more shots at a better range and against 2+/3+ saves the damage output is pretty much the same or better. Plus you become a good threat against MC & GMC, not just wounding them on 4/5+

Against AV it's a mixed bag of course, with plasma being able to explode up to AV12, but with 13 you damage them the same and with 14 you can actually touch it. But I think considering the sheer amount of Melta in our codex it's not really worth worrying about.

There is also no chance to kill yourself.

Unless you are against only 4+ troops the Grav will almost always have a better target and provide similar or better results.

Totally interested to hear your thoughts otherwise though brother

While grav guns are sweet death against 2+ and 3+ units, 4+ and above can become a pain to kill with them.. But the real issue for me is that they struggle with getting meaningful penetrating results against armor.. When I throw my Bike unit out there I want it to realiably put wounds on anything and be able to threaten flanks on all armor. I can see the merits of a Grav Biker Unit against PA armies but would you really field one against IG or Orks? My Plasma unit would reliably perform against all of them..

EDIT: And then there are things like Daemons, good luck hurting them with Grav weapons..

[mandaloriano]

I run 5 five bikes squad, with two plasma gun, and combi plasma, or two grav with a combi grav (specially versus Marines Armies). Sometimes I add an attack bike with Multi-melta.

[evildrcheese]

Yeah pretty much grav or plasma to taste. We have better delivery systems for Melta and flamers.

 

I'm personally not a fan of attack bikes as part of a bike squad (however as a stand alone unit they're fantastic, I rarely leave home with my Attack bike squad)

 

I used to run a proxied 'ap2 death squad' in the old codex which consisted of bikes with plas and a Libby running biomancy power (a few ap2 spells in that tree), I never finished building the squad as the new dex dropped...hmm maybe I should revisit that unit.

 

EDC

[evildrcheese]

If you run up against orks (or other low armour units) whilst toting grav you should be shooting the TL bolters mounted on the bike ;)

 

Also grab vs vehicles can immobilse then, which van effectively take thing like assault walkers out of the game.

 

EDC

[Charlo]

I'm sorry Appiah, other than the cool factor, I just don't see the flexibility you speak of with Plasma when we have Grav access on bikes.

You get more shots at a better range and against 2+/3+ saves the damage output is pretty much the same or better. Plus you become a good threat against MC & GMC, not just wounding them on 4/5+

Against AV it's a mixed bag of course, with plasma being able to explode up to AV12, but with 13 you damage them the same and with 14 you can actually touch it. But I think considering the sheer amount of Melta in our codex it's not really worth worrying about.

There is also no chance to kill yourself.

Unless you are against only 4+ troops the Grav will almost always have a better target and provide similar or better results.

Totally interested to hear your thoughts otherwise though brother

While grav guns are sweet death against 2+ and 3+ units, 4+ and above can become a pain to kill with them.. But the real issue for me is that they struggle with getting meaningful penetrating results against armor.. When I throw my Bike unit out there I want it to realiably put wounds on anything and be able to threaten flanks on all armor. I can see the merits of a Grav Biker Unit against PA armies but would you really field one against IG or Orks? My Plasma unit would reliably perform against all of them..

Against Orks i'd use them to harass Battle wagons or shoot down Nob Bikers if possible, harder to wound than plasma but the extra shots somewhat mitigate this, plus you only have to stay at 18" as opposed to 12" for the plasma.

Armour is a weird one though because as I said we have Meltacide, inferno pistols, accurate deep strike melta or even attack bikes etc so we're pretty solid for anti-AV.

Plus most things where plasma is better than Grav (medium to light armour) massed bolters and flamers or just our S5 combat attacks will suffice. Plasma's niche would be medium T good save targets for us I suppose.

Obviously just a vaccum way of looking at it - but in terms of an overall codex Grav bikers just offer us answers to thing nothing else in our codex does, whereas plasma doesn't give us much we don't already do better somewhere else if you get me?

I'm mostly playing Angel's advocate though ;) YMMV of course. Plus plasma is more interesting!

[appiah4]

If you run up against orks (or other low armour units) whilst toting grav you should be shooting the TL bolters mounted on the bike

Also grab vs vehicles can immobilse then, which van effectively take thing like assault walkers out of the game.

EDC

Which is still vastly inferior to an S7 AP2 rapid fire weapon..

At the end of the day both have their uses.. The argument can be made for having both. It also depends a lot on the meta. I would think PA armies are vastly more popular in most areas.. In my area I see a lot of Orks, Tau, Eldar and IG as well.

Regardless, whatever the question may be, my answer is almost always "moar plasma!".

[tjr]

Yes. I've converted the Dark Vengeance bikers to 2x Grav and 1xCombi-grav. Nice little unit. Toss in an ablative wound or two and go to town.

 

I've bought 2 Dark Vengeance boxes and 2 extra squads of eBay. The DV bikes are just that much nicer than the standard SM unit.

 

It's very rare that I wish I'd kitted them out with something else than Grav. 

[Xenith]

I just built 3 bikes, 2x grav, 1x powerfist, but the fist is magnetised and will be switched for a combi grav.

 

I think 3 bikes, 2grav, combi grav, attack bike is a neat package.

[Arkaniss]

I've had a couple of MM Attack Bikes for a long time and I've been pondering expanding to some 2-wheeled versions so this thread has been quite helpful, thanks for all the input everyone! My BA army has yet to be updated to the age of Grav so this will be an efficient and easy way to introduce them.

[RedemptionNL]

I think 3 bikes, 2grav, combi grav, attack bike is a neat package.

Add melta-bombs and you're golden.

[gav1892]

Good question this I was going to ask it myself , however just an add to it...... Is it worth taking characters on bikes? I had looked at chaplain and sanguinary priest but wasn't sure if it was worth it

[NTaW]

Good question this I was going to ask it myself , however just an add to it...... Is it worth taking characters on bikes? I had looked at chaplain and sanguinary priest but wasn't sure if it was worth it

 

I'd wager it's worth it. T5 with FnP with access to Jink is more survivable than Death Company, when I get around to bikes I'll be rocking grav with a power fist on the sergeant and a Priest leading them.

[Paikis]

I'm really torn on bikes. They're T5 with jink, so very survivable. They're relentless, and as such are our best platform for grav. They're bikes, so they're fast as well. I don't really see a downside to bikes...

 

But.

 

I really don't like bikes. BA are not known for bikes, with even the codex saying that bikers are looked at strangely by the jump-pack equipped assault marines. I don't think I will ever run bikes in a BA army, though I could MAYBE see me running a squad to get access to grav if I ever find myself playing people who make heavy use of MCs/GCs.

[Damon Nightman]

I'm really torn on bikes. They're T5 with jink, so very survivable. They're relentless, and as such are our best platform for grav. They're bikes, so they're fast as well. I don't really see a downside to bikes...

 

But.

 

I really don't like bikes. BA are not known for bikes, with even the codex saying that bikers are looked at strangely by the jump-pack equipped assault marines. I don't think I will ever run bikes in a BA army, though I could MAYBE see me running a squad to get access to grav if I ever find myself playing people who make heavy use of MCs/GCs.

This is how I feel as well. I don't like bikes or picture then in my ideal army, but am def gonna use them because I need grav lol

[Jolemai]

My second ETL vow will be bikes. Does anybody else have any to pledge?

[Damon Nightman]

I will probably do my biker squad as a vow after I get my first vow in that is....

[Charlo]

My second ETL vow will be bikes. Does anybody else have any to pledge?

Yeeeeep.

 

Whne I'm not so full of pasta. Which I am right now.

[Helias_Tancred]

How do you feel bikes are vs speeders?

 

Because this is the place at which I'm torn. When I played my Crimson Fists, my Typhoon Speeders were awesome mobile fire support. With heavy bolters and typhon pods they performed well by hanging back and shooting for my forward units. Personally one of my favorite units.

 

I want to have the same unit for my Blood Angels, but a friend talked me into the grav-bike/MM attack bike option instead.