Biker armies, what should I build?

[Lord Krungharr]

Hi, BoLSers, I have a bunch of spare blank bikes and am in a quandry as to what I should do with them. I do love to use fast armies, so I'm counting my options to be CSM Nurgle Bikers, Space Marines (White Scars I think are the best?), Dark Angels Ravenwing, and Ork Bikerz.

So currently I play CSMs, and have a good Nurgle force. I love the idea of T6 bikers, and augmented with biker sorcerers, that would be pretty cool to look at and be pretty strong in the game. However, I already have 2 units of Nurgle Spawn, and besides a little shooting, don't see what Nurgle bikers would bring besides a 3+ armor save and maybe some plasma guns before charging (which yeah, it's nice). But in combat the Spawn wreck face, still are T6, and have more wounds per model. 5 man Nurgle bikers with plasma guns are pretty close to the Spawn cost, and for what?

I'm not too familiar with the details on Chapter Tactics, but I understand the White Scars to be the best Space Marine bikers right? I think they get Scout and Move thru Cover, and do they get a better Jink or something too? I'm also betting they get grav gun options, and the can have pretty much all bikers with the 5 man biker-Troops thing right?

The Ravenwing I think with Sammael can be Troops, and he's pretty neat. I also like their crow-bill hammers, rad grenade launchers and plasma talons. I'd probably need some Deathwing Knights to drop in on their teleport homers, but those guys are awesome too, so I wouldn't mind that extra unit.

Lastly would be an Ork biker gang, which would probably be the most modeling fun. I was thinking about doing a Shokk Attak Gun Mek biker, probably a Warboss or other Big Mek with forcefield. Not sure how many HQs I can get with Orks in a normal CAD, but I really don't want too many more models, so maybe Orks just aren't the way to go, unless Nob Bikerz can be Troops somehow?

I can make any of them look cool, but in terms of gameplay who thinks what army is the most versatile?

[DarkLink]

White Scars are indeed the best bikes, though Iron Hands aren't bad either.

White Scars get Hit and Run, and +1 to their Jink saves. Hit and Run is absurdly useful. Take Khan, and your whole army gains Scout as well.

[Tokunator]

If you wish to stick to Chaos, run them with Meltaguns. With your speed, they will be in short range by turn 2 and with Knights becoming more and more popular, it is good to have mobile meltaguns. I run 2 units of 5 Nurgle Bikers along with some spawn and 5-men double special weapons units of Plague Marines in Rhinos as my CSM force. The key is to be in their grill by turn 2 and be really aggressive. Once you used your meltas to kill transports or other vehicles, get stuck in. Few things can reliably harm T6 in melee (ok, don't try this on Nids with multiple monsters) and as people no longer really expect melee to be a thing, you can catch people off guard.

[Mr.Pickelz]

Zhadsnark Da Rippa's rules are free on Forgeworld (he's on the last page of Dread Mob's pdf) He moves the normal Warbiker mob into Troops with his Warlord Trait, this would allow you to focus on Warbikerz, with Nobz being in elites, and Dakkajets or Warbuggies in Fast, while throwing Battlewagons in Heavy Support.

A good Speed Freakz army build.

[Lord Krungharr]

Oh man, all of those sound really awesome now; I may just have to roll a D3 and see which option comes up. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Filthspew]

I already have 2 units of Nurgle Spawn, and besides a little shooting, don't see what Nurgle bikers would bring besides a 3+ armor save and maybe some plasma guns before charging (which yeah, it's nice). But in combat the Spawn wreck face, still are T6, and have more wounds per model. 5 man Nurgle bikers with plasma guns are pretty close to the Spawn cost, and for what?

Well, for exactly that 3+ and them some! It takes 3 wounds to get one past the save.
Autocannons are a great example.

Reliability! Spawn are only 5 models and on a two, deliver 4 attacks on the charge. Though S5.
5 Bikes deliver rapid fire and then three attacks, total of 5 attacks every time. Though S4.
Added as I forgot: plus Hammer of Wrath, total of 6 S4 attacks

Bikes are I4, that can have huge importance as to how many wounds you recieve.

Bikes can turbo to cover insane distance in no time.

Bikes allways has a cover save in their pocket, by jink.

Larger units let bikes own an area of the table, or even surround the enemy.

But bikes should be in 10 model units IMO, with either meltas or flamers.
Personally, I dont think they need the plasma but are great for drive by shootings and melta kills everything.
Still cheaper than 10 plague marines in rhino.

Bikes are good for horde control, high strength shooting soaks, shooting inferior targets away so they dont have to waste an assault on them, softening harder targets before assault, melta drive by to make themselves (very) usefull while on the move, and can double their movement to make every wasted turn (of not dealing damage) count the most.

[Dave Mcturk]

ork bikes ST 5 - 2 wounds . nuff sed. they is 'ard.

[oh and TL dakka guns, and Kombi-skorchas !] [and power fists !]

[Wolfshade]

I must say i have always been tempted with nurgle bikers, just for the annoyance factor. Though i really don't like nurgle.

[Reaper45]

Hi, BoLSers, I have a bunch of spare blank bikes and am in a quandry as to what I should do with them. I do love to use fast armies, so I'm counting my options to be CSM Nurgle Bikers, Space Marines (White Scars I think are the best?), Dark Angels Ravenwing, and Ork Bikerz.

So currently I play CSMs, and have a good Nurgle force. I love the idea of T6 bikers, and augmented with biker sorcerers, that would be pretty cool to look at and be pretty strong in the game. However, I already have 2 units of Nurgle Spawn, and besides a little shooting, don't see what Nurgle bikers would bring besides a 3+ armor save and maybe some plasma guns before charging (which yeah, it's nice). But in combat the Spawn wreck face, still are T6, and have more wounds per model. 5 man Nurgle bikers with plasma guns are pretty close to the Spawn cost, and for what?

I'm not too familiar with the details on Chapter Tactics, but I understand the White Scars to be the best Space Marine bikers right? I think they get Scout and Move thru Cover, and do they get a better Jink or something too? I'm also betting they get grav gun options, and the can have pretty much all bikers with the 5 man biker-Troops thing right?

The Ravenwing I think with Sammael can be Troops, and he's pretty neat. I also like their crow-bill hammers, rad grenade launchers and plasma talons. I'd probably need some Deathwing Knights to drop in on their teleport homers, but those guys are awesome too, so I wouldn't mind that extra unit.

Lastly would be an Ork biker gang, which would probably be the most modeling fun. I was thinking about doing a Shokk Attak Gun Mek biker, probably a Warboss or other Big Mek with forcefield. Not sure how many HQs I can get with Orks in a normal CAD, but I really don't want too many more models, so maybe Orks just aren't the way to go, unless Nob Bikerz can be Troops somehow?

I can make any of them look cool, but in terms of gameplay who thinks what army is the most versatile?
Slaanesh bikers is the way to go. Just for ****s and giggles.

[Katharon]

If you want a scary-arse bike army, then the Space Wolves just fit the bill. There is a character, I forget which, that allows you to take Wolf Guard as Troops. Each Wolf Guard can be upgraded with specialist weapons (thunder hammers, power fists, power weapons, storm shields, etc) and be upgraded with bikes. You can literally make a wall of T5, 3+/3++, power weapon wielding, mjod-drunk bikers. It's a ferociously scary prospect in my opinion.

[John Bower]

If you do it for the troops bikes then I wouldn't advise that route. Dark Angels are still a 6th ed codex currently and will likely get an update at some point for 7th ed. That update will almost certainly take the 'troops' out of bikers like seems to be the general trend at the moment of removing anything that 'alters' a units battlefield role. Just look at Blood Angels they lost assault troops. Orks don't have any that change their battlefield role now. And I don't think Kor'sharro Khan changes bikes anymore and he was 6th ed Space Marines. (Don't quote me on that though; don't have my Codex to hand and not 100% sure if he does or not). And I do know orks don't change roles anymore and they were the first 7th ed dex.

[Katharon]

If you do it for the troops bikes then I wouldn't advise that route. Dark Angels are still a 6th ed codex currently and will likely get an update at some point for 7th ed. That update will almost certainly take the 'troops' out of bikers like seems to be the general trend at the moment of removing anything that 'alters' a units battlefield role. Just look at Blood Angels they lost assault troops. Orks don't have any that change their battlefield role now. And I don't think Kor'sharro Khan changes bikes anymore and he was 6th ed Space Marines. (Don't quote me on that though; don't have my Codex to hand and not 100% sure if he does or not). And I do know orks don't change roles anymore and they were the first 7th ed dex.

Kor'sarro Khan and any SM Captain or Chapter Master on a bike can turn Bike Squads into Troops.

[DarkLink]

If you want a scary-arse bike army, then the Space Wolves just fit the bill. There is a character, I forget which, that allows you to take Wolf Guard as Troops. Each Wolf Guard can be upgraded with specialist weapons (thunder hammers, power fists, power weapons, storm shields, etc) and be upgraded with bikes. You can literally make a wall of T5, 3+/3++, power weapon wielding, mjod-drunk bikers. It's a ferociously scary prospect in my opinion.

Not any more. Logan used to let you take Wolf Guard as troops in the previous codex. Plus, those guys would have been like 70 points a model or something if you fully decked them out like that. Wolf Guard were not cheap.

[Katharon]

Not any more. Logan used to let you take Wolf Guard as troops in the previous codex. Plus, those guys would have been like 70 points a model or something if you fully decked them out like that. Wolf Guard were not cheap.

So there is no character that lets you take Wolf Guard as troops anymore? Period?

And yeah I know it won't be cheap, but it will certainly be strong.

[mysterex]

Don't forget an Eldar Saim-Hann jetbike army - I'd always been tempted by this if I was to start another army.

You could have six really fast troop squads to capture objectives for 306 points leaving lots of points for other scarier stuff.

[Da Gargoyle]

Don't forget an Eldar Saim-Hann jetbike army - I'd always been tempted by this if I was to start another army.

I agree with you on the attractive nature of Jet Bikes. I have been discovering the beauty of bog standard Wind Riders accompanied by a Warlock and Vypers. But LK is building his bikers from bikes he already has and I presume from the nature of the post that they aren't jet bikes. Shame really.

[Punchymango]

Slaanesh bikers is the way to go. Just for ****s and giggles.

I agree. If you're going with CSM, Slaanesh bikers are awesome.

They're tougher (T5 and FNP is more survivable than T6 overall. There are a few things T6 is tougher against, but that second chance to survive is a big deal). I5 in combat is nice to have as well.

Main thing they do that spawn don't is carry anti-vehicle firepower and strike before most units in CC.

[33percent]

Do Ravenwing, they will get a update that will put the white scars on the self. I've played RW for years, and GW does this so they can make $ they beef up one army and nerf the previous again and again.