"Hi Kirby,
Man, I love 3++. I have been reading your blog for nearly 6 months now, and I am hooked. I used to follow YTTH religiously, but being a purely 40k player, many of the articles I would end up just skipping. Your blog focuses on my interests: 40k and tactics. All your authors are great, but particular kudos to VT2, who gave me a lot of insight into the SM Codex.
I have been playing 40k for about 2 years now, and have always liked the unusual armies that dont get too much attention (ergo Sisters of Battle and DE, at least here in the U.S.). I have been wanting to start up a SM biker list for about a year now and am finally taking the leap. I have seen the lists on the blog and want to stick to an all-bike list (no hybrids), but want to skip the dual-command list as too points-intensive (properly kitted, each command squad biker costs more than one and a half times what a termy costs). Also wanted your opinion: is it possible to build a biker list strong enough to take to competitive venues and place?
So I wanted to get your take on the following list.
HQ1 (180 pts)
Captain, Bike, Relic Blade, Artificer Armor, Skilled Rider
HQ2 (135 pts)
Librarian (Null Zone, The Avenger), Bike, Force Weapon, Psychic Hood, Bolt Pistol, Grenades, Skilled Rider
Cmd Squad (310 pts)
Bikes, Champion, Apothecary, Vet (PF & Flamer), Vet (LC & SS), Vet (LC & SS)
Troops 1-5 (925 pts)
4x Bikers, 2x Meltaguns, 1x Attack Bike w/Multi-Meltas, Grenades
Fast Attack 1-3 (450 pts)
3x Attack Bikes w/ Multi-Meltas, TL Bolters, Grenades
This gives me a total of: 11 kp; 10 meltaguns; 14 MM; 1 Flamer; 41 TL Bolters; Avenger; 41 bikes (59xT5 wounds)
Do you think this is a strong enough list to be competitive (properly played, of course)?
Also, I would love to see some more biker tacticas on the blog...it seems there are many of us following your blog who like bike lists, and tacticas on deployment, movement, proper use of combat tactics, etc., would be great.
Thanks to all of you guys and keep up the GREAT work,
Dave"
In regards to competitive play, yes Bikers work fine. Your list is solid as well but you’ll have issues in relation to a single hammer unit. That’s the one trade-off this listhas to make, psy defense or double hammer? I’d prefer double hammer but you’re probably not going to have the points for it if you want to keep the Attack Bikes. That being said I’d swap the AA to SS on the Captain and perhaps make the Bike squads flamer/meltagun instead of double meltagun since you’ve got so much melta.
Since you’ve only got one rock as well dropping one of the bike squads to put some Pfists on the Bike units might be a good idea (or expanding 1 or 2 units to full size which you can combat squad). The biggest issue for bikes is getting stuck in combat and whilst combat tactics helps and the Command squad can bail units out, you’ve only got one command squad and bikes will generally die in assault. However, the trade-off here is you’ve got a lot of meltaguns, bolters and bodies so in that respect I think you’re okay.
In regards to the Command squad, I’d try and make it 3x LC/SS, Champ w/TH, Apoth, Bikes and potentially some meltaguns or flamers. You want this unit as tough as possible so it can take a beating but move through units quickly to help out your other bikes. Hmm this is rambling...
Anyway, I think the basis of your list is fine. I’d tweak the Command Squad a little to the above format and drop in some flamers on the normal bikes since you have so many meltas to help cover your duality bases. You need to ensure your Command Squad is taking the hit of super units and not your bikes and units like Dreads and MCs are your highest priority so you don’t get bogged down.
