3++ is the new black. | Kirb your enthusiasm!: Email in: 2500 'Ard Boyz Biker List

Monday, August 29, 2011

Email in: 2500 'Ard Boyz Biker List - Advice?

Posted by Unknown

"Hey Kirby,

So this is the first time I've asked for help on a list from anyone outside of my local gaming community but I figured I might give it a shot since this is for Ard Boyz semis. Your blog has been on of the only ones I've been able to keep up with and all your authors are great...anyway. First I'll drop you the list and then I'll go through my reasonings behind the list choices.

HQ -

Captain on Bike w/ Relic blade, Storm Shield, Artificier Armor - 195

Librarian on Bike w/ Null Zone, Avenger - 135

Troops -

Bike Squadron (8+1) - HBAB, 2x Plasma guns, Fist - 310

Bike Squadron (8+1) - HBAB, 2x Plasma guns, Fist - 310

Bike Squadron (8+1) - MMAB, 2x Melta guns, Fist - 310

Bike Squadron (8+1) - MMAB, 2x Melta guns - 285

Elites -

Rifleman Dread - 125

Rifleman Dread - 125

Rifleman Dread - 125

Fast Attack -

2x HB/HB Speeders - 120

2x HB/HB Speeders - 120

Heavy Support -

Predator w/ HB sponsons - 85

Predator w/ Las sponsons - 120

Predator w/ Las sponsons - 120

Total = 2485

So I'm 15 points under and not sure where to put them.

Anyway as to the feel of the list it's fairly straight forward. In KP missions it rocks a lowly 15 KP, giving it a slight advantage over lists with 20+ KP on the table. In objective missions the bike squads are able to combat squad as needed to field enough scoring units (up to 8, which I think is pretty good) to control the board. It has a huge amount of anti infantry and supprexive firepower in the form of the Rifleman and the Predators, as well as the 2x Heavy bolter speeders that make a mess out of lots of things. I feel like the list itself is pretty straight forward, (obviously we don't know scenarios yet, but I'm still looking to go with a nice well rounded bike list (I have the models and love playing them). Hope you like it!"

Solid list there taking the Fast'N'Slow concept to 2500. I'd do a couple of things though. Change the ACLC Preds to Dakka Preds. Whilst they put out great firepower, they all Preds they are really static and having static heavy firepower isn't so flash, especially in such a fast list. Whilst the Dakka Pred is just as static, if you need heavy firepower it can still move and shoot 6". With the points saved and extra points, change the HB/HB Speeders to Typhoons. YOu already have a ton of anti-infantry with Dakka Preds and mass relentless TL-bolters, so you don't really need more anti-infantry firepower. But mobile S8 shots? Sounds good.

I would also be hesitant at having two melta and two plasma bike squads. I'd personally prefer to see all melta and grab a command squad as your plasma platform. Tight on points to do this though but 3 melta/1plasma would be okay as well if you don't want to lose some of your ranged tanks.

Otherwise looks solid.

Comments (12)

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Whitestar · 713 weeks ago

I have to disagree, Kirby, after seeing a similar list played at my LGS. Despite the speed and the relentless bolters, bike armies are not intended for getting locked into combat and like to stay further back - hence the plasma bikes. Yes, the captain is available to lock stuff down, like when a transport is popped, but generally you want to keep back and melta guns are too short range, I think, and I would actually recommend all plasma bikes to skirt around at medium range and harassing, because the bikes are too expensive. I would stick with the MMAB for that AP 1 punch while still being able to stay at medium range. You don't see a lot of land raiders these days so melta is a bit overkill, and anything else AV14 you'll see you can mitigate with speed and getting to side armor easily.

2 replies · active 713 weeks ago

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wisdom like silence · 713 weeks ago

Melta is never overkill. One of the great things about playing a bike army is your ability to utterly trash mechanised armies. Plasma is certainly useful, but that's what command squads are for (or the combi-melta+melta+plasma+MM bike squad). Plasma is abysmal at killing armour by comparison.

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Kirby 118p · 713 weeks ago

Agree with wisdom here. Bikes suck in combat true but you have combat tactics for a reason. If your opponent shoots you, you flee and thus they are forced to rely completely on combat to hurt you (this hurts a lot of units such as Grey Hunters, Terminators, etc.). Even then you can still flee with Combat Tactics.

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Inigo Montoya · 713 weeks ago

At 2500 you propose he drop all his melta? Really? Land raiders are not as common as they once were, but at 2500 you better be prepared for 3 of them. I would lean towards Kirbys advice on this. I have played white scare and ravenwing for a long time, and his assessment is spot on.

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ToI · 713 weeks ago

Wow I need to proofread my emails before I send them in... "supprexive"?...anyway. Thanks much for the advice Kirby. This was a modification that a gaming buddy of mine and I made to a list I ran at Prelims. Some of the things you said I definitely have to agree with and the upgrade to typhoons over Autolas preds makes sense in that you get a lower points per shot ratio and it gives more high strength shots. I'd like to go with 4 melta squads with MMAB and just saw screw the plasma, but I'm not sure if that's the right way to go...as a note my prelims list ran 6 MMAB in the FA slots, no speeders what so ever. Thanks again

3 replies · active 713 weeks ago

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Kirby 118p · 713 weeks ago

No plasma is fine. You are running 3 Dakka Preds, 38 Bikes, 4 Typhoons and 3 Rifles which when it comes down to it, is a lot of firepower against infantry regardless. The utility to punch through 2+/FNP though is always nice but again, the best way to do this would be a Command Squad and you'd probably have to lose something to get access to that.

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ToI · 713 weeks ago

Ok, that makes sense. I didn't really have any problems with punching through FnP and 2+ given the amount of las and melta I had in the initial list (Draigo was the only guy that gave me trouble and I just ignored the big squad in that case). Also do you like the speeders over the MMAB in FA? That's the only thing I'm really unsure of with a list like this. I like more vehicles but the pop cans tend to vaporize...

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Kirby 118p · 713 weeks ago

If you feel you don't have that issue then not a problem.

Ya when taking more vehicles like Dreads/Preds it gives you some saturation plus all your ABs are now hidden. The Typhoons should be staying as far back as possible to avoid a lot of firepower and with squadron status, single shots don't scare them much as you can fob hits off to one guy. They are weak at AV10 but still decently durable.

I'd play test which you prefer - 4 Typhoons or like 9 ABs w/MMs. You could even go for 2 Typhoons and a bunch of ABs.

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rexscarlet · 713 weeks ago

Fast Attack -
2x HB/HB Speeders - 120
2x HB/HB Speeders - 120

to

1x land speeder typhoon
1x land speeder typhoon
1x land speeder typhoon

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Warboss Stalin · 713 weeks ago

I'm missing why Khan is not in this list...the ability to outflank with your army would run circles around a normal bike captain...you have enough ranged dakka, I'd go with khan and make those speeders melta whores.If you want to keep heavy botlers, keep them on your attack bikes and keep range because, we all know, bikes are not made for hugging the foe.

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ToI · 713 weeks ago

Warboss you are absolutely right...especially with the release of the Ard Boyz Semifinal scenarios...all of which allow outflank. I think I'm actually going to go with the MMAB in the FA slot after seeing the scenarios and also go with khan. This allows me to outflank everything thing but my dreads and preds. And no, I do not like hugging the foe.

1 reply · active 713 weeks ago

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Kirby 118p · 713 weeks ago

If you're taking Khan you need a Command Squad with combat upgrades which changes the list dynamic a lot. In a Hybrid list I would steer away from him. With Bike speed you don't really need outflank and you lose combat tactics whilst not having any rock units (Command Squads) to back you up.

Khan's a fine choice but you would need to change the list to suit him.