Its been just under a month since the new codex came out and today was the first time I sat down and actually began reading the book and comparing new versus old. Why so long? Well I have been focusing on a different army for the Michigan GT which happened this past week. Needless to say, it is time to rock out bikes.
So to perform a proper analysis, why not look at one of the lists I played near the end of the last codex....
Space Marines 5th edition
Captain
Bike, Power Fist, Artificer Armor - 175
Drednought
2x twin linked autocannons - 125
Bike Squad (4+1)
2x melta guns and a multi-melta attack bike 185
Bike Squad (4+1)
2x melta guns and a multi-melta attack bike 185
Bike Squad (8+1)
2x melta guns and a multi-melta attack bike 285
Thunderfire Cannon 100
Thunderfire Cannon 100
Dark Angels Allies
Librarian
Bike and auspex 90
Drednought
2x twin linked autocannons 120
Scouts (5 man)
Sniper Rifles 60
Black Knights (7 man)
1x grenade launcher, 6x plasma talons 294
Devestators (5 man)
4x missile launchers 130
Total: 1849
*Note: I used drednoughts in this list as I physically had them painted, however I did proxy out storm talons with skyhammer missiles for a handful of games and the performed admirably. Best part about them is that they are almost an even trade! All I would have to do is drop an auspex.
So the list is pretty flexible. I had plenty of long range, scouting ability, anti-mcs, anti-tank, a smidgen of anti-flyer, and of course bikes. I enjoyed the list the several times I played it and the concepts should still work with the new codex. Therefore, I used this as the template of my new bike army to see where I got...
Codex Space Marines: 6th edition
Chapter Tactics White Scars
Khan -Moondrakken - 150
Command Squad (5 man) Bikes, Apothecary, 5x Veterans w. Grav Rifle - 225
Bike Squad (4+1) 2x Melta Guns, Multi Melta Attack Bike, melta bomb - 164
Bike Squad (4+1) 2x Melta Guns, Multi Melta Attack Bike, melta bomb - 164
Bike Squad (4+1) 2x Grav Rifles, Combi-grav, Multi Melta Attack Bike - 179
Bike Squad (4+1) 2x Grav Rifles, Combi-grav, Multi Melta Attack Bike - 179
Storm Talon w. Skyhammer -125
Thunder Fire Cannon -100
Thunder Fire Cannon -100
Allies: Space Marines
Chapter Tactics Iron Hands
Chapter Master -Artificer, Bike, Powerfist, Auspex - 200
Scout Squad (5 man) - 55
Storm Talon w. Skyhammer -125
Stalker w/ Doze Blade - 80
1846
Yeah... you read that right. IRON HANDS allies. It is free, makes the commander more brutal and assists in keeping my vehicles and scouts alive. That is what I call winning.
So what is the difference?
1) No Libby - therefore there is no divination.
2) No Black Knights - therefore there are no rad grenades of awesome.
3) No Devestators - therefore there are no krak missiles
However...
4) Grav guns - yeah I have a ton of those
5) Stalker - more anti-air and not bad against light tanks as well
6) Bike Chapter Master of DOOOOOMMMM!!!! and Khan - Enough said!
7) The entire army scouts
8) The entire army has hit and run (minus the scouts)
9) The entire army does hammer of wrath on strength 5
10) More anti-tank then before
11) It will not die vehicles and chapter master
12) Feel no pain chapter master and scouts
I will miss the rad grenades and the couple of extra templates that the devestators can throw out. But this list excels at everything else. More bodies, more fire power, more duablility, more flexibility. In addition the extra anti-air and grav guns solves some of the problems that bikes face.
Now, I have played around with some of the allied builds and you can do some really fun stuff with it. But I will save that for next time. So I'll leave you with this army. Let me know what you think.