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Author Topic: *** Army Building Contest *** Best Biker Armies  (Read 716 times)

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Offline Grand Master Lomandalis

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*** Army Building Contest *** Best Biker Armies
« on: August 28, 2010, 01:36:51 PM »
The rules for the competition can be found here.

Entries for the Best Biker Army are to be posted here with these guidelines.

Requirement
  • No more than 1850pts
  • Primarily objective based
  • Take into consideration that there would be at least one Killpoint mission
  • Make it competetive
  • Don't go over the top, build the list in the assumption that the tournament had a rather large percentage of points going into composition and sportsmanship (IE don't be a dick and build a WAAC list that would have you get docked in soft scores)
  • Give a brief run down of the general idea for the tactics of the army
  • Give a list of what you think might give the army issues
  • Inquisitorial Allies are allowed.
  • Imperial Armour / Apoc units are not allowed.
  • Max of one list per person per category. 
  • All Space Marine Codices are eligible for entry.

Entries will be accepted until October 1st 11:59pm EST.  Any entries made after that time frame will be deleted  One entry per person.
« Last Edit: August 28, 2010, 01:48:41 PM by Grand Master Lomandalis »
If there is anything that recent politics has taught us, it is that quotes taken out of context can mean what ever you want them to.
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Quote
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Offline Blazinghand

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Re: *** Army Building Contest *** Best Biker Armies
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2010, 06:07:27 AM »
This list is an entry for the Best Biker Army category. It uses the Dark Angels Codex.

Dark Angels

HQ [205 points, 11%]:


Sammael, Master of the Ravenwing (Jetbike) - 205p

Elites [215 points, 12%]:

Deathwing Terminator Squad -215p
       -5x Thunderhammer + Storm Shield

Troops [1280 points, 69%]:

Ravenwing Attack Squadron - 375p
       -1 Sergeant with Power Fist, 5 Troopers with 1 Flamer and 1 Meltagun
       -1 is upgraded to Apothecary with Narthecium/Reductor
       -1 Land Speeder with Heavy Bolter, Assault Cannon

Ravenwing Attack Squadron - 385p
       -1 Sergeant with Power Fist, 5 Troopers with 1 Flamer and 1 Meltagun
       -1 is upgraded to Standard Bearer carrying the Ravenwing Company Banner
       -1 Land Speeder with Heavy Bolter, Assault Cannon

Ravenwing Attack Squadron - 260p
       -1 Sergeant with Power Fist, 5 Troopers with 1 Flamer and 1 Meltagun

Ravenwing Attack Squadron - 260p
       -1 Sergeant with Power Fist, 5 Troopers with 1 Flamer and 1 Meltagun

Fast Attack [150 points, 8%]:

Ravenwing Support Squadron - 75p
       -Multi-melta and Heavy Flamer

Ravenwing Support Squadron - 75p
       -Multi-melta and Heavy Flamer


Total Points: 1850
Total Kill Points: 10, up to 14 with Combat Squads
Total Capturing Unts: 6, up to 10 with Combat Squads
Force Composition: 25 Mounted Infantry, 5 Terminator Infantry, 4 Land Speeders
Force Org Chart
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Commentary: Tactics, Strengths and Weaknesses

What's awesome about this army:
This list has 25 bikes! 24 of them can score. They can be combat squadded into groups of 3 or kept as groups of 6, which is usually preferable. The mixed weapons in the squads are a tactical necessity of low model count. I don't want a third of my AT shooting in one squad, so it's a hit I'm willing to take. This is the sort of army that just looks boss set up on the table. 4 speeders, 4 bike squads [or 8 bike squads] and Sammael are pretty awesome.

Battle Plan:
This army isn't exactly "captain firepower," but it makes gains in mobility and tactical flexibility. On the to-do list is scout move a Ravenwing Attack Squadron forwards so that the Deathwing Terminators can chose to have a safe landing that's not TOO far from the enemy. Although suitable for CC on the charge, and very tough against opponents without power fists, Ravenwing Attack Squadrons are not dedicated CC units and need the support from Sammael / the Termies / the Company Standard. Of course, against IG, Tau, and units in other armies that aren't CC-based, they'll have fun. The Power Fists are meant to bolster this list's admittedly ramshackle AT (the Termies, 6 Melta weapons, 2 Assault Cannons, and Sammael on a good day) and maybe pop some marines in CC.

In Objective Play, I will place the objectives as far apart as possible. There are some armies that can keep up with this army, but not many. By targeting mobile elements in the opponent's force I can monopolize on speed. Scoring Land Speeders are among the cool things this army brings to the table. As the game draws to an end, whatever's left of my army will be able to reach more objectives more quickly than what's left of the opponent.

Large threats to this strategy are other mobile elements and ranged shooty elements. Terminators are key in taking out enemy heavy infantry and guns and will probably die horribly in between assaults. Bringing them in via Deep Strike is probably the best move, even if I'm not using the Teleport Homers. Depending on the opposition's list, I can use combat squads to split the Special Weapons off from the Power Fist, or to put the Power Fist and Flamer in one squad and the Melta in another. In the Apothecary and Company Standard squadrons, further options abound.

In Annihilation, I probably won't use Combat Squads, so that I keep the bikers alive. Target priority is huge in these missions. Anything faster than 18" per turn or long-ranged needs to be shot down quickly. In the event that I'm up against an army full of units this fast or long-ranged [Tau, IG, certain Eldar], I probably want to just assault rather than cripple their stuff that can catch me.

Against armies that can outrun me, I'll have to think like my opponents usually do, and play a more static game. Most armies that are faster than this one aren't going to be as durable, or have other "issues" that will make it advantageous for me to deploy objectives close together, etc. Due to my low model count, I'll need to keep everyone together so that nothing gets picked off without getting support.  Against drop pod armies, outflanking lists, infiltrate/scouting lists, and mech lists with easily-destroyed transports, I will consider spreading out the objectives, starting off-board, or deploying to one flank and scout-moving to the other flank and turboing on turn one.

Against armies that can out-assault me, such as tyranid armies, terminator-heavy lists, etc., I need to avoid assault early on. This could mean ceding an objective early on or taking more fire from their artillery than I want. The attack squads mostly want to assault against non-dedicated-CC units or in support of the termies or all at once on a smaller squad. Power Fists and Biker Toughness will only take you so far. I'll try to put off assault until turns 3-4 and try to hit a small portion of the enemy army with overwhelming force.

Against shooty armies with poor assault abilities, the choice to run them down in CC should be fairly obvious.

Problems:
This army suffers from unusually low model count, oddly limited CC and shooting abilities, and poor AT and anti-horde abilities relative to what it could do. The only shooting it has that pierces Marine saves are the Melta weapons and 2 Assault cannons. The only weapons with the dakka to put down hordes from outside of assault range are on the landspeeders and are so few that they're not really worth it. Against a real CC army, this army cries tears of blood. Against a mech army, this army isn't exactly happy either.

Solutions:
Biker toughness and biker speed provide biker tactical flexibility.


Let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2010, 06:56:14 AM by Blazinghand »
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Offline Grand Master Lomandalis

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Re: *** Army Building Contest *** Best Biker Armies
« Reply #2 on: October 5, 2010, 10:24:20 AM »
Let's say it all together now!

Default!  Default!  Default!

lol, well done Blazinghand, apparently you are the only person who actually cares enough about biker armies to throw out a list!
If there is anything that recent politics has taught us, it is that quotes taken out of context can mean what ever you want them to.
Well I always liked the globals...
I knew I had fans!!!

Quote
"Dark Angels are Traitors" is the 40k equivalent of Flat Earthers.  You can provide all of the proof you want that says otherwise, but people just can't let it go...

 


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