Chaos review #13 into the fast stuff

One of the bigger changes to the Chaos codex was the 60% drop in the points cost of bikes. This decrease comes with no real negative which is cool. These are the same Marine bikers we all know with just a Chaos twist.

This unit follows all the rules for motorbikes. They are also basic Marines and have all 4’s where it matters, one attack, one wound, a 3+ save and leadership 8. They are toughness 5 as they are bikers. They are armed with twin-bolters (on the bike), all the usual grenades, a bolt pistol and a close combat weapon. They start with a unit champ who has all the same stats but with 2 attacks and leadership 9. This squad starts as a unit of three for soixante-dix points. They can add up to seven more guys at slim cost of 20 points per squaddie. Yeah 20 points is dirt cheap for a Marine biker especially when compared to a basic jump pack/assault Marine and the bikers get so much more.

The champion can take the usual Gift of Mutants +10 and melta bombs +5. They also have access to the melee and ranged weapon list.

The squad can take up to assault weapons with no unit size restriction. They cost the same as they do everywhere, so there is no real surprise there (flamer +5, melta gun +10, plasma gun +15). However, they either replace the twin-bolter on the bike or the rider’s pistol. Is this really an issue though? If you are taking a special weapon you will want to shoot that instead of the boltgun or pistol anyway.

They can also grab the Veterans upgrade for +1 points/guy.

Then, like everyone else, the squad can grab Marks and Icons. Khorne +2/guy, Tzeencth +3, Nurgle +6, Slaanesh +2. Then the associated Icons: Wrath +20, Flame +15, Despair +10, Excess +35 and Vengeance +25 points. Well, Tzeencth is right out since bikes have no inherent invulnerable save. Khorne and Slaanesh are tied for second. If you want close combat bikes then take either one of these upgrades for harder charging or faster punching. Then there is Nurgle and the full +1 toughness this mark gives. Being toughness 6 on a bike with a 3+ save is nothing to sneeze at. It does raise the cost, but they still clock in cheaper than in previous editions.

The Icons, as usual, are pretty much failures in my world. Flame and Despair are laughable as always. Wrath has some use. Excess is always good for the Feel No Pain. Vengeance is never a bad choice, unless you are a unit of Possessed. The problem I have is the cost of them. I could take an Icon or another bike for the same cost of Khorne, Slaanesh or Vengeance. This isn’t a scoring unit so I’m not worried about them staying around. These guys are there to hit something fast, annoy a flank, or throw the proverbial monkey wrench.

My ideal Chaos bikers would be a couple of six man squads. One squad with two flamers, and combi-flamer on the champion. The other squad would be two melta guns and a combi-melta on the champion. This would give options to annoy those cover hugging troops. Plus flamethrowers are super cool! The melta squad would be there to annoy vehicles and elitist scum. Sure, plasma might be the order of the day, but I still have a problem using weapons that seem to kill more of me than them. I could see the same squad with two plasma guns and a plasma pistol/combi-plasma. I would just be afraid to use it.

There are only a few minor complaints for this unit. The first is the lack of a force organization swap for bikers. The ability to throw a HQ on a bike to unlock bikes would be great! However, that is only a loyalist Marine ability. Plus a lord with Nurgle and Nurgle marked biker troops would be unfair or something. Yeah because toughness 6 troops is unfair….wait Eldar Wraith guys......say what? Anyway…………….

Second, why can they still not give these guys a heavy weapon/ attack bike option? I know they aren’t loyalist Marines and should be different. However, the known traitor legions had attack bikes back in the day as do the current good guys who have turned bad. Why not a special attack bike for Chaos? Like a heavy flamer bike or an autocannon bike. Something that can rival the heavy bolter and multi-melta Marine attack bikes.

Oh well. At least the unit as a whole became cheaper and didn’t lose anything.