# Marine Bike v. Ork Bike/Deffkopta



## JosephScott (Jan 1, 2009)

Greetings:

I'm trying to figure out why Marine Bikes look lame next to Ork Bikes and Deffkoptas. The Marine Bike gets a 3+ save, the Ork Bike gets his choice of 4+ saves (armor or cover), the Deffguns are superior to bolters in essentially every way, and the ork bikes are substantially cheaper (points and dollars). The deffkoptas, particularly with the big shoota, seem even better.

I play marines, and I'm trying to justify buying some bikes as a fast attack choice, but I'm just not convinced. I'd rather play my son's Ork army, which can field a ton of bikes and koptas that we already own.

Any tips for me? Should I start buying bikes (probably deathwing boxes, ugh, too expensive still), or maybe just skip them and go for jump pack assault troops.

Thanks,

Joseph Scott


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## Blackhiker (Dec 28, 2007)

In general I suggest not going with the bikes unless they are dedicated anti-tank units. They are too expensive IMO for anything besides that.


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

They work well as a core unit. Otherwise, they just drain too many points away from your holding units. Otherwise, just base your army around them. Captains on Bike with Bike Troops work well. Mainly because they have army wide T5 and 3+ Saves, infantry with S3 weaponry as their basic equipment can barely touch them, and even Tau, with their higher strength guns struggle to beat marines as easily.

If you're ever buying a Marine Biker army (only way to include them IMHO), buy the standard boxes of 1 each time (£6, so £30 for a squad), and then if you want to personalise it, buy the commander kit. Gives you the upgrades for your guys.


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## morfangdakka (Dec 31, 2006)

I can see no good reason to buy marine bikes. :grin:

So grab the ork bikers or even convert them to Nob bikers with a painboy for that extra hard to kill unit of army killing bikers. Along with some deffkoptas scout move and shoot on the first turn is sweet. 

So take off the power armor yell waaagh and kick up some dirt.


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## Someguy (Nov 19, 2007)

I've had some success with marine bikers as troops and a biker captain.

The comparison with ork bikers doesn't seem good, but marines do get a lot of their own tricks. They get melta guns for a start, and combat tactics. They have far better leadership.

The real kings of the road are nobz bikers and biker seer councils. There's also some argument for marine biker command squads, if taken with tons of upgrades.


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Yeah. Korsarro and Command Squad is dirty. Been using it recently, and every time I've played it, it's been successful if outflanked with 2 Melta Guns, 2 Fists, and Storm Shields. However, that unit fully costs 615pts, not to mention expensive to make (£60 by Games Workshop Prices), but they can be dirty hard.

I don't whether it's a case of "usualitis", with people 'knowing' what's going in my army but I've only lost a game against a Vulkan Melta Horde (3 Devestators with Maxed Multi Meltas and a couple of Sternguard squads with Maxed Combi Melta's = Pale for anyone), out of 6 with my biker army (although I have mounted up some footsloggers, 5 of them still have to trek it ;D.

Just a shame Vindicators don't have Combat Tactics, hey?


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## primarch-angron (Mar 12, 2009)

I used to thing that bikes where crap but then I used them with a melta gun, plasma gun and attack bike with MM against a Baneblade and destroyed it in one turn. They are also much better then Orc bikes because they can out number space marine bikes 2 to 1 and the space marine will still kick the ork bike back it the ruined world they came from.


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## Larx (May 17, 2009)

I agree the Daka gun is more versatile with 3 shots at 18' but keep in mind the difference in BS between space marine bikers and ork bikers. Statistically with rerolls your space marine bikers are more likely to get both rapid fire shots to hit. Once you have played bikes you will realize how easy it is to get into rapid fire range.
Don't forget that space marine bikers are relentless so they can still assault after firing. Space marine bikers come in three forms but all are good at hunting tanks.
Comparing the two they both have they own purposes, Ork bikers are definitely better at hunting infantry down then space marine bikers, but space marine bikers are better at hunting armor, especially since they can carry melta bombs or some choice of melta guns.


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## primarch-angron (Mar 12, 2009)

Larx said:


> Don't forget that space marine bikers are relentless so they can still assault after firing. Space marine bikers come in three forms but all are good at hunting tanks.
> Comparing the two they both have they own purposes, Ork bikers are definitely better at hunting infantry down then space marine bikers, but space marine bikers are better at hunting armor, especially since they can carry melta bombs or some choice of melta guns.


I agree but some times you can make a space mairne bike squad anti-infantry by giving them Flamers and Heavy bolter (attack bike). But all it all orks are better at infanty in all aspects not just there bikes.


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## Larx (May 17, 2009)

That is very true. My favorite thing about bikes is the T5 most infantry units are not hitting a strength above 4 meaning it is much harder to wound. Since ork bikes have two wounds and armor save 4, it is one of the toughest ork units to kill in close combat.
As a space marine I'n not too afraid of losing to them in battle because there attacks are the same as ork boys, but they just come in smaller sized unit, however, once in cc I know it will be a long drawn out fight. That is why if you run them do the math the perfect size is about 6-8 units of ork bikes. They are really good at tying up my cc units.
My assault terminators with lightning claws taking 3 turns to wipe out a 8 man squad of ork bikers. With only two terminators left, it really hurt to have them out of play for 3 turns.


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## primarch-angron (Mar 12, 2009)

Ouch sound painful
It is true it is normal a drawn out cc fight with and ork boyz units, not because there good at cc, there are just sooooo many of them they just take sooooo long to kill them all


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## Inquisitor Einar (Mar 6, 2009)

That is why the IG invented Pie Plates... Mhhhh.. Ork Pie...
A direct hit from a russ will seriously mess up your nob biker squad.

On a side note: Can anybody recommend something that would be good to use as model for my IG bikers ( Rough Riders on scooters or something like that )

I got plenty of necromunda Juvies to use as the people riding them, but I'd like something proper to mount them on, OTHER than horses. I first considered using SM scout bikes, but even these seem to bulky for me to use. I don't want people to confuse them for actual bike mounted infantry.


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## MyI)arkness (Jun 8, 2008)

Inquisitor Einar said:


> That is why the IG invented Pie Plates... Mhhhh.. Ork Pie...
> A direct hit from a russ will seriously mess up your nob biker squad.
> 
> On a side note: Can anybody recommend something that would be good to use as model for my IG bikers ( Rough Riders on scooters or something like that )
> ...


Some plastic bicycles should represent ig cavalry well. xD


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## Inquisitor Einar (Mar 6, 2009)

Yeah, but where to get them :S


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