Space Marine Bikes are incredibly deadly and robust bikes used by the Space Marine Bike Squads for lightning-quick raids and reconnaissance.[1]
Overview
These vehicles are equipped with powerful engines, required to propel a fully-armoured Space Marine at high speeds, and boast highly-responsive controls required to perform complex battlefield maneuvers.[1] Dedicated off-road machines,[14] they are able to be operated in a wide range of environments, from shifting dune seas to ice-strewn wastelands to rocky moonscapes, and are simple enough in design that their riders can perform repairs in the field if necessary.[2] The bikes need only little maintenance often no more than an offhand blessing and an occasional refuelling and are designed to be operated thousands of miles or even light-years distant to the nearest Techmarine.[14] Their sturdy construction and wide, thick tires allows the bike to easily smash through rockcrete walls at full speed without harm to either bike or rider.[1] The tires are made from solid rubber and their amour cowlings are over half an inch thick.[14] The average bike weighed nigh on a ton[5] and can reach a speed of two hundred miles per hour even on mountainous terrain.[14]
The typical armament of a Codex Space Marine Bike is a set of twin Bolters mounted on either side of the bike's headlight.[1]
While the bikes of a Codex Chapter are revered, they are still only mass-produced. Those used by the warriors of the Deathwatch are all unique machines taken from a myriad of armouries and are often bonded to a single rider.[14]
Space Marine Bike Squad
Space Marine Bike Squads are fast moving, light-attack units mounted on Space Marine Bikes.[1]
Attack Bike
A variant of the Bike is the Space Marine Attack Bike, which includes a Heavy Bolter or Multi-Melta mounted on an attached sidecar.[1] These heavy weapons, combined with the manoeuvrability of the Assault Bike, makes it excellent at rapidly deploying large amounts of heavy fire-power to those areas which require it urgently.[3]
Scout Bike
A Scout Bike Squadron is a mounted, rapid-strike version of the Scout Squad. The squadron is made up of a Sergeant and between two and four Scouts, all mounted. All wear lighter Carapace Armour, but are excellent at scouting out forces a long distance away, which would take too long for Scouts on foot to investigate.[3] The bike is usually armed with either twin-linked Bolters or an Astartes Grenade Launcher, while the rider typically carries a shotgun, bolt pistol, combat knife, frag grenades, and krak grenades.
Outrider Bike
These bikes are used by the newer Primaris Outriders.[7] The pattern is known as the Raider Pattern Combat Bike.[8]
Images
Vincent Black Shadow attack bike (1st Edition)[6]
Dark Angels Mk2 Attack Bike (4th Edition)[12]
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 68
- 2: Codex: Blood Angels (5th Edition), pg. 30
- 3: Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition), [Needs Citation]
- 4: The Art of Warhammer 40,000, pg. 13
- 5: Dante (Novel) by Guy Haley, Chapter Fourteen
- 6: Warhammer 40,000 Chapter Approved - The Book of the Astronomican, pg. 63
- 7: Warhammer Community: Warhammer 40,000: More Models Revealed (24/05/2020) (Last accessed on 24 May 2020)
- 8: Warhammer Community: Indomitus Focus get on your bike (posted 6/16/2020) (last accessed 6/16/2020)
- 9: Games Workshop (dead link)
- 10: Codex: Dark Angels (4th Edition) - pg. 72
- 11: Games Worksho (dead link)
- 12: White Dwarf 299 (UK), pg 6
- 13: Epic Armageddon Rulebook, pg. 45
- 14: Brother to Dishonour (Short Story) — Deathwatch: The Long Vigil (Anthology)
