This last weekend I finished painting up a Ravenwing Attack Squad. That's 6 bikes, one attack bike and one Landspeeder Tornado.
While you will see the bikers swinging chainswords, their main role will not be melee. I just like the image of them swinging chainswords like a roudy post-apocalyptic biker-gang and really, who doesn't? The option given was to equip them with EITHER a bolt pistol OR a chainsword. In game terms they're virtually identical, since I'd be using the twinlinked boltguns on the front of the bike for any kind of shooting. Given this, they only get one attack. Two if they charge. If they're in combat, however, they cannot leave at their own discretion. They are not considered "vehicles." Due to this, their role is going to be more mobility and shooting. I have equipped my Sergeant with a Power Sword just incase things get hairy, though. Twin-linked bolters are nothing to sneeze at, especially considering that due to them being mounted on the bike, I do not count as having moved when I fire. This means I can fire once up to 24" despite moving. Not bad at all. Add to that a Heavy Bolter on the Attack Bike, and a Heavy Bolter/Assault Cannon combo on the Landspeeder ... and I have a lot of anti-infantry firepower that is extremely mobile.
Oh, there is one added benefit to Ravenwing. All bikes count as having a built-in Teleport Homer. Didja hear that? That means no rolling to scatter when I teleport my Deathwing Terminators in (as long as they come within 6" of a bike). Of course, I plan on taking advantage of this rule. I'd be a fool not to.
Hey Darksol,
ReplyDeletejust a quick question... how did you get that effect on the tyres of your ravenwing bikes? I can't get my head around it and am about to paint up my squadron in the coming weeks and really want to apply that effect!
73rd
First step was a thin drybrush of Codex Gray mostly down the center, but a little bit towards the corners of the tires as well. This was for how the rubber would wear down. After that's dry, a thinner drybrush of a dirt-color (I used Bubonic Brown) only on the bottom of the tires. It should be thin enough that you can still see the gray underneath, but it's dirtier now. I also drybrushed a bit of the Bubonic Brown along the sides of the bikes and legs of the riders, but it's harder to see in the pictures.
ReplyDeleteNice one mate thanks for that I will give it a go!
ReplyDelete73rd
Good job. I like the dramatic deep shading on the sgt. Also nice simple touch with the scripture directly onto the pole thingy, hadn't thought of that.
ReplyDeleteBtw, did you do the flattening-trick filing down the tyres? Did that too on my first sqd. Now, haven't actually played yet but suspect they might be prone to tipping over if you put them on any sort of non-flat terrain. So I'm basing my second sqd and am looking forward to the stimulating task of going back to the first one with bases as well. Do you have any experience on this from games?
ReplyDeleteI didn't file them flat. They do tend to tip over on uneven terrain, though. These guys were done a while ago, and I wish I had thought of basing them, given their instability.
ReplyDeleteSend me some pics of the based bikes you're working on. I'd love to see them, and I'm sure I could learn something from what you're doing.
Ah right, thought at first they looked flattish on some pictures but now I see they aren't. Fact: pushing small plastic bikes back and forth on sandpaper stretched out on your living-room table makes the loudest and most incredibly annoying sound in the world.
ReplyDeleteOkay will do. Since I've had to give this problem quite some thought it might be worth a blog post. I'll get back with a link when it's up.