Drop Troop Recon Bikers

In case you couldn't tell, I love bikes. Ork and space marine bikes are among my favorite units for each army. It always seemed strange that the Imperial Guard had horse-mounted rough riders with the same old metal models for decades (until finally being axed in the new edition), but they never had bikes. So I decided to do something about it.

Basically a Valkyrie discharging a biker squadron!

More inspiration from real life.

Apparently GW thought Imperial Guard bikes were cool back in Rouge Trader! Yet somehow they dropped these and kept the horses for decades.

Fast, light bikes suited for rough terrain seemed to fit the aesthetic and background for the Xhorik 87th Drop Troops, complementing their Tauros assault vehicles. Xhorik Drop Troop regiments use their bike units mostly for scouting enemy movements where the rough terrain and billowing dust storms prevent the use of aerial or satellite reconnaissance. In battle, they specialize in harassing isolated units, disrupting enemy movements, and occasionally making a bold strike behind enemy lines at a vital objective using demo charges and melta bombs. In order to maximize speed, maneuverability and range, their armament is very light with only twin-linked lasguns, flak armor, and grenades. They must try to strike at objectives and then rely on their mobility to escape before the enemy can engage them directly. Their bikes are designed in a very compact way so that they can be carried by Valkyries that have had their interior specially modified. 

Drop Troop Recon Bikers make a sweep through a dessert outpost. 

Here are my draft rules for Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 (6th - 7th Edition):

RECON BIKERS                                                    60 POINTS

                                  WS    BS    S    T    W    I    A    Ld    Sv
Biker Sergeant          3        3      3    4     1     3    2     8      5+
Recon Biker              3        3      3    4     1     3    1     7      5+

Unit Composition
 - 1 Biker Sergeant

 - 4 Recon Bikers

Unit Type
 - Biker Sergeant: Bike (Character)
 - Recon Biker: Bike

Wargear

 - Laspistol

 - Combat blade

 - Frag and krak grenades

 - Flak armor

 - Recon bike with twin-linked lasguns

Special Rules

 - Provenance (Horus Heresy only)

 - Scout

 - Hit and Run

 - Bulky 

Options:

 - May include up to five additional bikers...............................+11 points each
 - The Biker Sergeant may exchange his laspistol or close combat weapon for:

    - Augmented Weapon (Horus Heresy only)...........................+2 points

    - Power sword..........................................................................+5 points

    - Plasma pistol.......................................................................+10 points
    - Hand flamer........................................................................+10 points

 - The Biker Sergeant may be given:

    - Melta bombs.......................................................................+5 points

    - A single demolition charge................................................+20 points

    - A single breacher charge...................................................+10 points

    - Tracking beacon................................................................+10 points

 - For every three models in the squad, one Biker may exchange his laspistol for:

    - Flamer or grenade launcher................................................+5 points

    - Melta gun...........................................................................+10 points

    - Plasma gun........................................................................ +15 points    

Basically, they cost one more point per model than 6th Edition Rough Riders with mostly the same options. They lose the hunting lances, but gain the benefit of bikes over horses (increased T, twin-linked guns, jink). The addition of bikes makes them cost 4 times more than a basic infantryman in an Auxilia list and 2.4 times more than a basic infantryman in an Imperial Guard list. I also doubled the incremental cost of a demolition or breacher charge from the other units because it will be more effective combined with their mobility.

Comments and feedback welcome!

White Squadron

They disappear in the glare in this photo but they have white lightning bolts on the front fenders.

Black Squadron

This squadron is designated by their black lightning bolts.

Both squadrons riding together.