I like the idea of bikes, but I'm wondering the merit of three small squads. With White Scars, hit and run and ensuring you have scout really makes a massive difference. With As They Know No Fear, losing combat isn't too big a deal, since hit and run allows you your amazing shooting with grav guns and twin-linked bolters. But I'm not playing White Scars. So from the games I've played, I'm thinking that a larger unit, 1 unit, would be a good way to go with these guys with Black Templars.
Three small bike squads don't seem to be cutting it for me. With the lack of Hit and Run, they aren't really powerful in assault, don't have enough models to do much but get to backfield objectives, and cost 150 points for some grav guns...which are good, but I'm feeling them as a bit too unreliable against vehicles (but at least they have a shot to take them down/immobilize them). Without Attack Bikes with multi-meltas, the squad seems to only be good against well armored targets, which isn't enough for me to feel warranted taking them, as I am generally spamming Assault Cannons in some fashion.
I still feel the Chapter Master on the bike as I kit him out, while expensive, is really the way to go. With Black Templars excelling in challenges, he's a death dealing machine with the ability to actually get to his targets. As for now, he feels like a staple HQ, unless the Inquisition codex gives me some cheaper, but solid, HQ options. Putting him inside a full(ish) unit of bikes with an Attack Bike with a Multi-melta really gives that unit some hitting power, some amazing AP and shooting, and enough models to really make a difference. And then the Chapter Master is scary, and I get a free Sergeant for challenges (Have to buy Sergeant for Crusader squads...frown). It's 508 points, so Death Star points, ....but it can deal with almost anything it needs to if played correctly. I'd even debate giving the Sergeant a combi-flamer, as that would make that unit something that can deal with almost any kind of unit on the board. While it's a hefty amount of points, fielding that unit means I should be spamming Scouts, Land Speeder Storms, Thunderfire Cannons, and Stormtalons. Cheap, effective, and amazing. This unit also comes in at about the same point cost my LRC/Crusader Squad unit costs, and does all the jobs that unit is supposed to manage but better - and it fulfills my need to field at least one HQ.
Making a quick draft of the above list idea:
Points: 1693
HQ - Biker Chapter Master, Power Fist, Eternal Shield, Artificer Armor
Troop - Bikes x8, Combi-Sergeant, x2 Grav Guns, Attack Bike /w Multi-melta***
Troop - Crusader Squad x5, Las+Plas, Rhino
Troop - Crusader Squad x5, Las+Plas, Rhino
Troop - Scouts x5, Melta Bombs, Land Speeder Storm /w Assault Cannon
Troop - Scouts x5, Melta Bombs, Land Speeder Storm /w Assault Cannon
Troop - Scouts x10, Sniper Rifles, Camo Cloaks, Land Speeder Storm /w Assault Cannon
Fast Attack - Stormtalon, Skyhamer
Fast Attack - Stormtalon, Skyhamer
Heavy - Thunderfire Cannon
Heavy - Thunderfire Cannon
*** I like that with so many Land Speeder Storms, I can try to get Blind up before charging in..and that'd be huge. The army has a ton of Krak and Frag grenades...they can get stuff done.
Going to 1850 would be easy - Predator with Twin-linked Lascannons and Lascannon sponsons. 2000 would be nice, because the foundation feels solid. At 2000 I'd toss in a Scout Biker fast attack unit and downgrade the Predator to lose the Sponsons. Taking away points could be easy-ish. I could actually take away a Land Speeder Storms Assault Cannon and downgrade it to the Heavy Flamer, that'd give me 75 points to take a Bastion. Crap. I think that would be a better 1750 than my current army...but...better days ahead after the tournament.
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