Attack Bike

The Attack Bike, also known as the Space Marine Attack Bike is a variant of the standard Assault Bike used by the Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes. The Attack Bike is the most common variant of the Assault Bike and has been used by the Space Marines since the early years of the Great Crusade. The Attack Bike and Assault Bike were used by both sides of the Imperial Civil War known as the Horus Heresy. Over the many years after the Horus Heresy the usage of the Attack Bike by the Traitor Forces, now led by Abaddon the Despoiler, although they still make use of the regular Assault Bike. The Attack Bike differs from the standard Assault Bike in that it adds a sidecar to the left-side of the vehicle, this side car is equipped with a heavy weapon such as a Heavy Bolter. Another Space Marine rides in the sidecar to control the heavy weapon. The Attack Bike is used as heavy, yet mobile fire-support for Space Marine Bike squads and infantry squads. The power and speed of the Attack Bike is so potent that there are many Space Marine Chapters that field entire squads of Attack Bikes in place of Assault Bikes.

History
The Attack Bike, along with its Assault Bike variant, have been used by the Adeptus Astartes since the dawn of the Imperium. The Space Marine Legions that fought during the Great Crusade maintained deployed entire companies of Attack and Assault Bikes to use for lightning fast attacks on their enemies. These vehicles were deployed during the Horus Heresy by both Loyalist and Traitor Legions alike. During the Heresy many Bike Squads were used by the Traitor Legions to hunt down Loyalist survivors of the virus-bombing of Istvaan III, and the Drop Site Massacre on Istvaan V. During the Siege of the Imperial Palace on Terra, at the climax of the Heresy, the White Scars Legion and their expert use of Assault and Attack Bikes helped keep the Traitor Legions away from the walls of the Imperial Palace, and after the walls were breached they were successful in capturing the Lion's Gate Starport and denied the Traitors many of their reinforcements. After the death of the Arch-Traitor Horus, the Traitor Legions made a hasty retreat from Terra into the Eye of Terror, all the while being harried from world to world by White Scars Bike Squads.

Armament
The standard Attack Bike used by the Adeptus Astartes and sometimes by the Chaos Space Marines is armed with twin-linked Bolters that are attached to the Bike's forward armour cowling, fixed to fire in the direction of travel. The sheer amount of Bolter shells that can be brought to bear at whatever target that might stand in the way is often enough to make the enemy break and run before a Bike has even reached them. The Attack Bike mounts a heavy weapon on the the vehicle's sidecar to be used by a passenger, this weapon can be either a Heavy Bolter or a Multi-Melta. While the Attack Bike itself is only lightly armed and armoured by most Adeptus Astartes vehicle standards, the vehicle's real firepower comes from its riders, who are always equipped with Frag Grenades, and can also employ Krak Grenades. The riders are usually also equipped with a Bolt Pistol and a Chainsword, and can optionally make use of Flamers, Meltaguns, and Plasma Guns. Bike Squad Sergeants, and sometimes regular Battle-Brothers from very well-equipped Chapters may also possess Plasma Pistols,Power Swords, Powerfists, Combi-Weapons, and Melta Bombs.

Notable Users of the Attack Bike
The Assault Bike has been in use by the Adeptus Astartes since the Great Crusade, and the Traitor Legions took theirs with them after the Horus Heresy. In the 41st Millennium most, if not all, Space Marine Chapters make use of the Assault Bike in some fashion or another. Below are some of the more notable users of the Assault Bike:
 * White Scars - The White Scars Space Marine Chapter make the most widespread use of Space Marine Bikes of all variants. The White Scars' homeworld of Chorgoris is comprised of large, wind-swept steppes and grasslands. The Astartes of the Chapter who are recruited from Chorgoris are taken from the savage horse riders of the steppes, and thus the entire Chapter is already adept at mounted warfare. The White Scars deploy Assault and Attack Bikes during nearly all of their campaigns.
 * Dark Angels - The Dark Angels Space Marine Chapter make heavy use of Attack Bikes in their 2nd Company, the Ravenwing. The Ravenwing is a highly specialised unit that is intended to make use of mobility and speed to defeat the enemy rather than heavy firepower. The Ravenwing is made up of Attack and Assault Bikes, along with Land Speeders.
 * Space Wolves - The Space Wolves Space Marine Chapter gives the use of Bikes over to their Blood Claws Neophytes. These Blood Claws, known as Swift Claws, make use of Attack and Assault Bikes in lightning fast hit-and-run attacks. Since Blood Claws are considered very headstrong, the use of an Attack Bike allows them to give vent to their need for wild, head-on assaults at breakneck speed.
 * Ultramarines - The Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter makes use of Assault and Attack Bikes for the purposes and in the manner dictated by the Codex Astartes.
 * Black Templars
 * Salamanders
 * Raven Guard
 * Emperor's Children
 * World Eaters
 * Word Bearers
 * Death Guard

Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications
Technical specifications for this vehicle have not been released by the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Also See

 * Imperial Vehicles

Gallery
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