Warhammer 40K: This Week’s Meta Hotness – Primaris Chaplain On Bike

Eat, Pray, Ride, the Primaris Chaplain on Bike is smiting the opposition.

In the ever-shifting meta of 40K armies rise and fall. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about armies that are hot or not and a lot less time looking at units that are running the show. That changes today as we’re taking a look at one of the hottest units currently around the tabletop: the Primaris Chaplain on Bike!

The Unit

The Primaris Chaplain on Bike is a Space Marine HQ choice. These elite warriors and leaders are the spiritual leaders of the chapters and help with indoctrination of new recruits. On the battlefield, they inspire their brothers to do great deeds and punish heretics. This bike-mounted version is a fast melee-focused unit, that doubles support unit with its powerful buffs.

Why They Are Good

The Primaris Chaplain on Bike comes with a super solid statline. At T5 with 7 wounds and a 3+/4++ save they are one of the tankier characters in the army and can shrug off a lot of damage. Unlike many other tanky units however they aren’t slow, instead boasting high-speed movement that lets them get where they need to be. Offensively they put out a decent amount of D2 melee damage and have just enough ranged shooting to do a wound here or there, though it isn’t much to write home about. This combination of speed, durability and damage output, makes them a great bully unit. They can speed around on their own and clear out weak backfield enemy units to grab objectives, and hold off stronger enemies until help arrives.

The fun doesn’t stop at stats, however. Chaplains also have a dual purpose as a buff machine. Their access to Litanies of Battle allows them to drop powerful buffs on either themselves or other units. With options ranging from potentially game-changing auras to powerful combat buffs for themselves, they can be customized to either act in a support role for a fast-moving part of your army, or double down on their lone wolf bully potential. On top of all that you’ve got some powerful upgrade options for them in various Marine armies. Overall this is a highly point efficient unit, that combines direct combat potential with widespread buffs.

A Sample List

Saying a unit is hot is all well and good but let’s take a look at how players are using it. A lot of Marine lists have been running Primaris Chaplain on Bikes and have done well at recent events recently. One list that shows off the use of Primaris Chaplain on Bike is Junior Aflleje’s list he ran to take 1st place at the recent Hammer of Wrath GT.  (via 40kstats.com)​

Using the Unit

Aflleje’s list makes use of a single Primaris Chaplain on Bike, but is an integral part of the army. This guy has been given all the tools needed to shine. As a Blood Angel, his natural close combat abilities have already been buffed, with bonuses to wound and extra attacks. Equipped with Benediction of Fury relic and the Mantra of Strength, this guy can turn into a combat beast. Rolling up with 7 attacks at S7, Ap-3 and D4, with a +1 to wound and the potential for re-rolls, and mortal wounds, he can take down or cripple most targets. This is a heat-seeking rocket you shoot off to do damage. Upgraded with the Master of Sanctity he also plays a role buffing friendly units with either re-rolls or bonuses to shooting. A huge block of Sanguinary Guard, and a Bike Captain, means a lager portion of the army can keep up with him and get re-roll buffs, or he can throw extra ranged buffs on a number of powerful units. For a mere 140 pts he hits well above his cost.

Let us know what units you think are hot right now, down in the comments! 

Author: Abe Apfel

Abe is that rare thing, an Austin local born and raised here. Though he keeps on moving around, DC, Japan, ETC., he always seems to find his way back eventually. Abe has decades of experience with a wide range of tabletop and RPG games, from historicals, to Star Wars to D&D and 40K. He has been contributing to BOLS since almost the start, back when he worked at and then owned a local gaming store. He used to be big into the competitive Warhammer tournament scene but age has mellowed him and he now appreciates a good casual match. He currently covers 40K tactics and lore, as well as all things Star Wars, with occasional dabbling in other topics. Abe remains in mourning over the loss of WFB to this day.