First Strikes: The Dark Angels Battleforce

OK - since I plan on using a great number of Bikes and Attack Bikes, it only makes good sense to invest in the Dark Angles Battle Force. But before I go there, let me digress a bit...

As I began looking towards this army, I did my research a little backwards... I went out through various other websites with army lists and made an effort to find an army list (and thus army) that matched what I wanted:

1. Marines
2. Fast
3. Lots of Bikes
4. Semi-Competitive

And from there that lead me to the Ravenwing. That all said - I was lost. Confused. I had no idea how I could do things looking at the model, such as add on flamers and plasma guns. Keep in mind I've never played any sort of Marine before, so my confusion was enhanced.

So I went to a few other Marine players I know, and their advice all centered around the same confusion I had: that the twin-linked bolter on the front of the bike was where the upgrades went. Finally, as I was speaking to an... acquaintance he began steering me away from Dark Angels and towards Codex Marines. It was there I got my answer and saw that the upgrade weapon was indeed equipped on the Marine, not the bike.

Moving on, the Dark Angles box set is surprisingly incomplete. Do not misunderstand - the models are complete, including the gorgeous upgrade sprues. But I thus far have not been able to find the bolt pistols, much less the weapons upgrades for the Bike Sergant or Bikers. Granted I've not looked the hardest, but it is an issue.

OK. Now onto modeling the bike and lessons learned:

First, assemble and paint things separately as much as you can. In my mind this should be the order:

1. Assemble and paint the wheels.
2. Prime the main body. This is the two halves and the undercarriage (where the foot pedals are).
   
3. Assemble the two halves of the main body of the bike. Roll the bike around while the glue sets to ensure you wheels spin after the glue dries :D
4. Add the undercarriage (foot pedals bit)
5. Paint the bike
6. Prime the front armor plate and the twin-lined bolters
   
7. Paint the bike and the front armor plate.
8. Glue the front armor plate and guns to the bike.
9. Prime and assemble the rider
10. Glue the bike to the base*

*Or magnetize it to the base, so when you're not playing you can zoom it around like a really expensive Hot Wheel :-D

My only other thought concerns the autocannon v. meltagun options on the landspeeder and attack bike: Looks like these things just snap on, making it very easy to change options as I want.