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Ultramarines Razorback with a lascannon turret.⁵

Razorback with twin-linked heavy bolters.⁵

Overview

The Razorback is a tracked, armoured vehicle used by Space Marine Chapters. Its design is based on the Rhino chassis and as such is quite easy to manufacture, sharing many of its design features. It is sometimes favoured over the Rhino because of its superior firepower, although this comes at the cost of transport space. Because the rediscovery of the design occurred after the Horus Heresy, the Traitor Legions do not field Razorbacks.

History

A variant of the Predator Battle Tank designed to carry troops is believed to be the first precursor to the modern Razorback.⁴ However, the STC template for the Razorback was first rediscovered in M36 by Chief Artisan Tilvius while he was exploring the Southern Rim of the galaxy.⁴ When he returned to Mars, the Adeptus Mechanicus recognized it from earlier records and commenced work on its production. Within two hundred years the first Razorbacks were field-tested and began seeing service to the Adeptus Astartes soon after.⁴

Tactical Use

Some Chapter Masters are wary of using the Razorback, partly because it is a relatively "recent" machine at only 4,000 years old.⁷ They also believe it fails both as a troop transport and a battle tank, lacking the transport capacity or firepower and armour of dedicated machines.⁴ Others see it as filling a gap between the two, able to provide heavy fire support for squads assaulting the enemy, freely mixing Rhinos and Razorbacks together. Further uses include providing escort for armoured attacks and heavy reconnaissance in coordination with bike-mounted troops.⁴

Design Features

Armament

The standard armament of a Razorback consists of a twin-linked heavy bolter mounted in a turret atop the vehicle. The turret is normally remote-controlled, using a targeting logis-engine similar to that found in Land Raiders.⁴ Some Razorbacks lack this system, however, and so a second crewman is add to man the weapon, protected from enemy fire by a gun shield.⁴

The heavy bolter can be replaced with a twin-linked heavy flamer, a twin-linked assault cannon, a twin-linked lascannon or a combination of a lascannon and a twin-linked plasma gun.

Equipment

Standard equipment includes Smoke Launchers and a searchlight. The Razorback can be further upgraded with Dozer Blades, a pintle-mounted storm bolter, a hunter-killer missile, and extra armour.

Transport Capacity

The capacity of the Razorback is reduced compared to the Rhino, and can carry up to 6 Space Marines in Power Armour, though not in Terminator Armour. The Razorback has the same access points found on the Rhino, however it lacks any fire points due to its turret-mounted weapon.

A Space Wolves Razorback.⁶

Technical Information

Technical Specifications

Vehicle Name:	Razorback4	Main Armament:	Twin-linked Heavy Bolters/Lascannons/Multi-Melta
Forge World of Origin:	Mars	Secondary Armament:	N/A
Known Patterns:	II-XVII	Traverse:	260 degrees
Crew:	Driver	Elevation:	From -5 to 45 degrees
Powerplant:	Quad MkII Adaptable Thermic Combustor Reactor	Main Ammunition:	1600 rounds
Weight:	31.5 tonnes	Secondary Ammunition:	N/A
Length:	6.6m	Armour
Width:	4.5m
Height:	5.0m with turret	Superstructure:	60mm
Ground Clearance:	0.44m	Hull:	60mm
Max Speed - on road	70kph	Gun Mantlet	N/A
Max Speed - off road:	55kph	Vehicle Designation:	0120-766-0742-RH984
Tranport Capacity:	6	Firing Ports:	n/a
Access Points:	3	Turret:	50mm

Related Articles

• Space Marine Vehicles (List)

Sources

• ¹Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition)
• ²Chapter Approved 2001
• ³White Dwarf 174 (UK), Razorback
• ⁴Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, p. 49, 50
• ⁵GW Website Razorback
• ⁶Space Wolves Armoured Fury
• ⁷Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), p. 77