Welcome to Lexicanum! Log in and join the community.

Rhino

From Lexicanum

Jump to: navigation, search
Dark Angels MkIIc Rhino APC in action
Dark Angels MkIIc Rhino APC in action

Contents

Overview

The Rhino is the basic transport of the Space Marines, Sisters of Battle, and Chaos Space Marines. It is also used by the Inquisition, Adeptus Custodes, and Adeptus Arbites. It is a flexible design which has been modified in various ways by different armies, primarily through the re-discovery of new STC systems. Popular variants are the Predator, Whirlwind and Immolator.

History

Origins

The Rhino has been in service for well over 10,000 years, the first evidence of its use in the earliest days of the Age of Exploration. Originally, they were named "Rh1 NO Tracked Exploration and Multi-Defence vehicles" - commonly referred to as Rhinos. It was used to explore newly colonised worlds prior to mass expansion, making sure there weren't any alien races waiting in ambush.

At its most basic level it is an armoured carrier with large tracks designed to cope with any terrain and protect those inside. It is such a basic design that it can be constructed from almost any material and run on any semi-combustible material. As such, the basic design has changed little throughout the years.

Military Employment

Ultramarines Rhino MkIIc
Ultramarines Rhino MkIIc

The military value of such a vehicle was discovered, and soon each planet in the small human empire had its own customised versions of the Rhino, fitted with varying weapons.

The earliest evidence of the Rhino in combat is at Torben's World against the indigenous alien population. Three hundred rhinos were deployed to the largest alien city. The speed of the assault meant they had no idea of the coming of the humans and had not prepared any defences. The Rhinos poured their firepower into the flimsy structures and then deployed nearly three thousand warriors. The city was destroyed and the other alien homes removed and the colonisation proceeded easily. The news of this victory spread and the use of the Rhino was adopted more and more by other planets.

As the empire expanded, more aliens were encountered, and the STC system gave a forward army access to advanced vehicles such as the Predator, Immolator and Whirlwind. Unfortunately, during the Age of Strife, the STC systems were lost, and all the planets of the empire were affected.

The Rhino in the 41st Millennium

The ability to construct Rhinos was temporarily lost, leading to many Rhinos becoming holy relics, thousands of years old. Eventually, enough scattered pieces of STC technology were found, re-enabling new vehicles to be constructed. One of these is the Immolator tank variant used by the Sisters of Battle.

Now, only the Adeptus Mechanicus knows how to build a Rhino as the needed knowledge has faded from common memory. Each Rhino is purified and blessed, each piece appeased before being put in place. Should a Rhino be lost in battle, it will be salvaged and repaired, being sent back out into the field to give the machine spirit a chance for retribution against its enemies.


Rhino Types
Rhino MkI
Rhino MkI
Rhino MkIIc
Rhino MkIIc

Technical Information

Adeptus Custodes Rhino MkIIc, interior detail
Adeptus Custodes Rhino MkIIc, interior detail

Armament

The Rhino is armed with a Storm Bolter and, unlike many other Imperial vehicles, does not have a rotatable turret mounting. It can also carry a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter.

Armour

The armour on a Rhino is quite weak, but this reduces its weight and allows it to travel quickly across the battlefield. Its rear armour is almost the same as its front and side, meaning any shots hitting from any angle have a good chance of penetrating. The armour is 30-60mm thick.

Equipment

The Rhino can be upgraded with Dozer Blades, Extra Armour, a Hunter-killer Missile, the Power of the Machine Spirit, a Searchlight and Smoke Launchers.

Further Information

Transport Capacity

The capacity of a Rhino is 10 Power Armoured warriors, although it is not equipped to handle Terminator Armour.

Fire Points

The Rhino mounts a large top hatch which allow two warriors to fire from it.

Access Points

There are three entrances to a Rhino, two side hatches and one rear ramp, making it very hard to lock warriors inside the vehicle while it is destroyed.

Other

Often, the crew can make minor repairs to the vehicle as damage occurs due to the resilience of the Rhino's design. This sometimes means an immobilised vehicle can move again

Ultramarines MkI Rhino APC
Ultramarines MkI Rhino APC


  • Worlds of Production: almost every industrialised world in the Imperium
  • Models: I-VI
  • Weight:30 tonnes unladen
  • Length: 6.6m
  • Height: 3.6m
  • Hull Width: 4.5m
  • Ground Clearance: 0.44m
  • Max. Speed (road): 70kph
  • Max. Speed (off-road): 55kph
  • Armour: 30-60mm
  • Crew: 1 (driver)

Rhino Variants

Space Marine

Adepta Sororitas

Named Vehicles

Images

Sources


Space Marine Vehicles
Rhino Chassis RhinoDamocles Command RhinoRazorbackVindicatorWhirlwindWhirlwind HyperiosPredator AnnihilatorPredator DestructorBaal Predator
Land Raider Chassis Land RaiderLand Raider CrusaderLand Raider HeliosLand Raider PrometheusLand Raider Spartan
Dreadnought Chassis DreadnoughtFurioso DreadnoughtMortis DreadnoughtVenerable DreadnoughtGrey Knights Dreadnought
Land Speeder Chassis Land SpeederLand Speeder TornadoLand Speeder TyphoonLand Speeder Tempest

Personal tools
In other languages