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Chimera

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Targetdrone.gif This article is about the tank. For other uses of Chimera, see Chimera (disambiguation).
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A Chimera moving across the battlefield[2a]

The Chimera is the primary armoured infantry transport for the Imperial Guard. Highly durable and practical it has been used as a chassis for many other vehicles and has been in service for many thousands of years, typifying the fast moving warfare favoured by the Imperial Guard.[1][2a]


Battlefield Role

The primary duty of the Chimera is to accompany tanks into battle and provide protection for the Guardsmen within so that they may support the tanks. Standard doctrine states that after the Chimera reaches its objective it lays down covering fire with its heavy weapons while the squad within disembarks and advances. The Chimera then falls back to a firing position from which it can still support the infantry and await orders to race forward and collect the squad again to reposition them.[3b] When operating as part of an armoured advanced the Chimera often operate ahead of or on the flanks, as well as side-by-side with the Leman Russ Battle Tanks, providing additional weight to the tanks' massed firepower.[1] Besides the added mobility, firepower and protection, Chimeras allow infantry to take extra gear, including med-kits, vox equipment and more ammunition, making them far more efficient than their foot-slogging infantry.[3b] The Chimera is less useful though when forced to fight in urban settings or as part of static defenses.[1]

The Chimera can fulfill additional roles and many basic variants of the standard vehicle exist. With their communication equipment and scanners Chimeras are suitable command vehicles, while those with Dozer Blades can clear terrain for heavier vehicles to move through or provide nighttime illumination from their Searchlights.[2a] While generally armed with a Multi-laser and Heavy Bolter, those fitted with a Heavy Flamer are popular when fighting in dense terrain such as jungles and forests; usually one in three Chimeras will be outfitted as a flame tank if other infantry close support vehicles, such as Demolishers, Thunderers and Hellhounds, are unavailable. Those equipped with Autocannons also fulfill the light anti-vehicle role, while Gryphonne IV makes a unique Chimera variant mounting twin-linked Heavy Bolters, particularly effective against dense infantry formations such as Ork mobs and Tyranid swarms.[3b] The Chimera's chassis has also been employed to serve as a base platform for many specialised variants, including fuel tankers, ambulances, munitions carriers and even battlefield construction vehicles with bulldozers and cranes.[1]

Chimeras have also been used by the Inquisition to transport Inquisitors and their stormtroopers,[4] Purity Seals affixed to the hulls to protect the vehicles' machine spirit and its passengers from daemonic possession.[1]

Technical Information

The Chimera is a rugged and dependable machine able to operate in the most hostile environments,[2a] like toxic conditions,[23] thanks to onboard oxygen tanks[3b] and its air- and watertight hull.[23] It is also amphibious, able to traverse dense swamps and marshes, even rivers, in order to outflank the enemy.[2a]

Wheeled Chimeras[15]

A driver and gunner sit forward in the hull, operating the hull-mounted Heavy Bolter, while the commander sits in the turret and operates the turret-mounted Multi-laser[3b] of the XC 85/2 pattern, featuring a replaceable barrel, a charge readout and a flash suppressor and incorporating Mk 8 Martian pattern triple oscillating capacitors allowing for 9.875 second bursts after a 14.8 seconds recharge cycle.[19a]

The hull-mounted bolter can be switched out for a Heavy Flamer, while the turret can instead be fitted with a Heavy Flamer, Heavy Bolter,[2b] 30mm[21] Autocannon or twin-linked Heavy Bolters.[3b] At least one Chimera has also been armed with a turreted Lascannon.[22]

In the rear of the vehicle is the troop compartment with room for twelve Guardsmen and their equipment with entry and exit provided by a back access ramp. The compartment also has mountings for six lasguns along either either flank of the vehicle, allowing the infantry within to fight from the Chimera's protective bulk, while the top hatch allows one of the embarked troopers to fire a heavy weapon, though this makes the vehicle more vulnerable to enemy fire.[2a][3b] The lasguns are of the XC 49/4 pattern, featuring flash suppressors and optical sights. They use the Mk9 Rechargeable power packs with external solar convertors.[19a]

In addition the Chimera comes standard with a Searchlight and Smoke Launchers, while other common modifications include Camo Netting, a Dozer Blade, Extra Armour,[2b] 200 blocks of explosive reactive armour,[19b] a Hunter-Killer Missile and/or a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber/Storm Bolter[2b] on an anti-aircraft mount.[19a]

The Chimera uses the ultra-reliable A-50 gas turbine originally installed in the A-50 Armoured Transport. Predating the Chimera by several hundred years the gas turbine is old even by the standards of the Imperium. It has been declared sacrosanct by the Adeptus Mechanicus and its replacement is forbidden.[18] Nevertheless, other Chimeras use Vulcanor Pattern XVI Twin coupled rotary bio-gas power units.[19b] It can even be adapted to use a wide variety of power plants, ranging from sub-nuclear stacks to wood-burning steam turbines.[1] The Chimera's communication unit uses both an open band RF and an encrypted orbital uplink.[19a]

Vehicle Name: Chimera[3c] Main Armament: 2 x Heavy Bolter
Forge World of Origin: Gryphonne IV Secondary Armament: Heavy Bolter or Heavy Flamer
Known Patterns: II-XI Traverse: 360°
Crew: Commander, Gunner, Driver Elevation: From -8° to +25°
Powerplant: Vulcanor 16 Twin Coupled Multi-Burn Main Ammunition: 1000 Rounds
Weight: 38 tonnes Secondary Ammunition: 400 Rounds or 10 Shots
Length: 6.90m
Width: 5.70m Armour
Height: 3.72m
Ground Clearance: 0.45m Superstructure: 150mm
Fording Depth: Hull: 100mm
Max Speed - on road 70kph Gun Mantlet N/A
Max Speed - off road: 55kph Vehicle Designation: 0427-941-3062-CH124
Transport Capacity: 12 Firing Ports: 6 (3 left, 3 right)
Access Points: 1 Rear Turret: 150mm


Vehicle Name: Chimera[3d] Main Armament: Heavy Flamer
Forge World of Origin: Gryphonne IV Secondary Armament: Heavy Bolter or Heavy Flamer
Known Patterns: III-IX Traverse: 360°
Crew: Commander, Gunner, Driver Elevation: From -8° to 25°
Powerplant: Vulcanor 16 Twin Coupled Multi-Burn Main Ammunition: 20 Shots
Weight: 38 tonnes Secondary Ammunition: 400 Rounds or 10 Shots
Length: 6.90m
Width: 5.70m Armour
Height: 3.72m
Ground Clearance: 0.45m Superstructure: 150mm
Fording Depth: Hull: 100mm
Max Speed - on road 70kph Gun Mantlet N/A
Max Speed - off road: 55kph Vehicle Designation: 0427-941-3004-CH080
Transport Capacity: 12 Firing Ports: 6 (3 left, 3 right)
Access Points: 1 Rear Turret: 150mm


Forge World Variations

Vehicle Variants

A Chimera in the service of Inquisitorial Stormtroopers.[4]

Chimera variants:

  • APDS-6a Defender — A variant produced on Armageddon as a stopgap for the planet's PDF in the wake of the Ork invasion.[3a]
  • Chimerro
  • Chimerax
  • Chimedon
  • Samaritan[6]
  • Storm Chimera — A configuration issued to specalised units of the Death Korps of Krieg for frontline assaults. Modified with additional extensive abalitive armour and primarily armed with an Autocannon.[10][20]
  • Command Chimera - A variation of the Chimera used by guard officers to transport themselves and their command squads. They feature extensive vox array's and sensors such as auspex to assist in gathering battlefield information and coordinating troops. These vehicles can often be distinguished by the numerous aerials and dishes attached to the APC's rear.[12][13]
  • Hippogriff - An Auspex reconnaissance tank, that has armaments similar to a Manticore.[16]
  • Wheeled Chimera - A lesser known variant of the Chimera, which replaces the vehicle's tracks with six large tires. These are covered by mud guards attached to the Wheeled Chimera's hull and the guards' metal barred tops can be used to carry equipment.[14]

Other vehicles based upon the Chimera chassis:

Regiments known to contain Chimeras

Images

Sources


Imperial Guard Vehicles and Artillery
Armored Vehicles Chimera (Chimerax • Chimedon • Chimerro • Defender) • Hellhound • Bane Wolf • Devil Dog • Taurox • Taurox Prime • Tauros • NT-20 • SC-3 • YT-9 • Shedu • Sentinel • Salamander Scout • Pegasus AAV • Salamander Command • Pegasus • Pegasus Command
Tanks Leman Russ (Annihilator • Assault • Conqueror • Eradicator • Executioner • Exterminator • Punisher • Siege • Vanquisher) • Siegfried • Scylla • SteG-4 • Destroyer • Thunderer • Behemoth Primal
Heavy Vehicles Rogal Dorn • Crassus • Gorgon • Macharius (Vanquisher • Vulcan • Omega) • Malcador (Annihilator • Defender • Infernus • Vanquisher) • Ragnarok • Valdor • King Russ
Super-Heavy Vehicles Baneblade (Stormsabre) • Banehammer • Banesword • Doomhammer • Hellhammer • Shadowsword • Stormblade • Stormhammer • Stormlord • Stormsword • Capitol Imperialis • Leviathan
Self-Propelled Artillery Basilisk • Medusa • Colossus • Dominus • Wyvern • Manticore • Praetor • Hydra • Minotaur • Griffon • Earthwrecker
Field Artillery Bombast • Heavy Lascannon • Thudd Gun • Siege Cannon • Earthshaker • Medusa • Heavy Mortar • Malleus • Multiple Rocket Launcher • Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun
Other Cyclops • Remote Mine • Robot Crawler • Centaur • Atlas • Trojan • Land Crawler • Hades • Termite • Mole • Hellbore • Samaritan • Soft Skinned Vehicle • Half-Track • Heracles • Jeep • Aquilus • Armoured Car • Vulpa • Cargo-6 • Cargo-8 • Cargo-12 • Cargo-20
Watercraft Triton • Swift boat • Poseidon • Orca • Sea skimmer • Inflatable assault lander • Landing craft
Rare/Relic Dracosan • Aurox • Carnodon • Leman Russ Incinerator • Malcador Vanquisher • Testudo • Excertus • Aethon • Hermes


Grey Knights Forces
Command Supreme Grand Master • Grand Master • Brother-Captain • Brotherhood Champion • Librarian • Techmarine • Chaplain • Apothecary • Ancient
Elites Paladin Squad • Purifier Squad • Justicars • Dreadnought • Venerable Dreadnought
Troops Terminator Squad • Strike Squad • Interceptor Squad • Purgation Squad
Vehicles Rhino • Razorback • Land Raider • Land Raider Crusader • Land Raider Redeemer • Nemesis Dreadknight
Aircraft Stormraven • Stormtalon • Stormhawk • Thunderhawk
Characters Kaldor Draigo • Castellan Crowe • Aldrik Voldus • Arvann Stern

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