{{ambig|subject=tank|disambiguation=Chimera}}

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.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|2a}}

==Battlefield Role==

[[File:IG5EChimeraArmouredTransport.jpg|200px|right|thumb|300px|A '''Chimera''' moving across the battlefield{{Fn|2a}}]]

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 [[Imperial Guard Squad|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.{{Fn|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 Tank]]s, providing additional weight to the tanks' massed firepower.{{Fn|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.{{Fn|3b}} The Chimera is less useful though when forced to fight in urban settings or as part of static defences.{{Fn|1}}

The Chimera can fulfil additional roles and many basic variants of the standard vehicle exist. With their communication equipment and [[scanner]]s Chimeras are suitable command vehicles, while those with [[Dozer Blades]] can clear terrain for heavier vehicles to move through or provide night-time illumination from their [[Searchlight]]s.{{Fn|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 [[Leman Russ Demolisher|Demolishers]], [[Thunderer]]s and [[Hellhound]]s, are unavailable. Those equipped with [[Autocannon]]s also fulfil 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.{{Fn|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.{{Fn|1}}

==Vehicle Variants==

Chimera variants:

*[[APDS-6a Defender]] – A variant produced on [[Armageddon]] as a stopgap for the planet's [[PDF]] in the wake of the [[Ork]] [[Armageddon Wars|invasion]].{{Fn|3a}}

*[[Chimerro]]

*[[Chimerax]]

*[[Samaritan]]{{Fn|6}}

*'''Storm Chimera''' – A configuration issued to specialised units of the [[Death Korps of Krieg]] for frontline assaults. Modified with additional extensive ablative armour and primarily armed with an [[Autocannon]].{{Fn|10}}{{Fn|20}}

*[[Pegasus AAV]]

*[[Pegasus Command]]

==Regiments known to contain Chimeras==

*[[Valhallan 597th|Valhallan 597th Infantry Regiment]]{{Fn|17}}

*[[Valhallan 193rd Armoured Regiment]] – [[Achernar Prime]], [[Tymari Glacier Offensive]]

==Images==

EpicChimera.jpg|[[Epic]]-scale Chimera

Chimintdet1.jpg|Chimera model interior

</gallery>

*{{Endn|5}}: [[Imperial Armour Volume Three - The Taros Campaign]], pg. 257

*{{Endn|6}}: [http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1070162 Games Workshop]

*{{Endn|8}}: [[Codex: Armageddon (3rd Edition)]], pg. 13

*{{Endn|10}}: [[Imperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus]], pg. 193

*{{Endn|11}}: [[The Eye of Medusa (Novel)]], Chapter 3

**{{Endn|19a}}: pg. 64

**{{Endn|19b}}: pg. 65

*{{Endn|21}}: [[Gunheads (Novel)]] — [[Hammer of the Emperor (Omnibus)]], Chapter Five

*{{Endn|22}}: [[Scourge the Heretic (Novel)]], Chapter Three

*{{Endn|23}}: [[Dark Heresy Apocrypha: Vehicles & Riding Beasts]], pg. 14

{{IGVehicles}}

{{GKUnits}}

[[Category:Vehicles (Adeptus Mechanicus)]]

[[Category:Vehicles (Astra Militarum)]]