Overview
The Rhino is the basic transport for the Space Marines, Adepta Sororitas and Chaos Space Marines and 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 discovery of new STC systems. Some of these 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 "RHINO Tracked Exploration and Multi Defence vehicles" - commonly referred to as Rhino. 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-combustable material. As such, the basic design has changed little throughout the years.
Military Employment
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 population of xenos. Three hundred rhinos were deployed to the largest xenos 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 xenos 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 xenos 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 lost, leading to many Rhinos becoming holy relics, thousands of years old. Eventually, scattered pieces of STC technology were found, enabling new vehicles to be constructed. One of these was the Immolator tank used now by the Adepta Sororitas.
Now, only the Adeptus Mechanicus know how to build a Rhino as the 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.
Technical Information
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
- 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)