Chimeras

[Eisenhorn31388]

From what I am reading in the codex, there is no force org slot for a chimera. However, does this mean that I NEED to buy it as a dedicated transport or can I buy them empty for target saturation or for allied marines? I believe the chimera to be superior to the rhino and razorback.

[librisrouge]

They're only dedicated for IG sadly. Everybody wants our ride :)

[hendrik]

And henchmen units,which come at 12 pts minimum tax

[Bonzi]

From what I am reading in the codex, there is no force org slot for a chimera. However, does this mean that I NEED to buy it as a dedicated transport or can I buy them empty for target saturation or for allied marines? I believe the chimera to be superior to the rhino and razorback.

 

Your best way to get a few Chimeras is to take them from the Inquisitor Codex.  You will need to unlock them by buying three man acolyte squads which will cost you 12pts for the unit.  You will not be able to start the game with the SM mounted in the Chimera as they are dedicated transports for the acolytes, but you will be able to embark on turn one and go to town.  Keep in mind Chimeras are BS 3 and the strongest gun they can mount is a St 6 multilaser or a pair of St 6 heavy bolters if you pay for the psybolt upgrade.

 

Chimeras are pill boxes of doom, but they don't advance as well as Rhinos/Razorbacks if their flanks are exposed (AV 10 vs AV 11).

[WarriorFish]

Yes, only as part of a squad. As said the cheapest way to get one is is via the Inquisition.

 

However as Bonzi said the Chimera is a great tank but less so for Marines. Your strength as a Marine army is the Marines themselves, and the Rhino is arguably better at getting them around and where they need to be. It's better at trundling up the field and is much cheaper too with more access points; putting Marines where you need them is how you win games. The Chimera would provide some good supporting fire so if you want to add them to your force I'd look at adding a more sizeable Inquisition element and having them providing Chimera fire support to your Marines :)

[march10k]

Using chimeras to transport marines is daft.  First, with power armor, they're in far less need of protection than the average bear, and a running  marine is only a couple of inches per turn slower than a transport.  On the other hand, an "out-flatting" chimera is paying for, but not using, two heavy weapons AND exposing AV10 flanks.  

 

I use my nine chimeras for two purposes.  Either they sit and fire three heavy weapons (one from the hatch) from behind AV12 in my DZ, or they're EMPTY (with the associated squad wearing chamelioline cloaks in a suitable ruin), in which case they flat-out into scoring position (linebreaker, an OBJ if playing maelstrom, etc), orient AV12 towards the enemy, and THEN lay down supporting fire.  With them scattered around the board like that with nothing inside, they're a real pain in the opponent's rear end...he has to kill them or eat 6 heavy shots a turn while conceding an objective, but the effort to kill a cheap-tastic AV12 vehicle that costs next to nothing is aggravating, not to mention keeping him from directing that fire at something else.  I almost never use them to  actually transport troops around the board...they're super-scoring as it is, the troops can only snap-shot from the hatch if moving 12", (or, in the case of heavy weapons, if moving at all!), and they become far more attractive targets when you nest a second super-scorer inside of them.