Rhinos in the new Codex

[L30n1d4s]

I am pretty excited, now that it looks like Tacticus units can finally ride in Rhinos. I am also hopeful that they will give Rhinos a useful Special Rule (i.e. I would love it if they got the old Razorback Rule, allowing rerolls to Wound against a target "marked" by a Rhino they just disembarked from).

 

How do other Chapter Masters out there plan to use Rhinos in 11th, after the Codex drops? I am thinking of using it to transport an Infernus squad (who are likely getting a glow up for their Flamers anyway)... having a transport that can carry/protect a max squad of 10 at a reasonable points cost (unlike a Repulsor or Land Raider) and that actually has some value after it drops the squad off (i.e. unlike Drop Pods, which can't move, can't score, can't do actions, etc.) sounds pretty great!

Edited September 13 by L30n1d4s

[Tacitus]

2 hours ago, L30n1d4s said:

I am pretty excited, now that it looks like Tacticus units can finally ride in Rhinos. I am also hopeful that they will give Rhinos a useful Special Rule (i.e. I would love it if they got the old Razorback Rule, allowing rerolls to Wound against a target "marked" by a Rhino they just disembarked from).

 

How do other Chapter Masters out there plan to use Rhinos in 11th, after the Codex drops? I am thinking of using it to transport an Infernus squad (who are likely getting a glow up for their Flamers anyway)... having a transport that can carry/protect a max squad of 10 at a reasonable points cost (unlike a Repulsor or Land Raider) and that actually has some value after it drops the squad off (i.e. unlike Drop Pods, which can't move, can't score, can't do actions, etc.) sounds pretty great!

If I'm putting Infernus marines in a transport its an Impulsor for the firing ports and the 5++ Shield Dome.  Run around like little arsonists.  If Rhinos don't have either a larger firing port (the top hatch) or a disembark and assault ramp rule its going to be pretty meh - I doubt they can make it cheaper enough than Drop Pods

[Lathe Biosas]

Schoolbusses for Scouts.

 

I doubt I will shove Azrael or my Inner Circle Companions in one, but I can see them being use to transport my skirmishers to action points.

[Tacitus]

1 hour ago, Lathe Biosas said:

Schoolbusses for Scouts.

 

I doubt I will shove Azrael or my Inner Circle Companions in one, but I can see them being use to transport my skirmishers to action points.

They have infiltrate and a Scout 6" move.  I keep coming back to two things - it either has to have a big firing point for shooters, or it has to have a wombo combo that more than offsets the problems with disembark/charge 

[Karhedron]

Moving big shoots squads like Hellblasters, Sternguard and Infernus marines up the board seems like a good start.

 

Impulsors have limited transport capacity and drop pods can be screened out so I can see a role for Rhinos as long as they are competitively priced.

[L30n1d4s]

Great point about screening out Drop Pods.

[Tacitus]

19 hours ago, Karhedron said:

Moving big shoots squads like Hellblasters, Sternguard and Infernus marines up the board seems like a good start.

 

Impulsors have limited transport capacity and drop pods can be screened out so I can see a role for Rhinos as long as they are competitively priced.

Most shooting units don't need a transport.  24" range plus 6" move + D6 Advance (assuming you can get assault, and its hard for Space Marines to NOT be able to get assault) When I see a 10+2 Transport like the Rhino I want to fill it with 10 Assault intercessors (or similar) and a couple characters for a Drive and Dump.  The Impulsor/Infernus wombo combo works because all 5 of the infernus and the attached character(s) can (sort of) still shoot, they actually "need" the added mobility and it doesn't cost them much to upgrade to the higher T and Shield Dome.  Hellblasters don't want to shoot from inside the Impulsor, and don't need the speed.  Lossing reroll all wounds on the Sternguard is also a high price to pay for speed they don't really need - I think people will stick with the Sternguard Pod Bomb if they do anything.   Desolators don't synergize GREAT with Impulsor Firing Points because the Launcher and the Missile are two guns per but doing the same buncha shooters out the firing point has some appeal if you really really want to use Desloators.  Gravis and Terminators can't ride.  In theory if you want shoot Reivers who can't deep strike maybe.  But that's not very optimal and pretty niche.  If you go look at the list of SM Datasheets there aren't that many power armored shooters to start with, and many of them have infiltrate, scout, assault or some combination of that and more.  The best and most interesting application for the Rhino - delivering "cheap" melee squads into charge range is intentionally made difficult by GW (so far) because they don't want too much drive and dump. 

 

Edit to Add:  To come at it from another direction, outside of a first turn drive and dump for shooters who again rarely need the extra 6".  If they embark they lose at least 1 turn of shooting.  And again this all assumes they keep the Firing Deck 2 that was designed around the Tac Squad with one special and one heavy. 

Edited September 14 by Tacitus

[L30n1d4s]

I think 10 Sternguard in a Rhino with Librarian the Enhancement that gives the unit Scout 6" could be quite interesting. Scout Rhino 6", then turn 1 move 12", disembark 3" for a total of 21"... from their, you can either use melta profile (guaranteed D3+4 dmg per shot when in melta range) against vehicles/monsters, the "plasma" profile against heavy infantry, or the bolter profile against hordes.... but of a "one shot missile," but still great if it takes out a key enemy unit turn 1 (i.e. Defiler, Tau Crisis Team, Ork Boyz hordes, etc etc)

Edited September 15 by L30n1d4s

[Tacitus]

On 9/15/2026 at 9:39 AM, L30n1d4s said:

I think 10 Sternguard in a Rhino with Librarian the Enhancement that gives the unit Scout 6" could be quite interesting. Scout Rhino 6", then turn 1 move 12", disembark 3" for a total of 21"... from their, you can either use melta profile (guaranteed D3+4 dmg per shot when in melta range) against vehicles/monsters, the "plasma" profile against heavy infantry, or the bolter profile against hordes.... but of a "one shot missile," but still great if it takes out a key enemy unit turn 1 (i.e. Defiler, Tau Crisis Team, Ork Boyz hordes, etc etc)

So a drop pod bomb with extra steps?

[L30n1d4s]

No, a drop pod bomb that can't  be zoned out, that has a unit which is not "dead points" once it disembarks it troops (i.e. can grab objectives, do actions, score secondaries, even reembark other squads) - also, the rhino can tie up units in melee, use  Crushing Impact strat, block LOS to a bunch of units, etc. ;)

Also, Drop Pod cant get them in melta range the turn it comes in.

[Tacitus]

20 hours ago, L30n1d4s said:

No, a drop pod bomb that can't  be zoned out, that has a unit which is not "dead points" once it disembarks it troops (i.e. can grab objectives, do actions, score secondaries, even reembark other squads) - also, the rhino can tie up units in melee, use  Crushing Impact strat, block LOS to a bunch of units, etc. ;)

Also, Drop Pod cant get them in melta range the turn it comes in.

It can be zoned out.  Just with a different footprint.

 

Also you said it yourself - its a drop pod bomb.  

Quote

a "one shot missile,"

 

 

 

That said I just started looking at the codex leak.  Assuming its accurate, you don't need Assault Ramps, There's now an Assault Disembark Move.  Transport moves but doesn't advance. Disembark 3" and apparently you can still charge.  Assuming its real.  So 10 Assault Intercessors plus a leader or two.  Pile Out.  Ginsu.  Don't need a Land Raider anymore for Assault Ramps.

 

[L30n1d4s]

Nope... look at the entries for Land Raiders, Drop Pods, and Impulsors. They specifically reference how they can use these rules (i.e. other transports, like Rhinos and Repulsors, cannot).

 

Many things can be a "one shot missile" without being a Drop Pod Bomb... Suboden Khan leading Outriders in a Stormspear Detachment and using Assault Doctrine can move 14", auto advance 6" (with strat), then charge 2D6+1", all while moving through terrain (he gives his unit "Mobile")... that is definitely an example of a one shot missile (if you are charging a unit in the heart of your opponent's DZ), but is quite different from a Drop Pod full of Marines coming in hot turn 1.

[Tacitus]

10 hours ago, L30n1d4s said:

Nope... look at the entries for Land Raiders, Drop Pods, and Impulsors. They specifically reference how they can use these rules (i.e. other transports, like Rhinos and Repulsors, cannot).

 

Many things can be a "one shot missile" without being a Drop Pod Bomb... Suboden Khan leading Outriders in a Stormspear Detachment and using Assault Doctrine can move 14", auto advance 6" (with strat), then charge 2D6+1", all while moving through terrain (he gives his unit "Mobile")... that is definitely an example of a one shot missile (if you are charging a unit in the heart of your opponent's DZ), but is quite different from a Drop Pod full of Marines coming in hot turn 1.

No it isn't.  That's an example of a fast moving melee unit.  They still move fast after they do their thing.  They won't have to give up a turn of use when/if they embark on a transport.  They're usually not sent on suicidal trade missions.  Its ok.  You admitted it was a Drop Pod Bomb with extra steps like I said. Everybody knows it.  Denying it now is foolish but I get it. 

[L30n1d4s]

Lol...OK, we will just have to agree to disagree here, buddy! 

 

Except for the rules for disembarking... afraid you are going to have to agree with me on that, because that is actually what is in the Codex, not an opinion.

Edited September 19 by L30n1d4s

[Tacitus]

5 hours ago, L30n1d4s said:

Lol...OK, we will just have to agree to disagree here, buddy! 

 

Except for the rules for disembarking... afraid you are going to have to agree with me on that, because that is actually what is in the Codex, not an opinion.

Yeah I hadn't gotten that far into the PDF yet, Assault Disembark was on the first pages and said most of your units could use it.  Which they can but only FROM a couple of your other units.  They just changed the name of Assault Ramps.  Much like you're trying to claim a first turn vehicle based suicidal alpha strike can't be called a drop pod bomb.  

[L30n1d4s]

Lol