Chimera: Difference between revisions
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The Chimera can mount a variety of weapons to support the squads they carry. The most common and famous weapon associated with the Chimera is the [[Multilaser]], a larger, even more rapid firing version of the [[Hellgun]], used to suppress enemy movement. This weapon can be replaced with either | The Chimera can mount a variety of weapons to support the squads they carry. The most common and famous weapon associated with the Chimera is the [[Multilaser]], a larger, even more rapid firing version of the [[Hellgun]], used to suppress enemy movement. This weapon can be replaced with either | ||
[[Bolter|Heavy Bolter]] or [[Flamer|Heavy Flamer]], both of which are [[ | [[Bolter|Heavy Bolter]] or [[Flamer|Heavy Flamer]], both of which are [[Twin-Linked]] and can field either of those two in its hull. Forge World gives the Chimera even more blasty power with the ability to replace the main gun with an [[Autocannon]], turning it into a different breed of threat altogether. Each side of the tank features a row of three Lasgun turrets that embarked passengers may fire at enemy squads. For added punch against vehicles, it can also mount a Hunter-Killer Missile. | ||
However, probably due to the current Imperial Guard Codex, not so many Guard players use them, preferring the SIGAOD (Shooty Imperial Guard Army Of Doom), which is better supported by the Imperial Guard's other transport, the [[Taurox]] or [[Valkyrie]]. Mech Guard love the fucking things though, since for the points-cost they're one of the best investments a squad can make. 260 points will buy four squads a dedicated transport option that essentially removes the need to carry either Heavy Bolters or Autocannons. | However, probably due to the current Imperial Guard Codex, not so many Guard players use them, preferring the SIGAOD (Shooty Imperial Guard Army Of Doom), which is better supported by the Imperial Guard's other transport, the [[Taurox]] or [[Valkyrie]]. Mech Guard love the fucking things though, since for the points-cost they're one of the best investments a squad can make. 260 points will buy four squads a dedicated transport option that essentially removes the need to carry either Heavy Bolters or Autocannons. | ||
Revision as of 18:32, 9 July 2018
The Chimera is a monster from Greco-Roman mythology, described as a tripartite fire-breathing beast with the forequarters and head of a lion, the hindquarters and head of a goat, and a serpentine or draconic tail with a dragon's head. Exactly how that works out depends on the artist; perhaps the most iconic of real-world art depicts it as having a lion's head on its neck, a goat's head growing out of its back, and the dragon's head replacing the tip of its tail, but the most common modern depiction has the three heads sharing the same neckstump. It ravaged the land with its fiery breath until Bellepheron killed it by using Pegasus to fly out of range of the fire whilst carrying a lance with a big block of lead on its tip; he threw this at its mouth and the flames melted the lead so it poured down Chimera's throat and killed it.
In Fantasy Gaming
Chimeras show up in a lot of fantasy games. Weirdly, they tend to have wings and be fliers (though admittedly they're usually very clumsy at it), despite the fact that the original Chimera was landlocked and this played a huge role in its defeat.
They are particularly prominent in Dungeons & Dragons (and thusly Pathfinder), where they are capable of speech, but usually not very bright. All the ego of a Red Dragon and none of the brains, essentially.
Chimeras also appear in Warhammer Fantasy, where they are creatures of Chaos and so usually show up as mounts for the Chaos Lords.
In Warhammer 40000
Maybe you were looking for METHUL BAWKSES?
The Chimera Armored Transport is the Imperial Guard's main troop carrier, capable of transporting troops on the battlefield and giving them fire support.
Unlike the Rhino Transport of the Space Marines, the Chimera is an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, an infantry transport designed to transport men to where they need to be, then provide support fire and cover behind its armor. Remarkably survivable from the front and equippable with a wide array of weaponry, it has at least as much Infantry-killing firepower as 2 guard heavy weapon teams, as well as the ability to act as a mobile firepoint for guardsmen with Special Weapons that can shoot out from the vehicle. Adding both survivability and flexibility to an army that otherwise tends to be sluggish, the Chimera is a ubiquitous presence that finds a home in many Imperial Guard Army Lists.
Overview
The Chimera is one of the most important vehicles in the Imperial Guard's arsenal: it is a fast moving, amphibious vehicle capable of traversing terrain that even a Leman Russ would find impossible to cross (swamps, marshes and even the occasional river). When the enemy neglects to defend these positions because of their perceived obstructiveness, they can expect a squadron or two of Chimeras in their flanks or rear.
In all seriousness, the Chimera is a fantastic asset. Have your CCS cower in it with pride, or shove them straight at that Carnifex over there
The Chimera has several uses: it can be an armored taxi of sorts where it rushes in between the front lines to insert and/or pick up units, and it can go to the rear to pick up new units and deliver them to the heart of the battle. If needed they can serve as moving barriers, providing troops cover while they engage the enemy. A third use is that they rush towards the enemy, shrugging off small arms fire as they deliver their payload into the most defended positions. The Steel Legions of Armageddon, one of the chief manufacturing planets for the Chimera, are fully mechanized and can move across the ash planes of their home world at frightening speeds.
The Chimera can mount a variety of weapons to support the squads they carry. The most common and famous weapon associated with the Chimera is the Multilaser, a larger, even more rapid firing version of the Hellgun, used to suppress enemy movement. This weapon can be replaced with either Heavy Bolter or Heavy Flamer, both of which are Twin-Linked and can field either of those two in its hull. Forge World gives the Chimera even more blasty power with the ability to replace the main gun with an Autocannon, turning it into a different breed of threat altogether. Each side of the tank features a row of three Lasgun turrets that embarked passengers may fire at enemy squads. For added punch against vehicles, it can also mount a Hunter-Killer Missile.
However, probably due to the current Imperial Guard Codex, not so many Guard players use them, preferring the SIGAOD (Shooty Imperial Guard Army Of Doom), which is better supported by the Imperial Guard's other transport, the Taurox or Valkyrie. Mech Guard love the fucking things though, since for the points-cost they're one of the best investments a squad can make. 260 points will buy four squads a dedicated transport option that essentially removes the need to carry either Heavy Bolters or Autocannons.
The other major use the Chimera finds is as a command vehicle; officers embarked inside can still issue orders, measuring their order radius from the tank's hull; this serves the dual purpose of increasing your order distance (since the Chimera is obviously larger than the man shouting orders from the hatch) and also keeping your HQ alive, since Guard HQ's are notoriously squishy.
One common trick with Chimeras is to, after unloading their passengers, form them into hunting packs (Soviet Bronegruppa IN SPACE) and have them roam around the battlefield pissing off targets of opportunity. with two long-ranged, rapid-fire weapons and surprising durability, they absolutely excel at punishing relatively anti-tank-light forces like the Orks and Tyranids.
One other tactic is to set a long line of chimeras across the board, screened by Hellhounds and screening heavy support. This provides a multi-tiered AV12 line charging straight at the enemy. Combine this with Vendettas to destroy enemy Armour or Valkyries to flank. Alternatively, focus all of your chimeras into a wedge, driving them straight into the middle/weakest part of the enemy line. This will, provided the enemy hasn't gone all out in anti-vehicle, tank shock your opponent off the board, separating their army in two and allowing your Chimeras and heavy support to surround and mop up the rest of their army. Schwerpunkt their HQ to dust.
Genestealer Cults
With the latest release of the new revamped Genestealer Cult, it seems that certain generations of Genestealers was able to successfully infiltrate even the commanding office of the Imperial Guard (How the upper Imperial authorities and local Imperial paranoia failed to locate THAT kind of Heresy is unknown), and are thus, able to steal some Chimeras and hoard it in the gigantic sewers of an Imperial underhive. A Genestealer Chimera functions the same as a regular Chimera only with Genestealer insignia and the possibility in opening up a horde of troops that can eviscerate a Terminator like a present on Christmas.
Inquisition
The Inquisition can take chimeras for ten points cheaper, but they lose the mobile command vehicle rule. Loses some of the Imperial Guard vehicle options, but can purchase psybolt ammunition instead to make its heavy bolter(s) and storm bolter more powerful. They look normal from the outside, but open up to something that no one expects.
Rules of Note
There are actually written rules that say this particular Metal Box is also a boat. Its Amphibious rule allows it to move across water terrain. This would mean that it could ram an Ork Submersible, or tank shock a Saharduin squad. Sadly, since nobody uses water terrain, plays apocalypse, or has more than one Saharduin model, Amphibious is a totally useless rule.
Another rule of note is the one that lets you use orders whilst riding in a chimera. This one's actually pretty useful.
Weaknesses
The Chimera's front armor is durable, but its side and rear armor are much more flimsy. While it's generally tougher than a Rhino, it also tends to be a bigger target since the Chimera's weapons are often too big for armies that rely on light armor (Dark Eldar, Orks, etc) to ignore, whereas a Rhino tends to be less of an obvious target. It also has only a single small access point (its rear door), which is such a glaring issue that it gets its own separate subsection.
The Rear Door Paradigm
The Chimera's only access point is its (comparatively tiny) rear door. Embarking rules state that every unit about to board a transport has to be within 2 inches of an access point, which means it's very hard (if not impossible) to fit more than 6 or so models into a Chimera during an embarking phase, when the Chimera has room for 12. This is a problem that the METAL BOX and GIANT METAL BOX just don't have, either because they have multiple doors, or because their access point is so big it makes the issue moot.
This doesn't preclude larger units from starting the game already loaded in the Chimera, nor does it stop smaller units from using the damned thing like they pretty much always have, but it does mean that taking an Armored Fist Squad of 10 soldiers can quickly turn into a wonderful impersonation of when a fa/tg/uy tries to unpack and then repack a suitcase. You're generally not getting a larger unit back into the Chimera it disembarked from, so it's probably better for the Chimera to drive off and make new friends while the unit camps the objective.
Monstergirls
 | This article or section is about Monstergirls (or a monster that is frequently depicted as a Monstergirl), something that /tg/ widely considers to be the purest form of awesome. Expect PROMOTIONS! and /d/elight in equal measure, often with drawfaggotry or writefaggotry to match. |
Chimera monstergirls are a rare breed, mostly because designers struggle with how to incorporate the three heads and tripartite body into one design.
In the Monster Girl Encyclopedia, the "Chimaera" belongs to the small family of "Demon Beasts", and has the form of a lion-girl with goat's horns and legs, a serpent for a tail, a leonic paw for a right arm, a draconic paw for a left arm, and pauldrons reminiscent of a lion and a dragon's heads. Extremely powerful and destructive, it has a bad case of split personalities, with one persona for each of the four beasts that work as a team to support her in her goal of finding and keeping a lover.