Rhino Advancer

The Rhino Advancer is a variant of the the standard Deimos Pattern Rhino amoured personnel carrier (APC) tank chassis used by the Adeptus Astartes. The Rhino Advancer chassis is longer than the standard Deimos Rhino chassis and uses an open-topped design. The Rhino Advancer's troop hold is able to carry twice as many Space Marines as the standard chassis, and its open-topped design allows its passengers to fire upon enemies and to quickly deploy into the battle. When the Space Marines being transported need to deploy they can use either the vehicle's five ramps or just vault over the side of the vehicle. The Deimos Pattern Rhino chassis usually is equipped with two top turret-mounted Bolters that are controlled by the vehicle's target-logis systems, or its Machine Spirit, but the Rhino Advancer's turret-mounted Bolters are controlled by the passengers and act as a Pintle-mounted weapon. The Rhino Advancer was used during the the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy by the Space Marine Legions on both sides, but after the Legions were divided into one-thousand man Chapters the vehicle fell out of use. The reason for this is likely the fact that Space Marine Chapters rarely deploy in large enough numbers to properly utilise the Rhino Advancer's large troop carrying capacity.

Variants
Much like the Rhino that the Rhino Advancer is based on, the Rhino Advancer itself also has its own variants, at least one variant is known:

Rhino Advancer Munitions Carrier
The Rhino Advancer Munitions Carrier is a Rhino Advancer that is used to carry vast amounts of ammunition and supplies during battle. The vehicle, unlike the standard Rhino Advancer, utilises a completely enclosed cargo hold where the ammunition is safely held. The ammunition can be taken out using the side or rear ramps or by using a crane mounted on the top of the rear part vehicle near the top hatch. The Rhino Advancer Munitions Carrier is also equipped with a remote-operated turret, a feature that would later be used on the Razorback armoured personnel carrier (APC).

Notable Users of the Rhino Advancer

 * Adeptus Astartes - The Rhino Advancer and its Munitions Carrier variant were used by the Space Marine Legions of the Adeptus Astartes as a troop or ammunition transport during large-scale operations. These vehicles are no longer used due to the Space Marines being divided into Chapters, and no longer needing these vehicles and their large transport capacities.
 * Space Wolves - The Space Wolves Space Marines Legion used Rhino Advancers during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, these vehicles were used during large-scale operations such as the Scouring of Prospero.
 * Ultramarines - The Ultramarines Space Marine Legion used Rhino Advancers during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy to transport and supply their vast amount of forces. Many of the Ultramarines' Rhino Advancers were lost during the Battle of Calth, where they were destroyed by the Word Bearers Traitor Legion.

Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications for this vehicle are not available in existing Imperial records.

Also See

 * Imperial Vehicles

Gallery
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