| abstract
| - The Chimera is a very versatile vehicle and over the millennia it has been pressed into service in a variety of different forms. The basic Chimera chassis is used for more vehicles than any other, providing the basis of vehicles as diverse as Basilisk artillery and Hellhound flamethrower tanks to command vehicles and ambulances. The most common version is the armoured personnel carrier with turret-mounted multi-laser and hull-mounted heavy bolter, but these weapons can be replaced with other heavy weapons to fulfil a variety of roles. The Chimera's primary function is to accompany tanks into battle whilst providing protection to an infantry squad within. Infantry can then disembark to support the tanks. The Chimera's weapons also provide heavy firepower in the attack, when infantry-borne heavy weapons are difficult to deploy and use as the squad is on the move. Standard tactical doctrines state that after racing towards its objective, the Chimera's access ramp will crash down, disembarking the infantry who will move forward rapidly. Meanwhile, the Chimera's heavy weapons lay down a barrage of fire on the objective. As the squad near the objective, the Chimera will reverse away, to find a new firing position in cover itself but still able to fire in support of the squad. There it will wait on standby, ready to race forward again and collect the squad should they need evacuating or moving to another position on the battlefield. As well as firepower, protection and mobility, a Chimera offers its squad other advantages. They do not have to carry heavy equipment by hand and are therefore less likely to suffer from fatigue during long advances. The vehicle carries extra equipment, such as med-kits and radios, giving the infantry fast access to new orders and information on the battlefield situation. Extra storage means more ammunition is close at hand. All of which make mechanised infantry a far more efficient instrument of war than their footslogging counterparts. Variants of the basic Chimera are common, mounting different weapons. The heavy flamer variant is a popular model amongst troops operation in dense terrain, where the enemy can be close by, such as buildings or jungles. Usually one heavy flamer Chimera will be deployed in every three standard Chimeras, as a stand-in infantry close support vehicle, if Demolishers, Thunderers or Hellhounds are in short supply. The Forge World of Gryphonne IV produces its own unique Chimera variant, armed with twin-linked heavy bolters. Although not as powerful against armoured vehicles, the heavy bolters can lay down a hail of high explosive bolts that make it particularly effective against dense infantry formations, Tyranid swarms and Ork mobs. Chimeras equipped with auto-cannons are used to fulfil a light anti-vehicle role. The Chimera is amphibious and has room to carry a squad of twelve troopers.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)