Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

This has come up with my friendly gaming group. I play mech vet IG, and require the ability to shoot out of the Chimera with my fistfuls of plasma and melta goodness. A problem arose when my friend questioned where the shots were coming from on the tank. In the codex it states "Five models can fire from the Chimera's top hatch. In reality, several are firing from the fixed lasgun emplacements along either flank, but for simplicity we assume all shots to be taken from the hatch." (Word for word).

The problem is that my friend (among others) believe the hatch they are referring to is the large hatch flanked by the lasgun emplacements behind the turret. I believe the hatch being referred to is the turret hatch. This is obviously a problem if it is the hatch behind the turret due to LOS issues and consequently exposing side armor. So dakka, you make da call.

I'd play it as the large hatch surrounded by the lasguns, though nothing in the actual rules specifies exactly where the fire point is.

The 5 weapons you get to fire represent three people using the lasgun ports and two using the top hatch; the fact that the rule talks about "the hatch" immediately after talking about the lasgun emplacements implies that it is talking about the large hatch.

Yes, it means that your vehicle's turret will block line of sight. I believe this is intentional, as it emphasises the weakness of the Chimera: good front armour for a dedicated transport, but to use it as a bunker you need to potentially expose your weak flanks.

Remember that you can still angle the vehicle so that you can still see from the hatch while keeping most enemies in the front quadrant, too.

No real RAW ruling either way, but this is how most people play it (especially in tournaments)

The large square hatch between the lasguns on the back of the chimera. LOS isn't really a problem just measure from the closest point on the hatch. Most people also rule that flamers can be fired even though the cover part of the hull.

Like I said, no RAW ruling for that, but that is the most common. I can tell you that I would not allow you to shoot from the cupola hatch at all in a game.

For all intents and purposes, think of it as a rhino with a turret in the front. You're opponent will also likely try and say you cant fire a melta or plasma gun, since you're actually firing the emplacements. However the ruling states you just take shots from the hatch and that's it.

Hmmm, thats dissappointing. Oh well, live and learn...though now I have to knock of the communications array from the back of the turret as it block line of sight to one side .

Blacksails wrote:The problem is that my friend (among others) believe the hatch they are referring to is the large hatch flanked by the lasgun emplacements behind the turret. I believe the hatch being referred to is the turret hatch. This is obviously a problem if it is the hatch behind the turret due to LOS issues and consequently exposing side armor. So dakka, you make da call.

The hatch on the turret is accessible from the commander's seat.

The hatch on the back is accessible from the passenger compartment.


It seems pretty clear to me which hatch the passengers would be firing from.

To be fair, it's not explicitly explained, but yes, it's generally accepted that the large rear hatch is the top hatch to fire from. The turret hatch is just a hatch for the commander to stick his head out and look around.

Having said that, I would allow you to use the turret hatch as the fire point, provided that you actually model 5 guys all jammed in there trying to bring their weapons to bear on the same target...

Blacksails wrote:

The problem is that my friend (among others) believe the hatch they are referring to is the large hatch flanked by the lasgun emplacements behind the turret. I believe the hatch being referred to is the turret hatch. This is obviously a problem if it is the hatch behind the turret due to LOS issues and consequently exposing side armor. So dakka, you make da call.

Your friends are right.

Hmmm... I've never considered that the turret blocks line of sight because it's so small.

I disagree that the turret blocks LOS. The shooter would be standing up in the hatch.

TCWarRoom wrote:I disagree that the turret blocks LOS. The shooter would be standing up in the hatch.

LOS is drawn from the hatch. exactly how that is supposed to work is a bit of a mystery, since the hatch is practically flush with the top surface of the tank... But the generally accepted method (from my experience) is to take LOS from just above it. As such, the turret does get in the way, in the same way that a Razorback turret gets in the way of its storm bolter if you try to fire backwards with it.

Trust me, the turret does get in the way, hence why I was wondering if I could shoot from the turret hatch. If I plan on shooting forward, I have to rotate the tank so that I either comlpletely expose a side, or leave it so that my opponent's next move is simple to pop my chimeras open. Still very effective either way, just makes my tactics more thought out.