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I know the gut reaction to this is a big old NO, but let me clarify. I would be running it in a 1500 point list that is pretty armor heavy (two trilas preds and two helturkeys). So the vehicle saturation is there. I'm also not using it to rush the opponents face or anything; I'd be using it to zip noise marines around to mid-field objectives and drop them there. However, even with a lot of other AV targets, part of me feels that any player worth his/her salt will know to target the rhino as it's carrying a juicy, high-point scoring unit. (My lord in this list would have MoS, so the noise marines are scoring.) Thoughts? Has anyone ever done anything like this before? Of there's also the lord with a bike retinue, so that's another high-toughness target an opponent would have to be mindful of. Is the AV/high toughness saturation enough to likely save the Rhino or is doomed to die to a lascannon as an afterthought?

No.
Just No.
Because No.
Go to No.
Do not pass Go.
Do not collect $200
Go directly to No.

In all seriousness, it's just way too easy of a 1st blood for your opponent. The rest of your list is a good TAC list and very strong against multiple list types. With Rhinos it's a ton or none.

The old noise marine rhino drop is a good tactic, most players won't bother to shoot it since you have vehicle saturation, so I recommend giving it a shot.

If you don't want it to get shot, start with the models outside it. A rhino is a transport. Save it for when you need to be transported.

If your going first, use it to move up 18" into position. Taa-daa! The rhino has done its job.

One way to make it not an easy kill point - start it out of line of sight. This does mean you won't really be able to have the Noise Marines sitting waiting and ready by the time it's driven round, but on the other hand, I'd prefer to make a late game push with them anyway.

It's odd, people have the POV that if you bring 1 rhino it's easy first blood, but if you bring multiple rhinos they are magically no longer first blood.

Rhino's are always first blood, if you bring more than 1 paper bag it's just easier to find the paper bag that sticks out the most. If you're playing in a format where first blood doesn't dictate the winner on turn one than you can run rhinos out the wazzoo if you want. But on Relic and Emperors Will, good luck adventurer.

TLR Rhino's are still paper bags of firery death. AKA: First Blood.

 Goat wrote:
It's odd, people have the POV that if you bring 1 rhino it's easy first blood, but if you bring multiple rhinos they are magically no longer first blood.

Rhino's are always first blood, if you bring more than 1 paper bag it's just easier to find the paper bag that sticks out the most. If you're playing in a format where first blood doesn't dictate the winner on turn one than you can run rhinos out the wazzoo if you want. But on Relic and Emperors Will, good luck adventurer.

TLR Rhino's are still paper bags of firery death. AKA: First Blood.

It's not that they stop being first blood, its that you might actually get to use a few if you bring more than one.

Indeed!
Multiple Rhino's are still First Blood.
But at least you take enough to somewhat counter the downside of giving them First Blood.

if you want rhinos get 3 to 6 depends on size

Does it have to start on the board?

Safest places for scoring units that aren't meant to do anything else in order are.

Off the board
Out of line of sight of opponent
In cover non priority target.
In the middle of everything

This is why eldar jetbikes are such a nusience, they hide off the board untill they have to come on they then proceed to sit behind the largest piece of terrain on the board, and on the last turn turbo boost towards an objective/linebreaker.

1 Rhino isn't going to survive if your present it as a target at the beginning of the game

1 Rhino is very easy to keep alive if you keep it off the board ---> keep it out of line of sight ----> put it in harms way at the last possible second.

Also 1 rhino is immune to being first blood if first blood is claimed before it is presented as a target.

Thaylen wrote:

 Goat wrote:
It's odd, people have the POV that if you bring 1 rhino it's easy first blood, but if you bring multiple rhinos they are magically no longer first blood.

Rhino's are always first blood, if you bring more than 1 paper bag it's just easier to find the paper bag that sticks out the most. If you're playing in a format where first blood doesn't dictate the winner on turn one than you can run rhinos out the wazzoo if you want. But on Relic and Emperors Will, good luck adventurer.

TLR Rhino's are still paper bags of firery death. AKA: First Blood.

It's not that they stop being first blood, its that you might actually get to use a few if you bring more than one.

Kangodo wrote:Indeed!
Multiple Rhino's are still First Blood.
But at least you take enough to somewhat counter the downside of giving them First Blood.

@goat; These 2 posters apparently didn't need me to spell out that I still understood a Rhino is still an easy First Blood regardless of how many you bring. They were able to clearly expand upon my statement "a ton or none" in an articulate and accurate manner.

True, but if the rhino is off the board that's defeating its own purpose of getting the noise marines to a midfield spot/objective early in the game, where their dubstep guns would be in range. It looks like the answer is a pretty resounding, "the rhino will get womped", even in a list that's pretty heavy with other armor. It looks like I'll be looking for another delivery method of getting my noise marines into the midfield haha.

So you real question is: Is driving a single rhino up the board viable if i have other tanks on the board.

The answer is no.

Because anyone who knows a thing or two is going to explode your rhino and than deal with the rest of the targets.

Way too easy to pop and not waste alot of shots. Turkeys don't distract from a rhino if they come on after its dead. Having two other tanks or 4 other tanks on the board doesn't negate the fact that its so easy to kill.

If it was going to be used later in the game to transport marines faster sure, if its supposed to keep them safe while driving them up towards your enemy NO.

I think a single rhino can be taken (and not just get popped for first blood) if you force your opponent to deal with other things first. If you are screening the Rhino with a Land Raider or you have a pile of bikers go flat out in front of enemy lines, or you infiltrate a few squads of raptors or warp talons, etc. in front of them, they may be forced to deal with that threat or be eaten next turn.

If your opponent does pop the Rhino anyway, then make him pay for ignoring those other units and inflict so much damage that losing First Blood won't matter.

To go back to my earlier point - with Noise Marines you're better keeping them for a last minute push to try and take the objective back. Why would you want them up close early on? Their dubstep guns (love that term!) will do damage short term, but they're not usually durable enough to stay there all game.
Plague Marines would be better if you're doing this, but they're usually ok to footslog their way up.

If you got 2nd turn, hide it behind 2 other tanks or some scenery and burn forward late.

If you got 1st turn, take the risk I'd say... I like rhinos, I use more than 1 though if I'm using them