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I have read a few threads that have lightly touched on the subject of the "Rhino Wall" and from what I have read the idea is to use multiple rhinos to either block LOS from big guns or block the charge from hordes. This seems like sound tactics which would make them quick useful for a mech list. I was wondering if those of you who have used these tactics would share your experiences and if there is anything more to the rhino wall if you could explain.

Thanks.

I use this tactic with my chaos in the new dex.

1st turn squads get in and rhino goes 12" and smokes. Usually only one Rhino is destroyed, the other two suffer immobilized, and other lesser results that I don't care about.

As long as my opponent deplyed at 12" or moved forward once, i now have two squads in charge range (deply+6" move+6" Assault). i back this up with a LR with assault terms with LC and two DP's one with lash one with warptime. My LGS mostly plays magic cylinder so the DP's can walk behind everything without too much dificulty. (When Magic cylinder is not being used the DP's will take most of the fire that could have hurt the rhinos thus meaning usually 3 rhinos deliver their cargo on turn 2.)

You can also drive 12" forward and deploy if the Rhino miraculusly did not suffer immobilized or stunned, but this is a little far fetched to count on. 10 marines double tapping can do some damage, but assaulting most targets is much better for models with T 4, 3+ save and power fist.

I am rarely not at my opponets deploument zone on turn 2, and often further due to winning asaults.

The Rhinos operate as moving cover making opponents waste time destroying them to shoot at a squad behind them, and then giving the squad a 4+ cover save for being within 2" of the wreck. The wall also throws fits for deep strikers because they can choose to risk the board edge or deploy with only the cheap vehicles in sight. It significantly reduces casulties from drop troops shooting, both from more targets and cover from wrecks.

When doing this though, it really only works when you use them in numbers of 3+. Fewer than that and stopping one rhino deprives you of 50% of the troops who were rushing forward.

Also, you should be using a new codex where Rhinos are only 35 pts, and using NO upgrades. The rhinos don't need to move ever after turn one(they can if you get lucky, but their purpose is fulfilled during turn one with the 12" rush and smoke.) Paying 110 for three is soooo much better than 150 for 3.

Upgrades just waste points you really don't need to spend and give the enemy free VP's.

The down side to this is that going second can change you whole game. Skimmers can at least hide behind size 3 terrain the first turn for the most part, but those rhinos have to be as far forward as they can, out of cover, and fairly centered on your opponents army to do their thing. Starting the game with 3 dead transports can often throw your chances for a win when you are mostly assaulty. And there is no real reason to use the rhino wall if you are shooty as you only hurt yourself.

I sometimes leave my Demon Princes exposed so that they have to choose between popping rhinos or flying princes. The squads do the real damage by engaging targets and bring the fight into my terms that my army is good at(assaulty). I can lose one or both princes and still do quite well(though most armies struggle to put 8 wounds on T5 with 5+/4+ invul saves at long range).

As a side note in stores that play magic cylinder this tactic works wonders for orks. Buggies, trukks, trakks, looted vehicles, they all block LOS and this can be used to your UBER advantage.

I don't think thats the tactic in question. that sounds like a rather insane rhino rush tactic, which I wouldn't recommend (at least in 4th edition).

Apostolos, I am wondering the same thing... My basic understanding is probably about the same as yours. Lets see if we are thinking the same thing. Take a shooty space marine army, light on bodies, heavy on weapons, buy razorbacks and rhinos, deploy your shooty army together across from one half of an enemy army. Drive three rhino/razorbacks out and at an angle to either block line of sight from 50% of an enemies shooting, or block a significant amount of charge lanes for horde assault troops.

It's meant to counter armies that are shootier than you, which if you are using any 'modern' marine codex means anyone who isn't an assault army. It also apparently hurts horde armies. That's the part I'm having a hard time visualizing, if you try to block 30-40 stormboyz, they are just going to be able to quickly get up on the wall, leap over it untouched, and wreak havoc on your gunline. It seems like there isn't much nidzilla can do to counter it however.

The distance that you drive your walls out, and the angle that you turn them seem vitally important, and thats the part that I think you and I could use some more info on.

Well, it wouldn't stop Stormboyz but it would stop trukks and it will slow down guys on foot. It lets you focus on a portion of the enemy's force while the other part is held up by the Rhino wall.

Ozymandias, King of Kings

@Shep,

Yes you are getting exactly what I'm driving at. I could see this being very effective with the C&P trait as well as the one with multi - apothacaries. Load up on 2 plasma gun rhino squads and a few lascannons here and there. Lots of rapid firing marines to help with hordes and lots of plasma for skimmers/bugs.

This would be a very bad tactic against Dark Eldar, seeing as how the DE have access to many, many Dark Lances. Especially if the DE had the first turn, they would pop all your Rhinos before they moved, which would just block you up.

Against other armies though, like Orks or Nids, this would be a great tactic.

Then again it doesn't matter if they get popped or not, as long as you don't get a massive crater where it doesn't block line of site it still does its job. (which is to block line of site, which it still does, and slows the enemy doen because its difficult terrain) And the enemy doesn't get any VPs for it either.