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Please don't immediately say "It depends on the list"
That said, I typically run very troop heavy CSM lists since all my old armies were mostly bodies not mech

To help put the questions into context here; these questions are aimed around playing 750-1500 point battles.

Main questions here;
1. Are rhino's worth taking?
2. Should I have transport for all my MEQ squads if I opt pro rhinos?
3. Is it just asking to get shot off the board if I only bring one max of two rhinos?
4. are rhino's just bait for first blood and the points better spent elsewhere?
5. Always run rhino's bare? (Havok Launchers, extra armor, ect)

6. Can you be successful without rhinos in C:CSM?

7. Does putting a MoK squad in a rhino prevent them from raging? (At least until they get out)

Feel free to answer only one question or many! I'm seriously looking for any input at all on rhinos. Using them, fighting them, fielding them, ect.
I currently don't own many rhino's and I don't really feel like buying more if I can get away with it.

Thank you

Firstly I'm just going to start by saying this is my opinion really

1) I'd say so. Mobility is incredibly handy even if it got nerfed in 6th.

2)Full mech will cost a lot of points. Not all squads will be moving forwards. Backfield objective holders wouldn't need them nor heavy weapon based units.

3) I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean here.

4) Unfortunately due to it being relatively easy to destroy a rhino over a squad you'll see yourself losing first blood to your enemy due to rhinos. Won't stop me taking them however.

5)I run them with dirge casters but havoc launchers do appeal to me. Warpflame gargoyles would be better if soul blaze was decent. Still. 5 points. Eh.

6)Yes. You're still t4 Sv 3+

7) Well rage is just +2 Attacks on the charge so since they can't charge out of a rhino I'd say yes?

I say rhinos are still key to CSMs since we don't have access to drop pods or flyer transports. They may not be the most survivable but they are hardly the rolling coffins people get over zealous about.

Since CSMs need to get to objectives just as much as the next army, rhinos are basically the only game in town.

Thanks for the comments. I edited the original post so it was less confusing haha.

Well sounds like the basic answer is "Yes your forward moving troops will need rhinos"

1. Are rhino's worth taking?

Depends on your list, but I keep all of my troops in a Rhino.

2. Should I have transport for all my MEQ squads if I opt pro rhinos?

I do not run assault-specific troop choices in a Rhino. I have a squad of thousand sons and a shooty squad that escorts my sorcerer, neither of which need to do anything other than disembark and shoot. If you are looking to assault, you might want to consider not taking a rhino because transports & assault units don't mix in 6th.

3. Is it just asking to get shot off the board if I only bring one max of two rhinos?

Yes and no. I only have two rhinos in my list. Besides this and a heldrake, I carry no other units with an AV. This means two things. Firstly, an opponent with a ton of high Str, anti-armor weaponry is frustrated. Two, your rhinos are prime targets and probably won't last very long. But that is not ultimately the point. Even if your rhino only shields the troops inside against one turn (if you're lucky, two) worth of undesirable shooting, they are well worth it.

4. are rhino's just bait for first blood and the points better spent elsewhere?

I think of them as squad-upgrades. It's a safety net against shooting and provides enhanced mobility. If you go 2nd, and your rhinos are easily targeted based on how you deployed them, chances are one will die and your opponent will get first blood. But again, the troops inside are what matters, not the rhino.

5. Always run rhino's bare? (Havok Launchers, extra armor, ect)

Always. I don't buy a single thing for them.

6. Can you be successful without rhinos in C:CSM?

The answer is unequivocally yes. But it depends on your list. I run smaller troop squads and help offset that by having transports. Many people, including a bud of mine, instead choose to run larger troop squads (15-18 bodies) and therefor neither can or want to use Rhinos. This should be true for anyone who can infiltrate as its a better option, or who wants to run assaulty Berserkers who want about as much to do with rhinos as they do with puppies.

7. Does putting a MoK squad in a rhino prevent them from raging? (At least until they get out)

Rage is a different than it used to be. You don't have Berserkers who hop out of rhinos on their own to launch a random charge anymore. Now all it does is give you +2 attacks on the charge instead of +1.

Thank you very much for clearing up the rage rule for me. I haven't bought the BRB yet, just leafed through the mini one that came in that awesome starter box.

if you arent going to run more than 1-2 rhinos would you think holding them in reserve would be a good idea. now that they can move 18" arriving on turn two full of cheap T4 3+ troops might still have enough time to get to an objective.

here is my 2 cents. i used to run squads of berzerkers in rhions and defilers as fire support, now due to the gak assualting out of vehicle rules i now swap the defiler and rhino for a land raider, they cost the same points, provide similar fire power, make the CC units are much more likely to get the charge making the Rage rule worth while and they are substantially harder to kill. so basically depending what else you have in your army i would suggest swapping out the rhinos for land raiders if you can save the points