How 'realistic' is the Chimera armored transport? | Astra Militarum lore | Warhammer 40,000 

Strictly speaking, I think the Chimera as an IFV not APC. You covered it, but the amount of weapons and the firing "ports" (not really, but weapon stations for the internal troops).

The Chimera model really hasn't changed since the 90s - and as such, it's got a surprising amount of information about late Cold War APCs and IFVs hidden in it. As you note, the rear ramp and top hatch is reminiscent of an M113 but it is also similar to a British FV432. The turret is (to me) less evocative of the Australian M113s or the M2 Bradleys than it is of the "Berlin Brigade" FV432s with turrets taken from armoured cars, though I suspect that real-world modification was at least influenced by the existence of the Bradleys.. Also, the whole "the Chimera chassis is used as the basis for all kinds of vehicles" feels more in line with the "FV400 series of vehicles all using the same chassis" than the M113's "this is a box on tracks, what else can we fit in it?" approach to variants; but still, there's strong elements of both vehicles in the model. And then the firing port weapons are clearly based on the M2's M231 FPW - which as you noted is based on an M16 rifle, but its worth noting that the M231 was meant to be installed in the firing port and left there, just like the lasrifles on the Chimera. But we musn't forget the World War 1 aesthetic - and if we look back, there's the little remembered Tank Mark IX, which was basically a tank hull with nothing in it to serve as an infantry and cargo transport. The front end of a Mark IX is remarkably similar to a Char B1-bis, lacking only the big gun, so there's clear influences there. Most importantly, in my mind, the Mark IX had firing ports - making the lasrifles a weird mix of Cold War and WW1 design. Something I find fascinating! Finally, the pintle-mounted storm-bolter or heavy stubber lends a touch of World War II and the American habit of sticking M2 machine guns on everything - although, it should be remembered that those weapons were meant for local air defence. Presumably in 40K as well, that top weapon would only be used against a target the turret weapon couldn't bear on. (They do make more sense for the flamer-Chimeras, which would need something to engage targets out of flamer range with.) As for the realism - I don't have anything useful to add, and would never want to sound like I was arguing with the experience of someone who has actually worked with a similar vehicle. I will say that I personally find the multilaser far more plausible, since there wouldn't be any need for a loader or ammunition handling or storage. The weapon is presumably powered directly off vehicle's power plant. Since you didn't touch on it, though, I'll feel free to observe that the hull-mounted heavy weapon is probably mostly useless. Limited traverse and low to the ground, it would be like the Char B1-bis's 75mm - really only useful for engaging bunkers and fortifications and taking up space that could have been much better utilised. Even before WW2 ended hull machineguns were disappearing, never mind heavier weapons. Honestly, the thing that makes me work the hardest to accept any Guard vehicle as real is the hull- and sponson-mounted weapons. Anyway, this is way longer than you wanted to read, I'm sure, but it was fun to type whilst I waited for my coffee to kick in. Happy New Year!

the main problem that I see as the problem of most Warhammer techs is that they lack wheel suspension and the lower armor is too low, in reality it would quite easily get stuck on a larger stone

I remember reading an interview with the Chimera model sculptor (I think it was one of the Perry's) where he talked about his inspiration behind the IG tanks. They were the first time that GW tried to do a unified 'theme' for a vehicle pool. The previous Space Marine vehicles were designed in isolation, which is why the early Land Raiders looked so different from Rhino's which looked so different from Preadators. Having custom molds for each vehicle made it a lot tougher to develop more vehicles so they wanted to streamline the process by being able to reuse the molds for different tanks, so interchangeability was key. This means that the overall goal was to make something that seemed like the sort of thing the Guard would use, while at the same time be flexible enough from a manufacturing standpoint that the basic Chimera hull could be transformed into an Earthshaker, or an AA Battery, or whatever else the designers wanted. Big flat side panels no suspension meant that it was a lot easier to put all sorts of stuff inside the hull depending on what other sprues you include in the kit. As for the overall artistic direction... Well, what is the guard? It is a massive conscript army drawn from all over the Imperium with a... poor understanding of how their equipment works. When designing the ascetics he wanted it to come across as low tech, with simplicity and ruggedness in mind. The Guard at the time drew a lot of inspiration from the Cold War Soviets (it was the very early 90's after all), as well as the British during WWI. Hordes of men shouting urah and they charge across a field clogging the enemy with their dead. What kind of vehicles would such an army want? Well... They want big, slow clanking monstrosities that advance across the barbed wire stewn no mans land of a forever war with the infantry. From here it is pretty easy to see that the Leman Russ, with its lozenge shaped hull, wrap around tracks and big ol' side sponsons is a MKIV Female with a Turret tacked on top. For the Chimera he kept the lozenge hull, but also drew inspiration from the Soviets. Particularly the BMP. That's how you end up with the small little baby turret of the BMP-2 and the firing ports.

Looks like a blend of M113, WW1 tank and BMP

My brother was a cav scout squad leader 2nd gulf war. He has a thrilling story about turning a corner and coming face ro face with 3 T72s while commanding his bradley.

Thanks for the review

Great stuff, thanks. Never thought about the tracks actually having modern rubber pads sculpted on. The multilaser version of the Chimera gives away its inspiration from soviet BMP3 I think. Also , I think (maybe) the Rhino outside warhammer world is a British army FV432. Would be interested in you take in the artillery vehicles, as they seem like the next most real world things. Happy new year

My head canon is that the central body is separate from the outside track sections and their is some kind of futuristic suspension solution built between the two. There is also a servitor built in for fire assistance. Otherwise its totally ridiculous.

What always bothered me about the 40k tanks is they have zero suspension.

I went with wheel conversions for my chimeras to save myself a bit from that zero-suspension esthetic. GW vehicles are still too small for the minis though. I mean a rhino is about the same size as a chimera, and it is way to smal for space marine minis. It is barely adequate for Sisters.

I found it strange that in recent years they started mounting the frag defender grenade launchers on the front, underside of the vehicles in WH40k. Historically that sort of defensive weapon was always mounted on the upper part of vehicles to launch the frag grenades up into the air to rain shrapnel down on enemies near the vehicle. Having it mounted on the under side like that seems to make it all but useless for anything other than a frontal assault.

I wish there was a turretless, porthole-less build for the Chimera. Just an APC to unload personnel. No other nonsense.

Rogal Dorn tank next would be great:)

your forgetting the Storm Chimera with a auto cannon in the main turret mount

As an Australian how similar are the AUG assault rifle and the lasgun? Is the AUG just the flashlight of the Kangaroo emperor of mankind, or its the roar of the Australian segmentum that every Emu fears?

Hey man is your discord free to join? Would love to chat guard tactics and Im starting to attend tournaments regularly playing guard in the NZ scene so would be cool to compare regional meta differences

Would love to hear your breakdown of the realism of the baneblade 😈

I mean, it is designed to hold a bunch of soldiers, but only if those soldiers are about 28mm high. Not really useful in modern times, I would say.

The Astra Militarum is an uncaring institution? Do you doubt the spirit of His imperial guard? This cannot be overlooked commander! The commisariat shall be informed

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Very realistic...engine placement, not so much...lol...

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