DAMOCLES COMMAND RHINO
from Games Workshop Forge World

Space Marine Chapters utilise some of the most advanced equipment the Imperium can supply. As well as their weapons, armour and combat vehicles, this also includes the infrastructure that supports their combat operations. The Damocles Command Rhino is part of this infrastructure. It is a standard Rhino equipped with sophisticated communication and tracking equipment, helping direct a Space Marine force and acting as the main comms link between orbiting Strike Cruisers, the fleet of Thunderhawk gunships, and a Space Marine commander on a planet’s surface.

A Damocles is used to control and direct the movements of large Space Marine formations. A small surgical strike force would have no need for a Damocles’ specialised support. A full company battle group, deployed in strength, with Rhinos, Land Speeders, Land Raiders, Thunderhawks, Drop Pods, teleporting Terminators, and every weapon in the Space Marine’s formidable arsenal, would benefit greatly from a Damocles Command Rhino to co-ordinate operations.

The Damocles is not a combat vehicle and is rarely committed to front line action. If deployed it is usually kept well hidden from the enemy. Crewed by a driver and a two man command team (provided by the Chapter Master’s headquarters). These brothers are Space Marines in their own right, who have undergone additional training by the Chapter Techmarines to use the sophisticated equipment.

• Company or battle group command and control hub, including signals boosters, squad-to-squad, ground-to-air and ground-to-orbit comm-links.
• Secure multi-band communications for co-ordinating operations with other Imperial forces in the area of operations. This can be anything from orbiting spacecraft and Imperial Navy aircraft to Imperial Guard, Adeptus Arbites or Adeptus Sororitas command units.
• Multi-spectral ground surveillance auspex for locating enemy units.
• Chapter-wide squad and vehicle tracking information, supplied via orbital relay.
• Bio-status readouts relayed directly from individual Space Marine’s powered armour.

Type: Tank.

Weapons: Storm Bolter.

Crew: Space Marines.

Options: A Damocles can be given any of the vehicle upgrades from the Space Marine armoury. This includes variations for specific chapters (i.e. a Salamander`s Whirlwind Hyperios can take Reinforced Ceramite Armour, etc).

Transport: None.

HQ Choice: The Damocles Command Rhino can only be taken as a Space Marine army’s second HQ choice. A Damocles Rhino cannot be the only HQ choice in an army.

A Damocles Command Rhino can be used in one of two roles. Either to direct an Orbital Strike or to contact Imperial Navy Air Support. Both of these count as a separate Heavy Support choice for a Space Marine army. You may only take one, not both.

During large engagements the Space Marines can call upon the firepower of their orbiting Strike Cruisers or Battle Barge to lend heavy fire support. This is always a weapon of last resort, reserved only for the most dangerous of foes, as an orbital strike can be as dangerous for friendly forces in the area as it is for the enemy.

Options: Select a strike from the types available above.

Plotting: The Orbital Strike must be keyed to a specific piece of terrain at the start of the battle. Make a note of the plotted target before forces are deployed but after deployment zones have been determined.

Timing: An Orbital Strike will always use the Reserve special rule, even in missions where reserves are not allowed. Once the Orbital strike is available it lands in each Shooting phase of the Space marine players turns thereafter. The Space Marine player can opt not to roll for the onset of the Orbital Strike if he wishes, but once the roll has been passed, the Orbital Strike will continue each turn until the end of the game – you can delay a strike, but once started it doesn’t stop.

Placement: The Blast marker for the strike can be placed anywhere within the specified terrain piece.

(In)accuracy: Even for ships in low orbit, precision fire is extremely difficult. An Orbital Strike scatters just like an Ordnance weapon but if a miss is rolled the distance scattered is double the number score on the D6. If a hit is rolled, the template deviates by the distance shown on the dice in the direction indicated by the arrow on the ‘Hit’ symbol.

Ordnance Barrage: All Orbital Strikes count as Ordnance barrages for the purposes of pinning tests.

During combined operations with other Imperial Forces the Damocles allows a Space Marine commander to co-ordinate his attacks with Imperial Navy aircraft operating in the area. Using a Damocles he can call upon aircraft to give the Space Marines close air support.

The close air support consists of one of the following aircraft. Lightning, Thunderbolt or Vulture. See the IA Volume 1: Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, for full details and points costs for these aircraft.

Improved Communications: Every Damocles Command Rhino is equipped with Improved Communications. This allows the Space Marine player to re-roll a reinforcement dice once per turn, and to re-roll the dice when checking to see if an enemy unit or obstacle is hit by a preliminary bombardment.