Rhino Infantry Fighting Vehicle

The Rhino IFV reentered service about two years after ARMOR’s failed assault on Columbia. Since that time, the Rhino and Ram have often been operated together on the battlefield. The original, prewar version of the Rhino was armed with dual bolt cannons and had 30% less armor. The general upgrades include increasing the armor, although laser resistant armor has been considered, and replacing the secondary weapon systems and power systems. Pulse laser cannons replaced the bolt cannons and power cords were fitted for the use of the infantry being carried in the vehicle. By this time, most troops carried energy weapons instead of projectile weapons and the power cords allowed virtually unlimited fire from them and plugged in the place of an energy clip. The power cords required that the entire vehicle's power system be upgraded. There was some discussion of replacing the armor with laser resistant armor similar to that carried by the Glitterboy, but this was not carried out except on a handful of command and VIP IFVs.

Besides being able to carry a platoon of Terrine infantry, minus the Olympic-class Power Armor, the Rhino is a fully capable combat vehicle in its own right. While it was not designed to be a mainline battle unit, its armor is strong enough to allow it to survive on the frontlines. The Rhino’s typical use is to be parked behind an embankment, with only the Combat Command Pod showing above the barricade. From the Combat Pod, the vehicle Commander can fire missile barrages onto the enemy and direct deployed infantry around hidden dangers. Either the gunners or the co-driver can control the pulse laser mounts on the front of the vehicle. If the vehicle has a weakness, it is in the anti-gravity emitters mounted on the bottom of the IFV. While the Anti-Gravity generators are fully self-contained inside the vehicle, it still needs to have the emitters mounted outside. To combat this weakness, the Rhino carries extra emitters, and its crew is trained in how to replace them.

ARMOR hasn’t been much interested in making variants of the Rhino. The only two variants available are the original model (several dozen in the hands of independent operators employed by ARMOR) and a laser resistant armored version used by VIPs and Army Command Staff. The original model has 30% less armor and is armed with bolt cannons, while the laser resistant model is the same as the current model, but the armor works the same way as the Glitterboy’s. Overall, the Rhino IFV is very popular with the infantry, and each platoon is assigned one.

M.D.C. By Location:

Missile Launchers (2)	175 each
[1] Pulse Laser Mounts (2)	50 each
[1] Smoke / Gas Dispensers (2)	15 each
[1] Headlights (2)	10 each
Radar/Communications Cluster	55
Main Hatches (2) (Each Side)	150 each
Combat Command Pod	250
Reinforced Crew Compartment	100
Reinforced Personnel Bay	175
[2] Main Body	600
[1][3] Anti-Gravity Emitters (4)	100 each
[3] Main Engine Thrusters (4)	150 each

Notes:
[1] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a "called shot," but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
[2] If all the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted, the vehicle is completely shut down and is unsalvageable.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of two A-G Emitters or Thrusters will reduce the speed and hover ability of the IFV by one-half until they are replaced. Replacing an A-G Emitter will take 1D6x10 minutes by the trained crew (two replacements are carried on board) or three times as long by the inexperienced. Changing emitters is only advisable when the vehicle is not under attack.