Rhinox Cavalry

"The belligerent Rhinox's near-blindness is no obstacle to the mindless destruction its Ogre rider demands."

—Description of a Rhinox Rider in Total War: Warhammer III.^[2]

A mighty Ogre Rhinox Rider as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III.^[2]

Rhinox Cavalry is a powerful Ogre cavalry unit whose members are known as Rhinox Riders, and who ride the fearsome and massive horned herd beasts native to the Mountains of Mourn known as Rhinoxen. They are a rarer sight than the Ogre's Mournfang Cavalry, mostly due to the fact that Rhinoxen are large and ornery beasts, and are thus quite difficult to tame. Even when broken to saddle, the extreme stubbornness and poor eyesight of the Rhinox makes it hard to manoeuvre them on the battlefield with anything remotely resembling accuracy. This means that only the toughest and most determined members of an Ogre tribe can do so.^[1a]

Role

There is a rite of Ogrehood practiced in the Ogre tribes of the Mountains of Mourn. Aspiring Ogre Bulls will stalk and hunt an adolescent rhinox while it performs its own violent rite of passage -- a brutal contest of strength that involves high-speed collisions and a lot of blood.^[1a]

A protracted rhinox leadership challenge will usually result in the death of the losing party, as even these bad-tempered hulks of muscle and matted hair can bleed to death. However, the rhinox, as with all animal species native to the Mountains of Mourn, is extremely resilient. Even when its brain has ceased to function, it will continue to fight, slashing and biting in its death throes. It is at this point that the hunting Ogre will launch his ambush.^[1a]

A Rhinox Rider armed with a greatweapon as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III.^[2]

The victor of a rhinox leadership challenge will be exhausted and have lost a lot of blood as a result of its ordeal. Only when a rhinox is in such a state could a lone Ogre hope to capture it alive. The Ogre aspirant sprints toward the wounded rhinox and vaults onto its back. Those that ride out the bucking, bellowing frenzy that invariably follows will break the beast's will as it slows and eventually concedes that to continue would be to bleed to death. Those Ogres that fall off during this violent rodeo are gored and subsequently eaten by their quarry.^[1a]

For the successful aspirants, there follows a period in which the would-be Rhinox Rider must remain in the saddle at all times and steer the beast with his club. With its walnut-sized brain addled by the repeated blows, the rhinox slowly becomes accustomed to bearing a rider. In this way, the Ogre wins the acceptance of the beast. Once a rhinox has been broken in this manner, it is just about possible to domesticate it.^[1a]

Ogre Rhinox Riders return to their tribe with their prize -- but not for long. There is a fortune to be made as a mercenary for a young Ogre with his own rhinox mount, and every spring, a few new Ogre Bulls from the upper slopes will join together and sell their services as the heaviest shock cavalry known to the mortal world.^[1a]

Rhinox Riders typically carry all their worldly possessions on their mount, as there is more than enough room, and a broken rhinox makes an excellent beast of burden. The riders like to advertise their success as Dogs of War and often wear precious metals to show their wealth. Although Rhinox Riders can usually secure the victory of any battle they are engaged in, these brutes and their gigantic steeds do not come cheap, and the paymasters of the victorious side have often noted a profound feeling of loss when the spoils of war are shared out.^[1a]

It is a well-known fact that almost all the Rhinox Riders abroad in the world hail from the Ironskin kingdom, populated by a tribe of Ogres who revere their mighty Tyrant almost as much as they revere iron itself.^[1a]

A squadron of Rhinox Riders is typically led by a veteran Rhinox Rider called a "thunderlord," whose mount is a great Bull Rhinox.^[1a]

Notable Rhinox Cavalry

• Sky-Striders - This elite squadron of Ogre heavy cavalry are equipped with ancient Skytitan weapons and armour looted from amidst the ruins of that extinct race of Giants.^[2]

Miniatures

Rhinox Rider (White Dwarf Conversion)

Rhinox Rider (White Dwarf Conversion)

Game History

The lore concerning the Rhinox Riders in White Dwarf 309 and how they tame their mounts appears to be an almost exact replica of the lore concerning Mournfang Cavalry. This is because Rhinox Cavalry are a supplement to the Ogre Kingdoms 6th Edition army book that was published in White Dwarf, and Mournfang Cavalry was a new unit created for inclusion in the Ogre Kingdoms 8th Edition army book. The authors repurposed the lore published in White Dwarf 309 for the Rhinox Cavalry with some additions and replaced the mention of Rhinoxen with Mournfangs; the Rhinox Riders were never referred to again in any other source.

Sources

• 1: White Dwarf 309 (September 2005) (UK)
  • 1a: pp. 77-78
• 2: Total War: Warhammer III (PC Game)