Codex:
Fighting Tigers of Veda (pg 3)
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The Fighting Tigers of Veda
 The
Fighting Tigers of Veda are an old but relatively little known Space Marine
Chapter stationed on the dangerous eastern side of the Maelstrom (at
right), an area similar to the infamous Eye of Terror, in the Ultima
Segmentum.
The Fighting
Tigers were established as Chapter 531 during the Ninth—or possibly the
Nineteenth—Founding, with Maharaja Shiva Nagordarika as their Chapter Master.
They were assigned to the Regulus Secundus system, with its large yellow
star and 19 planets (11 of which are human habitable), and ordered to rid
it of a large Dark Eldar pirate force, the
Kabal of the Ozone Scorpions, that was preying upon the feudal-level
human civilizations there. The Fighting Tigers swiftly defeated the Ozone
Scorpions and claimed the ninth planet, Veda, as their own, adding its
name to theirs.
Shiva Nagordarika
ruled Veda and the Fighting Tigers for many centuries before he and the
entire Chapter were lured into a trap and ambushed by the Chaos
Lord Baalzephon Zgorch and his Khornate Chaos Space Marines, the
Warband Bloodcomet. Shiva was crippled by a summoned Bloodthirster and
more than 800 Fighting Tigers perished before the remaining Space Marines
and their allies defeated the Warband Bloodcomet and drove Zgorch into
the Maelstrom.
Above: The
Maelstrom and surrounding areas.
Veda lies just east of the
Maelstrom, isolated from much of the Imperium
Map courtesy of
Dark
Millennia. Used with permission.
Under Raja
Surya Ashoka and Raja Shrendi Vashtar, the Fighting Tigers slowly recovered.
Because Zgorch and his treacherous followers had killed so many Fighting
Tigers as well as native warriors of Veda and the neighboring planets,
Surya and Vashtar were forced to recruit women as Space Marines. Fortunately,
their Apothecaries found the surgical processes little different from those
used on men, and soon, guided by their death goddess Kali, female Fighting
Tigers joined their male counterparts on the battlefields.
Shiva Nagordarika
(reborn as the Dreadnought Shiva
the Destroyer, below) is still officially Maharaja, or Chapter
Master, but in his debilitated state, the Fighting Tigers are actually
led by the two Rajas, or Caste Commanders. Each Raja rules not only their
half of the Chapter but also the native people living on their respective
continent of Veda. The two Rajas regularly confer on issues affecting the
Chapter as a whole and together guide the Chapter until (it is hoped) Shiva
resumes his duties. As the centuries pass, this becomes increasingly unlikely.
Above: Shiva
the Destroyer
Recent Events
After several years of fighting
and hundreds of casualties, the Tigers were forced to withdraw from their
campaign to claim the Blood Deserts of Auros
IX for the Imperium, as their homeworld
had been infiltrated by the Dark Eldar Kabal
of the Ozone Scorpions. Ultimately, the Scorpions were repulsed,
largely thanks to the Space Wolves under Ferin
Ironhammer.
The Tigers immediately began a rebuilding
effort to replace their losses, and thus were only tangentially
involved in the efforts to combat Abaddon the Destroyer as his
13th Black Crusade erupted from the Eye of Terror. Hive
Fleet Ravana has entered the Regulus system, home to the Tigers’
base, and Shamshir Talatra
has been stripped of his title of Raja
and command of half the Fighting Tigers. Until a new Raja can be named,
Librarian Chandramatie Bahl has assumed his duties. While Bahl is certainly
talented, she is inexperienced, and will be hard-pressed to held Raja Khandar
Madu overcome their many foes.
As the 41st Millennium draws to a
close, the future of the Fighting Tigers is in question.
Excerpt
from report concerning Veda, by Inquisitor Varman Kumar
Veda
is a large planet with a hot climate similar to many tropical and subtropical
areas of Earth. There are two large continents, connected by several narrow
land bridges, both located in the eastern hemisphere. Scattered islands
dot the warm, shallow oceans that cover the rest of the planet.
Both
continents are populated by feudal level agrarian humans living in small
villages. Villages are bound together into tribes, but all people of Veda
bow to the Maharaja, the Chapter Master of the Fighting Tigers. Through
him they faithfully serve and worship the Emperor, whom they call the Brahman,
the Sleeping God whose dreams shape the universe.
The
northern continent, Mahaduyana, has huge expanses of jungle broken occasionally
by wide stretches of grassy plains. In the extreme north are several high
mountain ranges, where snow falls year round. In Mahaduyana can be found
titanium, adamantium, coal, and natural gas.
The
southern continent, Ghuyarashtra, is roughly twice as large as Mahaduyana.
Like Mahaduyana, there are some mountains and jungles, but most of Ghuyarashtra
is covered by plains. Because of the rich, black soil and annual summer
monsoons, these plains are very fertile. In addition, gold, silver, copper,
and diamonds are found here. Roughly 65% of Veda’s human population lives
in Ghuyarashtra. |
Fighting Tiger
Timeline
Here's where
the Tigers fit in with the history of the 40K universe....
| 9000
BC |
Birth of the Emperor |
| 3rd Millennium |
Tigers (Panthera
tigris) become extinct on Terra. Mars settled |
| 4th Millennium |
The Warp is discovered |
| 16th
Millennium |
Mankind begins to
colonize solar systems near Terra. Dark Age of Technology begins |
| 21st Millennium |
Veda settled. Colonists
clone Terran fauna--including tigers--using frozen DNA. |
| 26th Millennium |
Age of Strife begins.
Veda society degenerates to a feudal level. |
| 29th Millennium |
The Emperor conquers
Terra. |
| 30th
Millennium |
The Emperor creates
the Space Marines and Primarchs, embarks on the Great Crusade. The Imperium
begins. |
| 31st
Millennium |
Horus Heresy. Horus
is defeated and the Emperor ascends the Golden Throne. Codex Astartes re-organizes
Space Marines into Chapters. |
| 36th
Millennium |
Age of Apostasy.
Veda captured by Kabal
of the Ozone Scorpions, who enslave the populace. Fighting Tigers
Chapter (#531) established under Chapter Master Shiva
Nagordarika. Tigers defeat Ozone Scorpions, imprison Archon, assume
rule of Veda, and set up permanent home on planet surface.
Tigers begin explorations
of new worlds near Maelstrom and Galactic Core. Discover alien and
lost human technology. Develop the Vedic
Siege Gun. Exterminate the dvergar of the Angrboda Nebula.
First Kentean
Regiment raised. |
| 37th Millennium |
Shindering
of the Templars: Warband Bloodcomet
cripples Fighting Tigers, ravages Veda before exhausting their strength
and succumbing to counterattack. Shiva becomes a Dreadnought. Syryx
Lynatharr, Archon of the Ozone Scorpions, escapes.
Tigers temporarily
taken over by Ultramarines. Surya
and Vashtar assume command, begin recruitment of female
Marines and establish practice of purusha. Pacts of Friendship
are established with the Space Wolves. The Rigsamayajur,
the holy verses and history of the Tigers, is written.
Battle
of the Twin Fangs pits Tigers and Space Wolves against Eldar Warhost
"The Lotus Storm of Impossible Contemplation" (translation). Ferin
Ironhammer falls and is revived as a Dreadnought. |
| 38th
Millennium |
Reign of Raja Rajeesh
Kumar, "the Exalted Prince." Fighting Tigers exterminate Blood Axe tribe
"Da Sonz of Dix-E" and Goff Klan Fuguden. Tigers first begin (and later
abandon) explorations of the planet Ghaatti.
Baalzephon Zgorch returns with the Saracens. |
| 39th Millennium |
Development of the
Apex
Predator variant. Tigers battle Church of the Poisoned Mind (Genestealer
Cult) and Godfrey's Desert Vipers (rebel Armored Company) on Qellizarr.
Tigers suffer the Choudhury Incident but ultimately prevail. |
| 40th Millennium |
Fighting Tigers first
spot Hive Fleet Ravana, but do not engage.
Tigers land on Kurinda, suffer heavy casualties, cease explorations of
new worlds. Tigers clash with Sisters
of Battle. Kavita Chavan, hero of the Dakr Conflict, rescues Raja
Amar Vedantam from the Sii-gesh hordes at the cost of his own life. |
| 41st Millennium |
Solar Macharius conquers
over 1000 worlds. First Armageddon War. Battle of Macragge: Ultramarines
defeat Hive Fleet Behemoth. Badab War: Fighting Tigers ordered not to engage
Astral
Claws, their sister Chapter.
Shamshir
Talatra succeeds Sabeer Ansari as Raja of Ghuyarashtra.
Second Armageddon War.
Fighting Tigers battle Saracens,
annihilate them. Khandar Madu
appointed first female Raja--she keeps the masculine form of the title
over the feminine rani out of deference to tradition.
Tigers begin campaign
for the Blood Deserts of Auros IX.
Third Armageddon War. Ozone Scorpions return to Veda
and battle Space Wolves guarding planet
while Tigers on Auros IX. Shamshir Talatra removed
from office. |
This is the
end of the introduction section of Codex: Fighting Tigers of Veda.
The next section discusses elements of the army.
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Related Pages
The
Kabal of the Ozone Scorpions
Shiva
the Destroyer
Glossary
and Pronunciation Guide
Codex Main
Page and Table of Contents
First posted January
2000. Last updated January 2007
Codex:
Fighting Tiger logo (GW style) by Jason Foley
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