Themed Army Ideas

Fighting Tiger Black Ops: Introduction  by James Arnold

Make no mistake, Heretic. You may hide yourself in the darkest corners of the galaxy, surrounded by incomprehensible layers of the Warp. You may seal yourself away behind miles of rockcrete, with ten thousand men to protect your worthless hide. You may do as you wish, for it is of no consequence to me. Simply know that you are being watched. And, when the time is right, I will end you. 

--Note found on the body of a fallen Chaos Cultist during the Aruna Incursion, 6 weeks prior to the death of Chaos Sorcerer Gelnath

While this may not be a treatment that someone would want to use on an entire chapter, I thought it would be interesting to experiment with this different color scheme on a group of Marines who specialize in infiltration and concealment. The Imperial Fists, Ultramarines, Dark Angels: all would be excellent candidates. But when I think disappearing into the wilderness, I think of the Fighting Tigers. 

In the dark and wild jungles of Veda, a well-trained warrior could conceal him or herself for days on end, with no fear of discovery. Indeed, even a native inhabitant of the planet could outmaneuver a highly-trained adversary given the right circumstances. Scouts are a natural choice for this type of concealed exercise, but all Scouts who live to become full Space Marines retain the memory of those days spent hiding in the shadows, waiting for the moment to strike. It stands to reason that, as time progresses, some Marines continue to train in the art of stealth, and those who last to the honored title of Veteran have finally honed their skills to the point where they can conceal themselves even in the bulky ceramite of full Marine armor. 

Though not as strict as some of the more fanatical loyalist chapters, the Fighting Tigers are honorable warriors on the battlefield. However, there is nothing dishonorable about attacking an exposed flank or a vulnerable unit. As Kenton has repeatedly pointed out, mobility is a key issue in this game. A squad specializing in infiltration would be an ace in the hole, able to assault very early on, and prepared for almost any situation. I envision such a squad like so:

• Sergeant w/ Terminator honors, power fist, bolt pistol, combat shield, frag grenades; 
• Veteran w/ lightning claws, frag grenades;
• Veteran w/ meltagun, frag grenades; and
• Three Veterans w/ bolt pistols, close combat weapons, frag grenades.
• All have Infiltrate

Over the following months, I will be writing a story about one of these Fighting Tiger units that have become Veterans. I will also provide articles detailing the construction for a figure of one of the characters in the story itself. 

If you’re interested in creating a similar unit, with distinctive models and well-defined characters, for your army, follow this series. 

• Chapter 1--Sergeant Janhavi Vera goes home and finds horror
• Chapter 2--More visitors arrive as Sergeant Janhavi returns to Genja
• Chapter 3--The Fighting Tiger Black Ops strike
• Chapter 4--The Fighting Tiger Black Ops meet the man in blue--and his bodyguard
• Chapter 5--The Fighting Tiger Black Ops and the Ultramarines face a new foe

• Ajay--Two lightning claws, all attitude: how I built him
• Kamal--A simple head swap and an interesting color scheme
• Dahana--My first female Marine
• Hadin--Kamal's brother, and some advice on painting
• Maya--The next female Marine, and tips on coverting by painting
• Janhavi--The born leader

Posted March 2006. Used with permission.
 

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