Fighting Tiger Elites
Unlike Codex Astartes Chapters (such as the Ultramarines), the Fighting Tigers do not organize themselves into companies. Instead, the Tigers divide themselves into two castes, or jatis, one based on each of Veda’s continents, Mahaduyana and Ghuyarashtra. Each jatis is identical in size (about 500 Marines, plus attendants) and organization. Each jatis takes its name from its home continent and its markings from the tigers found there.

Fighting Tigers who have been promoted to Terminator or Veteran Squads are Tigers of Indra; Indra is the captain of the Vedic gods. Former tanadars (officers) who fall in battle may be reincarnated in Dreadnought form as Tigers Eternal. Basic colors are Fiery Orange (or Skull White, for females) and Chaos Black for Jatis Mahaduyana, Bubonic Brown (or Skull White, for females) and Bestial Brown for Jatis Ghuyarashtra. 

Tigers of Indra: Terminators

Left: Jatis Ghuyarashtra male Tactical Terminator with heavy flamer 
Right: Jatis Mahaduyana female Assault Terminator. Note her blue eyelenses.

In the Fighting Tigers of Veda Chapter, all Marines start as Scouts, then are assigned as Tigers of Rudra (Tactical Marines), Kali (Assault Marines), or Agni (Devastator Marines). Exceptional Fighting Tigers may become Veteran Sergeants and lead their squads into battle. 

Superior Veteran Sergeants are promoted from their squad and organized with their peers into Fighting Tiger Veteran Squads; those who distinguish themselves with acts of valor may be promoted to Terminator Squads. Thus, Fighting Tiger Terminators are very rare! 

Tigers Eternal (Dreadnoughts)

Left: Surya Ashoka, armed with twin-linked lascannon and missile launcher 
Right: Shrendi Vashtar, armed with multimelta, powerfist, and heavy flamer
(Read stats for both Dreadnoughts)

These conversions use original "Rogue Trader" Space Marine Dreadnought bodies and current Dreadnought arms. The heads and legs are from plastic Voltron figures. Surya and Vashtar assumed command of the Fighting Tigers after Shiva was struck down; together, they ruled for centuries. They play crucial parts in the short story Dharma.

Tiger Eternal: Shiva the Destroyer
Maharaja Shiva Nagordarika, Founder and first Chapter Master of the Fighting Tigers, was struck down by a Blood- thirster of Khorne and reborn as Shiva the Destroyer, armed with an assault cannon, powerfist, and heavy flamer. For this figure I used the current Dreadnought model; the head is from a plastic Voltron toy. That bloody pulp at Shiva's feet is what's left of a Dark Eldar.

Shiva was the first Tiger Eternal. His armor was constructed before there were female Fighting Tigers and was painted white because that color (in Vedic culture) signifies death. This has confused some outside the Fighting Tigers into believing that Shiva was female. In Hindu mythology, the deity Shiva (or Siva) is often androgynous and I deliberately painted the model this way to reflect that gender ambiguity. 

Tigers of Indra: Veteran Fighting Tigers
Fighting Tiger Veterans are drawn from the best Veteran Sergeants, so they always have lots of combat and leadership experience. Fighting Tiger Veterans are the only units within the Chapter that are integrated by jatis and sex; this is done so they may learn from each other (if they are promoted to Terminators they are resegregated). My Fighting Veteran squad has four females (two from each jatis) and six males (three from each jatis).

In the photo above, The figure on the left belongs to Jatis Ghuyarashtra. Her head is from a pewter fantasy model and was marred during conversion; I've given her a white and brown scarf (made from green putty) to hide the damage on her face. 

The Marine at right belongs to Jatis Mahaduyana. This figure's head is actually from a plastic Dark Eldar model, but her hair doesn't look too crazy (for the 41st Millennium, anyway) painted in a very human brown color.

Note that both photos, the Veterans are distinguished from regular Fighting Tigers by their painted chest eagles (Dwarf Bronze or Boltgun Metal) and stylized pawprint designs on the right shoulder plates. 
 
 

Next page (pg 4): Gray Tigers Previous page (pg 2): HQ

Related Pages
Fighting Tiger Elites
Tactics: Fighting Tiger Elites
Tigers Eternal Surya Ashoke and Shrendi Vashtar
Tiger Eternal Shiva the Destroyer
 

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© Copyright Kenton Kilgore April 2000 

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