Codex: Fighting Tigers of Veda (pg 16)
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Fighting Tiger Special Characters
I've never been a big fan of special characters, but a lot of players love using them (although, I've noticed, it's usually not for the "character" part as it is for the "special" part, i.e., the "special" rules these superheroes have). I've also found it's next to impossible to get anyone other than your best friend to allow you to use special characters you've created yourself. 

Still, every army has to have some personalities in it, so in creating them I've focused on the "character" aspect. These characters don't have special rules built into them, so, like the rest of the Fighting Tigers, you can use them in any battle without your opponent's permission: just patiently explain that Shiva is a regular Space Marine Dreadnought, the Rajas are Commanders with wargear straight from Codex: Space Marines, and so on.
 

Shiva the Destroyer formerly Maharaja Shiva Nagordarika, Founder and Chapter Master of the Fighting Tigers

Founder and Chapter Master Shiva Nagordarika had ruled Veda and the Fighting Tigers for over eight hundred years when he and his forces were lured into a trap and ambushed by the Warband Bloodcomet. Singled out and easily hacked down by a summoned Bloodthirster of Khorne, the once-mighty Founder of the Fighting Tigers literally fell without firing a shot.

Surya Ashoka, then Raja of Mahaduyana, placed Shiva’s body in a special suit of Dreadnought armor and had it painted white (the Vedic color of death) with black stripes. (Note that this event occurred before the Tigers of Kali were created and that the White Tiger, Shiva’s personal Land Raider, was also painted white with black stripes. This has confused some to believe that Shiva was female.) Shiva lived on, now known as Shiva the Destroyer.

Shiva’s personality has changed profoundly. Like other Space Marine Old Ones, Shiva spends months, years, decades standing motionless in his stasis chamber in Mahaduyana, deep in a trance-like state the Tigers call nirvana. Unlike other Dreadnoughts, Shiva alone chooses when—and why—he will rouse, move and act. No one has ever succeeded in invoking Shiva the Destroyer against his will.

When Shiva does act, he does so swiftly and deliberately, never speaking to anyone. Fighting Tiger tradition forbids any of them from hindering their Founder; after Shiva wakes, he is constantly followed by the most senior Tiger of Tvashtri (techmarine), who reports his activities and possible motivations directly to the Raja of Mahaduyana.

Shiva 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. The two Rajas regularly confer on issues affecting the Chapter as a whole and together guide the Chapter until (it is hoped) the day Shiva resumes his duties.  As the centuries pass, this becomes increasingly unlikely.
 

	Points	Front	Side	Rear	WS	BS	S	I	A
Shiva	143	12	12	10	4	4	6 (10)	4	2

A Fighting Tiger army may be joined by Shiva the Destroyer. If you decide to take him then he counts as one of the Elite choices for the army. He must be used exactly as described below, and may not be given extra equipment. In addition, if you use the special rules then he may only be used in a battle where both players have agreed to the use of special characters.

Type: Walker
Crew: Maharaja Shiva Nagordarika (Space Marine)
Weapons: Shiva's left arm is equipped with a Dreadnought close combat weapon and built-in heavy flamer. Shiva's right arm is equipped with an assault cannon.
Venerable: Shiva is a Venerable Dreadnought (see page 32 of Codex: Space Marines). 
Upgrades: Shiva is equipped with extra armor and smoke launchers.
 

Technically, Khandar Madu's title is rani, the feminine form of raja. She uses the masculine title in deference to tradition, as all of the rulers of Mahaduyana before her were male.

Raja Khandar Madu's closest advisor is Zaghnal Maratha, the seniormost Tiger of Brihaspati in the Chapter. Raja Khandar appears in the Blood Deserts of Auros IX Campaignas well as the short stories Dharma and Tigers Eternal.
 

	Points	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
Khandar	145	5	5	4	4	3	5	4	10	3+

A Fighting Tiger army of 2,000 points or more may be led by Raja Khandar Madu. If you decide to take her then she counts as one of the HQ choices for the army. She must be used exactly as described below, and may not be given extra equipment. In addition, if you use the special rules then she may only be used in a battle where both players have agreed to the use of special characters.

Wargear: lightning claws; Terminator honors (bonus included above); Iron Halo.

Singh Squad: Prudent and intelligent, Khandar Madu never goes into battle without a 9-strong Command ("Singh") squad and a Rhino. On rare occasions she and her Singh squad have used the White Tiger for transport.
 
 

Eventually, Shamshir's unconventional--indeed, reckless--leadership style grated on Raja Khandar Madu and Shamshir's advisor, the Tiger of Varuna Talwar Chakram. After the disastrous events described in the story Traveller of Both Time and Space,  he was removed from office, the first Raja ever to be demoted, and expelled from the Fighting Tigers. His future is uncertain.

For the time being, the Librarian Chandramatie Bahl rules Ghuyarashtra as Acting Co-Regent. 
 
 

The White Tiger oldest surviving Fighting Tiger vehicle, originally used as Shiva Nagordarika’s command vehicle

The White Tiger was originally Shiva's command vehicle and was painted white, the Vedic color of death. In deference to Shiva it is kept in storage and only used as heavy support in major battles. Sometimes especially honored squads are allowed to ride into battle aboard the White Tiger. This is the only Fighting Tiger Land Raider to have survived the onslaught of the Warband Bloodcomet and has been nearly destroyed and subsequently repaired countless times over the centuries.

A Fighting Tiger army may include the White Tiger. If you decide to take it then it counts as one of the Heavy Support choices for the army. Optionally, it may be included as a transport vehicle for Raja Khandar Madu's Singh Squad. It must be used exactly as described below, and may not be given extra upgrades. In addition, if you use the special rules then it may only be used in a battle where both players have agreed to the use of special characters.
 

	Points	Front	Side	Rear	BS
The White Tiger	279	14	14	14	4

Type: Tank
Crew: Three Space Marines
Weapons: The White Tiger is armed with a twin-linked lascannon in each side sponson and forward firing twin-linked heavy bolters mounted on the hull.
Fire Points: None
Access Points and Power of the Machine Spirit: as per page 40 of Codex: Space Marines
Transport: The White Tiger may carry up to ten Space Marines or five Space Marine Terminators.
Vehicle Upgrades: The White Tiger is equipped with a dozer blade, extra armor, hunter-killer missile, searchlight, and smoke launchers
 
 
 

Next page (pg 17): Other Fighting Tiger Special Characters Previous page (pg 15): Painting Fighting Tiger Vehicles

Related Pages
Glossary and Pronunciation Guide
Other Fighting Tiger Special Characters 
Both Rajas appear in the Blood Deserts of Auros IX Campaign
Raja Khandar appears in Dharma and Tigers Eternal
Tactics: Fighting Tiger HQ
Codex Main Page and Table of Contents
 

Last Updated: May 2006
Codex: Fighting Tiger logo (GW style) by Jason Foley 

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