Kingdoms of Ind

Ages ago I remember stumbling across a Kingdoms of Ind thread, where people were putting forth ideas for an Indian type setting. There were ideas such as collecting Deva Stones or other items. I've been mulling over this setting on and off for a while. I'm going to post up some of my ideas for warbands as I write them. Any feedback would be great.


First up Ind warbands:

Ind Mercenaries

Max. size 15 models. Minimum 3.

Heroes

1 Raj
60 Gold Crowns to Hire
Often a Prince or man of noble birth, he gathers men to follow him to find fortune and glory, exploring the ruins of the Kingdom of a thousand gods. His high status in society means that his orders are followed without hesistation, his wealth also helps with this.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 4 4 3 3 1 4 1 8

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Warrior List.

Special Rules
Leader: Any models in the warband within 6" of the Raj may use his Leadership instead of their own.


0-3 Kashtriya
35 Gold Crowns to Hire
Members of the warrior caste of Ind society. They are often hired as mercenary bodyguard as they as well trained with marshal weapons.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 4 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Warrior List.


0-1 Guru
45 Gold Crowns to Hire
Gurus are the keepers of sacred knowledge in Ind society. Their wisdom is often sought, and their connection to the Gods makes them dangerous enemies.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons from the Serf List.

Special Rules
Sacred Knowledge: A Guru Starts with one Guru Power. When choosing a skill a Guru can opt to roll for another Guru Power instead.
Holyman: A Guru cannot wear armour of any kind.





Henchmen

0-5 Guards
25 Gold Crowns to Hire
Trained to defend their kingdom, it's a guards lot in life to go where they are told to and defend their Raj with their all, as long as the money keeps flowing.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Warrior List.


Serfs
15 Gold Crowns to Hire
The lowest caste in Ind society, they are effectively slaves to whoever's land they live on. Surviving on scraps, they are grateful for any opportunity to escape from the hard toil of their usual lives.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Serf List.

Special Rules
Untouchable: It is unacceptable for Serfs to rise in Ind society. Whilst they may gain advancements like normal henchmen, all 'the lad's got talent' rolls, must be rerolled.


0-2 Trained Tigers
50 Gold Coins to Hire
Dangerous hunters from the many lush jungles of Ind, Tigers are prize pets of the noble class. Powerful and savage, many a person has met their end at the teeth and claws of a tiger.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
6 3 0 5 4 1 3 2 5

Weapons/Armour: Teeth and claws. Trained Tigers may never carry any weapons, armour or equipment. They suffer no penalties for attacking unarmed.

Special Rules:
Animals: Tigers never gain experience.
Jungle Instincts: Tigers may climb terrain like normal models. In addition tigers can reroll failed iniative checks for falling or diving charges.



Skill Lists
Combat Shooting Academic Strength Speed
Raj x x x x x
Kashtriya x x - x -
Guru x - x - x

Patron God
An Ind band picks one Patron God (when starting) from the following list and gains the benefits.

Siva, God of Destruction – Guru starts with +1 S, Serfs start games frenzied.
Vaishnu, God of Preservation – Raj's Leadership extends 12”, Guru has +1 to casting rolls.
Indran, God of War – Guru starts with +1 WS, Guard start with +1 WS.
Lakshma, Goddess of Wealth – Guru starts with +1 Ld, Warband starts with +100gc.
Durga, Goddess of Good – Guru hates evil warbands, Kashtriya start with +1 BS.

Guru Powers
1. No Pain – D8 – 6” range, all friendly models knocked down stand back up, models stunned become knocked down.
2. No Mind – D7 – 10” range, all friendly models Immune to Psychology for until the Guru's next shooting phase.
3. Divine Peace – D8 – 10” range, all enemy models must pass a Ld test to charge.
4. Karmic Master – Auto – Player may reroll one injury roll or exploration dice per game.
5. Healing Palm – D9 – 6” range, one model may ignore any injuries on a 4+ until the Guru's next shooting phase (in addition to any armour saves).
6. Yoga Training – D10 – 18” range, all friendly models gain +1 armour save, and may reroll any failed iniative checks, lasts until the Guru's next shooting phase.



Ind Equipment

Warrior List

Melee Weapons
Dagger – first free/2 gc
Mace/Hammer – 3gc
Axe – 5gc
Sword – 10 gc
Spear – 10gc
Halberd – 10gc
Double Handed Wpn – 15gc
Fighting Claws – 35gc
Flail – 15 gc

Range Weapons
Chakram – 15gc
Bow – 10gc
Crossbow – 25gc
Handgun – 35gc

Armour
Helmet – 10gc
Shield – 5gc
Buckler – 5gc
Light ar. – 20gc
Heavy ar. – 50gc



Serf List

Melee Weapons
Dagger – first free/2gc
Mace/Hammer – 3gc
Axe – 5gc
Spear – 10 gc

Range Weapons
Sling – 2 gc
Short bow – 5gc
Bow – 10gc

Armour
Shield – 5gc
Light ar. – 20gc

Hah! The gentlemen who proposed the Ind setting so long ago were Master and myself... although your setting is looking pretty slick.

First off, it's looking very good. However, a few small things:

Overall, the warband looks very balanced on paper. However, you're running into the same problem Master and I had- no fluff on the subject. So, I'm going to repeat what a friend/mentor drilled into me: what is the purpose of this band? Are they part of the standing army of a Raj? Are they a rough militia hobbled together at the last minute to go to war? Are they the guard that patrol the the palaces, letting danger come to them?

Look at the history of India, and see if anything inspires you. Mercenaries work great for the Empire, because in the real Holy Roman Empire (Germany), there were tons of little dukedoms- some of them were rich but tiny, so they'd rent an army from another country. I'm not sure if India had many mercenaries... For example:

Mercenaries - I'm not sure if it fits the "caste" system. If so, maybe the Serfs are limited- they can't become heroes. Maybe the caster / guru is less of a cheap fakir / yoga guy, but a high class brahmin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_system_in_India

They have a 2 tigers with them, but no tiger trainer... see what little things I'm talking about?

Speaking of which, you might want to raise the price on the tiger. He's the same cost as a dire wolf, and I suspect you know who would win. I recommend you look at the Trained Bear in the kislev list as a model. Maybe give him a second wound, allow only 1 tiger, and raised the price.

The Gods - they look pretty fair... I doubt there's any source material on them, so be warned of sticklers.
Also, I'm not a fan of the "Goddess of Good"... way too vague. There are gods of law and gods of protection, but seldom of "Good". Here's a handy list of Warhammer gods:
http://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Category:Religion#.TucsJvIzK8F

Hope that helps!

I suppose it depends on what kind of campaign 'Kingdom's of Ind' would be. I know that at a certain period of time India was split into many small kingdoms, so if the game was set in some sort of ruined city- or I was thinking possibly a tower that once stretched to the heavens (the City of a Thousand Gods) then it might fit that nobles would lead parties of troops to scavenge such places.

I was thinking possibly of the Brahman priest, but there is cool about a guru- possibly having the Guru also be the tiger trainer could work- the guru returns from the wild with befriended tigers? Otherwise just having them trained by/for the Raj himself may work. I always imagine a scene with a Ray on a throne with tigers either side of him. You may be right about the mercenary aspect though.

The gods were semi based on real worshiped Hindu deities- simplified of course. I like the idea of Ind being a place that is so full of Gods that Chaos has had a difficult time making a space for themselves- though I have an idea of how I would like to see them in this setting.

I'll definitely raise the price of the Tiger when I rewrite.

I like the idea of the setting being all inside of a single massive super tall structure. Could have a campaign where major objectives are to control rope-and-pulley elevators that allow quick access to shopping and resupply.

Could make the campaign focus around being on your own for several 'turns' at a time. So in each turn you can battle and explore or go back and buy. Or maybe even send a hero down to shop and recuit which could take D3 battles? Lots of really cool possibilities!!!

Reminds me of Tower of Druaga (a fun anime and old-school arcade style game)

The City of a Thousand Gods? I love the name, and the tower idea too. It could all take in the area around the tower too. If it was solely IN the tower, it might work better as a mini-setting (see the Albion Campaign.) Sounds Great!

Quote :

I like the idea of Ind being a place that is so full of Gods that Chaos has had a difficult time making a space for themselves-

Are you kidding? "Chaos" is the jello of evil! There's ALWAYS room for Chaos!

I can see it being a lot more subtle, though. In the far North, where strength is revered, they probably come across as pure evil. Nearer the hemisphere, they might take a slightly more appealing form.

Slaanesh might be the god of delight. Nurgle might be a father time figure. "change" sounds like a good thing to some. Khorne is harder to pass off, but he might seem more honorable- a Shiva the destroyer figure. Heck, he might have Thuggi cults to him, like Kali.

(Although, now that I think about it, it sounds a lot closer to Khaine. Maybe they have Human-ified versions of all of the Elf gods?)


Tower of Druaga: I know the trope. Personally, I was reminded of Muscle Tower from Dragon Ball.
http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Muscle_Tower

I like the idea alot, having painted Ind Beastmen, and being a general Indian religions freak. The tweaks suggested by the others sound good.

One thing: you've called the hero warriors kashtriya. Now, since you deliberately switched around the vowels of the hindu gods, this may be another example of such playful reinvention, but just for safety the warrior/noble varna is called kshatriya or kishatriya.

An idea: why not call the serfs shudra in line with the kshatriya?

Oooh, looks like the Ind page on Wiki has been updated since I read it last... including two high elf towers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdoms_of_Ind_(Warhammer)

Oh, and the HammerWiki page also mentions the Gurus too... so I guess I owe you an apology

http://warhammeronline.wikia.com/wiki/Kingdoms_of_Ind

I imagined more like multiple layers of kami's lookout- though it might just have had something to do with Mr. Popo and his turban.

http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Kami's_Lookout

2nd attempt. Thanks for everyones input. Suggestions about the setting are great. I was thinking that the the more multiples in the exploration rolls, the higher up the tower it may represent (and the greater the riches/treasures). Having something like 'Devi stones' instead of Wyrdstone may work- it makes me think of Indiana Jones though, 'fortune and glory.'

Ind Mercenaries

Max. size 15 models. Minimum 3.

Heroes

1 Raj
60 Gold Crowns to Hire
Often a Prince or man of noble birth, he gathers men to follow him to find fortune and glory, exploring the ruins of the Kingdom of a thousand gods. His high status in society means that his orders are followed without hesitation, his wealth also helps with this.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 4 4 3 3 1 4 1 8

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Warrior List.

Special Rules
Leader: Any models in the warband within 6" of the Raj may use his Leadership instead of their own.


0-3 Kshatriya
35 Gold Crowns to Hire
Members of the warrior caste of Ind society. They are often hired as mercenary bodyguard as they as well trained with marshal weapons.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 4 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Warrior List.


0-1 Guru
45 Gold Crowns to Hire
Gurus are the keepers of sacred knowledge in Ind society. Their wisdom is often sought, and their connection to the Gods makes them dangerous enemies.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons from the Serf List.

Special Rules
Sacred Knowledge: A Guru Starts with one Guru Power. When choosing a skill a Guru can opt to roll for another Guru Power instead.
Holyman: A Guru cannot wear armour of any kind.
Jungle Mystic: Trained tigers within 6" of the Guru may use his leadership.




Henchmen

0-5 Guards
25 Gold Crowns to Hire
Trained to defend their kingdom, it's a guards lot in life to go where they are told to and defend their Raj with their all, as long as the money keeps flowing.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Warrior List.


Shudra
15 Gold Crowns to Hire
The lowest caste in Ind society, they are effectively slaves to whoever's land they live on. Surviving on scraps, they are grateful for any opportunity to escape from the hard toil of their usual lives.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6

Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Serf List.

Special Rules
Untouchable: It is unacceptable for Serfs to rise in Ind society. Whilst they may gain advancements like normal henchmen, all 'the lad's got talent' rolls, must be rerolled.


0-1 Trained Tiger
70 Gold Coins to Hire
Dangerous hunters from the many lush jungles of Ind, Tigers are prize pets of the noble class. Powerful and savage, many a person has met their end at the teeth and claws of a tiger.

M WS BS S T W I A LD
6 3 0 5 4 2 3 2 5

Weapons/Armour: Teeth and claws. Trained Tigers may never carry any weapons, armour or equipment. They suffer no penalties for attacking unarmed.

Special Rules:
Animals: Tigers never gain experience.
Jungle Instincts: Tigers may climb terrain like normal models. In addition tigers can reroll failed iniative checks for falling or diving charges.



Skill Lists
Combat Shooting Academic Strength Speed
Raj x x x x x
Kashtriya x x - x -
Guru x - x - x

Patron God
An Ind band picks one Patron God (when starting) from the following list and gains the benefits.

Siva, God of Destruction – Guru starts with +1 S, Shudra start games frenzied but do not gain experience.
Vaishnu, God of Preservation – Raj's Leadership extends 12”, Guru has +1 to casting rolls.
Indran, God of War – Guru starts with +1 WS, Guard start with +1 WS.
Lakshma, Goddess of Wealth – Guru starts with +1 Ld, Warband starts with +100gc.
Durga, Goddess of Protection – Guru hates evil warbands, Kashtriya start with +1 BS.

Guru Powers
1. No Pain – D8 – 6” range, all friendly models knocked down stand back up, models stunned become knocked down.
2. No Mind – D7 – 10” range, all friendly models Immune to Psychology for until the Guru's next shooting phase.
3. Divine Peace – D8 – 10” range, all enemy models must pass a Ld test to charge.
4. Karmic Master – Auto – Player may reroll one injury roll or exploration dice per game.
5. Healing Palm – D9 – 6” range, one model may ignore any injuries on a 4+ until the Guru's next shooting phase (in addition to any armour saves).
6. Yoga Training – D10 – 18” range, all friendly models gain +1 armour save, and may reroll any failed iniative checks, lasts until the Guru's next shooting phase.



Ind Equipment

Warrior List

Melee Weapons
Dagger – first free/2 gc
Mace/Hammer – 3gc
Axe – 5gc
Sword – 10 gc
Spear – 10gc
Halberd – 10gc
Double Handed Wpn – 15gc
Fighting Claws – 35gc
Flail – 15 gc

Range Weapons
Chakram / Throwing Knives - 15gc
Bow – 10gc
Crossbow – 25gc
Handgun – 35gc

Armour
Helmet – 10gc
Shield – 5gc
Buckler – 5gc
Light ar. – 20gc
Heavy ar. – 50gc



Serf List

Melee Weapons
Dagger – first free/2gc
Mace/Hammer – 3gc
Axe – 5gc
Spear – 10 gc

Range Weapons
Sling – 2 gc
Short bow – 5gc
Bow – 10gc

Armour
Shield – 5gc
Light ar. – 20gc

Looking pretty good. Few small things (again)

Chakram: What's that?

Siva - frenzy is WAY strong for a unit that costs 15gc and you can have infinite of. How about, "Shudra start the game frenzied. If they roll an Attack as an advance, they automatically reroll it." That means they fight with 3 attacks, but won't gain +1 A on an advance roll, lifting them to 5 Attacks. Or, simply, Siva Shudra do not gain experience.

Part of me wants to merge the name Kali and Khaine to make it "Kani"... the idea that millenia ago, the High Elves visited the Ind people, and their gods were adopted into the pantheon.

Chakram is Xena's throwing ring, an indian weapon originally. Will count as throwing knives.

I knew the Xena reference, just wanted to how it played. Easy enough:

Chakram / Throwing Knives.... 15gc

Thank you for pointing me to this list jackalope - I'd love to give this it a try. The godly traits is very neat.

Once I've sorted out my Possessed, and Cathayan Vampires I'll definately be greenstuffing some turbans!

EDIT: I am a thread necromancer, apologies.

Dude, no worries. Would love to hear how they play...