Kachin Bando

3 points

Kachin Bando is a fighting style of the Jingpaw, or “men
of the hills” – a northern Burmese people famous for their
guerrilla campaigns against the Japanese in World War II.
History credits them with killing more than 10,000 Japanese
soldiers while losing only a few hundred men. “Kachin” is a
Burmese term meaning “savage,” sometimes used by out-
siders to describe the Jingpaw. Strong animists, their Bando
has 16 animal forms.
Kachin Bando incorporates many Naban (wrestling)
moves. These include “bottom riding” techniques very similar
to the guard of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. The style respects no rules
in true combat; it uses biting, eye-gouging, raking with the
fingernails, and other “dirty” techniques. Advanced students
may learn Banshay (p. 176) or just a few weapons, such as the
knife and kukri.
Kachin Bando is an aggressive style aimed at quickly dis-
abling or killing the enemy. Stylists throw shin kicks to the
legs to cripple the foe, or to the head to knock him out, and
often aim vicious hand strikes at the head and neck. If the
fight goes to the ground, the fighter is likely to apply a Choke
Hold, Leg Lock, or Arm Lock – using his hands or legs – to kill
or incapacitate his opponent. Feints aren’t common, while
full-bore attacks are; a Committed Attack (Strong) or even
All-Out Attack (Strong) with a punch, kick, or Knee Strike is
a favorite way to knock out the enemy. Defenses are similarly
hard: the Bando man likes to use Jam against kicks and
Aggressive Parry (often with the elbow) to stop punches.
Students usually start by learning Lethwei (p. 186). Once
they have a firm grounding in that art – and possibly after
proving themselves in a few fights – they graduate to Bando
lessons. Schools outside of Burma sometimes teach the full
style from the outset, since Lethwei contests are less common
than mixed martial arts fights and self-defense applications.
Cinematic Kachin Bando stylists should focus on brutal
“hard” techniques rather than on chi abilities. As the Jingpaw
are animists, spirit magic might suit a cinematic master – but
the optional advantages below are more fitting than chi pow-
ers or magic.
Kachin Bando remains obscure today. Northern
Myanmar is difficult to access and in a constant state of low-
level rebellion, while there are few instructors outside the
region. The style is taught in the Eastern U.S., however.
Kachin Bando has no ranking system, uniform, or
association.
Skills: Karate; Wrestling.
Techniques: Aggressive Parry; Arm Lock; Choke Hold;
Elbow Strike; Eye-Gouging; Eye-Rake; Ground Fighting
(Karate or Wrestling); Hammer Fist; Head Butt; Jam;
Kicking; Knee Strike; Leg Lock; Low Fighting (Karate or
Wrestling); Lower-Body Arm Lock; Lower-Body Leg Lock;
Push Kick; Triangle Choke.
Cinematic Skills: Power Blow.
Cinematic Techniques: Roll with Blow; Timed Defense.
Perks: Biting Mastery; Iron Legs; Neck Control (Karate);
Power Grappling; Special Exercises (Striker, Crushing with
Limb, Shin); Style Adaptation (Lethwei).
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Improved FP and HP.
Advantages: Combat Reflexes; Damage Resistance (Tough
Skin, -40%); Fearlessness; Fit or Very Fit; Hard to Subdue;
High Pain Threshold; Striking ST.
Disadvantages: Bloodlust; Overconfidence.
Skills: Axe/Mace; Judo; Knife; Shortsword.