Last time I focused on why my attentions are steering away from Warhammer 40k. So what have I been working on in the meantime? Well I still have a focus on Warhammer Fantasy and I'm working on gearing up for Adepticon with a new list that (hopefully) fixes the issues with last years list. I'm also working a little on my 15mm historicals. Although to date I admit I've only ever ordered the miniatures and separated them out. Most of my time has been devoted to working on Infinity models and learning that game. Today, I'm going to cover the basic premise of the game and some light faction background as well as give an overview on what new players will need to get started.
I first happened upon Infinity at my FLGS back in early 2009. They put up a whole wall of Infinity figures as well as the rulebook. I really liked the futuristic look with a slight anime vibe and instantly inquired about the game. The clerk at the store told me what he knew calling it a "more realistic version of Necromunda" and I was sold. I picked up one of the starter packs for the Yu Jing faction as well as a few other models for a variety of the other faction as well as the rulebook and I settled in for a nice read. I was shocked.
The only thing Infinity has in common with Necromunda is the low model count and the vast amounts of terrain necessary for playing. Infinity is a very fast paced game with fluid action and lots of actions that models can perform. Certainly you can shoot, punch, and run like standard games but you can also hack, repair weapons, treat wounds, search for camouflaged units/mines, and many other activities. In addition, the game makes a certain amount of logical sense. For every action your models take, your opponent can react as long as they have a line of sight to the model spending an order. Shooting at an enemy model? Guess what? They can shoot back in your turn! Game design like this presents a certain learning however so I'm going to try and make the entry into the hobby a little less painful.
Models
Infinity is one of the more affordable games on the market. The miniatures themselves are priced very fairly, can be bought in packs of multiples sometimes for a slight discount, and are of good quality for metal figures. The figures are far more fragile than your usual Games Workshop or Privateer Press models owing to the use of a more realistic scale over an exaggerated scale.
Prices on models vary widely, but again, are very affordable. Single infantry miniatures start at roughly $10USD and go as high$12USD. Packs of multiple models will run a buyer from $16USD to $32USD for between 2-4 models. TAGs, the big mecha units, as well as automated remotes, usually cost $32-$36 USD with TAGs being only a single model and remotes coming with 2-3 depending on the model. The starter boxes, whether they be the vanilla starter boxes or the sectorals, come with 5-6 figures for $40USD and are great deals for getting started.
The general consensus for getting started is to buy a starter box of some sort and 2-4 blister packs of models that interest you. The starters give a nice solid core that will allow you to learn the basic mechanics of the game without throwing in too many tricky rules and components. The blisters will allow you to add onto the force and expand into rules that you don't typically start with like Aerial Drop, Mechanized, TO Camo, Impersonation, I-Kohl, Neurocinetics, etc. From here you can start to buy more models and replace ones you don't like, add additional models, branch out into other unit types like TAGs and remotes, or whatever floats your boat.
The First Game
The first game should be limited to no more than 150 points. Generally I'd recommend going even lower and starting with between 75 and 100 points depending on the models you have. At the end of the day, play with the models you have regardless of point values however I'd strongly recommend paying attention to the rules on those miniatures.
The goal of the first few games is simply to learn the basic die-rolling mechanism, the order system, the automatic reaction order system (ARO), and basic move-shoot-punch mechanics. Many of these function very differently than in other games. Prior to the first game, read through all the rules two or three times. As you play, try and find the correct rules to answer any questions but if you can't find them or the rules seem vague to you, write the question down for later.
Generally avoid some of the more complicated rules for the first few games. Avoid rules that mess with how many orders are in the order pool like Irregular, Frenzy, Impetuous, Airborne Deployment, TO Camouflage, etc. I would also avoid Ghost (so remotes and some TAGs are out), Hacking, mines/deployable repeaters, Infiltrate, Mechanized Deployment, Fire Teams/Link Teams, Impersonation, Speculative Shots, and Guided Ammunition. I would caution against having too many models with the Camouflage Deployment as using that rule without knowing the rules can cause the game to last significantly longer.
Lastly, play with appropriate terrain. Unlike most other game systems Infinity requires very dense terrain. Don't just think urban, think urban with all the usual bits like cars in the street, mailboxes, light posts, etc. If you can see from one end of the board to the other along any axis, there isn't enough terrain. Now, there should be some decent firelanes, they just shouldn't stretch the length of the board. Broad fire lanes should still offer cover for infantry to move along as well.
Moving Forward
After the first game, play a few more games with the exact same force before changing the list up. As you change up your list start adding in components from the "list of rules to avoid". Now, I wouldn't go whole hog and have every model with a different one of those rules. Take it slow. For your 5th game maybe throw in some TO Camo or an Aerial Deployment. 6th game? Change out the TO Camo or Aerial Deployment for a hacker or a remote (ghost) model. Get a few more games in under your belt with small doses of these rules. Then I would start expanding beyond the additional 75-100 points you started with.
Tips
A few tips, cautions, words of advice for those starting Infinity.
1. You will lose... alot. The game has a steep learning curve.
2. Ask questions. If something doesn't make sense, ask your opponent or take it to the infinity forums.
3. There is no "right" or "wrong" when it comes to list building. Unlike WM/H there aren't any magic combos and unlike GW games there are no useless/broken units. Play with what you like.
4. Learn the ins-and-outs of the Order/ARO system and you can win any game without using special rules.
5. Everything will seem "broken" when you face it for the first time. Just keep practicing, and again, ask questions!
Resources
Fortunately for all new players there are a wide variety of resources available to Infinity players that will help with the understanding of rules, assist with army building, etc.
ALEPH
This is an army builder for Infinity that is both web based and available on common mobile operating systems. This application seems to work better than Corvus Belli's own Infinity army builder. Try both and go with whichever you like best.
Infinity Army Builder
THis is Corvus Belli's official army builder. There are some complaints about it but I've never had any issues with it. That being said, I still prefer Aleph (above).
Infinity WIKI
The WIKI sight here will explain specific rules and give applicable FAQ answers all in the same article. This does not have unit entries or a lot of fluff/background information and is largely just rules/equipment/weapons.
Infinity for Beginners
A series of articles and videos that explain the core concepts of the game. Useful to new players for certain but the videos can be hard to understand at times given the accent of the narrator.
Infinity Downloads
Remember how I said everything is free (except the miniatures)? This is the link to download the rules, the unit entries, weapon profiles, etc.
Infinity Forums
When in doubt, ask questions. The infinity is a great place to visit as they offer useful answers and commentary. My sole bit of advice is to not act like Infinity = 40k. That tends to ruffle up some feathers and the first thing you will see when you post an army list for approval on this website.
Next time I'll go over the background of Infinity and after that I'd like to cover the basic rules as a separate post. Who knows, maybe I'll have some of my own models painted up and ready to display by then. Hah! Just kidding... my nomads are awaiting being stripped and repainted after I "fuzzed" the primer job.