The DIRT – Infinity Civilians for the Win!

4 Minute Read

Jun 26 2014

With the plethora of Infinity Civilian models (i.e. Dire Foes and the upcoming O-12 High Commisioner), wouldn’t it be good if we started using the Civvie rules more often?

Corvus Belli has been providing us with a multitude of Civilian models, from “Go Go Marlene” to an inclusion in each and every dire foes box. Now with the easily accessible blister pack to include the O-12 High Commissioner, anyone will be able to get their hands on a civilian model. Seems like a good time to learn their rules.

The News – What is the Civvie Rule?

Before I dig too deeply into the “Civvie” Infinity rule, let me be perfectly clear that the civilian is just ripe to having more scenario dependent rules around them. The base Civvie rules are:

Civilians are non-combatant models that can be moved by one or more player models. Civilians have no orders and do not have an active turn.
Civilians are always reactive during any player turn and only react in base to base contact (unless the scenario states otherwise)
Models with the Civvie skill can be Neutral or Hostile. Hostile Civvie models are hostile toward all players unless the scenario modifies this.
Civvies can be synchronized with a player’s troop (allowing the player to move the civilian model).
To Synchronize a player model with a Civvie, the two models must be in base to base contact and a single short skill is spent to succeed at a WIP-3 (if Neutral) or WIP -6 (if Hostile) skill check.
If the Synchronize skill check roll is successful, the Civilian is synchronized with the player model. Civilians synchronized never perform attacks and do not have G:Remote Presence (which means they would have to perform guts checks if they survive being attacked).
If the Synchronize skill check roll is unsuccessful and the Civilian is Neutral, the Civilian disengages from the player model and flees 2 inches in a dispersion roll direction (pointing the 1 at the center of the board).
If the Synchronize skill check roll is unsuccessful and the Civilian is Hostile, the Civilian will attack the model attempting to synchronize with it. The civilian rolls a normal (unopposed) Close Combat roll, applying Damage (PH-2) if successful.
Based on the scenario, sometimes the players will not know whether or not the civilian is Neutral or Hostile at the start of the game. The temperament of the civilian cannot be deduced until the player is in base to base contact with the civilian.
Player models cannot Synchronize with more than 2 Civvie models.
Killing a civilian means losing victory points equal to 20% of the total army size of the army who killed him. For example a player with a 200 point army would loose 40 Victory Points if they kill a civilian.

WOW, that’s a ton of rules for a single skill.

Even the Tohaa Diplomatic Delegate Could be a Civilian

The Skinny – Rules Analysis / Mission

If we cut to the core of the Civvie rule, we see that it comprises 3 ideas. First that civilians do not generate orders and have no active turn. Second, moving them by synchronizing with them. This in the most broad sense of the word allows a civilian model to create games and scenarios that add even more variety. Whether it’s escorting prisoners, freeing captives, or even holding hostages. Third, penalties for killing civilians out right.

I created a mission around Civilians just for this article. It’s called:

Rescue the Delegates

A bomb has gone off at the O-12 United Conference. Your army believes your opponent’s army caused the explosion. The battle is on going, but you’re also tasked with getting the O-12 Civilian delegates out of the danger zone. The more civilians you end up with synchronized in your deployment zone, the less likely your side will be seen as the one who caused the explosion. Why do you get some points for taking down the other side? Because the winner of wars tends to be the one who writes the history books.

5 civilian delegates exist on the board. The center civilian is Hostile, all other civilians are Neutral. Max game length: 3 turns.

Civilian Placement in the Rescue the Delegates Mission

Objective Points:

+1 point for each delegate you have in your deployment zone
+2 points if you have more delegates than your opponent
-1 point for each O12 banned weapon fired in the zone of control or at the zone of control of an O12 civilian (i.e. virus ammunition)
-3 points for killing a delegate
+1 points for killing 50% of your opponent’s points and not put your opponent into retreat.
+2 points for killing enough models to put your opponent in retreat

The Dirt – Civvie Rules In Action (Battle Report)

Please be aware that this is only part 1 of at least 2 parts. I highly suggest watching it at 720p. You’ll benefit from the larger format. This video upload was 1.8 GB of a 2 GB limit, therefore I had to break it into multiple parts. Part 2 should be released by July 28th.

So that’s the news, the skinny, and The DIRT on bringing Civvie rules to your gaming table. Got some tips or tricks regarding the use of Difficult terrain, leave it in the comment section below. As always find me here, my YouTube Channel, or drop me a line with Infinity photos at my new email address [email protected] .

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Author: doremicom

Doremicom has been a tabletop wargamer for over a decade. His area of expertise is Corvus Belli's Infinity: The Miniatures Game. He began writing for BoLS in 2015.

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