Infinity: At The Starting Line
I have been an Infinity player for about a month now. Here is just the ticket for you other rookies and converts, as well as those considering a change.
It would have been helpful to have a “checklist” for getting off to a solid start in terms of the kit I would need. Here’s my advice:
#1 Find a player group that you can fit into. This for me was THE most important thing to do! Think about it; you invest in models, rules, player aids…and end up having no one to play with on a regular basis. This is especially important for you converts from other systems who are entering the Infinity community cold. The Infinity forum is a great place to start. I was fortunate to find a group of about 10 players who were welcoming, helpful, fun to hang out with and had a place to game on a regular (weekly) basis. The advise in terms of hobby resources, painting and game play has been invaluable.
#2 Download the rules…for FREE! Yes my friends, it is as simple as going online and finding the files you need. Be sure to download not only the N3 rulebook, but the Human Sphere ruleset as well. I admittedly purchased the printed copy as well. IMO, it is well worth the price. The artwork and quality of product for two softcover volumes (rulebook and backstory) are outstanding. Once you have the rules in hand, I would recommend starting right at the beginning. The rulebook is well organized, and has a plethora of excellent diagrams providing examples of play. You can also take things in courses; basic rules, weapons, skills, advanced rules, hacking, e.g. In the back there are also pages of tables for reference. For weapons, I would recommend downloading and color printing one of several weapon summary charts, including range bands, special rules, ammo types, etc. Get that sucker laminated; you will be using it constantly during game play.
#3 Listen To Some Podcasts and Check Out Datasphere. Infinity Datasphere is a great online community for advise with starting new crews, as well as general gaming advise. I highly recommend reading their “starting with” series before deciding on a faction. The two Podcasts I would recommend are Mayacast and The Krug. Tom and Kip at Mayacast are a great listen and a great resource. Things get a bit contencious at times over at The Krug, but they know the hobby and can also be a great place to pick up some gaming tips.
#4 Pick A Faction. I you are looking for a faction that is always dominant and broken, you are playing the wrong game. Although I have only been playing for a short time, I know miniature gaming after 15 years of 40K. Every faction in this game has a chance to win. I have played PanO (Panoceania) in three 150 point games and have won twice. I beat Combined Army, won against a Nomad crew and lost to another. As I watch others play, it is about how you use the models and the game mechanics, not about one army/model being invulnerable, invisible, etc. So PRINT OUT the unit lists for all the factions…you guessed it, free and online. Take your time. Read the backstory. See what interests you. Make your choice based on what you like and what trips your trigger. Also, take a look at the models at the Corvus Belli site. See which models you take a liking to.
#5 Buy some figs. Of course you know this, but the real question is where? You can always support your FLGS if one is close. If not, I would recommend EBay as a starting point. The prices are competitive and the selection is outstanding. If there is a model for the unit you are looking for, it will be on EBay. Just search “Infinity (faction name)” and you should be ready to shop. Amazon is not a bad backup, although their prices a bit high. There is of course Warstore, Noble Knights, e.g. I have just found that the availability on EBay is better. Several times models I have looked for at Warstore, Noble Knights have been out of stock but have been available on EBay. Personal preference will of course drive your choice. By the way, this Biker Chic will be mine…what an awesome looking fig!
#6 Player Aids. This includes LOTS of stuff. Not only laminated reference charts, but templates, tokens (handfuls of these), dice (20-sided lads, and only 5-6 of them…yeah!), objective cards…oh my! I will briefly discuss each one…
– Reference sheets. The ones I consider essential are weapons charts (most are 3 pages), order charts/summary (pp. 245-246 in the rulebook) and a 2-page hacking programs chart found at wargamingtrader.com. Those will get you most of what you need. The rest of the time you can use the rulebook for reference.
– Objective cards. Part of the scoring in a game relies on achieving classified objectives. There are tables in the book to roll for this, but Captain Spud on the Infinity forum has a great set of printable cards. I printed and cut them, them threw them in some clear plastic sleeves. You can shuffle the deck, pick four, choose two. Watch out though, the Captain has a wicked sense of humor and has slipped a couple of silly ones in the mix.
– Templates and Tokens. The template part of this is easy. I highly recommend the folks at Warsenal. They have great customer service and I received my product only 4 days after placing my order. You will need 3 templates (circular, small and large flamer). You should also order a set of command tokens while you’re at it. Once you see what they make, you will agree that quality and design is great. There are other great sources, I was just sold early, and most of the folks in my gaming group use Warsenal as well. As far as tokens are concerned, you will need handfuls of these puppies. They can be purchased from a variety of sources, including Warsenal and Micro Art Studios. There are also programs that allow you to print them out. You just need to decide what works best for you. I would recommend asking your hobby group for suggestions/resources as well.
#7 Paints. I have to admit that here I am of little assistance with this. I already have a fairly large stock of paints and washes from my 40K days. I would again recommend asking your hobby group (now you can see why I listed this as #1). Also, there are some outstanding painting tutorials on YouTube. If you are a veteran of other gaming systems, I would say that the style of painting for Infinity is very different that I am used to in 40K. So do a bit of homework or have an experience resource that you can ask for advise. One of the guys in my group is an exceptional painter, and I has been more than happy to critique my early efforts. One last point. Many local gaming groups DO NOT require painted figs to start gaming. So check with their protocols, and you may be able to put this off for a while.
That should give you plenty to work on for a while. I have really enjoyed my Infinity experience so far. It is what I had hoped it would be considering it is an entirely new gaming systems.
