I've read the rules, looked over all the factions, and even played a few games with some Yu Jing models I picked up purely out of convenience, but I don't think I want to actually stick with them. Right now I'm torn between playing Ariadna, Nomads, and the Combined Army. I like the aesthetics of all of them for various reasons, its the differences in play styles I'm caught up on. I've always been a fan of high model count armies in other games, especially those with various strange, unreliable, and/or unpredictable elements to them (Booty, MetaChemistry etc.) which are definitely abundant in Ariadna and Nomads, but the raw killing power of the Combined Army is hard to ignore. The only thing I really don't like about them, is the low model count, because all the advanced technology in the game is not going to save them from having almost no orders when their models start dying. I'm not sure which one I should go with, what do you think?
As someone who's played all three, I'd say you're better served with Nomads if you want to go high risk high reward, unreliable plays. Ariadna can do that, but Nomads has them beat on the wide range of dirty tricks and other naughty stuff they can pull off. That being said, very few armies can compete with Ariadna for model count, and they can bring ungodly amounts of camo tokens and other little sneaky tricks into the table, so I really think you should focus on one or the other.
I'd almost say that CA are more unpredictable/strange than anyone else due to their bevy of unique rules like Mnemonica, sepsitor, Shasvaasti, seed-embryo, etc. They're also a premier "surprise" troopers with some of the best Hidden and Airborne Deployment troopers out there.
If you are new to Infinity, take Nomads. They scale very good with your skill level and are easier to play then Ariadna. And btw. usually you don't stick by one faction at all
I'd recommend starting with Nomads as well, quite a lot of different tools that you can adjust to your gamestyle. Also I have a PTSD after being beaten by @Weran so many times, so if I could go back in time I'd probably start with Nomads, knowing how versatile and good they are.
If you start, I would recommend Ariadna because : less complicated rules low cost units/orders allow you to have easily multiple of the same troop easier to hide lieutenant don't care of the hacking (either as a user or to defend yourself) => less thing to learn
Welcome to infinity :) What you are describing sounds like Haqqislam. It was my first faction i started the game with and with the array of templeate weapons i found it to be very easy to be in good shooting ranges. When you get used to the game you want to start playing with the hassasins and stuff, that is the weirdness that your looking for. Nomads are alot like haqq with their versitality/toolbox and they have with corregidor/vanilla one of the strongest Airborn deployement options AND they got the Intruder ( 13bs MSV2 Camo). To play against Ariadna is very hard and i mean VEEERY hard if played right (in top of 3 ITS armys). You are always going to deploy at least 14 models and can even play with only camo tokens on the field. they dont have a as much of tricks like haqq/nomads and wont shoot as well but they pay way less for good units then anyone else. *All of the factions above can have 20 order list not only ariadna. If you still cant decide look for aesthetic, what looks the coolest . For me it was yujing, they have access to almost everything in the game, very versatile but not as specialist in anything. So every faction beats them in their domain like nomads/hacking, pano/shooting, tohaa/beeing annoying, still they can all of these things pretty decent. Hope that helped deciding and good luck choosing your faction i needed 1 1/2 months playing haqq to realize i played the wrong thing :P
Welcome! I'm going to disagree a bit, I think Nomads require a bit more skill to play due to all their dirty tricks. Ariadna does let you just flat opt out of the hacking game entirely, and has generally simple rules barring the Antipode Assault Pack and the Ratnik/Blackjack. It also has a very strong 'Army of next year' feel to it, which you may like. Yeah, there should probably be a great big biohazard warning on Infinity minis regarding the Pokemonitis (gotta collect 'em all!) that is incredibly infectious here! (I have YJ, JSA, old Ariadna, old Haqq, Nomads, Military Orders, and I want to add Varuna if I can figure out how to not have any basic PanO combirifles because I hate that design)
So counterexample here I started with Tohaa two years ago, bought some nomads once as second army and then sold them again and am staying with Tohaa. But to be fair its a money problem, can't really afford two armies ;)
I've had a similar experience. After the release of ForCo I ended up selling my ariadna collection. In this case was less because of the money and more because I didn't want to collect more than four armies, and with Shasvastii looming over us I needed to open space both for ForCo and Shas. But on the topic: I agree with what was said about Ariadna being slightly easier to learn because you can skip an entire side of the game (hacking) and be done with it. However, Ariadna does have fairly unique rules (Ambush Camo, Tactical Jump, Scavenger) and uses some other skills so often (Smoke, camo itself) that it does force you to learn stuff other armies won't have to. So in the end it might be easier to learn, but not by much.
Several people have recommended I play Haqqislam over the past few weeks, but they just feel like a less gritty higher tech version of Ariadna with fewer impetuous units and just as many tricks to me. Plus, I like the look and lore of Ariadna far more than Haqqislam. I've decided against playing Combined, and have narrowed it down to either Nomads or Ariadna. There is a very real possibility I may end up playing both eventually, but for now I can only afford to start with one.
Hello, if you like the Ariadna figures, so go with it. Most of the factions can do the same with some differences, but maybe Ariadna is the one which is far away from others, because pretty much non hacker options. Yes, it has some profiles but you don't play to hack the enemy with them, but in the other hand Ariadna has a really good option of really cheap powerfull units, and too some of the best in Game cost efficency related (spetnazt hmg, I' am looking at you). And the sectorials of Ariadna have a completely different gameplay style
Ariadna is cool, have fun playing them and I hope you go Caledonian Highlander Army :P I mean kilts! Have fun
then i would recommend out of a Financial view, the nomads, less models = less money, and if you want to play vanilla then you can start easy with nomads starter/Operation icestorm. Ariadna doesnt have acces to beginner boxes (if you want to play vanilla). And dont forgett if you want to play the Usariadna sektorial and are about to buy the armybox. Thats not 300points youll have to buy some extra models.
By limited amount of money, the best option is not to start with the Operation Icestorm box, but the Bakunin Starter and the Moiras box, and add the Zeros blister. - 3 Moderators (9pts apiece, cheap Lt easy to hide) - Full Core of Moiras (5 models) - Sin Eater Observant (powerful ARO piece) - Riot Grrrl!!! for a "cheap" HI option - Morlock for a cheap melee and smoke unit. - 2 Zeros, for some of the best infiltrators + camo in the game for example: Jurisdictional Command of Bakunin ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 7 1 1 SIN-EATER HMG / Pistol, CCW. (2 | 33) MORLOCK Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, E/M CCW. (0 | 6) REVEREND MOIRA MULTI Rifle + E/M Light Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Shock CCW. (1 | 34) REVEREND MOIRA Combi Rifle + E/Mitter / Pistol, Shock CCW. (0 | 28) REVEREND MOIRA Combi Rifle + E/Mitter / Pistol, Shock CCW. (0 | 28) REVEREND MOIRA MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Shock CCW. (1.5 | 34) REVEREND MOIRA HMG / Pistol, Shock CCW. (1.5 | 34) RIOT GRRL (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Blitzen, Stun Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 30) GROUP 2 5 MODERATOR Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9) MODERATOR Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9) MODERATOR Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9) ZERO Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 21) ZERO Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 21) 6 SWC | 296 Points Open in Infinity Army https://store.corvusbelli.com/wargames/infinity/miniatures/zeros-combi-rifle-hacker 16.95 https://store.corvusbelli.com/wargames/infinity/miniatures/bakunin-sectorial-starter-pack 39.95 https://store.corvusbelli.com/wargames/infinity/miniatures/reverend-moiras 30.95 Total: 87.85€, to which several physical stores add a 10 to 15% discount. You can then easily expand with some custodier nuns, and remotes, then go vanilla if desired.
