Sphinx in Onyx

...you leave it hanging.

I know that sounds flippant, but it's the way I've always played it. When I run a Sphinx, the rest of my list is self-contained. The Sphinx is there to do a turn one alpha strike, kill as much as it can, and then either drop back into camo or go into suppressive fire, depending on what's left on the table. Then my opponent gets to spend the majority of his turn dealing with the awful thing.

Leave him in a place where a linked Unidron PSR, QDrone, and/or a Noctifer ML, can cover him. Just makes dealing with the Sphinx that much harder.

I've run the following list with good results in the past, though I'd consider swapping things around a bit now that Kerr-Nau's been released. Or not. Two combat groups means you want turn 2, but again, that's easily changed.

SoF & L&S
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GROUP 1 10
SPHINX Spitfire, 2 Heavy Flamethrowers / EXP CCW. (2 | 106)
SCINDRON Flash Pulse / Knife. (0 | 0)
IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)
NEXUS Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nullifier / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON K1 Combi Rifle + 1 TinBot A (Deflector L1) / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 17)
UNIDRON Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 14)
NEXUS Lieutenant (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
NOCTIFER Missile Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)

GROUP 2 1
Q-DRONE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)

5.5 SWC | 300 Points

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I know it's really risky but I want to try a list like this.

Onyx Contact Force
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10
SPHINX Spitfire, 2 Heavy Flamethrowers / EXP CCW. (2 | 106)
SCINDRON Flash Pulse / Knife. (0 | 0)
KERR-NAU (UPGRADE: White Noise) Plasma Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 27)
NEXUS Lieutenant Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nullifier / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
UNIDRON Plasma Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 24)
UNIDRON K1 Combi Rifle + 1 TinBot A (Deflector L1) / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 17)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 14)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
NOCTIFER Missile Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)
SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)

6 SWC | 300 Points

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No secondary LT but it is immune to losing two orders if I'm going first. Also the Unidron sniper will be immune to smoke + msv2 and when they go down the link can get more aggressive with Kerr.

 

I usually play a lot the sphinx with Onyx and vanilla (better on 10 orders list with AnathematicHacker+Qdrone), because you can get with it between 13-14 orders in lists very varied according to the missions, the problem is on the initiative with Onyx that will always be WIP13 until you include a Umbra as lieutenant. I would say that the absence of smoke in Onyxe is not one of the biggest problems, because if you want to use that combo to attack, you have good toys to overcome the smoke, 3 types of TO's and one of them is the sphinx, it is relatively easy go with her facing long distances against a single troop, waiting for "delay aro" and return to move completely. The problem that really has onyx and is what often sins, is to choose the lieutenant, and when you have Nexus, the advisable are two things before:
1- Cover or hide, with 1 or 2 more nexus and try to confuse the opponent.
2- Do not use your lieutenant order in the second turn, that is: nexus hacker lieutenant, spend your order on the first turn and put an assisted shot on a remote and try to sweep as soon as possible or plant a nullifier on it and the fireteam of unidrons or rodoks.

As for the sphinx, I see it more powerfull in LI or lists of 10 orders to start first, if you have the initiative for the turn in a list for example 13 orders with it, it is more difficult to leave with only 8 orders on the first group that could take you away when you start.


This would be my base list in missions only to kill points, cheap orders and cheap profiles and huge heavy ARO pieces, then the sphinx can go cleaning in active turn.

Spoiler: Long range terrain + a lot LoV escenario.

A-
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GROUP 1 10
SPHINX Spitfire, 2 Heavy Flamethrowers / EXP CCW. (2 | 106)
SCINDRON Flash Pulse / Knife. (0 | 0)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
Bit Hacker (UPGRADE: Expel) Submachine Gun + Pitcher, Deployable Repeater + KISS! / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19)
KISS! Adhesive Launcher / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
UNIDRON Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 20)
UNIDRON Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 20)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
NEXUS (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
NEXUS Lieutenant Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nullifier / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 24)

GROUP 2 3
IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)
IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)
R-DRONE Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)

6 SWC | 299 Points

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So i can put 1 Imetron changing that unidrons FO, but that change you can't profit from flash pulse on bonus core in ARO. 13-14 orders runing.



These 3 next lists, I usually play when I decide to go with the sphinx assisted by a advance core on a missions to capture, maintain control zones and confrontation at short distances taking advantage of the terrain scenography, apart from the fact that the list itself moves one way behind the sphinx.

Spoiler: All in mid + shootguns/mines/TRbot

B-
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10
SPHINX Spitfire, 2 Heavy Flamethrowers / EXP CCW. (2 | 106)
SCINDRON Flash Pulse / Knife. (0 | 0)
RODOK HMG / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 27)
RODOK Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
RODOK Combi Rifle, 2 Light Shotguns / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 26)
RODOK Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
NEXUS Lieutenant Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nullifier / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
Q-DRONE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)
Bit Hacker (UPGRADE: Expel) Submachine Gun + Pitcher, Deployable Repeater + KISS! / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19)
KISS! Adhesive Launcher / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
R-DRONE Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)

5.5 SWC | 300 Points

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Spoiler: Missions pack + hacking tricks- close quarters firefights

C-
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10
SPHINX Spitfire, 2 Heavy Flamethrowers / EXP CCW. (2 | 106)
SCINDRON Flash Pulse / Knife. (0 | 0)
RODOK HMG / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 27)
RODOK Hacker (EI Assault Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 25)
RODOK Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
RODOK Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
NEXUS Lieutenant Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nullifier / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)
Q-DRONE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
Bit Hacker (UPGRADE: Expel) Submachine Gun + Pitcher, Deployable Repeater + KISS! / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19)
KISS! Adhesive Launcher / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)

6 SWC | 300 Points

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lists B and C including 1 only nexus being the hacker to offer assisted fire to the Qdrone, after using 1 coordinate order of 2 or 3 rodoks with mines, plant and assemble the core with the 5 man link. Both lists the only nexus benefits from a core with miners and the sixth sense bonus, much better than with the unidrons, to be a core of fire advance with rodoks.

the C list is one of the way that have worked best since Bit are in CA, I have not tested Kerr-Nau at all with the Rodoks and I know that he is the one to include white noise program to this core benefits, but it's practically devastating in front of lists with a lot of hackable objective, with Bit's position repeater on the pitcher and the sixth sense of both hackers is now another story.

Spoiler: All in

D-
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10
SPHINX Spitfire, 2 Heavy Flamethrowers / EXP CCW. (2 | 106)
SCINDRON Flash Pulse / Knife. (0 | 0)
RODOK HMG / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 27)
RODOK Combi Rifle, 2 Light Shotguns / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 26)
RODOK Hacker (EI Assault Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 25)
RODOK Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
RODOK Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
NOCTIFER Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 24)
Bit Hacker (UPGRADE: Expel) Submachine Gun + Pitcher, Deployable Repeater + KISS! / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19)
KISS! Adhesive Launcher / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)

5.5 SWC | 300 Points

Open in Infinity Army

In this case, it is almost the same as the previous 2, but leaving behind your deployment zone and with the lieutenant more than safe and securing your hvt, it is very difficult to go hunting that noctifer and you can allow yourself to go crazy with everything all the rest of the group, the sphinx and the rodoks have very good synergy with each other when there are not any visors, the ones f2fr with them, it is relatively easy when you have them in the middle.

After all this, always i choose to use the sphinx and a minimum of another second piece to assists her it, as for example, the cheapest and just as dangerous, as is the Q drone and his assited fire, followed by the rodoks in core HMG / ML as a agressive core, followed by the and the unidrons in bonus of core with assisted fire with either the plasma sniper or the ML, the noctifer ML is a piece that I rarely use in Onyx, since by my preferences I think that a unidron in reactive turn in a core bonus and its assited fire are so much simple to deny the enemy cross the fields and the SWC that costs I prefer it on the unidron, it is perfectly that it is lethal the noctifer and difficult to foresee, it is also very easy to make aro's with him if when you wait for the opponent to place a uncovered core or Keep delaying your aro until you do something different than attacking.

But sphinx in Onyx works fine when you have the points and SWC.

 

Due to a lack of traditional repeater remotes the threat of using my friendly repeaters is limited by where Kerr puts them. If Kerr manages to survive when the sphinx goes down even with just two out of the five Unidrons he'll still be dangerous if he can get in range with his plasma rifle. Ideally the dogged sniper and surprise Noctifer can slow things down enough to suffer minor casualties on the first turn if going second.

I really need to buy some Nexuses and try this list out.

 

With a TAG on the list I often get a 'go big or go exctinct' feel. Especially with Onyx' lack of cheap, disposable warbands and/or order filler. I think I would go with:

Onyx Contact Force
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10
NEXUS Lieutenant Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nullifier / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
SPHINX Spitfire, 2 Heavy Flamethrowers / EXP CCW. (2 | 106)
SCINDRON Flash Pulse / Knife. (0 | 0)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON (Forward Observer) Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)
UNIDRON K1 Combi Rifle + 1 TinBot A (Deflector L1) / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 17)
UNIDRON Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 20)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
Q-DRONE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)
MALIGNOS (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 36)

5.5 SWC | 300 Points

Open in Infinity Army

I don't think you can leave the Sphinx high and dry, but you need to make sure he isn't the only target for your oponent to shoot at. I like to leave the nexus out of the link first, so he can use the lt order to buff the unidrons or the Q-drone to make it count more. Shame he can only buff one or the other though.

 

If you can fit Kerr-Nau or a Legate hacker, the white noise zone is a fantastic way to deal with sphinx counters. I've used it to great effect to take out Asuras and Blackfriars that could potentially mess things up.

But then, I generally always stack my Onyx with TO, these days.

 

I’m just now getting ready to kick the dust off my CA. It seems to me that if I’m spending that many points for a TO model, I’d want to protect it’s biggest asset. So I’d take Ker-Nau to help it with White Noise. A cheaper White Noise than the HD+ guys and a good troop on his own. Nothing sucks more than loosing your expensive Camo troop to the cheap MSV2 or even 1 guy with a heavy weapon.

 

Weirdly enough, this thread inspired me enough to field a Sphinx in a Limited Insertion game today.

*drives to location to play*

 

Turns out my game will recap will be posted by the White Noise podcast.

As I played one of the hosts at his house. You can see me nervous on camera wearing an Onyx shirt. =P

 

As long as its not against Ben's haqqispam that should be fun.

 

Nope, was against Marty's NCA in Acquisition.

We did a pre and post gane. I'm not sure how valuable it was. Lol.

Table was a ship interior. Weird doors and lots of corners. Turns out Sphinx loved it.

It ate a whole Bolt link, flipped a switch, punched a knocked down guy for a classified and held an antenna. I actually had to learn how Dismount works.

 

Oh hey they got the BPLaser corridors built, nice. Spoilers i guess. :)

That's a great corridor set, im painting my prototype set at the moment.

 

Yeah, that's the one.

Prototype set.. you're the creator?

 

Nah, though I play at his club. The corridors were created about a year back, there's a few early copies of the set floating around Aus.

 

@Obeisance
Do you have a link to the video?

 

The video will apparently go up once edited.

Leviathan - I was actually kind of intimidated by the table. It was radically different to what in used to. I hope I didn't seem snarky.

I was nervous about being on camera. =P

 

Here's the video.



@Obeisance - i've got basicly the same as what Trent does.