Getting started with O-12

Vanilla O-12 gives you the most access to most of the 32+ guns in the faction, starmada is similar to JSA in its reliance on primarily 24 guns. Vanilla is the (in my opinion) the stronger option, and with there mostly being single models released so far there is less proxying that needs to happen.

As for starting, the action pack and booster packs are good place to start along with a few REM boxes and the zeta. The starmada action pack gets you some fun toys in the crushers. I'd also recommend, hector and andromeda and the sirius unit.
now is a pretty good time to jump into the faction as there aren't that many releases so you are pretty much fine to grab pretty much everything as there isn't a whole lot.

 

IMO vanilla 0-12 is very flexible. As also a Nomad/Aleph player it reminds me great deal of vanilla nomads. My honest opinion is it is a squish together of vanilla nomad + vanilla Pano + lots of glue. There are a lot of parallels, cyberghosts being weaker inteventors, Omega's being swiss guard without MLs, hidden deployment etc... So basically 0-12 is a very balanced nice things human faction. The main weakness being very little disposable chaff, there are few units that are throw away like morlocks, though you at least have some tools like sirus bots, but you don't really want to throw them away as that repeater is useful... Being so balanced and flexible there are also few things that are the alpha and omega (had to make that word joke) of its archetype. If you want a TO shooter, other factions have a better one, if you want a khd other factions have a better one etc.

Starmada is really different. As @Tourniquet mentioned they rely heavily upon their mid range guns. Starmada has a lot of flexible link options, and alot of wildcard, but in the end the mixed links leave me a little puzzled as they don't seem to make up for the loss of versatility you get in vanilla 0-12. Starmada feels a lot like a half baked Steel Phalanx to me, lots of interlinked link options, lots of close assault, but all your cards are on the table, little infiltration, little AD, no camo, very little long range firepower.

Steel phalanx gets a lot of perks to make up for their deficincies, frenzy discount on bonkers myrmidon links, and lots of tools to make such close engagements successful, such ubiquitous as ODD, smoke, good CC and dodge, nanopulsars, and even a lot of NWI/shock immune. And although steel has limited long range firepower options they still have some exceptional pieces, such as Atalanta, or I would daresay even the revamped Patroclease.

Very few things in Starmada really jump out. A Beta haris looks like their most appealing option to me (probably with a Kappa/Nyoka core for orders/long range support), potentially with some good wildcards like Parvati or Hector in the haris seem like a good, cost effective package, good firepower/mobility/specilaists. There just are few other options that really inspire you to want to play the sectorial, at least in my opinion. And a BS 12 core link of LI/LI equivalent dudes isn't terribly exciting/unique to base your list around. (at least if you play a lot of factions, coming from JSA, it might be really appealing for a change).

EDIT: And take my opinions with a grain of salt. I haven't been able to play really at all since *Waves arms wildly* Covid, so my actualy table top experience with Starmada is nil, so my feelings come from a lot of list builing at theory crafting.

 

The glue is what keeps the two halves together.

I also agree with your assessment in regards to SM, pretty much the assessment I arrived at. It has the draw backs of a pano sectorial but with out the longrange firepower and the drawbacks of SP but without the smoke to close the distance. With lists pretty much revolving around hector and parvatii and if one or both arent present feels like you go from a good sectorial to something sub-par.

Though I feel like I may be missing something.

 

In my play testing and that of some of the others in my community playing it (benefits of living on an island, that's been Covid free since june/july) your assessment has been fairly accurate.

 

I'm sorry, I haven't had the time to read all the responses above.

O-12 are a fairly easy faction to get into right now and you definitely don't need many packs of models. The action pack or the Starmada pack are good places to start. For vanilla, I would absolutely pick up the recent booster Alpha; both the lynx and razor I think are very useful units in vanilla.

In terms of Starmada vs O-12 action packs. Unless you plan on maxing out the Crusher AVA, or you're desperate for a Bronze I'd go for the O-12 pack. My opinion is that the strengths of vanilla O-12 don't need the swc kappas, and everything else is a nice to have - and their roles can be achieved elsewhere. If you were to pick up the 'beta booster' which recently went for pre-order, you'd get a Crusher in there anyway.

That would certainly give you enough to get started on a force and see what stuff you like and what you want to explore.

 

Copperbots are always useful whether you're running vanilla or starmada, so in my opinion are a great choice. You'll know from my Starmada tactica that I like the option of the guided missile bot (Millicent). It isn't a bad purchase for 17 points IF you have the swc. One thing which Vanilla can do that Starmada can't, is take some advanced positions with repeaters like the sirius & the bot, or take a Razor hacker in the midfield) - they can spotlight in ARO, meaning the enemy either has to reset or you can guided them next turn. This really is better as a deterrent and order sink than anything else, but just something to keep in mind.

The Alpha is an interesting choice. Not particularly cheap, but a reasonable lieutenant with the extra command token and turning its Lt. order regular. I like it. Chain of Command is always a good option too and allows a more aggressive lieutenant.

The Zeta isn't one of the better TAGs in the game, but with the recent changes it can work. TAGs still have some significant weaknesses (especially to Hacking). A nomad army with a pitcher landing next to you could wreck your day: Total control on your TAG followed by using its heavy riotstopper on your own troops can really sting. That isn't to say it is entirely useless, but it needs some more careful play against certain opponents. Burst 5, BS14 ARM8 is always going to do some damage if you get it into active turn duels, however.

There is always significant discussion on whether doctor/engineers are worthwhile. I think if you're taking a TAG and several remotes then there can be value in an engineer. If you're planning on taking both doctor and engineer, I'd see if you can fit Parvati in for the points. She's much better than either and not much more expensive than taking both. You have to weigh up not only their points, but the effort of spending orders to heal units up. Parvati's ability to heal 2wounds makes her a great pairing for some of our heavy infantry who can go from unconscious to full health in one roll. As an engineer, rolling on 18s, again, is a great option.

It isn't clear just now whether Casanova is meant to be in Vanilla and I think there is no answer on the Army Bugs thread yet. He's a pretty good option for some midfield grunt if you're going for board control - which you can with vanilla. Andromeda has her uses too much in a similar vain, but can also bash enemy TAGs pretty effectively with her D-Charge Guard nonsense. On both those units I'd only bother picking them up if you like their aesthetic; they work well, but no better than many other options available to you.

Hope that helps in some way.

 

You could use anything really. I was using the Aristeia parvati skin. Some might say she looks out of place in Infinity, but I think it fits. There is also Parvati in the Aristeia/Infinity tournament packs this year as a prize - you can buy these from some places, but it isn't cheap for a single model. Obviously you get all the other swag too.

 

I just wanted to tease this out a bit, the text seems to imply that the Zeta isn't any good. I want to clarify that I think @Captain_Rose means that the Zeta isn't exceptional. Zeta's are not like Avatars, or Syphinx's, they are not so powerful that they require your opponent to use exceptional tactics/tools to manage them.

A Zeta is much like many other tags in the game, it has a gun that will wreck things, high arm/wounds, and mobility. Its also not exceptionally expensive.

The HRMC is probably the best gun in the game overall, the choice of Shock or AP is very nice, 5 burst is very nice, the DA aro is nice (thought not as nice as EXP), and the HRMC has better range bands than the multi HMG.

The heavy riot stopper is also a very nice secondard weapon, which can in one shot stop pretty much anything in its tracks, or course luck depending.

The only real complaint I have about the Zeta is that I don't particularly like the model.

 

Thanks for clarifying - this is pretty much exactly what I meant and a much better way of saying it. Thanks

 

10 order lists can effective. But with Cuervo Goldstein it's more likely that you start with 9 or 8 orders. That's maybe to few. Maybe it's better to swap Cuervo with another attack piece on the table (I really like the omega HI).
Parvati is great, but with only one HI and one remote it's a little bit over the top. A Lambda Doctor should be enough for this list.

 

Let me start with a bit of a disclaimer - The list you've posted could well work, but we're talking here about how to make it better/optimise it. At the end of all the comments and everything it'll be up to you to use it and you have to enjoy it! The only feedback we can give you here is on which options might work better and so everything said below isn't mean to say what you've put forward won't work, but that you could consider other options that could be better in the game.

These sorts of 10 order lists could work well in N3; ITS restricted command token usage, so if you went first, you knew you'd have a decent amount of orders to begin the game. In Season 12, this has gone which means an opponent would almost always strip you of two orders. So you'll start with 8 on the table, with Cuervo to come on. It isn't to say it won't work. It'll really depend how you play it. The trouble is, if you lose one or two orders suddenly you're going to really struggle so you need to have that in mind for whatever strategies you end up with.

I am in full agreement that O-12 have a lot of shiny toys and it is hard to squeeze them all in. I think the reason why a lot of people don't see them as a top-tier faction is it is difficult to get the balance right in a list. O-12 and Starmada require some focus in list building on strategies and the list you've posted lacks that a little. You have a Hacking Device Plus - what is he bringing for 9 extra points that the Kappa Hacker doesn't give you? I understand White Noise can be useful, but not in every game, and I wonder if you're better swapping him out.

As mentioned above, Parvati is cool, but she's also 38 points and you don't really want to be using her as a strike piece. So her main advantage being able to full heal heavy infantry is wasted, and she'd probably slot better into a list with several of our HI/TAGs/Remotes. That means you end up building a full HI list with some support.

I like Chain of command, but in O-12 I keep struggling to fit Cho in. I really think she only works if you're going for a list where you have a lieutenant who is going to be mixing it up from the start. The Alpha can be destroyed, but if you hide them, they can hold their own pretty well with their loadout and guard skill, so I'd drop her and free up those 20 points.

You've got an epsilon with HMG - a great attack piece if you can have him right at the back of the board and use smoke with his MSV2, so I've dropped in a Varangian Guard. He gives you an impetuous order you can use to throw smoke which is pretty efficient, and lets the Epsilon take on some more difficult targets. On the Epsilon, you could free up a point to go for the Sniper variant. He is a far better option for ARO, and this lets him damage targets with heavier armour. But, you do lose some of that tasty attack burst. The choice is really yours and what you see his job. If I was running this list, I'd swap HMG for MSR - between Cuervo Goldstein, Raptor and Crusher you have several good attack pieces to spend orders on and I'd rather have the flexibility of ARO.

I've swapped the Raptor for the killer hacker variant. For 3 points, you get the option to Cybermask, which on a low armour heavy infantry is pretty invaluable. It also makes him a specialist, and he take out hackers targeting him in ZoC; handy for a model you want to be getting a bit closer than some other HI. Cybermask gives you the option to move up without getting shot, and gives you surprise shot when you come out of the impersonation marker state, which is great for forcing some shots through with your BS12 and cover.

The Millicent is an interesting choice. You don't really have enough forward observers or mid-field repeaters to be getting targeted on enemy models often enough, but it could work as an ARO piece with the occasional use if the Crusher gets a target. The trouble is, with so few orders it becomes very order intensive to pull off and would work better swapping Goldstein for the AD Crusher who can walk on and get the forward observe from behind. I don't think that is any better than just using Goldstein to kill whatever it is you want dead!

Below is this slightly edited list. I hope it keeps the theme of what you were going for, whilst giving you more orders to use the stuff you love! The 7point/8point bots are a great way to gain some orders, but unfortunately they're not that great otherwise!

10 Orders
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
GROUP 1 8 1
CRUSHER (Forward Deployment [+8"]) Submachine Gun, Light Rocket Launcher, Nanopulser, D-Charges / Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (1 | 35)
ALPHA (Lieutenant [+1 Command Token], Strategos L1]) Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
LYNX MULTI Sniper Rifle, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 33)
MILLICENT Missile Launcher / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 17)
RAPTOR (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) MULTI Rifle, Light Flamethrower ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 42)
DEVABOT Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 5)
VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
KAPPA (Hacker, Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 12)
LAMBDA (Doctor) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 16)
GROUP 2 6 1 1
WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse ( ) / Stun Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
CUERVO GOLDSTEIN Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone, D-Charges / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 39)
KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
EPSILON MULTI Sniper Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 33)
FUZZBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater) ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
6 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army


My recommendation would be to try it out your list, see what works and if you feel like you never have enough orders to do what you want to do, you probably want to find a few more.

 

A neat but easily missed benefit of the Raptor KHD is that Cybermask applies to his buddy bot too!

 

Yeah - this has always been good for hackers with access to cybermask and bots, but with Movement 6-2 for the Raptor and 6-4 for his bot - they can really wreck someone's day!

 

I find two major weakness in O12.
1) Good hackers, almost zero network. The only advanced repeater is the SiriusBot. So make sure your hackers don't miss Leg-Day at gym, they need it.
2) NCO or TacAw are limited to a grandtotal of 2 profiles (Zeta and Raptor). This is the major downside of the army, given the costs of the models. You struggle to get a 12+ models list, and they are often sub optimal. But if you go to 10 models you are limited to those orders. This bring some MUST INCLUDE. Hector (2 Lt Orders + Stratego), Alpha or Saladin (Stratego), Raptor (TacAw) or Zeta (NCO or TacAw+NCO). One of them must always be on the table, there is no way to get away with that...

 

Don't forget that Cyberghosts have Pitchers. The Killer Hacker should have a decent chance at cybermasking up and getting into position to fire a repeater or two onto critical points in the midfield. This could be quite order intensive though.