Mostly my collection of Haqqislam came about because of the models and overall colour scheme. I liked the older Muyib models, especially the female Spitfire model as well as the Fiday with BS, both sporting long hair. Add to them other similar models such as Lasiq's, Ragik's and Al-Djabel, it themed out the army quite nicely for me. Then there's the newer Ayyar, Fidays, Govads, and even the Zhayedan, Hortlak and Maghariba, what's not to like! They didn't get all the models right for me personally, but they've done enough so that I can work around them :)
Haqq has been my "I'll start them next..." faction since i started, but FRRM won the coin toss, then i figured I'd go whole hog on Ariadna, then Haqq was a little too similar so i went to Tohaa, then Spiral was a thing, then i ran out of Kosmoflot minis and painting Warhammer stuff didn't appeal so i tossed a coin again between Hassasins and Ramah and now i've got a little over three hundred points of Hassasins put together. Can't wait to take them for a spin soon.
In 2019 I went to Australia's first hundred-person tournament with a heavily proxied Dashat army, having promised myself that if they did well I'd actually get proper models for them. They did, and in a case of stars aligning even further I was able to win a Red Veil box as a prize at the event. From there, it was less than a month before I went "well, I already have all these Haqq models for my Dashat, all I'd need to do is buy some Ghazi and a few other bits and pieces" and two and a half years later I have most of the dang faction and it's probably my consistent favourite in the game across both editions.
The overall aesthetic of Haqq was really cool, but if I had to point to specific models that made me jump in; 1. Hakims. They just look awesome with the gas mask and heavy coat. Their aesthetic really reminds me of Wasteland or Fallout for some reason, and the pose on the shotgun guy is great. There is something rad about paratrooper doctors ready to drop in the thick of the fight. Also they get cute Nasmat. 2. Zhayedan. Once again, heavy coats over armor look rad. The armor, the 4 eyed helmets, and poses are great. Shout out to the Sniper pulling their pose from the New Vegas Desert Ranger. 3. Maghariba Guard. Pure perfection. No other TAG can compare. She's beautiful, a main battle tank with legs and a tail turret that spits lead and mines. Brutal but simple, she is completely unique to other TAGs but she doesn't feel out of place. Why CB doesn't do other non-bipedal TAGs I don't know, maybe the designers know that nothing can top Maggie.. She truly is our desert rose. I also like the lore of Haqqislam. A flawed society of doctors, scientists, and engineers trying their best to help humanity is really endearing. It's an idealistic fusion of modern logic and traditional compassion. That's basically the sort of character I create in most RPGs.
When I got my first Infinity stuff, I decided on Haqq (QK) because I really like their "non-anime low-tech science-fiction" design space. Right between "modern day armed forces" Ariadna and the "actual anime/cyberpunk/clean space sci-fi" factions like PanO, Yu Ying and Nomads, but with a distinct design. I also liked the "common human soldiers getting shit done" trend in their fluff. (Ariadna has that even more, of course.) Other factions fluff and feel seemed to be more defined by their elite units and toys, like Cutters, Tiger Soldiers, Hellcats. - Sekban, Ghazi, Naffatun, Kaplans: These units' design got me stoked for Haqq even before I knew how the game worked or how they played. - Ghulams. Haqq had and has the best looking line infantry in my opinion. (This was before Ramah and linking Naffatun.). And I didn't like the concept of cheerleaders. "Useless" miniatures you only bring to the table so you can play the game with your 1-2 elite pieces. Being able to bring a team of awesome looking Ghulams that could do more than hide really appealed to me. And having great doctors reinforced that feel of "normal soldiers matter". - The vehicles. The Maghriba Guard is an marvelous model that steals the TAG show, sure. But to me the real star are the remotes. The Kameel is such a nice design, radiating sturdiness and utility. Other factions' remotes might look more sleek and futuristic. But the Kameel, and and the new remote pack, look like gear that's designed to be... economic. Designed to last, get the job done, and little more. I dig that.
When I started the local Infinity group was small. I selected Haqqislam because 1.) It didn't overlap with any other players faction. 2.) The original Daylami panzerfaust, Who was holding the definitely not the HALO rocket launcher. 3.) Their focus on good light Infantry. I started wargaming as a Imperial Guard player (this was back in 3rd Ed.). 4.) I find that Haqqislam is the one the most flexible when it comes to playstyle. Example: I'm the one known for the dirty Nomad tricks and not the Corregidor player. 5.) The backstory (mind you this one came a little later) as being one of the good guy factions of the setting.
It’s a good question. It was my third faction I was starting to collect after Nomads and Tohaa. It was the style that got me, beginning with the female Fiday with boarding shotgun (she was one of my first Haqq models, even I hadn’t planed to play the faction yet) followed by the Ghazi. And their dirty low tech playstyle back in N3 was appealing to me too.
It was a hard pick for me, but I choose Haqq over Nomads due to the models. I liked that Haqq has a tough testosterone feel to it via beards, trench coats, and beards. Look at Tarik or Kum Bikers. Plus, I hate to have my models die. Silly I know, so having access to the best doctors in the game is clutch. However, I didn’t know that they would be so good! I’m all in on HB. It has multiple attack vectors, mobility, and options. I am entertained. I would like RTF to be my alternate; however, CJC is most likely going to take that place.
That's funny, because while I'm having the best success out of any factions I've played so far, my HB games have been fairly low VP. Trading up is a big part of the game plan imo (I don't expect my Daylamis, Mutts, Nadhir or Fiday to be alive at the end of the game). The Asawira just don't die though, 2W and PH14 Regen is silly. I'd suggest CJC, going from one of the best faction in the game (HB) to one of the worst (RTF) is going to be painful.
Yes, I’ll have to get used to the trading aspect from Fidays to Ragiks. But, when they do go down I hope it’s taking others down with them. >:D That’s one of my sentiments. They have some great models, but RTF has several issues to overcome. However, the biggest I recently realized is boredom. They are a brick with few attack vectors. So, I’ll be “trading up.” In addition, CB needs to update the JAN models. They look like green skeletons.
Well, for me... I was reading the N2 Human Sphere and basic handbook at my friend's place, trying to find the right faction for me. Haqq seemed the closest to "the good guys", plus I was a long-time fan of the Arabian Nights vibe. Ended up starting Qapu Khalqi soon after that (well, then came Corregidor, Hassassin Bahram, Druze Bayram, StarCo and finally Ramah Task Force, but that's just a progress of the story).
