When I said that I had stoically resisted temptation, I was only talking about what I’d spent on the day. As well as being on panels, running lots of demos of DKH, appearing on Beasts of War live and so on, I also spent a lot of time at Q-Con talking to gamers, watching and playing demos and generally immersing myself in the warm and friendly gaming atmosphere. Now I played Infinity when it came out, but sort of broke the game a bit with my first army and at that point there wasn’t enough released for anyone to be able to stop what I’d concocted. Reliably killing 60%+ of my opponent’s force in my first turn was good for a win ratio, but not much fun for either side, so I dropped it. I wasn’t interested in playing something where I had to deliberately take a second or third best force because the best one was just broken. The one I’d chosen was full of models I liked (mainly why I’d chosen it) and I didn’t want to have to pick things I liked less just cos the rules let me down. I like picking armies (in games in general), and think that the process of balance and decision is all part of the enjoyment of a game. Can you get the carefully selected force to perform on the table as you imagined? Does it need tweaking or improving? How do you respond to different threats, and so on.
I think things may have changed. Infinity have done their 2nd edition, added their Human Sphere book (with linked teams and sectorial armies among other goodies) and released loads more models, which equals lots more options. Couple more choice with more experience among the many Infinity gamers I know and hopefully it’ll be an interesting challenge again, where my broken army list won’t just obliterate everyone. Actually, I doubt I’ll play the same army list, and will be starting from scratch as I sold my old Infinity stuff on Ebay. So… a clean slate.
Quirkworthy 
Infinity has moved on a whole bunch over 1st ed. Playing with people who systematically break games has been fun because its almost impossible to break now. I’m sure its still possible but those who like there crutches or win lists have drifted away from the game as they started realising they couldn’t just nip onto the internet a use google to find army lists made of win.
Interestingly I’ve just finished writing an article about not going to the net to find “killer” armies. Personally I have far too much fun with the army selection stage of a game to let anyone else do it for me, though I’ll happily read other viewpoints and pick out the bits that appeal. I always think that the player makes more difference than the detail of the list, and that’s one reason that points systems are so fundamentally flawed (though there isn’t a long list of practical alternatives). Of course, a good player with a strong list will be a dangerous opponent, though few are unbeatable. It just might take a couple of goes to get their measure.
Very glad to hear that Infinity is not breakable any more. I look forward to getting it on the table again and seeing what the differences are.
Well if you’re ever in the West Midlands you’re always more than welcome to pop round and give me a game!!! I agree with your thoughts on point systems. I’ve sometimes found certain things over pointed because foe me personally they don’t fit with how I want to play and conversely I’ve found the opposite true of other choices. However friends and opponents have disagreed with me vehemently on certain things.
I agree about looking up army lists on the internet as well, I’ve never really done it. Interestingly I play Retribution in Warmachine and I’ve played a fair few games but because I’ve never taken the ‘typical’ retribution army I flumox people and they don’t really know how to respond. I have to be honest and say I lament the differentiation in army lists nowadays and its becoming more and more boring playing games when the army lists are always the same.
Funny thing is I’m also writing an article right now about the rise of the ‘internet’ army and the death of individuality. I do however think the ‘market leader’ has something to do with that but that’s a whole different subject…
The ‘market leader’ is always a whole different subject 😉
West Midlands? That sounds like Furrin’ Parts to me. I’m in the East Midlands, as I type this. Heavens! All that way! Seriously though, I’d be happy to meet up sometime for a game, though I have yet to rebuild my army, so it will have to wait for a little recruitment. Actually, looking at what is currently available, I think it might have to wait till Corvus get a few more models out too, but we’ll see. Need to find time to read the new books before I start spending. Would probably also be a good idea to decide on a faction 😛
Faction… don’t you mean factions? lol. That’s my problem I’m afraid, another article I’m working on right now!!! I have too many factions, if you ever feel like borrowing some mini’s for a game just let me know. I have Aleph, Yu Jing (JSA), Haqq Islam and Nomads… yes I really am a faction whore!!!
Of course I mean factions in the plural. Who do you think I am? Someone focussed? Nah.
I envy those lucky folk who can focus entirely on one army in one game for years on end and perfect their tactics and build a lovely army (dare I say complete?). That’s not me though. For confrontation 3 I had very nearly all the models for all the factions. I am a game magpie, and have been for over 30 years, which means that even though I’ve been trying to clear out my study for a couple of years by putting things on Ebay I am nowhere near clearing the decks. Just too much gaming history luring in the corners (and in piles, all over the floor… ).
Can’t recall who it was now, but there was a phase when I was known locally as a “game hoover”. The advent of pdfs means that I don’t have quite such a large pile of new games physically, and the clutter on the hard drive is much less obvious.
In terms of Infinity factions, I’m initially drawn to 4 and will have to pick between (got to start somewhere). Partly I need to read the background and rules and look at what armies I can actually work out, partly I need to look at the models available and whether they’re in poses I can cope with. I may never get any of these 4, but at present the options seem to be:
Neoterran Capitaline
Japanese Sectorial (got to love the hakama)
Aleph
Morat Agression Force
Of these, the Morats and PanO are top of the list, but neither has a sectorial starter and there’s the pain of that Daturazi model only being in the generic Combined starter (and I don’t like Shasvasti or the Charontid). The Daturazi is important as I may end up taking most of the 7 I’d be allowed…
Anyway, details for another post, perhaps.
You can get the Daturzi separately I’m sure of it. Its just Simple Miniatures who order the stuff into the UK don’t have it on their stock list. A friend of my is going down the Morat sectorial list and although I wouldn’t admit it to him, they’re actually a scary list.
That’s interesting. I’ll have to have an explore.
If I can have up to 7 of them in an army, I don’t want to be limited to 2 models. Don’t really want to be limited to 3, to be honest, but at least 3 gives me a better starting point for conversions.
Well I hope you don’t mind but my article about the rise of the internet army list has just gone up!!!
http://thefrontlinegamer.blogspot.com/2011/07/internet-army-lists-death-of.html
Not at all 🙂
I’ve recently been introduced to Infinity, and I like the game very much… as well as the gorgeous minis. Perhaps we’ll play together, when I have a painted force of my own, at the BoW studio or elsewhere !
I would like that. As I said above, my old armies joined the mercenaries on Ebay long since, so I’m starting again. Which force(s) were you considering? I’m sure only the most beautiful armies need apply 🙂
I think I need to calm down! I got a delivery this morning and didn’t know what it was.
I openend the box and it’s an Ariadna Para-Commando and a Moblot that I wanted for my French Metropolitan force… but when did I order these?
Anyway, I need to get them assembled and primered (at least), I’m BoW has to do without me tomorrow and I’ve arranged an Infinity game with Mike tomorrow evening… as he’s the ex-French champion… I expect to get my ass handed to me. So I need to get thinking… Yu Jing JSA… Ariadna Metropolitan… or something else?
I’ve picked up a few Combined Army, Pan-O and I’ve assembled a Kazak Force for Ariadna… hopefully they get a sectorial list in the new book.
So many choices!
It would be rather odd if there wasn’t a Russian sectorial in the new one, but you never can tell with CB.
Against Mike, I would recommend having a very simple plan. Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that he’s a stronger player than all of us. Trying clever things will almost certainly just unravel around you. Keep it simple. Keep it something you can focus on (and ignore his distracting nastiness) and that he will have trouble interfering with. That’ll give you a better chance.
Which force would be best is an interesting question. Partly, I suppose it depends on what you expect to be facing and whether you’re playing a scenario or not (ie, whether you need fast things to capture objectives, etc). I don’t really know the relative strengths of the different forces, but you know what models you have and what Mike’s got. What do you expect?
Sounds like a fun game, either way. Mike seemed like a lovely chap when I met him at Q-Con. You can tell him I said that 😛
Just my two cents : I always keep it simple because I am a lousy strategist and I simple can’t do anything complicated that’s worthwhile… 😉
Like everything else Elro, it’s just practice, and making mistakes so you can learn from them. I do it all the time 😛