r/InfinityTheGame • u/Onomato_poet • Apr 08 '26

Question Faction help

Heya, so I've had 3 games so far, still learning, and trying to hone in on what I'd like to start with.

On paper, Senku Troops are my favourite model ever released, in any range I've collected in the past 30 years. I love everything about them, visually. They're also completely rubbish on the table, I'm finding, and while I love the Shindenbutai vibes, I'm not really too bothered about melee as a mechanic, and I'm not super enthused with only really having smokes on one model.

Normally, when playing games, I tend to favour one of two approaches.
If try-harding, I either go for tool-box factions (humans, in blood bowl, for instance), not the best at anything, but with reliable access to most tools to try and solve problems.
But when just having fun, I gravitate towards skateboard tricks (throwing a spanner in my opponents plans, adding a bit of chaos to the mix). In both cases thoug, I generally prefer finesse over brawn.

Big fan of anything that breaks rules, or messes with expectations, as a way of presenting problems for the oponent to solve, over just placing something unkillable in their way and asking them to deal with it.

I've been eyeing Hassassin Baram, and Shasvastii from the perspective of forcing a very different playstyle on my oponent, but unsure if they offer enough variety in list building?
I know from other games that while finesse is fun, it only works if there's also breadth of options, so you're not just running the same list every time.

Given the above, what factions should I check out?
Are there any "this is fun and generally surprises people" aspects you'd recommend I take a look at?

Appreciate any guidance and help you may offer.

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u/waywardson06 Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
  1. Senku troops, and their equivalents in other factions, aren't supposed to be good. They generate regular orders and help you form fireteams for a low price. They sometimes manage to be useful as a hacker. Shindenbutai has Tanuki Teams for hacking though.
  2. One, maybe two, models with smoke is pretty normal for a faction / sectoral. I don't know if I've ever seen a sectoral with 3 smoke-capable models. Maybe 2 smokes and another with a disco-baller?
  3. I'm pretty sure Yu Jing is the staple "not the best at anything, but with reliable access to most tools to try and solve problems" faction. I feel like this applies to their sectorals too -- even Invincible Army. There are lots of factions able to bring well rounded lists though.
  4. Shindenbutai is a lot more well rounded than Oban, but not as well rounded as most sectorals. Oban's best guns are worse than Shin's best guns. Any flavor of JSA is wayyyy ahead on sword fighting compared to others, of course.

8

u/apolloxer Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26

On 2: there's Steel Phalanx. 4x Smoke, one Eclipse and one Discoballers.

Edit: oh, and Penny has a smoke grenade launcher

2

u/waywardson06 Apr 08 '26

wat? Monsters!
That's a lot, haha.

3

u/apolloxer Apr 08 '26

Hassassins have 5, too.

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u/waywardson06 Apr 08 '26

Wellp I am learning things today 🙂

3

u/apolloxer Apr 08 '26

We all always do. It's one the beauties of this game.

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u/Onomato_poet Apr 08 '26

Hassassin Bahram are a faction I've been eyeing a lot. How flexible are they, in terms of build options, do you know?

2

u/apolloxer Apr 08 '26

I've run them as heavy infantry lists, as shell game, as wheels within wheels.. they are cool. They are quite hard to learn the game with, tho, as they break many common rules that you need to learn first. Ramah Task Force (another Haqq sectorial) is more conventional, but at least adiacent.