I Ran so Farzan
After getting a ton of games of Blood Bowl in, I decided it was probably time to get a game of Infinity in. With the cancellation of the Rose City Raid 2020, the Bakunin army we had as prize support was without a home! Adam’s been eyeing Bakunin forever as a gold mine of fun conversions, so it didn’t take much nudging from me to push him off the cliff and have him buy the army from the tournament.
My chosen nudge methodology was to play vanilla Haqq against Adam in another one of my crazy remote games. My cheap wide angle webcams from China finally arrived, so I could finally put a webcam on the ceiling to get a proper overhead view. In any case, my Strompost Alpha table makes a reappearance to ease remote gameplay. I’ve switched up the layout a little from last time and made the rooftops a little more dangerous.
If you’d like to follow along, here’s the raw footage of the Twitch stream:
Overview
- Mission: Unmasking
- Forces: Haqqislam versus Jurisdictional Command of Bakunin (300)
- Deploy First: Bakunin
- First Turn: Bakunin
I knew Adam wanted to play my Bakunin, but I had some trouble deciding what to play against him. I’ve really wanted to get back to my Ariadna, so I first came up with this list to tackle our chosen mission, Unmasking:
Unmasking
VASSILY Lieutenant (Forward Observer) T2 Sniper, D-Charges / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (1 | 35)
BRISCARD (Forward Observer) Marksman Rifle / Assault Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
DYNAMO (Forward Observer) Rifle / Assault Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 29)
FRONTOVIK Engineer T2 Rifle, Light Rocket Launcher, D-Charges / Assault Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 33)
UXÍA McNEILL (Covert Action) (CH: Limited Camouflage, Superior Infiltration, Specialist Operative) Boarding Shotgun, D-Charges, Smoke Grenades / 2 Assault Pistols, AP CCW, Knife. (0 | 27)
ZOUAVE Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 20)
‘FIRSTSTRIKE’ DONN T2 Rifle, Grenade / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon, T2 CC Weapon. (0 | 35)
VAN ZANT AP Rifle / Heavy Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 38)
STRELOK K-9 Submachine Gun, Chain-colt, Antipersonnel Mines + 1 K-9 Antipode / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 24)
TANKHUNTER Portable Autocannon, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 34)
10 | 5.5 SWC | 300 Points | Open in Infinity Army
I figured that Cadin would make for a good durable DataTracker with a lot of mobility and the ability to safely engage the Designated Target by rolling grenades off of rooftops. I also wanted a good DataTracker assassination piece like Van Zant. I was pretty happy with the list and felt comfortable piloting it, but it felt like ages since I put my Haqq on the table. QK hasn’t really spoken to me as of late and Ramah doesn’t really gel with my playstyle, so I opted for the following Vanilla Haqq list:
Unmasking
MUYIB Lieutenant Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher (Normal and Smoke Ammo.) / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 23)
FASID HMG + (Smoke and Normal) Light Grenade Launcher, Antipersonnel Mines / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (2 | 53)
DJANBAZAN Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 31)
NAMURR Spitfire, E/Marat, D-Charges / Heavy Pistol, E/M CC Weapon, Knife. (1 | 44)
FIDAY Boarding Shotgun, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW, Knife. (0 | 29)
ÁYYĀR (Surprise Shot L2) Rifle + E/Mitter, D.E.P. / 2 Viral Pistols, CCW, Knife. (0 | 37)
FARZAN (Marksmanship L1, Forward Observer) Rifle + Light Shotgun, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 24)
SHIHAB REMOTE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 25)
BARID Hacker (Killer Hacking Device UPGRADE: Lightning) Rifle + Pitcher / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
ROUHANI Submachine Gun, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)
The Muyib LGL Lt and Fasid HMG give me plenty of spec fire and smoke options to provide cover for the Namurr or to set the Djanbazan up some MSV2 shooting. I wanted to take the Ayyar because Iove the model and I want to get more practice in with such a unique tool. The Farzan MML1 is a great upgrade to the base FO profile, so that went in as well. To give myself some board coverage I tacked on a Shihab TR bot paired with a Barid KHD so as to not cede quantronic dominance to Bakunin. Rouhani is really just there to fill out the list. I don’t anticipate spending orders on doctoring things, with the exception of the Namurr, so I just sort of left him in there as an afterthought.
Jurisdictional Command of Bakunin
TASKMASTER Lieutenant Red Fury, Pulzar, CrazyKoalas + TinBot A (Deflector L1) / Heavy Pistol, DA CCW. (1 | 53)
ZOE & PI-WELL . (0 | 47)
PI-WELL Combi Rifle / Electric Pulse. (0 | 19)
ZONDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
RIOT GRRL (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Blitzen, Stun Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 30)
TSYKLON Feuerbach, Pitcher / Electric Pulse. (1 | 34)
REVEREND CUSTODIER Hacker (Hacking Device Plus) Combi Rifle + Pitcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 34)
ZERO (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
Adam’s infatuated (rightfully so) with the Taskmaster Lieutenant profile, so that went in there. Zoe and Pi are great in limited insertion, so they made the cut too. Adam and I are big fans of 3-trooper cores, so he took a 3-Riot Grrl core intending to leave the ML out to ARO. The rest of his list is just good stuff Nomads like a pair of Zeros, a HD+ Custodier, and a Tsyklon Feuerbach.
Deployment
I won the roll off and elected to take deployment to make things easier on Adam (it’s easier when you don’t have to pick deployment zones while playing a remote game). He set up his Riot Grrls with the ML atop a building, then put his Custodier in the middle of the table to protect her from flank attacks.
One of his Zeros went on a catwalk leading up to the central objective, and the other went on the left to protect his Designated Target at the far left of his deployment zone. The two Decoys were more or less equally spaced out across the rest of the table in little nooks. Zoe and the Tsyklon anchored the left, and Pi Well went down on the right.
I decided I really didn’t want to engage anything in Adam’s deployment zone, so I opted to null deploy. All of my units were watching firelanes that you had to cross the centerline to access, with a bunch of them guarding my two HVTs in the center of the table, with my third all the way on the left to lure Adam out. In particular, my Djanbazan sniper was watching a right-to-left firelane that Pi Well would have to cross if he wanted to advance into my backfield. The Shihab further anchored the left side by covering most of it, and I basically ceded board control on the right. I stuck my Al Fasid on the left to balance out access to grenades and smoke against the Muyib LGL on the right.
My Ayyar went all the way on the left, disguised as a Djanbazan HMG to deter Pi Well further. The Namurr and Rouhani went basically in the center to give me maximum flexibility. Adam put his Taskmaster Lt down in the middle, and I responded by putting a Fiday on the right, just outside of Adam’s deployment zone. I did this for several reasons:
- Create threat on the right, where I’m weak.
- Deny the Tsyklon easy access to a good sniper tower.
- Hunt down Adam’s Lieutenant, who I assumed would be his DataTracker.
Adam actually surprised me by nominating the Riot Grrl Specialist Operative as his DataTracker, meaning that either the Fasid or the Ayyar would have to handle her. I had always planned on making the Namurr my DataTracker, so that was an easy decision.
Turn 1
Top of 1 – Bakunin
Adam decided that he wanted to get rid of my Djanbazan sniper, and also try to feel out my Holoprojector situation, so he sent in the Taskmaster to bully my Djanbazan. Unfortunately, I didn’t really plan for Adam to be so aggressive for what I thought was a relatively minor payoff–yes, Djanbazan are good but the sniper wasn’t integral to my gameplan. Anyway, the Taskmaster rolls in and I dodge to prevent the Taskmaster from just Pulzaring the Djanbazan, and over the course of two orders the Taskmaster fails to do anything and retreats.
Adam had dropped off a Koala near my Fiday on his way up, with the second intended to cover my Namurr, but with the failure to take out the Djanbazan, Adam’s forced to retreat with a coordinated order to move other things around and I get a free shot on the sync’ed Koala with no result.The coordinated orders do let him get a Zero into position and reveal the HVT on my left to be a Decoy.
Adam decides he wants to use Bakunin’s superior hacking and tries to land a pitcher near my Fasid with no luck. This would’ve been extra bad because it would reveal my Ayyar to be an HI as opposed to just being a Djanbazan.
After tucking the Custodier back into safety, flipping the console on my right with his Zero and recamoing it, Adam passes turn.
Bottom of 1 – Haqqislam
Adam’s left me a carrot in the form of his Taskmaster being left so close to my Namuur, and I bite, hard! I set things up by landing smoke on the objective on my right with my Lieuteant order, then send in the Namurr.
I attempt to dodge the nearby Koala on 18’s thanks to Hyper-Dynamics L2 but roll at 19. At least I roll a 17 on my ARM save!
I quickly hit the objective, revealing Adam’s middle HVT as a Decoy. This lets me edge closer to the Taskmaster while staying in smoke…. so I can Intuitive Attack him with an E/Marat!
It takes two orders but I manage to crit E/M the Taskmaster on the second one, putting Adam in LoL. I spend some coordinated orders moving the Djanbazan, Farzan, and Ayyar forward while moving the Namurr back.Adam’s zero gets a lucky discover on my Farzan who was advancing towards the central console.
I leave him there for a bit and decide to leverage the fact that I have smoke down to shoot at the Riot Grrl ML with my Djanbazan. Ordinarily I wouldn’t bother setting up a smoke trick in a limited insertion list, but in this case it served three purposes:
- Let me get to the objective with the Namurr without AROs, saving orders.
- Letting me Intuitive Attack the Taskmaster
- Letting me MSV2 shoot the Riot Grrl
With such efficiency it was well worth the trouble. I get lucky and crit the Riot Grrl, who fails guts out of LoF.
I’m really low on orders so I finish things out by taking out the Zero with the Farzan. I think it takes two orders and on the second Adam has the Zero drop a mine. Rude.
Turn 2
Top of 2 – Bakunin
My Djanbazan is advanced now and covering more of the board, so Adam decides to try and take it out with the Tsyklon while in Loss of Lieutenant. He starts by buffing it with his Custodier, but then blows two orders and a command token failing to do anything.
Adam then decides to just focus on recovery and fixes his Taskmaster with Zoe’s bot, although my Namurr takes out the Zondbot after it does the deed.
Adam tries to gamble with his Riot Grrl trades missile/sniper fire on one burst each with my Djanbazan. I win, just barely, and take out the Riot Grrl for good.
Adam then takes a shot at my Namurr with his Taskmaster, and I’m forced prone, which is basically what I want anyway. Pi Well and the Riot Grrl Specialist Operative go into suppression.
Bottom of 2 – Haqqislam
I send in the Farzan, who has the best positioning, to get some work done. I need to take out the Tsyklon and the Koala to free up the Fiday to do some work. My first shot downs the Tsyklon, then I try to take out the Koala and fail.
I do manage to take out the Custodier though, which is a plus.
I get a little cocky and try to take on the Taskmaster.
| 38.58 | 46.80 | 14.62 |
My odds aren’t great, but they’re not awful. Adam gets lucky and I lose the face to face and fail ARM, killing the Farzan. Ah well.
I push the Ayyar forward and try to take on the Riot Grrl BSG but she crit dodges to safety. I end my turn by using the Ayyar to get into base to base with the console on my left and guess correctly that Adam’s Designated Target is on my right.
Turn 3
Top of 3 – Bakunin
Adam needs to put points on the board so he flips the last console with Pi Well, sacrificing him to my TR bot.
The Taskmaster is Adam’s tool of choice, as my right side is the weakest and the Taskmaster has a lot of kit. He challenges the Djanbazan, Pulzaring in response to my pistol shot within 8″. All of my decisions were bad here, but I opted to shoot at BS12 and hope for a bad ARM roll versus shoot at BS6.
I lose the Djanbazan but do a wound with the Pistol against the Taskmaster. I’ll take it! The Taskmaster comes around the corner and sees a Decoy and the Designated Target. I fire a E/Mitter with the Ayyar and a HMG round with the Fasid, and both HVTs dodge against a split burst from the Taskmaster. I whiff all my shots and the Taskmaster makes all of its shots, which means I’m in trouble.
Adam runs his Zero away and drops a ton of mines before recamoing, then the Taskmaster tries to take out my Namurr but dies to lucky shot from the Fasid.
Bottom of 3 – Haqqislam
I decide that I’m just going to smoke up the Zero, stand up the Fiday, and dodge the Fiday. That way I can potentially clear all the mines and the nearby Koala and ignore the Zero. I start this plan with my Muyib lieutenant, but I flub the smoke roll. I try to discover-shoot smoke, fail the smoke again, but discover the Zero.
Instead of dodging the Fiday I just stand up and try gunning down the Zero, who just drops a mine. I whiff the shotgun shots thanks to the Zero’s cover and camo, pass the mine saves, but fail the save against the Koala. Oh well. Job got done, that’s what matters.
The Namurr goes into action, taking out the Zero easily. I attempt to dodge the mine, but fail the dodge again! I thankfully pass ARM and go in to take out the Designated Target.
This thankfully goes off without a hitch…
as does taking out the Decoy.
I’ve got two orders left and I decide to try and take out the Riot Grrl SO to deny Adam the surviving DataTracker points.
| 80.67 | 11.26 | 8.07 |
I’ve actually got a 56.98% chance of KOing the Riot Grrl thanks to the awesomeness of dual viral pistols… but it doesn’t work out for me and I don’t even cause a wound.
Adam’s got more consoles, we’ve both got surviving DataTrackers, but I took out the Designated Target with my DataTracker and he didn’t, so it’s a
6-6 Tie!
Post Game Analysis
All in all a pretty fun game! I think I could’ve set up a little more defensively on the right, and I think in this case a normal Hacker Barid might’ve been a better choice, just as more of a utility option. I also felt a little over-gunned. I don’t think I need both the Al Fasid and the Namurr, one would be enough, especially since the Muyib Lt covers the grenades from the Al Fasid.
Anyway, I think I got a little too conservative with the Namurr on turn two. I got excited about using the Ayyar and that cost me. I could’ve smoked up the Zero again and then E/Marated the Taskmater again, and then done the same work with the Farzan. That would’ve been better than forcing the Riot Grrl BSG into cover with an abortive attempt to land an E/Mitter.
In any case, Adam did an excellent job, playing to the scenario. I don’t think I did a particularly poor job of gaining points, but I did a particularly poor job of preventing points. In other words I needed some more midfield presence to protect my HVTs, and I probably shouldn’t have made it so easy to get to two in one go. Always a tradeoff–you can devote more resources to the defense but once the enemy has LoF you can’t stop them from taking the shot and splitting burst, or worse, landing a Pulzar.
Not a huge amount of detailed learnings from this game, just a few minor mistakes and misprioritizations on both sides. We both played a pretty tight game, and Limited Insertion doesn’t give you any room for errors. A small thing can really change the game.
The day after our game, I got this text from Adam, who had just patronized our LGS (obeying all social distancing protocols, of course):
I look forward to Adam’s future descent into vanilla Nomads. It’s happening, just you wait! Thanks for reading.
