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Infinity seems to have started growing in popularity pretty strongly recently, and I'm wondering what factors attracted the discerning users of Dakka to Infinity in the first place.

For instance, personally my liking for it is threefold:

1) Firstly, cost: you get a better quality miniature range, with detailed individual characters costing less than OTHER retailers would ask, and a free rule set, combined with the way you only need a handful of models to begin means that starting infinity seems a much more wallet-friendly alternative to other available options.
(Plus, there's the absence of a mandatory "Buy this expensive hardback rulebook/codex/etc.!" with every update.)

2) The dynamic, vibrant nature of the setting - no more dystopian grimdark, It's nice to have a game where there's some semblance of normal human interaction behind the conflict, and it's a world maybe we wouldn't mind so much to live in - Don't get me wrong, I love the 40k universe, but sometimes all that "only WAR!" gets a little... Dull.

3) The clean lines and aesthetics of Infinity appeal to me as a painter. (And as a Mass Effect fan )

(Oh, and by the way, I'm not out to whack 40k, and I'm not paid by Infinity to say this stuff (I Wish I was!) - these are just my opinions )

What about you?

This.



Like, literally. I'd never even really heard of Infinity outside of seeing a few racks for it at my FLGS. Someone made a thread about 'cheesecake' being bad for the hobby, and I thought it would be a humerous thread about, well, cheesecake.

They were moaning about that months Infinity releases being cheesecake models, and one they showed was the Al Hawwa sniper.

The model instantly sold me on starting the game due to how much I loved it.

Good thread!

For me it's simple, the miniatures. I fell in love with their style and quality. I have to say that the lore helped keep me around though.

I was living in the far east - at that time my hobby stuff (which was restricted to painting - not really many games clubs where I was) was done though mail order from UK companies. Anyway I tried to order a pile of GW Orc & Goblin miniatures, but that was about the time that GW stopped international selling of their stuff. So, with no official GW store in the country I was in I started looking around at other options. Infinity seemed to fit the bill: Not many miniatures (so cheaper to mail order, and easier to transport to and from places) and the miniatures looked beautiful. I could hardly believe they were 28mm when I actually got them, and think I got eye-strain trying to paint them as a result

So have to say that to begin with it was the miniatures. After getting into the game the rule mechanics, style of the game and the really friendly community (both online & offline) have helped to keep me with it.

-Loki- , I ccouldn't agree more, that model is an absoloute beauty, and one of the reasons I went for Haqquislam in the first place - I have a preference for the masked minis, not sure why

CL, thanks for commenting, I'm not as up on the lore as I was with 40k, but I'm learning quickly and liking it so far

Pacific, I've not actually played a game yet, (still working on terrain) but I can vouch for the community - In my experience the Infinity crowd tend to be a lot more relaxed and centered around having fun than in other systems - although that may just be the case where I game, I'm not sure

I don't remember exactly how I was introduced to Infinity, but I'm sure Dakka was involved. The models probably played a part too.

the Shang-Ji: I saw that model for the first time and knew I needed to have it! At that time it only came in the starter, so I bought the starter. Learning the game and picking up more models followed naturallly.

Now I get my friends into it by saying its the counter strike of table-top games (a game where being pinned isn't a failed dice roll, but rather moving will get you KILLED). It's like RPG and table-top merged into one. Brutally face paced, wonderfully cinematic where even the smallest action is easy to visualize in a pleasing way, and utterly satisfying to play.

 Lady_Canoness wrote:
Now I get my friends into it by saying its the counter strike of table-top games (a game where being pinned isn't a failed dice roll, but rather moving will get you KILLED). It's like RPG and table-top merged into one. Brutally face paced, wonderfully cinematic where even the smallest action is easy to visualize in a pleasing way, and utterly satisfying to play.

I was playing CS Global Offensive this morning, and it struck me how valid CS tactics were in Infinity. It even models player reflexes in the ARO system - you've gpt the drop on someone but they still manage a headshot before you kill them, or you fluff your burst from behind and they manage to turn around and kill you. Getting three guys into good positions covering an exit point, just like in CS, gives better reactive flexibility to single models coming out guns blazing, and Fireteams are almost like a clan group in a pub server, moving aorund in a coordinated fashion covering each other on their way to the objective.

I've got a friend who is starting Aleph, and I think this will sell him on the game even more and get him to get his gak up here for some games.

Awesome sculpts and TAGS, bring on the Appleseed!

Someone at a local club posted up a link to the Infinity website (anyone remember the old scrolling mini galleries?) and asked if anyone was interested in a demo. I saw the minis and liked pretty much every faction, which was a good start. I then realised everything else was free rules, templates, army builders etc, so i could hardly say no could i!? Add to that a local shop selling off stock at almost half price and it was a perfect storm! And i've never looked back (at 40k etc).

The models and the cost

Some day I will get a game in...

The ruleset. I watched the videos on youtube that explains the order mechanic and some aspects of gameplay like camo and smoke grenades abd thought that I had to try it out. After a few proxy games I found out it was indeed great fun to play.

Interesting to hear the rules are an attraction factor for some, that's something I hadn't thought of really...
Although I certainly see the immediate appeal of both players being involved during both turns, something I look forward to when I get around to gaming myself - good stuff guys!

A friend of mine acted as a drug dealer. First hit was free.

I have exactly the same reasons as you, but I will add

4) The mobility of being able to carry enough minis for a game in a small pack, very useful when you have to run around town with your gaming material and lack a car. I pack everything in the morning, go to work, and then straight to gaming without back pain or sweat running down my face.

Thermoptic Camo
d20 bases
AROs
coolness

I was looking for a game that would enable me to play GI Joe vs Cobra (or more to the point Action Force vs The Red Shadows) , I went through a number of games and founf Infinity.

It was a simple enough to get started, cheap to play , I fell in love with Ariadna and Haqq...

and I realised I didnt need 150+ models to have an army (though the way I am picking up proxy models for my Ariadna it soon will be at that point)...

 bantha_beast wrote:
Someone at a local club posted up a link to the Infinity website (anyone remember the old scrolling mini galleries?) and asked if anyone was interested in a demo. I saw the minis and liked pretty much every faction, which was a good start. I then realised everything else was free rules, templates, army builders etc, so i could hardly say no could i!? Add to that a local shop selling off stock at almost half price and it was a perfect storm! And i've never looked back (at 40k etc).

There was obviously so much other good stuff that i forgot the game itself! After a couple of demo games getting my face kicked in by combined army, and probably getting most of the rules wrong, i was already hooked. Even something as simple as the ARO mechanic made games so much more interesting than anything else i had been playing.

That's a good point actually - Infinity is one of the few games that I can play, get my arse absolutely handed to me, and still enjoy it. Partly perhaps because it is such a tactical experience, and I can see where I went wrong, what good moves my opponent used on me etc.

I also love the way you can turn a game around even if you get hammered at the start. A few tactically astute moves, helped with some fortunate dice rolling, and that sure victory of your opponent (or visa-versa) suddenly becomes far less of a done deal. Again not that many games that can pull that off, and I think in part its due to the balance of mechanics and their complexity, allowing for complex tactics. I read somewhere that they spent 3-4 years play testing the game before releasing it, and it definitely shows.

I was quitting buying from GW due to cost, and had previously had Infinity recommended to me as having a similar cinematic "feel" to the gameplay in Inquisitor (which I do still play... just only with old, second-hand or scratchbuilt models).

The rules were free to try and seemed solid, the model range was high quality, what fluff I could read outside the books seemed agreeable and the whole package didn't seem to be too expensive to get into... so that's where all that chunk of my hobby spending went.

 -Loki- wrote:
I'd never even really heard of Infinity outside of seeing a few racks for it at my FLGS. Someone made a thread about 'cheesecake' being bad for the hobby, and I thought it would be a humorous thread about, well, cheesecake.
They were moaning about that months Infinity releases being cheesecake models, and one they showed was the Al Hawwa sniper. The model instantly sold me on starting the game due to how much I loved it.

So, if I'm reading this right, you started because of the rack on the Al' Hawwa, not the one on the FLGS wall?

... I'll get me coat.

I came for some of the miniatures (Hellooooo Cutter!).

I stayed for the rules.

And despite some of the other minis (*shudder* dogs in skirts).

Hey there is nothing wrong with dogs in skirts, especially when they are wielding dual chain rifles .

Otherwise I agree with you started playing because of the miniatures, it took a while to get used to the rules but now it is my favourite rule set for tabletop war gaming I have played so far.

I hope Corvus Belli are watching this thread and it's warming their hearts.

It's certainly all a lot more positive than some of the myriad comments that have been aimed at other miniature companies recently

Although I'm reserving judgement on the dogs in skirts

- ARO
- The Models
- Low Model Count
- Balance
- Excellent Player Base (more like the FoW crowd)

I absolutely fell in love with the original Ariadna models in about 2007 and I bought a whole bunch to use for 28mm Inquisitor.

About 7-8 months ago I actually started to read the rules and I really liked the order system and the AROs. The fact that my forces can react to enemy movements and shooting rather than just stading there getting shot at 40k style.

I did more research into Ariadna and really REALLY loved the newer model. I then came across some pics of tables set up and lost my gak.

Since then I have been hooked, this game is the gak!!

 Dark Apostle 666 wrote:
Although I'm reserving judgement on the dogs in skirts

I think you'll find that sci-fi werewolves and kilts are two of the coolest things ever. Joining the two concepts together only has positive outcomes. The only thing on par with this is Space Dinosaurs.

Nice to see you on Dakka, Nerm.

Spreading the love of the game in the nation's capitol.

1. I like that Infinity is fresh. When it first came out, I was knee deep in 40K, and didn't really give it the time of day. Then as I walked away, I needed my scifi itch scratched, and instantly found it a hook.
2. The figures are units of thier own, or now that you can add in similer and the dsame to squads, the game is grouped up and reasonable in terms of the bang for the buck.

3. adaptability to terraign. I have metric gak tons of terraign and my first order of business is to think up where exactly the fights are taking place, and why. With Infinity, its easy to just jump right in and have it out, because the reasons for the fights, alliances, treaties, and diplomacy make sense. You can come up with a world and fight over it. Then add it in and scratch up a campaign game easily.

4. Fun. The dynamics of the game make it fun. Its a little rules heavy, but you have the cardss, so you can learn what your guy does on the fly and not have to worry about fighting over rules interpritation all day, instead of playing. Less D baggery= adds more fun.

So far, the game is awsome.

It's hard to remember now lol but I know the miniatures drew me in first. Fricken Shaolin Monks with sci-fi Guns! Then the fluff. I was pretty sick of the grimdark of 40k. I figured I better get away from it before I slit my wrists. Also, I was finding I couldn't afford 40k. But then I found out how cool the rules were.

The rules, actually. I humored my friend and proxied a game of infinity so he could try it. Turns out, I really liked it.