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hey i am looking to try infinity, the models are just beautiful. Anyway i browsed the infinity website and found 2 merc units that i love the look of, the units are Kaplan Tactical services. and druze shock teams

are these units any good?

can i buy one of these units as my first infinity models? and will they be a good starting unit?

can i have both units in my army?

Thanks in advance.

Those two can work together in the QK sectorial; I've seen folks do it. not sure if it's all that good, with just those two boxes the only heavy hitter you have is a sniper rifle. Of course the glue guns and blitzens help but that's still not all that much in the way of long-range heavy hitting. The guy I saw playing that had, I believe, scarface&cordelia with it and had replaced one or two models with some carrying heavier weapons but it generally seemed to work out okay for him.
Dunno if it's all that effective; no TO, no MSV, no AD and so forth, but if you're just starting and your probable opponents aren't playing too much 'nasty' stuff it could be fun for a while at least.

Maybe someone actually has some experience playing this so don't go off buying anything just on this vague bit of advice

I believe there's someone selling those two box sets, along with two other models, on the swap shop currently by the way

You can have both of those units in your force if you utilize the "Qapu Khalqi" Sectorial list of Haqqislam.

Kaplan Tactical Services(KTS) are pretty awesome, and the Druze Shock Teams less so but still cool.

Playing with the Army Builder real quick, I knocked this together:

QAPU KHALQI
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 10 0 0

KAPLAN Combi Rifle, Adhesive Launcher, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (23)
KAPLAN MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 37)
KAPLAN Ingeniero Combi Rifle, Adhesive Launcher, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (27)
KAPLAN Spitfire / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 29)
KAPLAN Médico Combi Rifle, Blitzen / Pistol, Knife. (28)
SHOCK Combi Rifle, D.E.P. / Pistol, CCW. (21)
SHOCK Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher / Pistol, CCW. (1.5 | 25)
SHOCK Combi Rifle, D.E.P. / Pistol, CCW. (21)
SHOCK Combi Rifle, D.E.P. / Pistol, CCW. (21)
HAFZA Lieutenant Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (17)

4 SWC | 249 Points

Open with Army 4

That list utilizes the following items:
Hafza Blister Pack You are going to get a second Hafza in this pack(either one can be your Lt), but Hafza are from my rather limited experience with Haqqislam pretty nice.
Kaplan Tactical Services boxed set
Kaplan Tactical Services Spitfire blister pack
Druze Shock Team boxed set

Bear in mind that Infinity is a game where you can go really quick from doing just a single Sectorial to a second Sectorial--and then still be able to take both of those Sectorials' contents as part of a standard army.

Druze and Kaplan are both, as you mentioned, Mercs. Mercs are not their own faction - there are two ways to use them. As mercenaries, adding to any faction, which some people don't allow (because Mercs are not allowed in tournament games) or as part of a Haqqislam Qapu Kalki force, which is a sectorial that can take both of those legally even in tournaments.

Throwing both boxes plus the Kaplan Spitfire into army builder gives me 240pts, 5SWC (with the Druze LGL as a normal combi rifle, otherwise SWC is too high). That's with a Druze Lt as well, and includes a doctor, engineer and hacker, which isn't too bad, but has the downside of leaving you with 60pts and 1 SWC to complete the list. Best way would be with a Kameel TR remote in its own combat group (sort of acting as a sentry gun that can slowly move) and flll out the last spot in your main group with something else to make up the points.

Looks like a fun list to me, can cover all objective bases (doctor, hacker and engineer) and gives you two possible Link Teams that you can swap around as the situation calls.

edit - FFS ninja'd better by Kan. In Kans list, I'd swap the Hafza Lt to a Hafza Spitfire Lt for some extra firepower, and again, stick a Kameel Total Reaction remote in a second combat group. when going to 300pts. Then some Nasmats into the main group for your doctor and engineer.

Mercenaries, at the moment, are kind of a weird pseudo-faction.
You can create a "Mercenary force" which cherrypicks units from every army(except the Tohaa and Combined Army) but at a reduced Availability(the number of models from a specific type of unit you can take) and in some cases with a higher Special Weapons Cost.

The next book is bringing in "Mercenary Sectorials" which are aimed at changing the Mercenaries into a dedicated faction. As of right now though, the units you like are best available from Haqqislam--and what is more as part of one of the better Sectorial lists.

what are link teams loki?

"Link Teams" are a bonus you get when playing with Sectorial lists.

In your case, the KTS or Druze could form a "Link Team" allowing for models exclusively from the same unit/regiment(like a team of 3-5 Druze or 3-5 KTS) to behave as a single entity for lack of a better descriptor.

this works out well for me because the new islam faction was my second choice . I noticed on the website the druze unit was not listed with the haquism faction. But the other merc unit i like was. why is that?

Likely just because of the randomness of CB.

It might have been that they chose not to count the Druze as part of the Haqqislam faction at the time as they envisioned the QK list as being primarily Haqqislam at the time, not primarily adopted by Mercenaries.

Also I would hold off on getting the Druze first.

The Sekban unit is supposed to be getting a boxed set, and there are rumors that it will be within the next few months.

I do not know about you, but a unit of these guys alongside KTS would be pretty sweet.

Get the Druze anyway, then get the Sekban when they eventually release. Options are always good.

Another thing Qapu Khalki can do is Haris/Link teams of Odalisques. Which a lot of people like more than the Sekban.

Sekban can Haris too.

I know. I was just pointing out they're the less popular Haris to Odalisques.

I wonder how much of that is the fact that Sekban have no box yet?

No, there's a fairly ginormous thread on the official forums where people are testing Sekban links via proxy. A couple of people have gotten good use out of them, the majority just can't find what they do better than Odalisques.

That's not saying Sekban are bad, just that Odalisques seem to be better.

ya i will get sebken, they are also amazing looking, are they mercs or haqquislam?

Haqqislam.

They are primarily a QK unit though, as QK allows you to take 5 of them rather than the 2 that you would be able to take as generic Haqqislam units.

Also, just so it is not too confusing imagine a set up like this:

Haqqislam is the "parent" army list. They can take anything and everything that falls under the Haqqislam unit entries.
The Hassassin Bahram is the Hassassin Sectorial. You get increased availability of the Hassassin units.
The Qapu Khalqi is the "Pirate" Sectorial. The QK is essentially privateers flying under the Haqqislam flag, and consists of different filthy rich individuals who have their own private armies supplemented by some government troops like the Sekban.

Sekban are straight up Haqqislam.

The Qapu Khalki sectorial can take more Sekban, and link them in either a full Link Team or a smaller Haris link team because Qapu Khalki is their actual place of operations (Qapu Khalki is the Haqqislam fleet, and Sekban are a ship based fighting force).

pops101 - I'm just building a Qapu Khalqi force myself actually! As Kan has said, this is the closest thing to a tournament-legal 'Merc' force you will get at present. Partly on the basis of the models being so great for it, and it being really characterful - making your own theme of merc force, in my case a team known as the 'Black Cats' that, hired by the Haqqislam Consulate, protects shipping lanes around one of the forest-moons of Acontencimento.. I've even made a mercenary-base terrain table to play with them on, which perhaps is going a little OTT!

It might be an idea to fire up the army builder, I usually just go through each unit in your options and type into google images to get an idea of that they are - very helpful while you are still getting useful to the unit concepts.

If you don't know how to get to the Army builder, to to the official Infinity website -> under Online tools at the bottom 'Army Builder' -> select the yellow/green icon (with Arabic squiggles on it), then you want the red icon at the bottom for Qapu Khalqi.

This is the force I'm building, chosen primarily on the strength of models that will hopefully look good as a set (one of the strengths of Infinity is that you can do this)

QAPU KHALQI
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 9 0 0

GHULAM Lieutenant Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (13)
GHULAM Hacker (Hacking Device) Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 25)
KAPLAN MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 37)
KAPLAN Spitfire / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 29)
KAPLAN Ingeniero Combi Rifle, Adhesive Launcher, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (27)
KAPLAN Médico Combi Rifle, Blitzen / Pistol, Knife. (28)
AZRA'IL AP Rifle + Light Flamethrower, Panzerfaust / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 36)
IGUANA HMG, Heavy Flamethrower / . (2 | 73)
ALGUACIL (Observ. Artillería y Repetidor de Posición)
wakismeis Ametralladora+ Lanzagranadas Lig. E/M y Minas Antipersona / Pistola y Arma CC Shock. (9.9 | 999)
HAWWA' Sniper Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 29)

6 SWC | 297 Points

Open with Army 4

couple of things to note:
- I'll use the Haqqislam Husam Spec-Ops as a Ghulam
- Using the Antenociti 'Komodo fighting suit' as the Iguana (which is also bugged)

 -Loki- wrote:
No, there's a fairly ginormous thread on the official forums where people are testing Sekban links via proxy. A couple of people have gotten good use out of them, the majority just can't find what they do better than Odalisques.

That's not saying Sekban are bad, just that Odalisques seem to be better.

Yes, but you're forgetting the most important element.. that as sexy as the Odalisque think they are, none of them are as sexy as that Sekban with missile launcher, and no doubt the box set that is coming

I dunno. I've got a thing for supermodel bodyguards who know their way around a firearm.

That being said, this is the 'problem' with Infinity. Unit choices are hard to nail down because you can always find a use for a unit even if someone else can't, and the models are generally sexy as hell.

Yes right! A very nice problem to have..

Yeah. I mean, after all of that, I'll be buying the Sekban box and the HRL, but just not buying the HRL until then. They're a fantastic looking design and the HRL model looks awesome, but it's not a model I want to run solo.

Have the cake and eat it too ;D

Haqqislam - Qapu Khalqi | 12 models
________________________________________________________

Combat Group #1
Odalisque Spitfire (31|1)
Odalisque Smg (25|0)
Odalisque Rifle (25|0)
Odalisque Rifle (25|0)
Odalisque Shotgun (24|0)
Sekban HRL (36|1.5)
Sekban Doctor (26|0)
Nasmat (3|0)
Sekban Lt (25|0)
Hawwa' Observer (24|0)
Hawwa' Hacker (33|0.5)
Combat Group #2
Yuan Yuan Shock CCW (11|0)
Yuan Yuan Shock CCW (11|0)
________________________________________________________

299/300 points | 3/6 swc
open with Aleph Toolbox : direct link

The problem with that list is you're not taking the Sekban profile that enables a Haris link - it's one of the AP rifle profiles.

If you don't need a doctor, I'd drop the doctor for the Haris profile.

Pops, just a heads up:


This will be coming out at some point this year if you liked the Qapu Khalqi idea.
The starter pack plus the KTS/Druze box will give you some interesting options.

The only model in there I have is the Odalisque with Spitfire, and I've considered buying all of the others. So I guess I'll be buying that starter. Shame there's no unique model in there though - I'd have thought dropping a Sekban in there would make sense.

 -Loki- wrote:
The only model in there I have is the Odalisque with Spitfire, and I've considered buying all of the others. So I guess I'll be buying that starter. Shame there's no unique model in there though - I'd have thought dropping a Sekban in there would make sense.

Apparently the reasoning is to cut down some SKUs while not stepping on the toes of the incoming Sekban box.

I get that, but it's still disappointing. There's other units they could throw in as a unique sculpt. For wxample, Al Hawwa are AVA 2 for Qapu Khalki. They could throw the unreleased Forward Observer in. Maybe one of the unreleased Djanzaban. Using it as a way to get some SKU's off the rack is fine, but not having a unique model in there when every new starter has one feels a bit like a kick in the pants. Qapu Khalki aren't exactly hurting for options with missing profiles.

I don't think they have released a single Forward Observer option to date.

Djanzaban are purportedly getting a boxed set redesign to match the new stuff.

 -Loki- wrote:
The only model in there I have is the Odalisque with Spitfire, and I've considered buying all of the others. So I guess I'll be buying that starter. Shame there's no unique model in there though - I'd have thought dropping a Sekban in there would make sense.

Yes I'm in the same boat - only have the Odalisque, like you say a shame there wasn't one new sculpt in there although as Kan says you can understand the reasoning.