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...and no book or rules PDFs with me at work!

Does taking a "Hacking Device" make a SpecOps a "Hacker"?

I've got to build a SpecOps (12 xp) for an INFINITY event at Adepticon and I'm thinking of going with:

Combi Rifle (default)
Hyper-Dynamics L1
Hacking Device
Mimetism
+1 PH (to 11)
+1 WP (to 13)

Alternatively, I could drop the PH down to the default 10 to I can then get a BTS of -3.

Thoughts?

Yes, it becomes a hacker. If you want it to be a defensive hacker, go for the BTS.

I was thinking more 'Hacker' in general, for those 'just in case' moments.

I do think that dropping back to 10PH and going for the -3 BTS makes more sense.

Maybe!

That makes perfect sense... until you have to climb something. Or jump a building. Ooooor...

If you're going to have him be an All Around Hacker, keep the point in Phyiscal or put it somewhere else entirely, as I don't really see the -3 BTS coming in handy unless you're getting pounded with Viral Weapons or you're being directly targetted by brain-frying hacker attacks.

Hyper Dynamics L1... that gives you a +3 to Dodge rolls. So you're normally PH10, so thats a 13 to Dodge. If you bump up your PH to 11 you give a 14. Having Mimetism will help there (unless MSVs are involved). I myself don't do a lot of dodging, but if your intent is to keep him alive, then it may prove useful.

I would've been trying to swap out the Combi-Rifle for something with more oomph and utility. But I don't have the Spec-Ops chart handy when I'm at work.

Yeah, Hyper-Dynamics L1 was for a Dodge Factor to help keep him alive.

The 12 points go quickly when you upgrade the weapons.

+6 for a Spitfire, +5 for a Multi Rifle and only +2 for a Boarding Shotgun.

Love the Boarding Shotguns... loooove theeem.

I like to give my Spec Op a stun pistol. Any scenario that includes synchronising with a civilian pays it back. Normally, it is rather risky to shot at the enemy that is fleeing with a civilian.

I prefer super jump or climbing plus to keep my Spec Op safe. One simply must not be too greedy with him. It's always better to end your phase on a remote roof and prone than risking him.

Indigo Combi (+1 wip, +1 bts, Stun Pistol, CH: Mimetism, Climbing Plus) (10|0|12xp)

I'm tempted, especially as the scenario is... a boarding action!

But what would I give up to get the 2 points free for a Boarding Shotgun?

I could drop the Hacking Device and add the Boarding Shotgun...

I gotta say, I really like Knight's idea.

Combi Rifles are good solid weapons. You get more shots and are a point less powerful than the shotgun. I just like the shotgun for the ability to load AP rounds, and for the teardrop burst for dropping link teams.

I don't think it is worth dropping your hacking device, since that was your goal in the first place.

I might be gaming the system a bit, since we know the scenario is a bunch of Spec Ops boarding a Morat ship.

So, I don't think Climbing Plus will come in handy, and I'm thinking Hacking security systems/doors/etc. might?

Oh well if you're stacking the deck why didn't you say so!

Yes, Hacking device would be good for doors and stuff. But on that note, a Shotgun would be brutal for close fighting.

So now I'm even more torn.

You wouldn't really need Climbing Plus for that action no. Hmm.... I think its gonna go down to personal preference. The usefullness of the Hacking Device and the Killi-ness of the Boarding Shotgun.

Most of the time you don't want to use the Spec Ops guy to make kills, you want him to survive so he can level up and be better next game. So maybe the Hacking Device is the best call.

That sounds like a really cool scenario!

What kind of terrain setup are you using, and will you be posting some shots of the action?

 Alpharius wrote:
I might be gaming the system a bit, since we know the scenario is a bunch of Spec Ops boarding a Morat ship.

So, I don't think Climbing Plus will come in handy, and I'm thinking Hacking security systems/doors/etc. might?

I don't think it's gaming the system. Last event we had I had the misfortune to play on Space Hulk table, until the start of the event I simply didn't know it is even a possibility for this to happen. Had a horrible game on it, went against Nomads and scenario had limited time. It simply shows how list building is important in scenarios, requiring not only understanding of the scenario, opponent's army, your army and even the terrain it might be played on.

On more closed terrain, such as space hulk, I think you'll get more out of engineer and minelayer combination or just minelayer. Mines are great when it comes to controlling movement area and engineer can potentially be very useful. I don't have the book at hand but I remember something about welding the doors? I might be incorrect on the last part, but I do like engineer skill, especially with a pal bot to clear opponent's mines or crazy koalas. Overall, spec op configuration greatly depends on the role you want him to have. At the beginning I loved using her in a link team as Doctor, mimetism and multi rifle.

I don't know much!

It is the "Infinity: Operation Party Crasher - Sunday - 10:00AM - 5:00PM" event at Adepticon this weekend.

Players will have the opportunity to play games through out the weekend gaining experience for their Spec Ops Character and use them them in an assault on a Morat ship. This will be a co operative game with prizes being awarded for Kills, objectives taken and other surprises. Details in the event rules linked below.

And now I'm glad you asked, and I looked, as there are more details!

http://www.adepticon.org/14rules/2014infinityparty.pdf

"Any player wishing to play without participating throughout the weekend can start with a Spec Ops of 25XP"

Can someone help me build a PanO SpecOps beast with 25XP worth of upgrades?!?

I'm thinking a Spitfire might be in now...

Anyway, I'll be sure to take pics!

Oh Heeeeeeeell Yeah.

Once I get home and get my book I'll write up something wicked.

Sweet - thanks!

Keep in mind the option for the 5XP to get Zero-G terrain.

Might come in handy?

It will definitely come in handy. Without it you can't even access certain areas.

And they would be crazy (or trolling) not to include Zero-G zones if you're playing on a spaceship.

I thought that "25 XP" total sounded a bit high!

The 5 XP "Zero-G Tax" isn't included!

Might be just some areas that have lost the capability to support artificial gravity? Regardless, it seems fun.

Unless the org changed the rules for Zero-G, I wouldn't bother with taking Terrain: Zero-G - the skills as written lowers the difficult of the terrain by 1 level, which does absolutely nothing for Light Infantry:

http://infinitythegame.wikispot.org/MOV_Difficulty

It lowers the terrain from Impassable to Very Difficult, without changing the movement restrictions. Unless the org specified that they treat Zero-G as difficult and not Impassable, the 5 point Terrain skill is a waste

Yeah, but I thought Zero-G counts as Impassable unless a unit has the Zero-G special rule, since its not like Impassable Jungle or Mountain terrain. You either have atmosphere... or you don't.... as in Zero-G units have the training to not only move and maneuver aptly in Zero-G, but are also equipped to survive exposure to vacuum.

Good question!

Maybe I'll work up 2 SpecOps - one with and one without the Zero-G training?

Turns out it really doesn't matter, since Zero-G isn't even an option on the Spec Ops Skill List.

Which gives you plenty of points to put into being a crazy murdermachine.

So I bumped BS up to 14, and WIP up to 13. And ARM up to 2. Every little bit helps.

Equipped the Hacking Device, since that is likely to be useful.

Weaponry is Combi Rifle (Free), Boarding Shotgun, Grenades(!!!), and an EXP CC Weapon. Why that? Well its cheap, and because...

Skills : Mimetism... because being shot sucks. And every little bit helps...

And Natural Born Warrior.

NBW is a weird skill, and it basically nullifies anyone's crazy Martial Arts Bonuses, forcing the combatants to basically just roll off CC vs CC. Base CC on a Indigo is going to be 13, so it sorta sucks, but just taking NBW means if some big scary Morat or sneaky Shasvasti gets the drop on you, you might actually have a chance.

And having the EXP CC Weapon means if you DO land a hit, its gonna huuurt.

Shame you don't run Haqq... the Spec Ops guy I build using those rules was pretty beast. But that's just because Haqqislam has the option to use the Muyib as a base, which is a little broken.

But hey, its all in good fun.

For boarding action, things like minelayer and grenades are brutal skills to have. Something to consider. Remember that 2 CCWs have a combined effect, so an AP CCW and an EXP CCW count as an AP EXP CCW. Hack things immobile then shred them in CC.

Make sure your SpecOp has some sort of specialty-- Hacker, Doctor, Engineer, Chain of Command, just to be safe.
The Zero-G thing is an add on for the scenario, and not normally a part of SpecOp.

That PDF is ROFL funny. "PAINTING: Models must comply with the AdeptiCon Model Policy (all models MUST be WYSIWYG and painted to a 3-color
minimum standard)." WYSIWYG in Infinity. Lol. You need to deal harshly with whoever wrote that.

To be fair, WYSIWIG at tournaments tends to be as far as what models are available. If a model simply does not exist, a tournament isn't going to not allow you to use the unit. But if a model does exist, then you're expected to use it.

I assume the Org introduced the Terrain:Zero-G skill as a Spec Ops skill for his tournament.

I haven't read the missions, but judging by what you said - that the games are going to be indoors, I'd take take something like this:

Indigo Combi (+1 wip, +1 bs, Spitfire, Hacker (Hacking Device), CH: Mimetism, Minelayer, Martial Arts L3) (13|0|20xp)

And 5 points for Terrain:Zero-G skill. Worth clearing it out with the Org if he considers the Terrain skills to completely nullify the movement restrictions.

I took martial arts here because there were 2 leftover points and Minelayer is going to be useful in the corridors.

Here is something I thought was funny... if you take Minelayer do you automaticall GET Mines?

There are no listing for different types of Mines in he equipment section, so I just skipped Minelayer and took Grenades instead. If I could take Monofilament mines? Yes. Viral Mines? Double Yes. But AP Mines are meh to me.

I still think taking Natural Born Warrior is a better call than Martial Arts. He's based off of a Fusilier, so they can't melee their way out of a paper bag... especially considering the opposing force is going to be Morats. NBW is just 1 point, so I think that is an easy call.

If he takes the Hacking Device he'll count as a Hacker, so that covers the Specialist department.

I didn't read the PDF >.< My bad. I'll have to rework it to put ZeroG back in. But for a non-Zero-G option I like my setup.

I wonder what would happen if you used Grenades in Zero-G... no more arc!

Thanks guys!

And here, I think WYSIWYG is as Loki describes - so for example if there's a rocket launcher model available, you need to use it, and not say that Combi Rifle mook is really a rocket launcher.

I think it is also to make sure people are using INFINITY models, and not some other company's models?

 Chemical Cutthroat wrote:

There are no listing for different types of Mines in he equipment section, so I just skipped Minelayer and took Grenades instead. If I could take Monofilament mines? Yes. Viral Mines? Double Yes. But AP Mines are meh to me.

Any particular reason you are unimpressed by AP mines? Just wondering since Shock is a powerful ammo type. Even if they are AP, mines essentially give the user two separate simultaneous BS attacks in their Active turn since they can be triggered by AROs.

Grenades are limited by the PH of the user which usually low for LI especially with Spec shots, which is how grenades tend to be used. That and you have to deal with shadow zones and can't use them to target camo markers. I guess grenades are better if you're more concerned with sweeping the 2nd story of buildings instead of around corners.

I just view Mines as a defensive measure used to funnel your enemies into a certain location, or keep them off your flank. This is a situation where they're going to be raiding a ship, so I figure grenades would be more useful.

I guess the Mines could be good for extraction if you have to fight back the way you came, and they certainly have less chances for screwing up, unlike grenades.

I'd still rather have Monofilament of Viral though.