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I have just bought some ALEPH mini's. Plan on gaming with them once painted.

My question is are they a competitive faction? I just really dig the background

I also like the Nomads too and will probably get some of them too.

The rules seem complex how does it compare to 40K rule set? big learning curve?

Feedback appreciated as always

Every faction in Infinity is competitive. This is not like 40k where there are top tier armies and bottom tier armies. Even lists are mostly balanced against each other. Sure, you can still make a bad list if you try hard enough, but your "average" list is a competitive list. Infinity is more about how you use your list rather than what's on your list--it's not what you bring in a gunfight but how capable are you of using your guns.

Forget everything you know about other games when it comes to list building and "power factions". So long as you follow these rule of thumbs (sometimes you can break them if you already know what you're doing), your list is good to go:

8 or more regular orders in each combat group (not including TO Camo and Airborne Deployment)
You must have an Lt.

Ty Heartserenade that is good to know. I wan to join the local club once I get them painted.

Sounds like my kind of game

Like he said it's more how you get to know your list than the list. Aleph has some great abilities if you learn to use them well. I'd start with General Aleph before using Steel Phalanx and their special rules.

I would say that the Steel Phalanx (ALEPH Sectorial Army based on greek mythology) is the most powerful army in INFINITY right now.
The Enomotarchos skill that allows you to make 2 Myrmidon fireteams with ODD... that is demolishing. Steel Phalanx is the most devastating army right now.

ASSAULT SUBSECTION
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 10 0 1

MYRMIDON Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (25)
MYRMIDON Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (25)
MYRMIDON Chain Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (16)
MYRMIDON Chain Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (16)
MYRMIDON Spitfire, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (1 | 32)
MYRMIDON Spitfire, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (1 | 32)
PHOENIX Lieutenant Heavy Rocket Launcher, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (2 | 44)
MYRMIDON (Chain of Command) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (1 | 39)
EKDROMOS Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, AP CCW. (31)
EUDOROS Mk12, Nanopulser, Zero-V Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (0.5 | 40)

5.5 SWC | 300 Points

Open with Army 4

That list is nasty!

And it looks fun to play too...

I may have to give it a whirl - thanks for sharing it!

Better hope it doesn't go up against a lot of MSV though.

You can't win them all!

Plus I only need a Myrmidon Spitfire blister and I can do it!

I like this twist on BobbaFetts list

Aleph - Steel Phalanx | 10 models
________________________________________________________

Eudoros Lt (40|0.5)
Myrmidon Spitfire (32|1)
Myrmidon Combi (25|0)
Myrmidon Chain (16|0)
Phoenix (44|2)
Myrmidon Spitfire (32|1)
Myrmidon Combi (25|0)
Myrmidon Chain (16|0)
Ekdromos Combi (31|0)
Agema ML (38|1.5)
________________________________________________________

299/300 points | 6/6 swc
open with Aleph Toolbox : http://goo.gl/CggLW



Automatically Appended Next Post:
And yet another twist
Aleph - Steel Phalanx | 10 models
________________________________________________________

Eudoros Lt (40|0.5)
Myrmidon Spitfire (32|1)
Myrmidon Combi (25|0)
Myrmidon Chain (16|0)
Phoenix (44|2)
Myrmidon Spitfire (32|1)
Myrmidon Combi (25|0)
Myrmidon Chain (16|0)
Ekdromos Chain (22|0)
Atlanta (48|1.5)
Spotbot
________________________________________________________

300/300 points | 6/6 swc
open with Aleph Toolbox : http://goo.gl/JpDZ3

 BobbaFett wrote:
I would say that the Steel Phalanx (ALEPH Sectorial Army based on greek mythology) is the most powerful army in INFINITY right now.
The Enomotarchos skill that allows you to make 2 Myrmidon fireteams with ODD... that is demolishing. Steel Phalanx is the most devastating army right now.

ASSAULT SUBSECTION
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 10 0 1

MYRMIDON Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (25)
MYRMIDON Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (25)
MYRMIDON Chain Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (16)
MYRMIDON Chain Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (16)
MYRMIDON Spitfire, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (1 | 32)
MYRMIDON Spitfire, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (1 | 32)
PHOENIX Lieutenant Heavy Rocket Launcher, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (2 | 44)
MYRMIDON (Chain of Command) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (1 | 39)
EKDROMOS Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, AP CCW. (31)
EUDOROS Mk12, Nanopulser, Zero-V Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (0.5 | 40)

5.5 SWC | 300 Points

Open with Army 4

How would you organize the two fire teams in this force?

it looks nasty but then that's all the bite I think it has, cheap models with Flamethrowers, Chain Rifles, etc along with any helping of MSV2 will give that list serious problems. Lists don't make the army great, the player behind it makes is great. That being said you can make a list that is not very effective (and because of this have a hard time dealing with threats your opponent puts in front of you). The list is not bad, don't get me wrong, it does what it does very well, which is advance and mitigate damage (through ODD) fairly well. MSV2 and 3 However and suddenly the list is much less effective, if someone has flak troops with template weapons nothing is really going to stop them rushing and spraying, I would easily sacrifice a 5 pt shaolin monk (just an example) to kill three or 4 of the myrmidons with one shot (monk can smoke and approach unopposed then chain rifle a closely placed group)

Steel Phlanax is not the UBER sauce, its good, just like all the others out there

Do you find yourself facing a lot of MSV2+?

I find that unless its Ariadna there is at least one model with MSV2, if its Ariadna there is typically lots of camo, template spam.

For my own lists I always have at least 1 model with MSV2 (or 3 if I am playing my Aleph), often I find I am running at two models with MSV2. It essentially eliminates smoke spam shenanigans from the table.

Often its Agema and Deva or Asura and Agema if Aleph
or
Hsien and Bao AND Ru Shi if Yu Jing

my opponents play:
Combined - always at least a monkey with a visor and bug with the same
Pano - at least the Hexa, often the Aquilla
Haqq - Djan
Nomad - Sin-Eaters
Yu Jing - Hsien

In fact I can only think of handful of games (under 200pts) that Didn't have a visor, and 0 games above 200 that didn't

note that all those opponents also typically had flamethrowers and templates to toss around, ariadna had dog warriors and flamethrowers

While I understand where they're coming from when they spam the "ITS NOT YOUR LIST..." meme... many times, much like many games, it actually IS your list, combined with what you do with it.

I'd love for someone to come up with a nice banner, maybe with a Jotum on it?, that says.. ACTUALLY, IT REALLY KIND OF IS YOUR LIST...

I think a better meme would be

"its not your list, its you, because if you think a spammy list is the answer...well read this again"

Almost any list can pull the win, heck even when in retreat. My point is that if you bring a list that you expect to STOMP everything or even play itself, you will find that any decent player can STOMP that list.

The list is an extension of what the player feels they can accomplish tactically during the game, and when you plan goes south (which is inevitable once in a while) then how do you use the resources you have left to accomplish your goals. Infinity more than any game system I have played is about thinking in the moment. Are their lists better than others? Sure, but those lists are going to be the ones that can adapt to hurdles thrust in front of you based on the tactics you bring to the table. The myrmidon list which relies on ODD/smoke (which that above list does very strongly), is very one dimensional in its play and not as effective as it looks on paper, there is no models there that can accomplish the majority of objectives in ITS missions (which require engineers/hackers/doctors), and if you are playing Kill'em All then you are missing the depth the game has to offer.

I play 2-3 times a week, sometimes 4, and I have been playing that often since I started, and I have learned this: If you play the rock you will be wrapped by paper, if you play paper you will cut by scissors, if you play scissors you will be crushed by rock, and all of them will be defeated by the guy using tactics.

Be like water.

It will erode the rock, rust the scissors and saturate the paper


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sorry to detract from the OP's orginal post.

Is ALEPH any good, yes they are good, but truthfully all the factions are VERY GOOD. A better question would be is the ALEPH style of play a style you can immerse yourself in? Some people like the feel of Haqqislam or Combined Army (or they like the look of the Nomad models or, or, or...). A good idea would be to proxy a few (like 5-10) games at about 100pts with each of the factions and bump it up to 150 doing the same. You will quickly discover the strengths/weaknesses of each of the play styles that way and get a good grasp of the rules and how they interact, talk to your opponent ALOT before during and after the game, they may have a different perception of the same forces you have played.

 Alpharius wrote:
While I understand where they're coming from when they spam the "ITS NOT YOUR LIST..." meme... many times, much like many games, it actually IS your list, combined with what you do with it.

I'd love for someone to come up with a nice banner, maybe with a Jotum on it?, that says.. ACTUALLY, IT REALLY KIND OF IS YOUR LIST...

Alpharius: just switch the text on yours to Vere, vere est album. You're done.

I'm interested in starting Infinity, but I don't understand each army's playstyle. I know, based off the models, there are certain armies which are aesthetically more pleasing (for me, Ariadna, Yu Jing, ALEPH, Nomads and I really like the KTS models but can't find the rules) Also, playing underplayed armies has a certain appeal to me as well.

Can someone give a rundown on each factions playstyle, or link me to some such post/thread?

With a few exceptions, pretty well every faction can do every playstyle, simply by picking different units and using different tactics. Which makes it a bit hard to answer your question. :(

Here's a faction overview that I wrote a while ago:
http://wargamingtrader.com/infinity/intro1

There's no specific playstyle for an army.

They can all pretty much do the same things - some just do elements better (but are worse at others).

However, it can be said that (in a very basic sense).

Shooting is PanO's game. BS12 on line troops, BS14-15 on elites, MSV troops and TO camo infiltrating skirmishers. TAGS by the truck (more TAGs than any other faction. They manufacture them for Aleph, also. The Nomad TAGs are 'obsolete PanO tech'.).

Short Range shooting and chop-socky is Yu-jing's game. 0-16" shooting (with rarer longer range stuff). CC specialists with MA3+ and monofilament weapons to cut down even the toughest TAGs.

Hacking and FO/GMLspam is the Nomad raison d'etre. High enough Wip to do it, and repeaters out the wazoo.

Haqq have the highest average Wip and highest availability of doctors (not just paramedics). Viral weapons are their weapon of choice (v BTS, not armour). Hackers are also good because of the high Wip.

I'm not sure about Aleph's strengths as I'm still getting into them, and I don't play combine or ariadna.

 z3n1st wrote:
I think a better meme would be

"its not your list, its you, because if you think a spammy list is the answer...well read this again"

Almost any list can pull the win, heck even when in retreat. My point is that if you bring a list that you expect to STOMP everything or even play itself, you will find that any decent player can STOMP that list.

The list is an extension of what the player feels they can accomplish tactically during the game, and when you plan goes south (which is inevitable once in a while) then how do you use the resources you have left to accomplish your goals. Infinity more than any game system I have played is about thinking in the moment. Are their lists better than others? Sure, but those lists are going to be the ones that can adapt to hurdles thrust in front of you based on the tactics you bring to the table. The myrmidon list which relies on ODD/smoke (which that above list does very strongly), is very one dimensional in its play and not as effective as it looks on paper, there is no models there that can accomplish the majority of objectives in ITS missions (which require engineers/hackers/doctors), and if you are playing Kill'em All then you are missing the depth the game has to offer.

I play 2-3 times a week, sometimes 4, and I have been playing that often since I started, and I have learned this: If you play the rock you will be wrapped by paper, if you play paper you will cut by scissors, if you play scissors you will be crushed by rock, and all of them will be defeated by the guy using tactics.

Be like water.

It will erode the rock, rust the scissors and saturate the paper

I agree, and I noted such already - I just think that it is ironic and funny that your responses kind of do show that in many respects, it is still "your list", among other things.

I think it comes down to mission too. That list has One guy that can accomplish something pertaining to the mission if it needs a specialist. Some armies can do killem all type games but when it comes to gathering Intel or saving someone it's going to suck!

Definitely!

I am just of the opinion that the whole "IT IS NOT YOUR LIST..." meme does more potential harm than good, in the long run.

I'm not a fan.

Unlike ALEPH, of which I am a fan!

I think just has negative feelings. It should be more like "It's not your List, It's how you play your List"

It is probably time to just drop it all together.

As CB looks to expand INFINITY and actively embrace a tournament scene, it will only serve as a bitter last stand of old timer, hardliner negativity!

All kidding aside, INFINITY is such a good system, it doesn't need silly catch phrases!

 Alpharius wrote:
Definitely!

I am just of the opinion that the whole "IT IS NOT YOUR LIST..." meme does more potential harm than good, in the long run.

I'm not a fan.

Me too.. it's always been a little bit 'in yo face' for my liking!

To the OP, yes Aleph can be extremely effective! My regular opponent completely thrashes my Haqq with them on a regular basis, if that is any use to you!

 chromedog wrote:

However, it can be said that (in a very basic sense).

Shooting is PanO's game. BS12 on line troops, BS14-15 on elites, MSV troops and TO camo infiltrating skirmishers. TAGS by the truck (more TAGs than any other faction. They manufacture them for Aleph, also. The Nomad TAGs are 'obsolete PanO tech'.).

I haven't read to much of PanO's fluff, but are you sure about them building ALEPH TAGs. As the only known ALEPH tag is a urban myth, to the rest of the HS becouse as soon as info about it hits the maya net it is deleted. Just seems odd ALEPH would fail at hidden the fact it exist, by getting it built by one of the faction it wants to hide it from.

ALEPH is great force, the new characters really allow for fun. 1 or 2 in a normal list will change thing up a lot or just Phoenix he is that sweet. Some Deva with there bot friends, maybe the Deva Spitfire (cheap and MSV2). Agema for heavy fire power, and Naga for camo fun. There some many fun toy for ALEPH going sectorial will limit great chooses, but that true of a sectorial. Now if you do go Assault Subsection and plan on using the 2 links make the second one a Thorakitai link and proxy Nesaie Alke until the model is released. Then you have both a killer Off and Def link.Good Luck.

Noir wrote:

I haven't read to much of PanO's fluff, but are you sure about them building ALEPH TAGs. As the only known ALEPH tag is a urban myth, to the rest of the HS becouse as soon as info about it hits the maya net it is deleted. Just seems odd ALEPH would fail at hidden the fact it exist, by getting it built by one of the faction it wants to hide it from.

Yup, fluff refers to Pan O manufacturing 'Zeta Unit' Tags for Aleph. I haven't really read the Aleph fluff so i don't know if that is the same unit as the Marut.

Hmm, having re-read the fluff it appears that the Zeta Units are actually used by O12. Something for TAG lovers to look forward to in future then! Marut is still made by Pan O though. Aleph just messes with it once it gets delivered.

Noir wrote:
I haven't read to much of PanO's fluff, but are you sure about them building ALEPH TAGs. As the only known ALEPH tag is a urban myth, to the rest of the HS becouse as soon as info about it hits the maya net it is deleted. Just seems odd ALEPH would fail at hidden the fact it exist, by getting it built by one of the faction it wants to hide it from.

You're imagining a big separation between PanO and ALEPH that doesn't exist in the background. In effect, ALEPH is in control of PanO behind the scenes and doesn't have any major manufacturing capacity of it's own anyway.

 IJW wrote:

Noir wrote:
I haven't read to much of PanO's fluff, but are you sure about them building ALEPH TAGs. As the only known ALEPH tag is a urban myth, to the rest of the HS becouse as soon as info about it hits the maya net it is deleted. Just seems odd ALEPH would fail at hidden the fact it exist, by getting it built by one of the faction it wants to hide it from.

You're imagining a big separation between PanO and ALEPH that doesn't exist in the background. In effect, ALEPH is in control of PanO behind the scenes and doesn't have any major manufacturing capacity of it's own anyway.

The game's only a few years old and we already have a conspiracy theory about it? Sweet!

I'm a Nomad player - they have a somewhat cynical view of PanO and ALEPH.

Even without that, you can't really say where ALEPH ends and PanO begins in background terms, they're so intertwined.