Cutting back...

[valthonis]

So with a heavy heart I've decided I should cut back on my Infinity love. At this point I have accrued more points than I can count consisting of every sectorial force currently available.

Why do you ask? Well simply, I can't see a whole lot of reason to keep investing when there is no Infinity gaming around here. I will continue to help educate the area, but it doesn't make sense to keep investing so much into this hobby with no group to share it with. Plus this will give me more time to actually assemble and paint (quiet Crushar!)

So my plan is simple, keep a single sectorial from each faction and continue to enjoy the game to the best I can.

Other than having to vent my pain, I need some further help. The whole "keep the factions you love" is hard since I love them all so much, but I wanted to ask if this combo seems like it would have a good variety of play.

---Locked In---
Nomads: Bakunin
Yu-Jing: JSA
Tohaa: Staying as is
Combined: I'm cheating here since each sectorial is so distinctive, keeping both Shavastii and Morat, and will pick up an Exrah sectorial if it ever happens *fingers crossed*
Merc: Planning to pick up once it's available

---Still deciding---
PanOcean: Military Order or NeoTerran?
Haqqislam: Hassassin Bahram, though leaning towards wait for a sectorial with the Maghariba Guard
Ariadna: FRRM or CHA?
Aleph: Going to wait for a sectorial with Post Humans and Marut (hopefully CB doesn't make me choose)


What do you guys think? I was mosting concerned with Military Order playing similarly to JSA given the Haramaki and Magister Knights, though I think the similarity ends there. Neoterran is a little limiting with choices currently, but I'm hopeful they'll see some updates with Aleph sectorials get expanded, but obviously no guarantee.

So yes, the reign of crazy Valthonis is coming to an end...

[Warsenal]

Nooooooooooooooo!!!! Walk away from the light...

[VisOne]

Why not QK?

QK basically covers Nomads and any possible Merc faction at the same time.

[valthonis]

Nooooooooooooooo!!!! Walk away from the light...

I know. But I have one player in the area and no one else seems to have interest, don't want to buy into some unknown/unpopular game when then need to save their money because GW is raising their prices. Actual comments I've run into.

But considering I've played one game in nearly about eight months, I'm having a real hard time staying in the hobby in general let a lone wanting to continue it. If there was a single player in the remote area that even wanted to play on a monthly basis I don't think I'd be feeling this way. But the local shops are very much 40k at this moment.

But hey, maybe I'm just in a depressed spell, so if you want to talk me down from sanity you're certainly welcome to try.

[valthonis]

Why not QK?

QK basically covers Nomads and any possible Merc faction at the same time.

I'm assuming Merc will be similar to QK in a lot of ways, at least Scarface, Druze, Kaplans, etc. If I had QK and the Merc faction they would seem potentially redundant, thus Bahram to have a different play style.

[Pierzasty]

Heh, I sold the Nomads for a similar reason, that and I'd rather have 2 factions fully staffed than 3 with glaring holes.

As for your choices, I'd go with QK over Hassassins, for merc reasons. And why MRRF? They don't offer that much difference compared to other forces, CHA is much more distinctive. Bakunin and JSA are definitely the way to go, I'm wondering about the MO for the same reason you mentioned, but I'm biased against PanO so don't listen to me

[valthonis]

Heh, I sold the Nomads for a similar reason, that and I'd rather have 2 factions fully staffed than 3 with glaring holes.

As for your choices, I'd go with QK over Hassassins, for merc reasons. And why MRRF? They don't offer that much difference compared to other forces, CHA is much more distinctive. Bakunin and JSA are definitely the way to go, I'm wondering about the MO for the same reason you mentioned, but I'm biased against PanO so don't listen to me

My issues is just play, I all my factions currently are fully staffed, perhaps just not assembled.

As to QK, my initial reaction was to pick them, but isn't it likely that the Merc faction will be similar in choices? Outside of Haqqislam units that is. Thus QK and Merc would likely be similar right? I was also thinking of dropping both and waiting for a sectorial where I can use that six legged TAG. So uniquely distinctive.

Not 100% sure why I picked FRRM, but you're right CHA is certainly more distinctive. Honestly I think part of it was Loup-Garou and that FRRM seem largely under appreciated/used. Have to re-think this one...

As for JSA vs MO, still undecided.


---Updated my original post to reflect my current position/choices---

[VisOne]

The Maghariba Guard short of a serious redesign in rules or model will more than likely never see any real use.

The base required for the model is just too big for almost all table + terrain setups to field it legally and have it do anything other than sit in one or two spots and pop out grenades. I've always found that I have to shift terrain before the game to make use of it. That and the fact you can't start the game with models already on the braces.

Long story short go Hassassin's if your not feeling the QK, Nomad & Merc fusion idea.

[Pierzasty]

Well, my issue is play-related too, I bought them like 8 months ago and played a whole 2 games with them in that time... -_-'

As for the Maghariba, I've seen spectacular campaign objective grabs with it, an engineer on braces does wonders still, I admit it's a very hard TAG to use, and the 8cm base doesn't help.

[SgtHulka]

As for the Maghariba, I've seen spectacular campaign objective grabs with it, an engineer on braces does wonders still, I admit it's a very hard TAG to use, and the 8cm base doesn't help.

The Maghariba was the first TAG I experienced, since my son fell in love with it and bought it with his Christmas money. I agree the braces plus engineer are cool, but my son stopped doing that after I hit him with a plasma rifle The Maghariba is one of the reasons I am skeptical of the "more terrain equals more better" attitude that most people have; seems unfair to set up tables that completely sidelines a whole unit (as opposed to just nerfing it). Since that attitude's not going away, CB should create an "urban intruder" load-out that includes climbing plus. It would make the Maghariba really expensive, but I still think it would be worth it, and it would make the braces a lot more interesting. It would take it from "basic Haqqislam TAG with a unique shape" to "unique TAG unlike any other faction's". I know the Sphinx has climbing plus, but it's unique for being an invisible little bastard, and the Maghariba's braces and lack of camo would make it play very differently from the sphinx.

[McNamara]

Pan-O has one with climbing plus too.

[kidterminal]

Is this cutting back on future purchases? or getting rid of miniatures you all ready have? You seem to have everything you need to push Infinity in your area think you just need to figure out how to do that.

[Magno]

I was carrying almost everything even with a super active Infinity scene. I just couldn't keep up with assembly let alone painting.

So I scaled back to 13/21 playable factions.

[valthonis]

Both is currently being considered, just weighing the potential regret faction later.

[valthonis]

I was carrying almost everything even with a super active Infinity scene. I just couldn't keep up with assembly let alone painting.

So I scaled back to 13/21 playable factions.

How did you scale back? Just stopped buying new or did you sell off some some stuff?

[Pacific]

Is this cutting back on future purchases? or getting rid of miniatures you all ready have? You seem to have everything you need to push Infinity in your area think you just need to figure out how to do that.

I agree with this! Make a push towards getting people to play, run an event with your collection of models or something like that.. I think cutting down your forces (if you have too much stuff!) is a different issue.

I've had a lot of experience with this.. I've tried really hard to get people to play the game, so all I want to say is don't dispair - and I think those quotes you have said are from the type of person who will never try a new game; they will continue with their mostly unpainted, even un-built 40k/wfb army that they play with every week for the past 2 years and will never change; if God himself came down on a cloud, presented them with the perfect game atop a velvet cushion where the prize was a week of snorting illegal things off the top of the buttocks of Pamela Anderson (ok.. not her, she is too old now, modern equivalent! ) they would still say no. No amount of good miniatures or great game mechanics will convince them otherwise.

My answer to this is that you have to target the gamesplayers who are willing to try new things; no point in the guy who started 40k with the bits his uncle gave him for a Squat army in 1989 and has never tried anything else in his life, you have to look at the people who play warmachine, Dystopian Wars, Kings of War etc, even historical games. Almost all of these people will have started with GW games, but the important thing is they had that propensity in their character to want to try something new, rather than always continue along the well-furrowed track. I think it's key to identify this character element in people, and not waste effort on the un-convertible.

If you run a fun demo game, showing off a small range of the models, and not overwhelm the new players. Perhaps some kind of fun and short campaign as well - find some other Infinity groups and ask them to help you demo a game at your club etc. I know IJW posts on here sometimes, who events I've been to, and also Chromedog has done loads of events so I'm sure they could give some good advice about it. Anyway.. just thought I would share my experiences with this, hope I haven't been too presumptuous, and hope you can give it another try!

[Pierzasty]

the type of person who will never try a new game; they will continue with their mostly unpainted, even un-built 40k/wfb army that they play with every week for the past 2 years and will never change

I'm calling BS, no one's THAT conservative. Unbuilt army for 2 years? No way.

[Pacific]

You would be amazed.. I used to play against a guy who had the same pair of space marine legs running around the boards (just legs, no torso or weapons) in amongst of group of other guys with no arms (I don't mean un-armed as in no weapons, i mean literally no arms). I went to live abroad for several years, came back to the same gaming club and there was still the same pair of legs running around, smiting in the name of the emperor!

it's funny, but at the same time absolute crap.. some people really don't give a shit..

[kidterminal]

I know you don't live in a large city, but do you have a city you can drive to? Maybe there are forum members who live within driving distance of you. Name some locations and maybe we can flush someone out.

[valthonis]

I live about 1.5 hours from Madison, that's the biggest city around here. From what I've heard, they have about 2 players down there. Not sure where they play or how often.

[Warsenal]

I live about 1.5 hours from Madison, that's the biggest city around here. From what I've heard, they have about 2 players down there. Not sure where they play or how often.

Maybe you could organize a monthly / semi-monthly ITS event? Those tend to pull players out of the woodwork in our area.

[kidterminal]

Madison WI is pretty big. Do you buy your stuff from a store or online?

[valthonis]

Well again, I'm about 1.5 hours away (one way), so I don't exactly get there often.

But I've tried buying from local stores, one actually stocked a single rulebook but charged nearly $10 more than retail because it was an "import" and when they said they could order models that they didn't stock I thought I'd try it. Five weeks later I canceled my order as they could never figure out what was going on with warehouse/distributor/etc. Keep in mind, this wasn't for a new release or anything.

So at this point Thewarstore gets all my business.

[kidterminal]

I get mine form the warstore too. If you can find a store in Madison you could demo the game there. Many members here have done just that to get people to play with.

[valthonis]

I plan to get down there, but for now I haven't given up on the locals just yet. Not to mention I still have some non-miniature wargaming friends to hit up as well.

As for the cutting back. I'm going to stay as is for the moment. The more I thought about it the harder it was at times to consider what to sell. So rather than be hasty and do something I'll likely regret, I'll hold off for now.

Thanks for all the feedback and advice guys!

[Warsenal]

Whew that was a close one. Good work guys.

[kidterminal]

Whew that was a close one. Good work guys.

You said it Bill!

[Oreet]

Feel free to send me any Corregidor minis you aren't going to use.

[valthonis]

Feel free to send me any Corregidor minis you aren't going to use.

Didn't I already give you enough?

[chromedog]

If you run a fun demo game, showing off a small range of the models, and not overwhelm the new players. Perhaps some kind of fun and short campaign as well - find some other Infinity groups and ask them to help you demo a game at your club etc. I know IJW posts on here sometimes, who events I've been to, and also Chromedog has done loads of events so I'm sure they could give some good advice about it. Anyway.. just thought I would share my experiences with this, hope I haven't been too presumptuous, and hope you can give it another try!

I wouldn't say I've run 'loads' of events. I've done a few infinity demos and a few tournaments for various games over the last 25 years. Nowhere near loads. You can count the tourneys I've run on one hand. I relied on gentle persuasion and letting the book speak for itself to get infinity going in my area. I also relied on more pushy people to pick it up and run with it (That's how Scarecrow got in. He's a victim of the pushy guy. )
I've actually written and run more cyberpunk (2020) rpg convention games than any other game system I've owned or played - even had the writer of the game play in one of them - and even then, that count doesn't even take up two hands.