Infinite learning curve

On Friday night I had my first game of Infinity against Michael. I had a good idea of turn sequence and resolution of combat etc, but absolutely no idea about special rules or the effects of weapons and armour. So Michael taught me about these things in the time-honoured way - by handing me my butt on a plate - twice!

The table looks cluttered - but needed to be cluttereder for me!

We took 150 point forces - his were Haqqislam and mine were basically the Pan-Oceania Acontecimento starter box. I had purchased this group for the winning reason that I thought they looked cool. And they do. Bully for them.

Akal commando with boarding shotgun. Probably pretty impressive if he had got to use it.

Bagh-Mari deployed defensively. They died in pretty much the same place.

We were playing the scenario 'let's kill each other', and I started playing like I play most games - advancing for contact. I soon found out that this was not such a good idea. Cover is pretty much useless and the best thing to do is to be out of line of sight. Unless someone activates multiple times and comes around your flank and zaps you from behind. So it pays to set your models up looking in every direction, watching each other's backs and flanks. This may all seem pretty straight forward, but is a level of detail that I'm not used to playing in games. Infinity is like a first-person shooter video game, where the models act like real people would. Anyone that has seen me bumble my way through 30 seconds of Call of Duty knows that this isn't exactly my forte.

They may have all died helplessly, but at least my models were painted Michael!

My mostly combi-rifle armed group was not in a great position to duel with snipers and HMGs with good lines of fire at a distance, so I'm looking at how I can change my list and add some nastiness. I'm also going to have to get down on my knees to look at the board and fields of fire before deployment, as I simply don't 'get it' looking with the 'eye of god'.

Despite the smell of burning Pan-O wafting over the board at the end of each game, I've learnt a lot and am quite looking forward to revising my list and having another game.

Nate