Infinity/N3 Tactics/Jurisdictional Command of Bakunin

The unit overview and tactica for Nomad Jurisdictional Command of Bakunin sectorial.

We all know why you're here

Why Play Bakunin

Tunguska is the money. Corregidor is the labour. Bakunin is the trade soul. For the Nomad Nation, Bakunin is the center of culture, radical ideas, and freedom of identity. Each individual brought together only by their refusal to conform to the established society puppeted by the EI, ALEPH. Freedom of thought without any legal restriction makes Bakunin the leader of technology, and the core of bio modifications in the Nomad Nation. They deal in luxuries both exotic and illegal.

Play Bakunin if you want a variety of aesthetics from the sexy nuns of thr Observance to even troopers with drastic bio mods like the Uberfallkommandos.

Faction Features

• Get Fighty: Though Bakunin Jurisdictional Command is not known for Close Combat, they have some interesting close combat counters throughout the list with troopers with high CC, Martial Arts, and even Natural Born Warrior.
• The Toychest: Befitting of the Nomads' engineering branch, Bakunin has access to a lot of different weapons and gear throughout as well as an interesting selection of REMs and multiple types of Hacking Devices.
• Fireteams: You get Core, Haris and Duo fireteams with interesting configurations depending on the unit.

Special Skills and Equipment

• Pitcher: Use gun to deploy repeaters. These are important for Bakunin as your hackers are squishy and/or slow. It also greatly increases your hackers' influence on the battlefield.
• Hacking Device Plus: A gem of a toolbox kit, the HD+ is a straight upgrade over a standard HD and Bakunin has access to units that can take them. Especially of note is the White Noise program - as it counters MSVs, and Cybermask.
• Crazy Koalas: Troopers with Crazy Koalas offer a whole lot of board control. Be sure you read up on the rules for Perimeter Weapons:.
• Biofreaks: Bio modifications is just another Tuesday for the citizens of Bakunin. In the Bakunin forces, troopers like the Uberfallkommandos and Morlocks come with some of these enhancements.
• Camo and ODD: Lots of troopers with Camo, Mimetism, or ODD.
• NO MSV2 or higher: Riot Grrls have MSV1 and that's it. But there are many ways to deal with Camo/ODD.

Unit Overview

Light Infantry

• Moderators: Yes, there are cops in the JC where anything goes. They're a fairly bog standard LI with Fireteam: Core; of note, they have shock immunity and are fairly cheap. You're pretty much better off picking anything else to be a core, but if you don't have the points for anything else, take a core filled with paramedics and watch your opponent flip out as he burns orders trying to wipe a shitty LI core-team. Of note is their access to Pitchers and 0.5 SWC Spitfires – while Moderators have shitty BS, Burst 5 is still a hard to dodge volume of fire.

• Daktaris: Daktari is the cheap, backline Doctor option especially compared with the Reverend Healer or Avicenna.

• Avicenna, Mercenary Doctor: if you really need a fast moving Doc, take Avicena instead. She also has Doc Plus, a 6" move value and NWI. Worth the points for a singular doc.

• Clockmakers: They are Engineers so you should take one if you're playing TAGs or Remotes. WIP 15 is pretty amazing for the "cheap" option.
  • Zoe and Pi-Well: For more than twice the cost of a Clockmaker you can get Zoe and Pi-Well, and all things considered, it's a sweet deal! Zoe's an Engy and a Hacker with an HD and the Stop! upgrade program. On top of that, she comes with her own Repeater drone (Pi-Well) that can fit anywhere she can, has ODD, Forward Observer, Sat-lock and Sensor. Take if you can spare the points and give her zondbots to maximize her effects.
• WarCor: 3 pts Irregular Flash Pulse ARO piece with 360 visor. Not very useful, but if you have 3 spare points and all your Doctors and Engineers already have G: Servants, why not.

Medium Infantry

MI is generally where Nomads shine and Bakunin arguably has most of them from the main list.

• Prowlers: Camo infiltrating bio-immunity problem solvers. Two profiles have D-charges (one with a spitfire, the other with a boarding shotgun) while the other two pack a combi-rifle/LFT and an adhesive launcher. If you didn't bring an AHD, the ADHL is your go-to TAG stopper; this guy can also be made a Spec Op for a point and half an SWC.

• Reverend Custodiers: l33t haxors du jour. ODD, WIP 14, ARM/BTS 3, Religious Troop and Fireteam: Haris. Otherwise, always always always take the pitchers to extend your hacking area. In terms of hackers, you either get the option of the HD+ for the problem solving hacker (and potentially your Lieutenant) and the AHD which is for taking out gear. Of note, the AHD Custodier also gets the Icebreaker upgrade program, which is hilariously dangerous as it bypasses the targets BTS.
  • Fireteam: Haris: Taking three Custodiers is a bit much though, but there are other options to round out that Haris. For instance, an AHD Custodier and an HD+ custodier with a Reverend Healer gives them even better survivability. Taking Kusanagi and two Custodiers gives the team extra shooting power, but it's pricey. Every option is however a hard to take out Specialist fireteam.

• Reverend Healers: They're MI medics, making them slow, but curiously pack CC19 and an EXP CCW. They're also pretty decent at shooting but their guns aren't anything to write home about. Unlike other reverends have only Mimetism rather than ODD. All-in-all the are a doc that you want and they can join fireteams of their reverend brethren, making them damn near auto-take. If you don't put her in a fireteam (why?), make sure to take a zondbot.

• Reverend Moiras: Who wants an ODD core of Religious Troops with MULTI-rifles? Whoa, that's a lot of hands. The downside is that they're slow, being MI, and all and have no BTS whatsoever. Not to mention they're quite expensive for 1-Wound models. But again, core religious troops with ODDs and MULTI-rifles. Take MULTI-Snipers for long-range heavy hunting or an AHD to counter problematic units. Just make sure to stay away from Direct Template troops and MSV2.
  • Fireteam: Core: Not only do they core, but you can add a Reverend Healer to give your girls even better staying power. Awesome! What's that? Want more firepower? Add Kusanagi...
  • Reverend Superior Cassandra Kusanagi: In addition to being the top Moira, she gets NWI, Multiterrain and specialist operative. You can take her with a MULTI-rifle, LFT and E/M grenades or a spitfire. If you take her with the former as a lieutenant, she gives your army +1 SWC - mint!
    • Note that Spitfire Kusanagi gains no benefit from being a Lieutenant, especially if she's in a fireteam. So she can actually act as an Lt. decoy.

• Sin-Eater Observants: Another religious MI but with mimetism and neurocinetics. They're iffy as hell because they only get full B when in ARO, and that's only against the model that attacked them. If you do take one, you're using it as a harassment tool, constantly prodding your opponent to try and take a shot at him. If you do take one, use the shootier guns (HMG, Mk12 or Spitfire) and keep your distance.

Heavy Infantry

• Riot Grrls: BLATANT MISANDRY! Okay, they're a fairly bog-standard HI unit and one of the few sources of MSV's in the list. Also fairly cheap due to Frenzy. To sweeten the deal, they have stun and/or E/M grenades and okay PHS for throwing them and a good array of weapons to choose from. They can either be taken as Haris or Core fireteams.
  • Fireteam: Core: The to-go fireteam for Bakunin, since it's more survivable than Moiras. Gets around their Frenzy problem. Now there's a Specialist Operative profile to let them be console-clickers as well.
  • Fireteam: Haris: a neat and tidy fireteam whose only drawback is that it competes with the Custodier/Healer Haris.

• Taskmasters: Overall, the biggest surprise of the Bakunin list. Dead 'ard, killey, and armed to da TEEF! They come with Free Agent, Fireteam: Duo, CC19, Martial Arts 1, ARM 5 and BTS 6. In terms of guns, they all get a heavy pistol and a DA CCW. In terms of loadouts, the HMG is arguably the weakest (which is saying a lot), but it's still takeable; if you really want long-range D15 power, consider the HRL guy as he also comes with a light shotgun, a pulzar and a pair of CrazyKoalas. Every other config has at least 3 BS weapons including CrazyKoalas. They will kick pretty much everything's ass right up until they have to face a TAG.
  • Fireteam: Duo: What's better than one Taskmaster? Why not two moving at the same time? Yes, very yes. Be sure to take the Red Fury guy for the Tin Bot.

Tactical Armoured Gear

• Lizard Squad Lizard is a no-nonsense frontline TAG: BS14, ARM8, armed with a MULTI HMG and a choice of Heavy Flamethrower or a Heavy Grenade Launcher. Speculative shot anyone? With the amount of engineers and hackers to keep it alive and cheap cheerleaders in form of Moderators it is easy to build a list around this thing. Not to mention it has the single sexiest pilot model in the range.

• Scarface & Cordelia, Mercenary Armoured Team Now that Scarface & Cordelia are everywhere, Nomads can take them too. With twin Mk12, 3 Structures and an Engineer it is a good package if you want to try something different. But usually a Taskmaster will outperform Scarface and you're not exactly starved for Engineers.

Remotes

Nomads are known for their Remotes, partially due to their fancy Hackers. Who makes the REMs? We do!

• Zond Remotes: Standard issue S3 Remotes, but with Climbing Plus. Which is important considering Remotes cannot Climb without it.
  • Reaktion: The HMG Total Reaction Remote. A good ARO piece and cheerleader for your aggressive troops. Climbing plus lets you reposition it easier.
  • Stempler: The Forward Observer Remote. A fast and cheap specialist and a mobile Repeater. Sensor makes for a good Camo hunter, but there's another that does it one better...
  • Meteor: A Nomad specific S3 Remote. Basically a Stempler... But with AD: Combat Jump. Combat Jumping sensor with sat-lock, FO and a repeater? Now things are getting interesting!
  • Transductor: The Repeater/Flash Pulse Remote. Very good to have in vanilla Nomads and useful in Corregidor, but Bakunin has other means of spamming repeaters.
  • Vertigo: The Smart Missile Launcher Remote. With an easy access to WIP 13/14 Forward Observers, Hackers and a Meteor Zond you may be tempted to form an SML list. It might work.

• Salyut Zonds: Standard issue S4 Baggage Remotes. Come with Minesweeper, EVO Hacker and TR Combi profiles. EVO Hacker is pretty much exclusively for Overclocking Tsyklons; they're just better in Corregidor.

• Lunokhod Sputniks: Nomad-specific, come with Heavy Shotguns, D-Charges and Crazy Koalas, as well as Minesweeper. Basically Lunokhods guard your Deployment Zone from enemy infiltrators, but can make a good push to mid-field if needed or play freeze-TAG with an Akrylat Kanone. Uncharacteristically of Remotes Lunokhods have quite heavy armour.

• Tsyklon Sputniks: Also Nomad-specific, these are long range combat Remotes for both offence and defence. 360 visor + X-Visor is a hellish combo and the update to Feurerbach makes Tsyklon a veritable TAG-hunter. And comes with its own Repeater. Uncharacteristically of Remotes Tsyklons have quite heavy armour.

• Zondbots: Nomad regular G: Servants. Come in Support Pack with the units that make the best use of them.

Skirmishers

• Zeros: The other camouflaged infiltrator, they're cheaper and squishier than Prowlers but have a few more tricks. Namely, they can be hackers taking either an AHD or KHD; the latter may be preferable as there are better sources of AHDs in the army and you might just come up against another hacker that needs killing. Your other options are to deploy mines or repeaters.
  • Bran Do Castro, Triple Zero: The Japanese think they're so cool with their cat-samurai? Well, we have a monkey-monk! With Superior Infiltration and Martial Arts 3, CC 22, Camo, Super Jump, Climbing Plus AND Multiterrain. He even wore underwear and has better armour than regular Zeros (by 1). Take him as a Specialist Operative and sneak out those objectives or slip into enemy DZ on turn one to destroy his Order supply.

Warbands

Here be Furries. You've been warned

• Uberfallkommando: simply put, the counter-ninja. Deploy them where you figure your opponent might be hiding a hidden infiltrator and tear that fucker apart when you activate in its zone of control. The Chimera of the group is silly dangerous with a Viral CCW, eclipse grenades, Natural Born Warrior, i-Kohl 1, Total Immunity and Climbing Plus. Then on top of that, she brings 1-3 pupniks that are synchronized with hyper-dynamics 2 (perfect for soaking up AROs), climbing plus and DA CCWs. Just don't let them get caught in the open with their frenzying (use those eclipse grenades).

• Die Morlock Gruppe: More German furries. Frenzied irregulars like the above, but with more straight up attack power via Martial Arts 2 and MetaChemistry. Most carry an AP CCW but there are options for a DA and E/M weapon, as well as an assault pistol. Do note that their BS isn't actually that bad for frenzying irregular warbands so taking one with a decent close range gun isn't a terrible idea.

Building Your Army

As revealed on GenCon, there is a new Bakunin Starter pack coming and in general Bakunin is getting a lot of attention from CB. Current one has the standard 3 Moderators, a Sin-Eater, a Moira and a Zero. The next one is shaking things up with a Riot Grrl and a Morlock replacing the Zero and one Moderator. A few of the basic units are likely bound to be resculpted, so current ones are likely to go on sale then.

What to get:

• The starter: obviously, regardless which one.
• Custodier: at least one, two if you're going for the Haris.
• Moira box or Riot Grrl box: if you're not taking the TAG, this is your main brute force.
• Support pack, Zeroes and Remotes, for objective grabbing.

Hints and Strategies

The quick take-away is you have a lot of weird combos at your disposal but the biggest difference is know the difference between your harassers and your beatsticks and use them accordingly. Keep in mind, there is a serious blind spot (aha!) for Bakunin and it's their lack of Visors. You will either have to take Grrls, hackers or REMs to try and spot the fidgety bastards and if they have distance on you? You're fucked.

Tactics

• MULTI-pass: Moira core with a Healer. EVERYONE with either a MULTI-rifle or a MULTI-sniper. Find a good position while the snipers provide cover and then set the rifles to suppression fire at the end of your turn. Drink your enemies tears in ARO and in your active turn, shoot the shit out of pretty much everything. AP for tough armour like TAGs and the heaviest infantry, DA for mid-range targets and shock for the squishies.
  • Alternative: Give the Healer a boarding shotgun instead. Choose between AP or teardrop to help with threats that get too close for comfort.

• Freeze TAG: You will need a Prowler with an ADHL, a Lunohkod with an akrylat kanone and at least one AHD (plus REMs, pitchers, repeaters, etc.). You may not be busting them apart, but at least they stop moving! If you freeze a TAG closer to the other side of the board, move an infiltrator close to it to ARO when the enemy engineer or helper bot tries to fix the IMM-2. Bonus points for using a zero with mines to booby trap the enemy TAG.