Infinity/N3 Tactics/Ariadna

The unit overview and tactica for Ariadna (STILL WIP)

Why play Ariadna

Ariadnans are the descendants of a lost colony ship to colonize planet Dawn. The wormhole to Earth collapsed after their landing stranding them from the rest of humanity. Thinking they were abandoned by Earth, they had to survive the harsh environments of Dawn and constant Antipode offensives. After many years of isolation and bloodshed, the Hyperpowers of the Human Sphere, PanOceanian and Yu Jing, finally makes contact - to claim the planet for the rich levels of Teseum. Ariadna fought back, seeing them as invaders rather than saviors, and is a nation recognized by O-12.

Though the rest of the Human Sphere went through a burst of technological achievements, Ariadna's tech did not. However, the deadly environments their planet makes them tougher than any Human Sphere trooper. This faction boasts a high level of Physique, and a lot of Camouflage and Infiltration as well as heavy firepower. Ariadna has mainly Cossack, American, French, and Scottish troopers with a splash of werewolves. Play Ariadna if you want tough survivalists who don't take shit from anybody. Play them, because you didn't want friends anyway.

Faction Features

Due to the lower levels of technology, Ariadna has ZERO MSV2 or higher, TO Camo, very little hacking, etc etc. However, they have many ways to compensate for it.

Special Skills

• Camouflage/Infiltration: Ariadna is commonly known as a "Camo Spam" army, because of the higher number of troopers with a level of Camouflage, and Infiltration as well as other skills such as Ambush Camouflage and Minelayer.

• Swole: All troopers in this faction has higher than average PH values allowing them to Dodge and use Throwing Weapons better.

• Transmutation: After taking a wound, a Dog-Warrior can transform into a ferocious werewolf.

Equipment

• AP: Ariadna has plenty of guns with AP ammunition -Rifles, HMGs, Heavy Pistols, etc etc- to deal with heavier armored troopers.

• T2: The planet is rich in Teseum. Teseum is a valuable resource used for spaceship building. Ariadnans use them for ammunition and CCWs. T2 is a very deadly ammo type, and is exclusive to Ariadna (mostly Caledonians)

• Smoke Grenades: There are a LOT of Smoke Grenades in this army. However, zero MSV2 or higher. Use Smoke Grenades to cover your advance or Dodge.

• Hacking (Lack of): Ariadna has very little in the way of hacking, but it's there if you need it. Remember: Hackers are not required to bring Traktor Muls.

Units

Light Infantry

• Line Kazaks: Total availability makes these your bread and butter line troopers in vanilla. They have an lieutenant at 0 SWC so they can make a good place to hide your Lt. and have a few cheer leaders for the rest of the team.

• 1er Regiment de Para-Commandos: Mimetisim and AD: Parachutist. Take the Forward Observer version if you have a Traktor Mul to launch some guided missiles. If not they are still good on objectives. Don't forget you can deploy all AD: Parachutist at once as a combined order to help them infiltrate a hot area.

• Kazak Spetsnaz: Take the HMG and Ambush Camouflage version, so long as you don't lose him to dice he is likely to win you the game against most other infantry.

• Kazak Doktor: One of the two Doctor options for Ariadna. He's just a basic Line Kazak with the Doctor skill. Ariadna has no G:Servants so keep him safe until you need him.

• Caledonian Volunteers Corps: Line troopers for Caledonia. They have Multiterrain for Jungle and Mountain only. Low BS, low PH, low WIP. Has some good tricky options still, and 6 point chain rifles are always a worthy investment.
  • Volunteer Intel Isobel McGregor: A defensive hacker with a lot of other options. Tool box unit that can play a lot of sides of the field. She's far better in a Volunteer team in CHA, however, Ariadnan Hackers are rare.

• Troupes Metropolitaines: Technically worse than Line Kazaks, but they have access to Multiterrain. Good point filler or cheer leader if you play with a lot of other types of terrain.
  • Brigadier Jacques Bruant, Sous-officier des Metros:You can hide your Lt. behind limited camouflage. He also has access to a Molotok (with an X Visor to help with range) and Multiterrain.

• Loup-Garou, Groupe Mobile d'Action Speciale: Two words. Viral Rifle.

• Highlander Caterans: Irregular, but has an interesting combination of skills (Mimetism, Ltd. Camo, Climbing Plus). T2 sniper can really mess up your opponents day.

• Zouaves, Regiment Special d'Intervention: Mech. Deploy and a good assortment of load out choices make these guys a fun choice. Unfortunately they are the only Mech. Depoloy in the entire army so getting a large group of troopers up the field with this skill isn't likely.

• 112, Emergency Service: The other basic Doctor option. Ariadna has no G:Servants, so keep your Doctor well hidden until you need him. 112s trade in his Rifle and a point of ARM for a Light Shotgun, a point of PH, and V:Courage.

• Dozers, Field Engineers:Gatekeeper of the Traktor Mul. If you aren't feeling that sort of game then they have the Akrylat-Kanone, an adhesive gun with bonkers range.

• Wardrivers, Mercenary Hackers:Do you feel the need to get a hacker in your list. Here is you option. Don't forget that there are a few models they can assist with their hacking. The only real reason to take them is to fulfill classified objectives in ITS.

• Authorized Bounty Hunters:
  • Miranda Ashcroft, Authorized Bounty Hunter:

• Warcors, War Correspondents: A nice little ARO Flash Pulse piece. Take one if you have a few points left over.

• 6th Airborne Rangers Reg.: The Para-Commandos bring more long ranged weapon options, the 6th Airborne offer more short-mid ranged weapons with Martial Arts L2 with much higher CC values. They have a Forward Observer as their specialist option. AD:Parachutists take some practice to use.
  • Roger Vant Zant, Captain of the 6th Airborne Ranger Reg. 'Oklahoma': Van Zant is one of the most notorious characters in the game. He has a skill unique to only him, AD:Tactical Jump, that allows him to walk in on ANY board edge including the opponent's deployment edges. He easily catch opponents off guard (and out of cover) often getting unopposed rear shots into unsuspecting troopers. He can even maneuver without detection thanks to the Stealth from Martial Arts L2. His deployment options will isolate him from the rest of the army, but his attack runs are often suicidal runs to destroy the opponent's order pool, and thanks to V:Dogged he will keep going after taking a wound. Van Zant costs as much as higher tech HIs, but the general inexpensiveness of the army can easily accommodate the points sink.

• Krakot Renegades, Morat Fugitives:

• Col. Yevgueni Voronin, Cossack Diplomatic Corps: Voronin is a solid Lieutenant Option. His purpose is to simply hide as best as possible, and generate 2 orders from Strategos L1. This makes him the very obvious Lieutenant, and his large silhouette may make him a wider target. He's a perfect LT for Limited Insertion.

• The Unknown Ranger:

• Knauf, Outlaw Sniper:

Medium Infantry

• USAriadna Grunts, Line Rangers Regiment: Grunt are the basic troopers of USAriadna. Though slower than most basic troopers, Grunts have a high ARM of 3. Grunt are super cheap and make for great cheerleader/order generators.
  • Grunt Intel Rosalind 'Rosie' Munroe: Rosie Munroe competes quite a bit with more effective units like Tankhunters, Chasseurs, etc etc. Though she's not bad, but she simply shines in USARF in a Grunt fireteam

• Tankhunters Regiment: Portable Autocannon. Take them, love them. Possibly the best ARO model you have.

• Briscards, 8eme Regiment d'Infanterie de Montagne:

• The Scots Guards, 6th Caledonian Infantry Regiment:

• Armand 'Le Muet', Freelance Killer:

• Mavericks, 9th Motorized Recon Bat.: High risk high reward motorcycle unit. Smoke LGL means it can get up there, but it a bit too reliant on luck.

• Marauders, 5307th Ranger Unit: Marauders are outshined by the other infiltration choices available to vanilla Ariadna like Chasseurs and Foxtrots. They are also outperformed in firepower by units like the Spetsnazs and Tankhunters. They have access to MSV1 and some good long range weaponry, which is not nullified by full infiltration.

Heavy Infantry

Ariadna has HIs in every flavor, and, besides the Blackjacks, they're all 1 wound with Shock Immunity, and non-hackable. This makes them cheaper than HIs from the Human Sphere, but they're not "true" HIs in a sense (more like MI with better ARM and weapons).

• 5th Minutemen 'Ohio': Minutemen are HI options from USARF. They bring a lot of weapons with FIRE for a nice mid range cost. They have a single Forward Observer option for specialist. Unfortunately only WIP12, and they compete with some of the best Ariadnan HI like the Vet Kazak.

• 13eme Moblots: Tool Box HI. Even with its options it is generally out shined by Vet. Kazaks.

• Veteran Kazaks: Probably outperforms all other HI options in Ariadna. Vet Kazaks are some of the most versatile troopers in the army. Besides a great statline, they have Shock Immunity, CH:Mimetism, and Veteran L2 which makes them immune to Isolation (L1) and gives SSL2 and V:No Wound Incapacitation. For weapons, they are equipped to engage and kill just about anything - AP Rifles, Light Flamethrowers on just about every profile, AP HMGs, and even a deadly T2 Rifle (with X-Visor!). If that wasn't enough, they have WIP14 making them very competent ITS Specialists (Forward Observer and Paramedic) as well as a strong LT choice. They are some of the pricier troopers, but the general low costs of the faction can easily fit him in a list.

• 3rd Highlander Grey Rifles: These guys can get very dangerous to your opponent with only a slight bit of luck. One good turn with a Grey going Rambo on a closely packed team can easily make up his points. Once he goes dogged just get him out there to take out as many people as he can.

• Caledonian Mormaers: With only 2 options, Mormaers are simply outshined by all the other HIs. Their main shtick is their higher ARM5. However, weapons-wise a Vet Kazak can bring the same T2 Rifle/X-Visor or AP HMG and more for a few more points; ARM-wise the Blackjacks have the same ARM5 but they're more survivable.

• Equipe Mirage-5: One of the most devastating duos in the game. Margot and Duroc must be purchased together. They are deployed via AD: Airborn Infiltration which allows you to deploy a crackshot and her vicious werewolf lover on any table edge outside of the opponent's deployment edges. The biggest draw is the high 2SWC which takes a third of your SWC allowance in a 300pt game. The team is hits like a train.
  • Lieutenant Margot Berthier: Margot is the best shooter in Ariadna (regarding BS values). She drops in with an BS14 AP Rifle+Light Grenade Launcher. She can easily bring her guns to good range bands and even reliably Speculative Fire her LGL.
  • Sergeant Duroc: Duroc is mostly the same as a Dog-Warrior. He's Extremely Impetuous and Irregular which means he will jump ahead unless you spend a Regular Order to cancel the Impetuous. He does have Total Immunity with 2 Wounds, making him pretty durable, and has a very high PH16 to Dodge or Smoke Dodge. He can clear out a zone by himself or secure a landing site for Margot (or other AD troopers).

• Blackjacks, 10th Heavy Ranger Battalion: Large and study HI with firepower to match, and armed to the teeth. They are the only multi-wound HI in the faction. Slow, but armed with long-ranged weapons which makes them a cheap backfield rambo piece.

REMs

• Traktor Mul, Artillery and Support Regiment: Has 3 options, all of them have Baggage which really helps them out. The first is super cheap order generator with minesweeper, the other two have missile launches. One is total reaction on a burst 3, but the gun doesn't have the range to make it a true ARO machine, and the other is only burst 1 but is double action ammo. They usually require a specific list built around them.

Skirmishers

• 7th Foxtrot Rangers 'Newport': Meh in vanilla, since most any other infiltrator does what it does but with better weapons or more skills. But the fact that you can hide a lieutenant under an infiltrating camouflage marker (at the cost of 2 SWC though) might be a good reason to give them a try. They are a cheap bare bones camo infiltrating specialist, but competes with Chasseurs and Scouts

• Hardcases, 2nd Irregular Frontiersmen Battalion: Tactical Bow and Ambush Camouflage. Silent and Stealth always a mean combination if you can get it going. However, the main point of this unit is to deploy more camo markers out there. Throwing in a 12pt Hardcase or two increases your shell game potentially throwing off your opponent.

• 1st Highlanders S.A.S.: A good skirmisher that can make problems for your opponent. Of note are the chain rifle units. They cover a huge area for only a medium investment in points.
  • Uxia 'Cherry' McNeill, Corporal of 1st Highlanders S.A.S.: Two very different models perform two very different duties.
    • S.A.S. CP: An assassin with a shot gun. For when you absolutely need something dead. Has normal camouflage for added survival.
    • Covert Action: Can do anything a specialist can do in terms of mission objectives. Superior infiltration means she is very likely to start the game where you need her to be. Her biggest weakness in this form is she only has Limited Camouflage, so once she is out she can't go back in. She can also play the role of assassin pretty well with double assault pistols.

• Ariadna Scouts: Marksmanship level 1 and the Ojotnik Rifle create a devastating combination. Has a lot of good options, but can make for a very good infiltrating FO for only 1 point over its base cost.

• 4eme de Chasseurs: Best infiltration piece IN THE GAME. Sixth Sence L1 plus Camouflage means they break one of the fundamental rules of discovering units in the marker state. You get to declare the ARO after you see what their second order is, and their second order generally has to be discover. Beyond that they have access to mines (and the Minelayer skill at .5 SWC) and what is generally considered the best forward observer for its points in the game.

Warband

• 45th Highlanders Rifles 'Galwegian': Berserk Scots charging TAG's with claymores. If any part of that sentence doesn't get you going look elsewhere.

• Irmandinhos: Engineering impetous melee fuckers armed with close ranged weapons and the ability to salvage weapons from unconscious foes. Not that you'll use it that much, but an Irmandinho is a good and cheap unit, able to clear and claim an objective if you target the right units.

• Antipode Assault Pack: Antipode Assault Packs are very deadly. Antipodes are very fast with 6-6MOV and Super-Jump, move in packs of 3, and camouflaged. The direct use for them is to beam in on a single target and annihilate it in CC. However, if you're up against a camo list, you can spread them out a bit in the midfield, and perform a massive Sensor skill.

• Dog-Warriors: With a bit of luck, these guys move into your opponents field, transform, and just wreck anyone that is too close together.

• 9th Wulver Grenadiers Reg.:

• 2nd Irregular Cameronians Reg.: Werewolves in kilts that jump all over the battlefield, with Total Immunity to boot.

• William Wallace: See 45th Highlander Rifles, but you are expected to shout "Freedom!" as you move him in to melee. Unfortunately, he's a bit useless in generic Ariadna since his main gimmick, Inspiring Leadership, isn't even usable.

• Devil Dog Teams, 2nd Assault Bat. of USAMC:

• Desperadoes:

Tactics

• Camo Spam: Ariadna has a high number and wide selection of camo troops. Each bringing something different to the battlefield like autocannons, mines, ambush camo, etc etc. This makes it very difficult for your opponent to predict your strategies and very difficult to counter. Do not spam camo if you're new to the faction/game. It'll become a memory game, and slow the game down considerably; It's best to ease into it with a little at a time.
  • Look out for MSV and Sensor! MSV can nullify imposing MODs, but, especially look out for Sensor.