Infinity/N4 Tactics/Varuna

An overview for faction units and tactics in N4. WIP

Why Play Varuna?

The PanO military force of Paradiso comes with pretty good options for a less direct approach to the PanO playstyle. They bring some very solid midfield options, camo, parachutists, and two hidden deployment units, including a TAG!

Faction Features

• Features 1:
• Features 2:
• Features 3:

Special Skills

• Skills 1:
• Skills 2:
• Skills 3:

Weapons and Equipment

• Equipment 1:
• Equipment 2:
• Equipment 3:

Units Overview

Unit Identifier Varuna

Light Infantry

• Echo Bravo, Ready Action Unit: A parachutist. He may cost SWC, but he basically has no bad profiles. He's a much better gunfighter than specialist compared to Cube Jager (which Varuna doesn't get anyways), especially with this LRL or Red Fury he's packing. In case he runs into some heavy units, there's Wild Parrots or DEP/AHD to the rescue.

• Fusiliers: The PanOceanian basic line infantry, 10pts for a base one, with BS 12. Just like everywhere else, in PanO they get all the basic heavy weaponry and specialist options as well as a non-SWC Lieutenant. These guys will be your most likely cheerleaders and BS 12 makes them for a decent ARO piece (especially with a Missile Launcher), if you’re willing to spend 1.5 SWC on a Fusilier.
  • Fusilier Indigo Bipandra: A WIP13 Doctor. No longer costs SWC. Has a Nanopulser and WIP13, so worth considering, although you’re likely to choose either the cheaper Trauma-Doc or the hardier Hospitaller.
  • Fusilier Indigo Richard Quinn:
    • Fireteam: Core, with up to 2 Varuna Div. Orcs being able to join their ranks. Feuerbach-core power? Yes please.

• Helot Militia: The fishbois are supposedly there to act as cannon fodder, but in truth they are sentries. They're irregular, but you'll be using your Helot's Order to reposition him where he can be the most pain in the ass, so it's no biggie. Comes in two flavors: Decoy or Limited Camo. Generally Decoy looks more annoying, but Camo can combo with Zulu Cobra and doesn't cancel when you move him. The MSR and Red Fury are a bit costly for a disposable fish, but the other two profiles are Daylami-level trolling.

• Kamau, Amphibious Intervention Teams: Kamau are an elite Light Infantry choice, geared for long range fighting. BS13, WIP 13 and Mimetism drive up the price on such a squishy unit, but BTS6 might be useful for a hacker or against Tohaa and the HMG gets an 0.5 SWC discount over the Nisse. Speaking of, there’s an MSV2 MULTI Sniper option too, because clearly every PanO sectorial needs one. What is more interesting is the HRL + SMG profile, both extremely rare weapons for PanO. What makes them really great in Varuna is them being wildcard.

• Machinist : Basically a non-linkable Fusilier with Engineer and higher BTS. Not very good, but it's the only (Regular) Engineer in entire PanOceania, so if you're heavy on Remotes or taking a TAG, you'll be taking him anyway. Varuna gives them quasi-wildcard for Haris and Core links.

• Tech-Bees, Maintenance Battalions: An odd Irregular trooper, the Tech-Bee is a 5pts specialist (WIP12, but for that cost it's still a bargain) armed with a pistol and a Flash Pulse. Lacking its old 'Remote Assistant' option, it's no longer the Engineer buff, but they're still a decent ARO option and can do objectives. Take or leave.

• Trauma-Doc: The cheap Doctor option. Much like Machinist she's not very good, but she's also dirt-cheap.

• WarCor: He's a 3pts Regular Order if you play Joan. Sure, Flash Pulse and Aerocam are nice, but that's not why you're taking him.

Medium Infantry

Varuna is a sith planet and therefore only deals in extremes of infantry.

Heavy Infantry

• Motorized Knights of Montesa: The first biker HI, making Yu Jing forever salty. Montesa are fast, durable and killy, though they have "low" BS 13 and only pack Multi Rifles or BSG, making them feel a little undergunned. Mimetism outsets their inability to take Cover. They're cool, but personally I would use a Bulleteer instead.

• ORC Troops: PanOceanian poster boy HI, has a reputation of being useless. This is mostly down to the fact that ORCs are as baseline as they come: no special skills, no fancy equipment, no interesting weapons, WIP 12. Their one saving grace is being a relatively low points BS 14 HMG platform with Lieutenant option. Note Varuna Div. Orcs being able to join Fusilier-links, say yes to that sweet core bonus on a Feuerbach!
  • Patsy Garnett, ORC Troops' Varuna Division NCO: Patsy is the special ORC character and supreme waifu. Short ranged and aggressive, can chuck some Nimbus+ to move around easier (especially good for your Mimetism troops) and NCO lets her use your Fusilier Lt's Order. A specialist with an SMG on top of that. Generally not bad. Varuna grants her wildcard on top.

Tactical Armor Gear

• Cutters, Varuna Naval Chasseurs: Min-maxers will call Cutter the only TAG worth taking, and that is because of Mimetism and Camouflage. If you thought Swiss Guard is ridiculous, here’s one TAG-sized. Costs a ton, so you’ll be making your list all about him.

• Squalos, PanOceanian Armored Cavalry Heavy Lancers: Squalo is the TAG all other PanO TAGs (aside from Stingrays) are based on. ARM 8, MULTI HMG, Heavy Grenade Launcher, Squalo is a no-nonsense frontline TAG.

Remotes

• Dronbots: Standard issue S3 Remotes, PanOceanian ones are not special in any way.
  • Clipper: The Smart Missile Launcher Remote. Unfortunately PanO does not have good FOs or Hackers, so it's usually a waste to take one. Especially as the missiles can be hacked back by other faction's better hackers.
  • Fugazi: The Repeater/Flash Pulse Remote. Cheap Regular Order and a mobile Repeater. Nice filler or Flash Pulse ARO.
  • Pathfinder: The Forward Observer Remote. Mobile Repeater, armed, specialist, for 16 pts. It is one of PanO's better specialists, in part due to its fast movement.
  • Sierra: The HMG Total Reaction Remote. Just park it where it can cause your opponent the most trouble moving around.

• Mulebots: Standard issue S4 Baggage Remotes. Come with Minesweeper, EVO Hacker and TR Combi profiles. EVO Hacker is the one to take if you plan on using a lot of AD (you shouldn’t), TeamPro or Armbots. Minesweeper is a standard cheap Order and a way to dominate a quadrant.

• Armbots: PanO-specific combat Remotes, come in two flavors:
  • Bulleteer: MIM (-6), BS 12, Spitfire or Heavy Shotgun, Repeater, 17-23 pts. Bulleteers are known cheap killers. With Marksmanship supportware a Bulleteer is a sure way to clear out enemy TR Remote and other ARO pieces in a straight up gunfight. After you’ve paid premium for your awesome HI trooper, a Bulleteer is a good way to cover his flank. Definitely better with a Spitfire than a Shotgun.
  • Peacemaker: Just like Bulleteer, comes with a Repeater and a Heavy Shotgun and Spitfire options. Loses ODD in favour of an Auxbot, making it a less straight-up aggressive bot, fit more for clearing out infiltrators. Much like Bulleteer, can be used to fill a blind spot, arguably better due to its two-in-one nature. For this role the Shotgun is preferable.

• Palbots: PanOceanian G: Servants. If you take Machinist or any of the Doctors they will usually need one.

Warband

No warbands in Varuna.

Skirmishers

• Paradiso Croc Men: "The Croc Cock" is a versatile hidden deployment infiltrator, good for any of the roles you’d want one. Having Deployable Repeater and mines on the FO profile is not common for this type of unit. X-Visor makes his Combi Rifle a lot more effective than usual, especially when put in Suppressive Fire mode. Lastly, Croc Men make for some mean snipers.

Building Your Army

One to two short paragraphs on list building.

Tactics

• Shoot Enemy, Don't Die:
• Don't Die:
• Play the Objective: