Chris is an Infinity player based in Canberra and has held tournaments at Cancon over the past five years. He also helped rebuild the community during the Covid dip.
“I first played Infinity back in first edition but only really got enthusiastic about it in N2,” he said.
“Over time I've collected armies for almost every faction but if you had to pin me down to a single faction I identify with it'd be Varuna. I love the Cutter as well as the glass-cannon stealthy Special Forces feel of the rest of VIRD [Varuna Immediate Reaction Division].”
Chris was impressed with the variety of factions on display at this year’s Cancon event.
“While there were certainly popular factions (i.e. Bakunin) I don't think any one faction was either unrepresented or heavily over-represented. It was great to see Druze at the top table in the final round – I love a good underdog story!
“Additionally, I am incredibly pleased that the Australian Infinity community remains the most friendly, sporting and best looking group of wargamers out there. We had no formal complaints about bad behaviour or cheating.”
While the games were fun, Chris said the community dinner is always a highlight.
“Getting to wind down with good food and drinks and listen to people unpack their games from earlier in the day is a treat.”
The competitive scene in Australia, according to Chris, appears to be quite healthy.
“We've had a different winner at Cancon every year for a while and, as far as my memory serves, each winner was playing a different faction.”
Over the years Corvus Belli (CB) has incorporated the results of tournaments from around the world in its canon for the science fiction lore of Infinity.
”It's always nice to have the community involved in the canon,” said Chris. “I do know CB has included a few subtle nods to prominent community members before and I absolutely appreciate those touches.”
In the lead-up to participating in an escalation league in Werribee, Victoria, I had to ask about recommendations for new and returning players who are curious about giving matched play a try.
“In a healthy Infinity community the game is played in both an adversarial and cooperative sense,” said Chris.
“Yes, you're both trying to win but your opponent is going to be working with you to establish a shared understanding of the game-state so that there are no nasty surprises or gotchas.
“Matched play, using the ITS rules (including Resilience Operations), helps teach players to play the scenario and not just shoot each other off the board. As long as you keep your eyes on the scoring conditions you're always going to be in the game with a chance.
“If you're completely new to matched play, start with pick up games using Resilience Ops, that'll help you adapt to changing game environments as you develop your gaming 'muscle memory'.
“Also, using chess clocks to help keep you focused on timely decisions will help your games go faster and, in turn, become more enjoyable.”
“Do not fear the clock. The clock will make you a better player.”
~ Chris
Here’s a motivational speech to close the interview and encourage others to try Infinity.
“If you're thinking about playing Infinity, come join us and enjoy the best science fiction wargame out there,” said Chris.
“After all, you only need 10-15 models to start playing. If you're already a convert, then keep it up (and don't tell the new people that the 10-15 models line is a lie we all tell ourselves).”
Uncle Les joins the proxy war
In other news, I commissioned a Rafiq Remote FTO from Uncle Les and the prototype looks great. It will fit in nicely with the Bundeswehr posing as Haqqislam light infantry.