On the baren planet Shinju, 2 forces stand on the precipice of battle. An elite force of JSA, who consider the planet part of their territory, stands ready to defend against a PanOceania colonial force, with both ready to move to violence to achieve their aims. This is Operation Sandtrap, the launch box for Infinity N5. In this article, we'll look inside the Operation Sandtrap box, and at the forces it contains, discuss who it's for, and look at how to start your Infinity journey with N5 if you're a new player.
I'm hugely excited for Operation Sandtrap and Infinity N5. Those who've been reading my articles for a while will know that I started my own Infinity journey with the JSA launch box back in 2018 and I've been playing Infinity and the JSA ever since. N5 has the JSA moving from a non-aligned army sectorial force to a full Infinity faction with their own sectorials (specialist army lists).
What Are Infinity N4, N5 And Infinity CodeOne?
For those new to Infinity, the N version of the game (N3, N4, N5) states which edition of the rules are being used. The latest and current edition of the rules, N5, is due to be released in full, for free, online on 18 November 2024 and will be available in the official website downloads section. Infinity CodeOne was N4's slimmer version of the Infinity rules, which also contained more streamlined army lists. Infinity N5 is moving away from CodeOne and one of the next Infinity N5 release is Infinity Essentials, which will contain the Quick Start rules and 6 miniatures (3 PanO and 3 JSA) that will supplement those in the Sandtrap box, along with printed versions of the stat cards.
Where Are The Infinity Rules?
The Operation Sandtrap box doesn't include any rules or stats for the miniatures it contains (previous 2-player battle boxes included beginner rules and stat profiles for its miniatures). All the rules and stats will be available for free online when released on November 18, but it does mean that if you get hold of a box early, you will only be able to use the Quick-Start rules (essentially a demo for N5) or use the Sandtrap profiles in N4 until the N5 rules are released. The upcoming Infinity Essentials box will include a printed copy of the N5 Quick Start rules, and stat cards for the 6 miniatures, this is to make it easier for those brand new to Infinity to start playing straight away, expanding into Sandtrap and the full N5 rules after.
What Are The Core Mechanics Of Infinity?
For those new to Infinity it has 2 core mechanics that set it apart from other systems. The order pool and Automatic Reaction Orders (ARO). Each turn, every unit still standing in your force provides an order token. Order tokens are spent to activate your units during your turn and can be allocated to units as you choose. For example, if you have 10 orders, they can all be spent to activate a single unit 10 times or split between different units. This gives a lot of flexibility each turn and you can prioritize a goal, and spend orders until it’s achieved.
Automatic Reaction Orders are actions you take during your opponent's turn. They allow units to react to actions made by the enemy, like dodging an attack or shooting in response to an enemy attack or movement. This makes turns very dynamic, and you have to be aware of your opponent’s possible reactions to your actions. If your units move out of cover, which enemy units will be able to fire at them? If you fire at an enemy, will they be able to return effective fire?
Skill tests are taken on 20-sided dice (D20s), and require rolling under the attribute being tested. If the enemy reacts to your action, it changes the roll to a face-to-face roll, which means you have to roll under your attribute, but above the enemy's roll to succeed.
What Does Infinity Operation Sandtrap Contain?
As mentioned above, Infinity Operation Sandtrap doesn't include any rules or profiles for the forces it contains, which makes it feel like an N5 launch box for veteran Infinity players, especially as the 2 included forces are brand-new Sectorials, which are specialist army lists, with access to limited units (as opposed to the core faction list, known as Vanilla lists), but they get access to Fireteams, which allow you to link up individual troops into a unit to get access to new abilities and boosted stats. It is perfectly possible to use the Sandtrap box with the Quick-Start rules (using the miniatures in Sandtrap in place of those detailed in the tutorial) and then move into the full N5 rules using the forces as normal should a beginner want to start with this box.
The Infinity Operation Sandtrap box contains:
- 14x Miniatures (we discuss both forces in detail below)
- 1x double-sided printed Akashi Site cardboard scenery set and game mat
- 6x faction-themed 20-sided Dice (3 for PanOceania and 3 for JSA)
- Cardboard markers, templates, and measuring tools
What Forces Does Operation Sandtrap Contain?
Operation Standtrap includes the start of 2 brand new Sectorial armies for Infinity N5. The Shindenbutai for the JSA (who now become a full faction of their own, moving out of being a Non-Aigned Army), and the Kestrel Colonial Force for PanOceania.
The Shindenbutai force contains:
- 3x Senku - The core line troopers for the Shindenutai. They come armed with Combi-Rifles and CC weapons, along with a profile option with the forward observer skill that allows them to target enemies to make it easier for the rest of the force to hit.
- 1x Raiden - This support trooper is armed with a missile launcher and has hidden deployment and surprise attack. Their purpose is to lay down fire to allow your close combat fighters to advance. Once revealed, they have a decent armor value and Mimetism which makes them harder to hit, to protect them from return fire.
- 1x Jizamurai - The Jizamurai are part-time samurai, carrying out their normal colonist duties until called upon to don their armor for battle. They're very solid close combat troops, with high armor and Mimetism to protect them as they close the distance. They have an average movement and only 1 wound, so you will need to be careful when advancing them across the battlefield.
- 1x Hatamoto - The Hatamoto are full samurai, and their profile shows it. They're faster than their Jizamarai counterparts, with slightly lower armor, but a nanoscreen to help them move up to engage in close combat, where they excel.
- 1x Nokizaru - These are a specialist group of ninjas, and they excel in all areas. Armed with a shock-close combat weapon, they are great if they can close with their enemies. The Sandtrap miniature is armed with a MULTI Marksman Rifle, which gives you options when you're choosing your target, and a killer hacking device for offensive hacking options.
The Kestrel Colonial Force force contains:
- 3x Fennec Fusiliers - Armed like the Senku line troopers with Combi-Rifles, they're slightly more expensive, but come lightly armored. They have a lower close combat skill, but higher ballistic skill, and one of the profiles comes with Paramedic to help to keep the rest of your force on the battlefield.
- 1x Griffin - These heavily armored and armed (the Sandtrap profile comes with a high damage, high rate of fire HMG) troops also carry a Multispectral Visor L1, which limits the effectiveness of Mimetism.
- 1x Banshee - A drop trooper armed with short-ranged weaponry, a light shotgun, and a +1 Blast template weapon Pulzar. They also have light armor and super jump to keep them alive and mobile.
- 1x Scarecrow - The Scarecrow is an incredible infiltrator, with hidden deployment and Mimetism -6 and light armor to help keep them alive. They only have 1 wound and short-ranged weapons, so be careful when they make their move, as they're sure to attract return fire.
- 1x Black AIR - This sniper comes armed with a MULTI Sniper Rifle, and a Multispectral Visor which reduces Mimetism bonuses to O, along with shooting through zero visibility zones. They also have light armor and Mimetism -3 themselves to reduce the effectiveness of incoming fire and allow them to threaten with AROs.
What Are Our Final Thoughts On Infinity Operation Sandtrap?
I absolutely love the 2 new Sectorial forces in Sandtrap, both play into their themes very well, with the close combat-focused Shindenbutai and the armored and ranged-focused Kestrel Colonial Force. It's hard to judge completely as we're waiting for the full N5 rules to be released, but both factions seem very interesting, and I'm excited to see how JSA runs as a full vanilla faction, along with this brand new sectorial for them. The new miniatures in this box are incredible, both with their core aesthetic, and combined with packs, pouches, and gear for the desert operation.
Should I Buy Infinity Operation Sandtrap?
If you're looking for a way into Infinity as a brand new player, then my advice would be to wait for the Infinity Essentials pack, which is designed for beginners, and is much smaller, not only to give you a taste of the game, but also of the 2 Operation Sandtrap factions. You can actually start playing Infinity by picking up the Action Pack for any of the factions that take your fancy, as all the rules (including the Quick Start rules from the Essentials box) and profiles are free online, so you don't need to necessarily start with a starter set. if you're a veteran player of either of the 2 included factions or if you want to start using either of those factions, then this is the place to pick them up until they're released separately. If you're a veteran player waiting for N5, then wait until the rules are released, and you'll be able to use your existing miniatures with the rules and profiles when they are released for free.
The copy of Infinity Operation Sandtrap used to produce this guide was provided by Corvus Belli.
Review Summary
Pros
- Incredible new miniatures for both included factions.
- Great thematic forces for 2 new sectorials
Cons
- No rules included for new players, but they should pick up Infinity Essentials.