In our Faction Focus series, we take a deep dive into the factions of Infinity and look at how they play, what makes them work, and strategies for playing with them and against them. In today’s Faction Focus, we’re looking at the Corregidor Jurisdictional Command (CJC).
As a Nomad subfaction, Corregidor are a flexible, well-rounded Sectorial Army. With many of the oldest and most reliable Nomad units & profiles, they received a significant update with the release of N4, gaining some interesting new units and a huge swathe of Wildcard fire team options, which present some strong combinations for list building. Perhaps lighter on truly elite attack pieces than some other factions, Corregidor has excellent Airborne Deployment, Infiltrating and Warband options together with solid firepower.
Table of Contents
Overview
Originally a prison ship, Corregidor is the Hand of the Nomad Nation, supplying the bulk of the Nomad Military Force’s soldiers. Its citizens scrape a living among the stars, frequently as deep space miners, but only a little less frequently as mercenaries. Recruiting from street gangs on Corregidor itself and drawing on military traditions from a number of African and South American nations, the Jurisdictional Command of Corregidor is a highly experienced fighting force. Adept at making do with less than cutting-edge equipment, its units are famous for their combination of relaxed discipline and professional competence.
Corregidor has many of the strengths of the wider Nomad faction. They keep the bulk of the Airborne Deployment (AD) options, they can access some (but by no means all) of the excellent skirmishing specialists and hacker options (including the Repeater net that enables effective hacking). To this, they add some excellent close-combat character options, but the primary advantage, as with any Sectorial, over ‘vanilla’ Nomads is the ability to form links. Corregidor boasts 10 Wildcard options, including strong gunfighters & attack pieces, excellent hackers, Doctors and Warbands. They can mix and match complementary capabilities in both Core and Haris fire teams. A typical Corregidor list will have flexible fire teams which can be cheap, expensive or in-between, to hold ground and win the firefight, supporting a few forward-deploying solo pieces which hunt enemies and focus on the mission, topped off by AD reserves and/or Warbands which will try to get in amongst the enemy backline.
Opinion: The Dreaded 30-Point Zone
I partially disagreed with Thanqol’s assessment that 20-30 point models pay for slightly above average stats, skills or abilities, without delivering good value. After discussing it with him, we realised we are actually on the same page. It’s a bad zone for straightforward attack pieces, or support models. For most such things in Infinity, you want models beefy enough to be worth pouring orders into, or cheap enough to be disposable and/or hold back until their one limited role is required. Where the 20-30 point models come in is AD, skirmishers, things that aren’t dirt cheap, because deployment skills are enormously useful, saving you orders and giving you board position. That said, if I had access to cheaper 15-20 point troopers for those roles, I’d probably take them!
List Building & Structure
Firstly, I am an event player, most of my games are at 3 to 5 round events where the mission set is published ahead of list selection. That means I always build lists customised to the missions – so I might prioritise specialists with Infiltration in a list intended for Supplies and Supremacy, while my other list, for Firefight, would have minimal specialists, AD and I might lean towards mid-range weapons and Warbands to capitalise on the 16” Deployment Zones. A ‘take all comers’ list is not a thing in Infinity, in my view.
Second, from N3 experience (which may need to be re-assessed in N4, but I doubt it) I am treating 10 Orders in the 1st group, and 5 in the 2nd, as the default structure for all lists. I wouldn’t really go lower than 15 now that that is the limit, and I would never split into a smaller 1st group. One important aspect of list building, and easy to overlook in theory for new players, is planning your Order expenditure. Cool, versatile attack pieces are worthless if you can’t resource them with Orders. Typically I plan to have about 3 strong active pieces in the 1st group – my firepower models to remove enemy Automatic Reaction Orders (AROs), my best hunter of enemy units, a strong Warband I want to push forward, that sort of thing. Then the 2nd group is typically specialists, maybe a back-up firepower piece, my AD model – things with limited aims which will often get swapped into the main group as and when casualties are taken.
It’s worth noting that that opinion on the 10/5 split may be challenged or overturned as the new edition matures. Many good players are successful keeping only 1-3 pieces in their second group for a specific purpose, eg an EVO hacker or Hidden Deployment model. Time will tell.
Using Fire Teams: Risks and Rewards
Corregidor has endless opportunities to create unique fire teams, but all are bound by the same essential dynamic. Fire teams give you strong innate bonuses; they force you to move & deploy in relatively vulnerable and predictable ways; they allow order efficiency in moving several models about the table at once. For many missions, the ability to bring 3-5 models toward objectives in the centre is very powerful. You can bring an offensive model to clear away opposition, and a specialist following safely in its wake to click the buttons. You have a second or third chance to do something, even if your opponent is lucky in ARO and removes the first model. You can move chunks of points into position, a huge advantage in certain missions. However, you are putting more models at risk by moving them within reach of enemy counterattack. This risk/reward dynamic increases as the fire team increases in size. It also varies with how resilient and/or cheap your linked models are. The trick of using a fire team is to know when the objectives, opposition, table layout etc make moving them forward a good idea or not. Almost all Sectorial players will include a full Core fire team, and often a Haris as well, and for Corregidor at least I 100% support this. While fire teams do have their weaknesses and drawbacks, if you don’t try to maximise their potential, you are absolutely better off using the broader faction.
In practice, it is often easiest to use a 5-man Core fire team as a purely defensive brick – 4 cheap passive models and 1 long range firepower piece. A team formed this way can also be an offensive unit which clears away long-range AROs by brute force, while barely shifting position at all, but that does rather rely on your opponent playing into your hands by putting up targets for it. 3-man teams, usually your Haris, are better suited to possibly risking the move forward. As well as being less of a risk, they are more maneuverable and better able to find decent positions. With all teams, the temptation is to squeeze in more and more capability by replacing cheap models with Wildcards. In general, this is a mistake, generating a list which looks good on paper but has all its assets in one or two spots on the board, and is easily neutralised if your opponent successfully attacks your fire teams or forces them into a poor position.
Unit Breakdown
Core & Haris Options
Most Corregidor lists will include a Core fire team, and many a Haris team as well, so let’s look at the unit options which enable these. As great as Wildcards are, you will need at least one linkable troop to compose a fire team, and relying on only one can be dangerous, ‘cause if they go down, you can’t reform the team.
Alguaciles
Your basic line infantry, these are primarily seen as filler for your Core fire team (they don’t have Haris), a role they compete with Jaguars in. I’d always take the Jaguars, except Alguaciles are one of only 3 Lt-eligible troops in Corregidor. Paying 1SWC for the privilege (a real pain as most Sectorials get it for free on their line infantry) is still often the best option. Many lists will include 1-3 plain Alguaciles as fire team filler, a Lt and possible decoys. The specialist options are superseded by more effective options and the firepower options are similarly outclassed. In N3 an Alguacil ML was the standard defensive-team roadblock option I took. In N4, my impulse is that it’s worth paying for a Mobile Brigada or similar, more formidable ARO piece to do the job.
Jaguars
Your other cheap Core option and also the cheapest, and therefore most versatile Haris option. At a minimum of 10 points for a Regular, Dogged, smoke-throwing, Martial Artist Warband, even with Frenzy (irrelevant in a fire team) Jaguars are a steal. All my lists include some as smoke is a powerful tool for controlling fire lanes and achieving objectives, even without Multispectral Visor Level 2 (MSV2). And you may have MSV2, we’ll get to that. On top of that, in any fire team, Warbands are the ultimate filler. They deny space with Direct Template Weapons (DTWs), they dodge well or throw smoke to delay attacks, Dogged is a wonderful speed bump unless your opponent is packing Shock. I consider Jaguars the default base for a core fire team if I’m not taking an Alguacil Lt, they are also a good base for a Haris. One deployment point to watch out for – if you want a Jaguar to set up smoke for your MSV2, the Burst 2 of a fire team helps, but you need to ensure the other fire team members aren’t provoking potential AROs (including hidden AROs). In a late game, when things get scrappy, fire teams break up, or move forward regardless of risk to contest objectives, Jaguars are decent attack pieces. Even earlier, many powerful shooting pieces are vulnerable to a Warband walking up in the smoke. I frequently take the 10 point chain rifle for filling out a fire team, as Burst 2 is Burst 2 in ARO and the larger template provides better point defence. However, when taking a Jaguar on its own or in an offensive fire team, consider the 11 point light shotgun option. A shotgun is far better offensively with the option to template enemies who ARO shoot and shoot at +6 against those who ARO dodge. And the E/M ccw is savage, letting you efficiently threaten heavy units (including Tags) where Double Action ammo would bounce off.
Wildcats
The most expensive non-Wildcard option for a Core or Haris, Wildcats have some nice profiles but hit the awkward spot of 20-30 points without any special deployment skills which would help you leverage them. While BS13 and MSV1 are nice, they are too expensive to form the basis of a full Core fire team, and not being Wildcards they can’t mix with Jaguars or Alguaciles. A 5-man team of Wildcats and various Wildcards is just too expensive. Even if you’d consider it, their specialists are bloated by gunfighting skill and their firepower profiles don’t have the best weapons. Heavy Rocket Launcher? I’d prefer a Burst 4 weapon to fight out of the Deployment Zone, or a Missile Launcher (ML) for ARO. Spitfire? Too short ranged for a point man in a Core fire team. Probably the most useful profile, I’d only really use the spitfire as part of a Haris, and I’d prefer the tougher, more mobile options like EVAders over its MSV1/NCO. The Lt option has to be considered, but I would rather take an Alguacil or Mobile Brigada – easier to protect, either with Wounds/Armour or decoys, and easier to fit into a defensive fire team. Ultimately Wildcats are a square peg in a round hole. They are far too pricey to be filler, they don’t have the best profile options to suit their skills, and they are too fragile compared to the Heavy Infantry which I would prefer as point men in fire teams.
EVAders
Competitively priced with their No Wound Incapacitation and Shock Immunity, EVAders have some useful profiles and are Core, Haris and Wildcards. While BS13 and 1.5W is nice, they will need careful play to get the most out of their weapon options, and to me the key is Climbing Plus. This skill lets them get great angles in the midfield and helps to hide from enemy counter-attacks. A clutch skill for inclusion in a Haris fire team. For profiles, their best active firepower is an AP Spitfire, not a bad little gun in the active Haris role. The Feuerbach I feel loses out to a Brigada ML as a defensive weapon – the full 2W is a big advantage when you have Wildcard Doctors – but has potential it’s not a bad option per se. The cheaper Engineer options have a role as back-up in fire teams to Geckos or Vostoks, and in the midfield I like the boarding shotgun/AP mines combo. EVAders are a choice which tempts me massively, but will often be crowded out by cheaper cheerleader models or more expensive attack pieces. I’d say their usefulness relies heavily on how imaginative you can get with Climbing Plus.
Mobile Brigada
Long derided as a bog standard HI piece (something very unpopular in N3), I actually really like the Mobile Brigada. Particularly, you can Wildcard one into a cheap Core fire team and it provides durable firepower. This can be as a ML, a rock solid roadblock in ARO, although one which requires careful positioning to get the best out of a 24-40” +3 Range band; or an Heavy Machine Gun (HMG), a great brute force active turn attack piece. Bear in mind the limits on both those, when fielding a large Core fire team (which you want, to get that sweet +3BS and the critical defensive buff of Sixth Sense) you are often locked into a set firelane by deployment, so against clever opponents the HMG can be left without targets; the ML avoided by careful maneuvering or smoke. The other stand out use is as a Lt (either with Multi-rifle or Boarding Shotgun). Both resilient options which can be used offensively in the 3rd Round. With Lts so obvious in Corregidor, sometimes position isn’t enough to defend them and it helps to be able to take a punch. Probably a less common Lt option for me than a couple Alguaciles, but I’ll always consider it. A solid, predictable option, Mobile Brigadas are A-OK in my book, but I’d never take more than 2 in a list due to their points cost. There are options in Corregidor which offer more exciting plays.
Wildcard Options
These guys are the spice you add into fire teams, the EVAders and Brigada also fall into this category in practice, as they’re usually taken as Wildcards rather than the base of a team. This is where you want versatile specialists, utility models with smoke and/or close combat ability, but most importantly, firepower.
Jazz (& Billie)
Jazz is one of the auto-takes in Corregidor. I would never not take the Fire Team Option (FTO). She combines all the goodness of a Killer Hacker and Hacking Device Plus, she is lean and mean in other equipment and at WIP14 BTS6, no slouch. The cherry on top is Sixth Sense from deploying in a full Core fire team. Together with the excellent Repeater network available from Morans and Remotes, this is a fearsome ARO piece, ignoring Stealth and affecting a huge swathe of the board. In addition to this defensive utility, White Noise is a powerful tool for taking out individual MSV models and circumventing even powerful linked MSV2 snipers like the Kamau. For a low cost, this profile gives you so much. If hacking is important to your game plan, to the mission, or you’re planning for hacking-heavy opponents, consider taking other hackers to share AROs or target enemy KHDs; you can also access -6 Firewall Tinbots in a fire team with Jazz, but this is expensive. Note that the Jazz & Billie option packages a non-linkable version with a 6 point, S1 flash pulse bot without mimetism, but with E/M mines and a pistol – an absolute steal. If Jazz FTO did not exist, I would advise always taking Jazz & Billie.
Valerya Gromoz
Not a bad hacker per se, +1B on Total Control is really nice. Outside of that particular use of Possessing enemy TAGs in the Active turn, where she definitely has it, Valerya is outclassed by Jazz. I’d always take Jazz instead. Maybe in some all-hacking gimmick list I’d take both, but I doubt it.
Lupe Balboa
One of the less popular Wildcard options. A way to get regular smoke grenades if your fire team isn’t based on Jaguars, but she’s just more points than the cheap models without having truly effective gunfighting skills/weapons. You could do worse, but I never end up taking her.
Daktaris
Having Doctors as Wildcards is terrific. If you are fielding a fire team and your expensive model has Wounds rather than Structure, heavily consider taking a Daktari. More useful for Mobile Brigada than EVAders (I rarely Doctor a No Wound Incap model) but in general, while sometimes they do nothing all game, when you want a Doctor you really want a Doctor! At 14 points, in many missions you’d take one over a 10 point Alguacil/Jaguar just to have a specialist. While I usually slot the Daktari into a fire team to secure bonuses and save on slots of the 15 model limit, I do consider a basic Doctor with 1-2 Peripheral Servants a good option in many missions which depend on points surviving (either overall or in specific zones). In a fire team you are often where you want to be, especially to support a specific model; hidden away with dispersed Servants, you are less vulnerable and better able to respond to various casualties.
Señor Massacre
An interesting Wildcard. He is a bit expensive for 1W and no particular gunfighting ability. He does have some unique benefits, with Eclipse smoke, E/M grenades and his terrific close combat ability. Regeneration is situational, but in many cases will at least require your opponent to spend another Order to get rid of him. While not an evident star player, Senor Massacre is nice in an aggressive Haris, and he’s one of those units which in some specific situations, will completely blow your opponent away. If you need to cripple a TAG, attack MSV close up or just use E/M against any of the many heavy units (or fire teams) which are vulnerable to it, he comes into his own. His ability to quite reliably take out opposing martial artists is also very handy. I’ve rarely built a play around it, but many good players swear by it and it can solve some difficult tactical problems.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolff
Another interesting Wildcard. While hardly a great gunfighter, Burst 4 multi-rifles and the ability to join a fire team for Burst 5 is tempting, as is Climbing Plus. A potentially great Warband, even at the price, crippled by lack of smoke grenades, I see his usefulness almost entirely in a Haris. He really wants to be with a smoke thrower so he can close with the enemy.
Vostok Sputniks
A new addition with N4, these were initially insanely low priced on release, now quite sensibly raised up. It’s a 2 Structure Remote with Nomads’ trademark Climbing Plus, Repeater and good solid combat remote stats. Even at a hefty 44 points, the FTO option (Wildcard baby!) with Mimetism(-6) is a great candidate for best-in-faction fire team point-model. A Mk12 isn’t an HMG, but in a full Core fire team, if you can get Marksman on that with an EVO hacker it is an outstanding gunfighter. You then have to contend with all the disadvantages of using a Core team offensively, which will also probably cost you some of the maneuverability of Climbing Plus. Consider using a Vostok in a Haris instead, where it might be nearly as devastating and far easier to bring to bear. The Albedo non-fireteam options, while tempting with some great weapon options, are outclassed. Even if facing MSV, you’ve got Jazz, so you can have White Noise right on the Vostok’s Repeater. If you’re taking the Vostok you basically have to take an Engineer to insure it, so consider backing it up with an EVAder, who can follow it around up and over terrain.
Tsyklon Sputniks
Nice active-turn troop, in a vacuum. In N3, giving them to Corregidor as a potential spearhead of an Alguacil fire team was considered very powerful (admittedly Marksman on Remotes was easier-access and included BS Attack:Shock back then). In N4, I’d always pay for a Vostok instead. Theoretically you could have both, backing up a Vostok with a Tsyklon, moving them up in a Haris and breaking apart into Suppression Fire. In practice, Tsyklons are too expensive as backup and not competitive with Vostoks as attack pieces. Shame.
Support Models
Remotes and other individual pieces with more defensive abilities, these are rarely your absolute star players but can be critical to the game plan.
Warcors
Great use of 3 points to offer AROs; likely to cost your opponent 1 order at the very least, and sometimes will completely mess up his attack plans. Can’t say fairer than that. Almost an auto-take in N3, I would always consider one in N4 if I was struggling to hit 15 models with regular Orders.
Lunokhod Sputniks
Armed with short range or non-lethal long-range (but Burst 1, Disposable(2)) weapons, the Lunokhod just cannot compete with the Tsyklon, let alone the Vostok, and struggles to find a role. It’s woefully outclassed as a short-range attack piece by multiple Warband and Skirmisher type options. It would be best suited as a sort of Deployment Zone guard using its Repeater, Koalas and DTWs, but as good as Koalas are, it is far too expensive for that role. Frankly not advisable in any competitive list.
Reaktion Zonds (Total Reaction Bots)
Great, love a Total Reaction bot, good value firepower in a versatile and resilient (if you brought an Engineer) package. These work great with Nomads’ Climbing Plus. As well as its normal utility for an attack piece, you can use the special skill when deploying. Instead of threatening a restricted fire lane when going second, you can alternatively deploy hanging from the near side of a building in your Deployment Zone, so you threaten most combat jumps and are safe from enemy smoke-shooting gunfighters, Mimetism (-6) snipers, TAGs and such.
Stempler Zonds (FO/Sensor Bots)
Not a particularly impressive choice, but worth considering if you are worried about facing lots of Camouflage, Sensor is a great skill and combines well with Climbing Plus.
Transductor Zonds (Flash Pulse Bots)
Great, one of the best units around in my book. Even at a 15 model cap, a couple of these really help to hit good numbers while saving points for your attack pieces. They’re cheap enough to use as speed bumps, they provide Repeaters, if you’re going Remote heavy and take Engineer(s) you can even repair the little sods.
Vertigo Zonds (Smart ML Bots)
Guided MLs are cute, potentially very cute in N4 if you bring good hacking device / HD+ coverage, which Corregidor can. The ability to deploy prone on top of a building in safety and still threaten firepower is also very nice. I don’t have enough experience with those tactics in N4 to comment on whether I’d use it over a more conventional firepower piece like a Burst 4 weapon. My instinct is that in a situation where that direct approach was inadvisable, Corregidor has better options to go after targets, like AD or Warbands. Guided barrages risk nothing, but if you run out of orders (or hit the limit of 5 tries per turn) without achieving your aim, you have not achieved a better position or given your opponent any problems to deal with in his turn.
Salyut Zonds (Baggage/EVO Bots)
I’d always heavily consider the EVO Hacker if using a Reaktion Zond and/or a Vostok. Also potentially useful for a Hellcat (or to bluff having a Hellcat) but I don’t think I’d take one for that alone. I often took an 8-point filler version in N3, for the Order and sweet sweet N3 Baggage, but now I wouldn’t bother, take a 7-point Transductor or 10-point Jaguar instead.
Clockmakers
WIP15 Engineers, Burst 2 Gizmokit, what’s not to like? If your list features heavily from Vostoks, Reaktion Zonds or other good options with Structure, at least consider this guy. As with Daktaris, consider Zondbots if taking him (fun tip – if you have Daktari(s) and Clockmaker in the same combat group, you can defer decisions on who controls them until you deploy).
Camouflage & Skirmishers
One of my favourite categories of units in Infinity is camo. The special rule just gives you so many advantages, and it’s often paired with Infiltration or Forward Deployment, which are gold dust in so many ITS missions. Corregidor doesn’t have the breadth of Nomads here, but they have some excellent attack pieces and specialists which are seen in most lists.
Intruders
Intruders have long been a fearsome and iconic Nomads unit. They are not as much an auto-take as they once were. This unit has the clutch combination of MSV2 and Camouflage/Surprise Attack/Mimetism (-3). That makes it a top-class gunfighter, at an advantage against most things and capable, with smoke-shooting, of engaging enemies risk-free. Revealing from Camo while in smoke, an Intruder can put a non-MSV, non-Sixth Sense model on -12 even if it is in a good range band. Against many targets, this is the best way in faction to win the initial long-range firefight and establish control of the board. The downsides come in against increasingly common linked and/or MSV enemies. Attacking something like Varuna’s Kamau Multi Sniper Rifle (MSR), the Intruder is in a straight dice-off, not a good tool for the job when you’re 41 points with 1W. It’s a glass cannon, while it has great odds in many situations, it is a high priority target, so needs to be hidden/defended in your Reactive turn; it can’t stand a stroke of bad luck like an ARO crit; it’s not the best against heavily armoured, multiple W/STR enemies in cover, as it has to do well on several orders while they only need to get lucky once.
That said, I very frequently take an Intruder HMG, but don’t rely on it as your sole firepower. If the target requires MSV or lacks Sixth Sense, attack with the Intruder; if not, use another option like a linked Vostok or Mobile Brigada to brute force it. The MSR option is second rate in my book – you need the Burst 4 of the HMG for such an active turn-focussed model, it’s wasted in ARO. The Shock Marksman Killer Hacker Device (KHD) is interesting, but ultimately if you’re taking MSV2 you want the best gun. There are cheaper hackers and better deployment-option hackers available in Corregidor. WIP14 but BTS0 also make the Intruder KHD vulnerable to enemy hacking attacks, essentially offering your opponent a way to attack your valuable gunfighter.
Sombras
A very strong attack piece and the Intruder’s competition for the role of premier non-linked active turn shooter. Camouflage/Surprise/Mimetism and No Wound Incap/Shock Immune are a potent combination, even with a so-so BS12 this model can win gunfights and isn’t as likely as the Intruder to go down at the first unlucky result. Forward Deployment(+8”) and Climbing Plus mean it can seek out its targets efficiently. I would consider both the Red Fury and KHD versions, the Specialist Operative is less attractive, but it does give you Armour Piercing mines, and situationally a non-hackable specialist is what you need.
Moran Maasai Hunters
Another faction auto-take, Moran Maasai are that holy grail of Infinity profiles, mid-table skirmishers at <20 points. You’re putting deployable weapons and specialists in the middle of the table for a pittance. I always take 2 of these, and I would always take the Repeater version over the 1-use Camo version. (Because I’d always take Jazz, and usually at least one other hacker – if for some crazy reason you take no hackers, then of course you go for the Camo, but why?) This gives you your Repeater net (described above) and deployable weapons in place with the ability to deploy more. Any enemy trying to penetrate the midfield needs to find a way to take out the cheap-enough-to-be-disposable Morans against hacking and deployable AROs, plus any direct AROs the Moran can take. This will cost him orders, and if he doesn’t take the Morans out, well, bonus, you’ve got a specialist in position for objectives. The priority when deploying Morans is to place them controlling objectives or critical routes across the table (without significantly overlapping each other) and hide them away from direct Line of Fire (LoF. You want the opponent to spend as many orders in their Zone of Control (ZoC) as possible without drawing a bead on them. Typically Morans are in my second group, perhaps moving slightly, deploying Koalas or going into suppression, but mostly contributing Orders. While not premier gunfighters, BS12 and Mimetism(-3) in the right position is nothing to dismiss, so in the later game they often come out of hiding to seek shots at people. Always get the second Koala down before you risk them in Face to Face rolls, and remember that Koalas can be used in the active turn, forcing your opponent to Dodge in ARO rather than shoot back.
Bandits
Bandits are one of those 20-30 point specialist/attack options, and while they have their uses, I’d generally spring for a Sombra or use AD in preference to them. They are split between light shotgun/adhesive launcher specialists, and more effective (but expensive) combi rifle/shock mines profiles which don’t have specialist. This troop does have a niche use as Camo close combat, allowing it to safely walk into base contact against isolated targets; I have used them in N3 as a poor man’s Uxia/Bran do Castro, taking a coin flip on infiltrating directly outside the enemy Deployment Zone to neutralise priority targets. But those are not widely-useful roles, and although you might take a cheap specialist profile like the Forward Observer and gamble on Booty, there are probably better options unless playing a mission where Infiltration is key.
Airborne Deployment
Corregidor really excels in variety here, and I love AD as a way to upset your opponent’s game plan in Infinity. The scope for this is only greater in N4, with good options to improve Combat Jump and the 15-model limit reducing the number of cheap troopers available to guard enemy deployment zones. I usually try to include 1 AD trooper in a list. 2 is a bit of a push in many cases due to the impact on your total Order pool across the game. I usually put my AD in the second group – an opportunity may come up to use it in a limited attack early in the game, but more likely I will swap it into the main group in Round 2-3 and pour orders into it then.
Hellcats
Hellcats offer straightforward Parachutist and Combat Jump capability, giving you a flexible AD option – they even get a +3 to Combat Jump rolls for 15s, so if you have an EVO supporting and your opponent does not, you’re looking at a 90% chance to place them right where you want. That is a significantly powerful tool, and risking that Combat Jump can win you a game at a stroke e.g. if you have identified the enemy Lt or some other key vulnerable pieces, or have a chance to drop right next to an objective to flip its control. True, a Hellcat is no Tiger Soldier, it has BS12 and ARM2 but no really effective gunfighting tools. Nonetheless it is combat power where you need it, the ability to reach out to the enemy, even in his Deployment Zone, without spending orders moving. I consider the Spitfire and hacker or paramedic options worth using, with those specialists particularly useful in missions which grant them a +3 WIP and +1B bonus when rolling to secure objectives – it’s the quickest and most reliable way to flip those objectives. The boarding shotgun is also worth considering as it can kamikaze Lts and even threaten TAGs and other heavy units. Overall, because of the utility of Combat Jump in making those critical plays, I would try and stretch to a Hellcat over most Tomcat options (see below)
Tomcats
Tomcats are more the budget AD troop. You are less likely to be able to obtain a game-winning position with Parachutist, because most good opponents will have some way to keep you out of their backline, it’s easier for them to do so than to guard against a precision Combat Jump. But Tomcats are worth considering when you’re squeezing those points costs and a Hellcat isn’t achievable. Climbing Plus can help them get from the flanks into the enemy DZ or into elevated positions, ideally behind targets. Especially useful is the Doctor profile, to support McMurrough, Wolfgang or other units that might like to work the flanks. The Engineer, if you’re taking either option, consider Carlota, described below. Finally the cheapest Tomcats, armed with problem-causing weapons like shock mines, deployable Repeaters and E/Mitters, are a nifty budget option for threatening opponents who overextend.
Carlota Kowalsky
Left on the shelf for all of N3 as an overpriced Tomcat Engineer, Carlota has been revived in N4 as one of only 5 models (2 of which come as a pair, so 4 options) in the game with Parachutist (Deployment Zone). This is the ultimate AD skill. While your opponent can probably prepare for it better than he can for a Combat Jump, it’s risk-free and trying to deploy against the threat of it will give him fits. Just having Carlota in the Sectorial is a boon, because your opponent will always have to consider the spectre of her appearing on his back line. Engineer is a bit of a distraction, because repairable models will rarely be as far forward as you want her to be, but it’s worth remembering that bringing her on more cautiously than usual is an option – her Peripheral Servant option can vastly improve her usefulness as an Engineer, but I normally prefer to save the points. D-charges are a nice bonus for the ability to complete classified or certain niche mission objectives. What you’re really bringing Carlota for is a BS13 breaker combi and B2 adhesive launcher, popping up (hopefully) in enemy rear arcs. As powerful as that ability is, remember that Carlota is not cheap at 30 points. Even more than most AD troops, don’t throw her away on a suicide run. Wait until you can swap her into the main group, she has a safe landing and multiple worthwhile targets, and you can spend some good orders before leaving her in suppression at the top of Turn 3.
TAGs
Corregidor has lighter TAGs than many Sectorials, so they don’t require the list to be built around them to the same extent. Nonetheless, the general rules of using TAGs apply: have an Engineer to cover them, have a way to take out or deny enemy hackers, don’t overextend the TAG in the active turn. Better to spend a couple Orders to pull it back than lose it early in the game.
Geckos
The lighter of Corregidor’s 2 TAGs and in my opinion the more attractive option. For a cut-rate price, Geckos lose out significantly compared to a main-line battle TAG – ARM6, not 8, BS13, not 14 or 15, and their weapons are lower range and damage. They’re manned, not the vastly superior Remote Presence TAGs with their ease of repair. But they have many of the essential ingredients for success – short move 6”, STR3, and once you get within 24” their guns are still very punchy. I would always take the +1B Marksman Rifle option over the Mk12. Burst and AP/Shock options vastly outweigh the higher Damage of the Mk12, fully justifying the slight points/SWC increase. When using the Gecko, as with any TAG you need to keep it safe from enemy hackers and close combat. Hacking defense is ultimately best achieved by hunting down enemy hackers yourself, but whenever taking a Gecko I’d consider using its Fireteam: Duo ability to attach a Wildcard to it. An Evader can provide engineer support or a Firewall (-3) Tinbot, Armour Piercing mines, and also provides a specialist you bring along towards objectives. Senor Massacre can get the Gecko closer to long-range AROs that seek to pin it down, using Eclipse smoke, and be very handy against Warbands that threaten it. Attaching a partner to a Gecko ties into the risk/reward of fire teams discussed earlier. You are doubling down to protect your investment, so you have to judge when you’re gaining any advantage from moving the Duo together, or taking more of a liability by exposing a second model to harm. Always watch out for that moment when it’s better to dissolve the Duo and move them separately, or more likely put one or both into Suppression.
Iguanas
More expensive than the Gecko, the Iguana has higher BS and a proper long range gun, but it still falls short of a main battle TAG, with no AP/Shock/Explosive ammo capability, 6ARM and, damningly, 2STR. The Iguana’s Escape System generates a 2W budget HI with an HMG when it goes unconscious. I consider this a very poor trade-off for the full TAG 3STR. While the operator retains Tac Awareness, an HMG and still counts for Victory Points, he dismounts in a smoke cloud next to the downed Iguana (so out of cover) and loses most of a TAG’s capability. Priced between the Gecko and a heavy TAG, I am not a fan of the Iguana despite its Electronic Countermeasures Hacker (-3) and built-in Repeater. It just doesn’t offer enough power over the other attack pieces in Corregidor for its price.
McMurrough
Last but not least – in fact he gets his own category – aside from fire teams this model is the best reason to play Corregidor over vanilla Nomads. He’s not necessarily an auto-take, because while extremely dangerous and capable, he requires a lot of Orders to do his thing as an attack piece. I would heavily consider him in any mission where the aim is to destroy the opposition rather than achieve objectives using specialists. While he is fundamentally a disposable attack piece, if you can get medikits to him he’s also a great target for a doctor. If you just want to get to an enemy fire team and throw down B2 templates, a Jaguar in a Haris team could do the job just as well. McMurrough’s 2W, 4ARM and Total Immunity won’t save him from massed AROs, so if you’re trading him for multiple targets, remember he costs 3 times what a cheaper Warband does. Where he excels is the combination of the template threat with stellar close combat ability – McMurrough competes with Señor Massacre as the best unit to dismember an opposing TAG, if you can get him there. If using McMurrough I usually have him in the main group and am ready to throw him forward toward a worthwhile target; whether that should happen in the 1st or 2nd Round is dependent on the table, mission, your opponent’s actions and so on.
Building Fire Teams
Core
As with any Sectorial list, we want to include a Core fire team, even if it is purely defensive. The passive buffs are too good to ignore and they will really help the hacker/Repeater network which is a Corregidor strength. Here are the cheapest recommended 5 man Core fire teams:
Jazz FTO, 4 Jaguars – some of these can be Panzerfaust/Adhesive Launchers offered up as speedbump AROs.
OR
Jazz FTO, 4 Alguaciles – one of these could be a Lt and one could be a ML or similar as a speedbump.
As mentioned above when discussing the risks vs rewards of fire teams, we then need to decide what is worth adding in terms of Wildcards. Firepower, in the form of a Mobile Brigada HMG or ML is my recommendation here – it makes the best use of fire team bonuses and can be used without moving out of a protected position in your DZ. Vostok is the main competition, with better gunfighting potential due to Mimetism (-6) and the capacity for Marksmanship with EVO support outweighing the shorter range weapon.
Once you’ve added firepower to your Core fire team, it becomes a good idea to stick a Daktari in there too, but a similar effect can be achieved by a nearby un-linked Daktari or a Zondbot Peripheral Servant – the same goes for an Engineer, all the more so as the linkable Engineer options are more expensive.
All your Lt options in Corregidor are linkable, and it makes sense to have your Lt in a fire team. There are pros and cons to having it near the fire team, but not a part of it, giving up the passive bonuses in return for the ability to Dodge while the protecting fire team members shoot at attackers without breaking the team. Depends on the threats your opponent can bring to bear.
If you are taking Jazz and relying heavily on hacking AROs in your game plan, a Firewall Tinbot also seems tempting for a Core fire team, but that is starting to rack up the cost in one place – almost always a bridge too far, maybe consider it in 400 point games where hacking and hackable targets are more prevalent. Let’s look at a very resource intensive link:
Jazz FTO, Mobile Brigada ML, Mobile Brigada Hacker, Mobile Brigada Boarding Shotgun Lt, Daktari.
That’s 141 points in just 5 models, and is an example of too much! You’ve got hacking behind a Firewall (-6), your Lt is as well protected as possible and you have a good ARO piece with a Doctor to support. But now half your resources are stuck in one place waiting for the opponent to play into their hands. More reasonable is a compromise:
Jazz FTO, Mobile Brigada ML, 3 Alguaciles (1 is a Lt).
That’s 86 points, you put up the same ML ARO and one good hacking ARO. Yes, you’re more vulnerable to enemy close-quarters attacks and to KHDs, but hey, you can far better afford other pieces to protect your position from further out and put pressure on your opponent. Maybe replace an Alguacil with a Daktari, or have one nearby. As with the bloated fire team above, swapping the ML for an HMG turns it from an ARO piece into a unit dedicated to taking out enemy ARO pieces. I wouldn’t try to include both, it’s too much SWC in one place.
Finally, if the mission incentivises bringing masses of points into the midfield or having models standing on objectives at game’s end, you can try an offensive Core fire team. I would only try this in those specific circumstances, and even then I’d pick the moment to bring them forward:
Mobile Brigada HMG, Wolfgang, 3 Jaguars.
You could replace a Jag with a Daktari to do objectives and heal the big boys, you could take Massacre over Wolfgang, you could take a cheaper or different firepower piece like a Vostok or EVAder, you could rely on Wolfgang as the only firepower, using smoke and terrain to get out of your DZ. The premise is the same, get everyone around the objectives where they give your opponent a headache. A terrible idea in most missions, but the option is there.
Haris
To field a Haris team in Corregidor, you are including at least 1 of the following: Jaguar, Wildcat or EVAder. As with Core teams, my preferred option is to go fairly cheap. Take 2 Jaguars, potentially a Jaguar and a Daktari, backing up an attack piece like the Vostok, an EVAder, even Wolfgang – something that wants +1B and to move up into the midfield space where Jaguars can protect it, or bounce forward to do their own Warband thing. This can also be used as a long-range Haris where 2 cheap models grant +1B to a firepower piece which stays in or around your DZ. 2 Jaguars (or Jag/Daktari) and a Mobile Brigada HMG. A Wildcat Lt, a Daktari and and a Wildcat Spitfire NCO. That sort of thing. At worst, these Haris teams give a small but significant benefit to a solo attack piece for a slight loss in flexibility (both in list building, deployment and during the game) but the efficiency of activating several models at once can be turned to your advantage. Consider them a competitor to the ease-of-use of models like Sombras, Intruders or McMurrough.
It’s not my normal option when list building, but a simple dirt-cheap Haris of 3 Jaguars, maybe including one of the cheapest Wildcards, can also be used, filling out orders while still giving you a viable alternative to the solo models which you’d spend more points & SWC on.
A more expensive Haris where all 3 models can play a major part is not something I’d normally use. It’s just worth mentioning in the context of an aggressive Haris meant to make big use of Climbing Plus – so EVAders mixed with a Vostok and/or Wolfgang. I don’t think that’s a serious competitive option, but it would certainly be fun.
The final thing to mention with Haris teams is how cross-compatible they are with Core teams thanks to all the Wildcards available. I usually put the Core and Haris teams together in group 1. That’s primarily to ensure I can resource either with Orders, depending on which has the better table position. But a fringe benefit is that you can decide at deployment if you want to alter your original list plan and mix’n’match the two teams differently. Something to keep in mind if the table or opponent features something you weren’t planning on.
Example Lists
Here’s the list I used in my first game of N4:
Group 1
Mobile Brigada ML
Jazz FTO
Daktari
Alguacil [Lt]
Alguacil
Vostok FTO
Jaguar LSG
Jaguar Chain Rifle
Salyut Zond EVO
Intruder HMG
Group 2
Transductor Zond
Transductor Zond
Moran BSG
Moran Combi Rifle
Sombra KHD
That’s by no means perfect. On reflection, I’d rather have AD than the Sombra, which would let me upgrade a cheap model (Jaguar or Transductor) into an Engineer. But it gives an example of my favoured structure in N4 Corregidor: defensive or long-range firepower Core, offensive Haris and one other strong active piece in the 1st group; support models and AD or other disposable attack piece in the 2nd group.
Here’s an example of something different, using a Jaguar defensive link to protect a Mobile Brigada Lt (the Core team could also counter-attack aggressive enemy models) while the offensive power is in solo threats:
Group 1
Jaguar Adhesive Launcher/Panzerfaust
Jaguar Adhesive Launcher/Panzerfaust
Jaguar Chain Rifle
Jaguar Chain Rifle
Mobile Brigada BSG [Lt]
Jazz
Billie
Salyut EVO
Sombra Red Fury
McMurrough
Group 2
Reaktion Zond
Moran BSG
Moran Combi Rifle
Carlota Kowalsky + Moriarty
Hellcat Paramedic
So again we have some ARO threats in the Core team, but more disposable, with the Lt being more expensive but better protected. The main attack options are McMurrough and the Sombra, with the AD in group 2 forming a ‘second wave’ as they’ll likely be swapped into the main group before coming on. Both AD options can revive your firepower or attack the enemy as required. The Reaktion Zond (with EVO support for it and the Hellcat) and the Morans provide some more defence. Note that Jazz is not in the Core team, but you could get her in there and take a Transductor Zond instead of Billie to get that Sixth Sense.
Summary
To recap, Corregidor is a faction that can make great use of fire teams – if you’re not leveraging those, consider taking Nomads instead. The key will be building teams that can boost your AROs and long-range firepower without overcommitting. The efficient hacking and Repeater belt (ie Jazz and 2 Morans) are basically auto-takes; you should also strongly consider Jaguars and/or some other warband presence in every list. The versatile combination of smoke, MSV and White Noise options will let Corregidor win gunfights against factions with heavier units and higher BS. For attack pieces, Corregidor’s linkable firepower competes with Intruders and Sombras; McMurrough competes with aggressive Haris teams led by Massacre or Wolfgang. AD is a major faction strength and taking 1 AD unit should be the norm. The restrictions and predictability of Lt options is a major weakness, and some opponents will have the tools to punish it. For that reason, always consider protecting your Lt in or amongst your Core team and make sure the position is rock solid. Practice playing against mine-laying Speculo Killers or Liu Xing combat jumps is recommended, as a good player will get an attack through sometimes. If you can balance your fire teams, maximise their strengths while avoiding their weaknesses, and protect your Lt, Corregidor can equal any faction in Infinity.
