Welcome back, Human Sphere rookies! I’m a beginner navigating Infinity the Game N5, Corvus Belli’s sci-fi tabletop wargame that’s got me hooked with its tactical depth and stunning 28mm miniatures. If you’re new to Infinity N5 and ready to assemble your first army, this beginner’s guide is for you. I’m sharing how to build a 150-point army using Infinity Essentials and the Infinity Army tool, with practical tips to keep it simple and avoid rookie mistakes. I’ll also reflect on my own Japanese Secessionist Army (JSA) list’s hits and misses to help you start strong in this thrilling skirmish game.
New to Infinity N5? Catch up with Blog Post 1: Getting Started: What You Need for Infinity N5 for setup essentials, or Blog Post 2: Understanding N5 Basics: Core Mechanics for Orders, AROs, and Saving Rolls. Now, let’s build your first Infinity N5 army!
Infinity N5 (released December 2024, updated April 2025) is a tactical tabletop wargame where small squads battle in mission-driven scenarios. The Infinity Essentials framework, used in starters like Operation: Sandtrap, simplifies army building with closed lists, making it perfect for beginners. In this post, I’ll guide you through crafting a 150-point army, focusing on accessibility and fun for your first N5 games.
Why Start with a 150-Point Army?
Infinity Essentials uses 150-point armies (roughly 6-10 models) to keep games quick and manageable. This point level, common in Operation: Sandtrap missions, balances simplicity with tactical depth, letting you focus on learning N5 mechanics like Face-to-Face Rolls and Saving Rolls without juggling complex units. In N5, points reflect a unit’s cost, with basic troops (e.g., JSA Keisotsu) at 8-12 points and specialists (e.g., Shinobi) at 20-30 points.
My Experience: My first 150-point JSA list felt overwhelming because I picked units I didn’t understand. Essentials’ closed lists (pre-set options) saved me by limiting choices. Tip: Stick to 150 points for your first 5-10 games.
Using Infinity Army to Build Your List
Infinity Army (infinityuniverse.com/army/infinity, updated for N5) is a free, web-based tool for building and saving Infinity N5 army lists. It’s beginner-friendly, showing unit stats, costs, and equipment. For Essentials, use the closed lists from your starter (e.g., Sandtrap’s JSA or PanO options). For full N5, you can customize lists, but we’ll keep it simple.
Steps to Build a 150-Point List:
Select Your Faction: Choose your faction (e.g., JSA, PanOceania) in Infinity Army. Essentials users pick from starter factions.
Set Points: Limit to 150 points and 10 Orders (most models give 1 Order).
Add Core Troops: Include 3-5 cheap line infantry (8-12 points) for Orders and board control.
Add 1-2 Specialists: Pick a heavy hitter (e.g., Yamabushi) or trick unit (e.g., Shinobi) for flexibility.
Check Stats: Ensure you understand each unit’s Ballistic Skill (BS), Physique (PH), and Vitality (VITA).
Save and Export: Save your list for reference or share it on r/InfinityTheGame for feedback.
My Experience: I used Infinity Army to build my JSA list but added a Shinobi without grasping its camouflage rules, wasting points. Tip: Read unit profiles on Infinity Army before adding them.
https://infinityuniverse.com/army-app
Beginner Tips for Your First N5 Army
Here are key tips to build a balanced, beginner-friendly 150-point Infinity N5 army:
1. Keep It Simple
Stick to 6-10 models with basic weapons (e.g., combi rifles, B3, PS7) and minimal special skills. Avoid complex units like hackers, camouflaged troops, or N5’s new vehicles, as their rules (e.g., Hacking Programs) can overwhelm newbies.
Example: JSA’s Keisotsu (combi rifle, 9 points) is simple, with BS11 and VITA 1, perfect for learning shooting and Saving Rolls.
My Mistake: I included a Shinobi (camouflage) and didn’t know how to deploy it, losing it to an ARO. Tip: Save special skills for later games.
2. Prioritize Line Infantry
Line infantry (cheap troops) generate Orders and hold objectives. Aim for 3-5 in your list to fuel your Order Pool and cover the board.
Example: PanO’s Fusiliers (10 points) or Nomads’ Alguaciles (9 points) are solid, with decent BS and cover-friendly Saving Rolls.
My Mistake: I skimped on Keisotsu, leaving me with too few Orders to maneuver. Tip: More Orders = more flexibility.
3. Include One Specialist
Add 1-2 units with unique roles (e.g., melee, short-range weapons) to diversify your tactics. Examples:
JSA Yamabushi: Melee-focused (shock CCW, 20 points), great for aggressive pushes.
PanO Kamau: Amphibious specialist (multi rifle, 24 points) for objective-grabbing.
N5 Note: Essentials limits specialists to starter box options, keeping rules light.
My Mistake: My Yamabushi charged recklessly, dying to AROs. Tip: Use specialists strategically, not as cannon fodder.
4. Understand Your Units
Check each unit’s stats on Infinity Army:
BS (Ballistic Skill): For shooting (higher is better, e.g., BS11).
PH (Physique): For dodging or melee (e.g., PH10).
VITA (Vitality): Wounds (most units have VITA 1).
Weapons: Combi rifles (B3, PS7) are standard; avoid complex weapons like missile launchers early.
My Mistake: I didn’t check my Ryuken-9’s submachine gun range (short-range, high Burst), wasting it at long range. Tip: Match weapons to your playstyle.
5. Test and Tweak
Play a 150-point Essentials mission, then adjust your list based on what worked. Share your list on r/InfinityTheGame or Infinity’s Discord for veteran feedback.
My Experience: After my demo, I swapped a Shinobi for another Keisotsu to boost Orders, improving my next game. Tip: Iterate after each match.
Example 150-Point JSA List
Here’s a beginner-friendly JSA list for Infinity Essentials (150 points, 7 Orders):
3x Keisotsu (combi rifle, 9 points each): Line infantry for Orders and shooting (BS11, VITA 1).
1x Yamabushi (shock CCW, 20 points): Melee specialist for aggressive plays (PH12, VITA 1).
1x Shinobi (boarding shotgun, 25 points): Short-range trick unit (camouflage, BS11).
2x Ryuken Unit-9 (submachine gun, 29 points each): Objective-grabbers with high Burst (B4, VITA 1).
Why It Works: Five cheap units provide Orders, while Yamabushi and Shinobi add flair. Ryuken-9s handle objectives. Total: 149 points, 7 Orders.
My Experience: This list (from Sandtrap) worked better once I learned to keep Shinobi in cover and use Ryuken-9s for objectives, not kills.
Common Beginner Army-Building Mistakes
Overloading Special Skills: Camouflage or hacking sounds cool but confuses newbies. Stick to basic troops.
Too Few Orders: Less than 6 Orders limits your actions. Include line infantry.
Ignoring Objectives: N5 missions reward objective control, not kills. Add units like Ryuken-9 for missions.
Complex Weapons: Avoid weapons with multiple modes (e.g., multi rifles) until you master Face-to-Face Rolls.
My Mistake: I built a list with too few Keisotsu and a Shinobi I couldn’t use effectively, stalling my game plan. Tip: Simplicity wins early on.
Resources for Army Building
Infinity Army: Build and save lists at infinityuniverse.com/army/infinity.
Infinity Wiki: Check unit profiles at Human Sphere.
Bromad Academy: Read list-building guides at bromadacademy.com.
Goonhammer: N5 faction guides at goonhammer.com.
Community: Share lists on r/InfinityTheGame or Infinity’s Discord for feedback.
My Army-Building Journey
My first JSA list was a mess—too many specialists, not enough Orders. After playing Sandtrap’s second mission, I streamlined it to the 150-point list above. My Keisotsu held cover, surviving Saving Rolls, while my Yamabushi’s melee charge (finally in cover!) won a key Face-to-Face Roll. I still lost (3-2), but I’m learning! Next, I’ll test my Ryuken-9s on objectives and maybe ask r/InfinityTheGame for tweaks.
Ready to build your Infinity N5 army? Download Infinity Army, pick your faction, and craft a 150-point list. Play an Essentials mission and share your list in the comments or on r/InfinityTheGame. What faction are you building? Got a favorite unit? Let’s swap tips and conquer the Human Sphere!
What’s Next in the Series?
Next, we’ll dive into Playing Your First N5 Game: Setup and Missions, covering terrain placement, deployment, and mission tactics. I’ll share my first full N5 match’s chaos. Need a refresher? Revisit Blog Post 1: Getting Started: What You Need for Infinity N5 for setup tips or Blog Post 2: Understanding N5 Basics: Core Mechanics for rule basics. Until then, check infinityuniverse.com, join the Infinity Global League Discord, or drop your army ideas below. Let’s gear up for Infinity the Game!
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