Editing Infinity (wargame) (section)

===Combined Army===

[[Image:CA.png|100px|left]] The CA force that recently arrived in the Human Sphere is the very tip of the Combined Army's scouting forces and yet humanity is already losing badly, barely holding them back. They actually have one of the cooler backgrounds: [[Meme|ancient aliens]] called the Ur-Rationalists [[Xeelee Sequence|figured out that the heat death of the universe was eventually going to shit all over life so they built an AI that could figure out how they could be elevated to beings of pure energy and leave the material world behind.]] Unfortunately for them, the AI found the solution, promptly concluded that its creators weren't fit to receive that knowledge, then ascended without them.

The creators then decided to build a new AI, only this time they made it think like them so that it would willingly give them the secret to ascension. Unfortunately, the fact that it thinks like them is exactly what prevents the second AI - called the EI, or Evolved Intelligence - from ever finding that secret, but the creators don't know that, and the irony inherent in the fact that they're on a total fool's errand is pretty hilarious - or would be if humanity weren't about to be flattened like pancakes unless they can close off the Human Sphere. Unable to find this secret on its own, the EI concluded that what it needed was more computational power and the easiest way to get that was to conquer new systems and turn them into computronium. Thus, the Evolved Intelligence began conquering the universe. Those species that would be good fighters (aggressive, loyal, survivalists) were included in its Combined Army. The species with mastery of science were told to build AIs of their own to work in parallel with the EI to increase the number of thought patterns that were working on solving the ascension problem. Finally, those species that had absolutely nothing of worth to offer to the EI just had their solar systems deconstructed and turned into thinking matter and planet-sized computers to increase the EI's computational capacity.

Game-wise, the Combined Army is one of the most elite factions - high point cost per unit but decent stats and arguably the best equipment in the game. Their technology is alien and does funky stuff like allow them to not die, or transfer their mind from one body to another if the original host dies, or shapeshift into enemy units, and their weapons include plasma guns that can either hit harder or damage enemy units in a blast area as well as the dreaded sepsitors, which project nanoviruses that can target cyberbrains and overwrite/destroy them.

*'''Morat Aggression Force (MAF):''' Pretty much all the SPESS MONKEES in the CA operating as an autonomous division. Close-quarters and very aggressive, not as melee based as the Caledonians but able to challenge them for the title. MAF is similar to the Steel Phalanx or JSA but with far fewer infiltrators, Camo or high-tech; they supplement this with hardy units and raw firepower. Often considered a good faction for newcomers to learn the game with, as their total lack of tricks and weird rules (outside of Oznats and Zerats) lend themselves to mastering the basics as opposed to relying on strong equipment and skills.
*'''Shasvastii Expeditionary Force:''' A force of infiltrators, camo, expanded deployment options, mimetism, and trickery. Shas play a bit like Hassassin Bahram cranked up to eleven with less return on your investment. Have access to a couple of competent gunfighters, but to get the most out of this faction you really want to leverage their sneakiness. Has a couple of unique rules that allow them to not count as dead when they're unconscious for some game effects and the "grow-your-own-dudes" seed-soldiers.
*'''Onyx Contact Force:''' The obligatory "little bit of everything" sectorial. Specializes in fielding robots called Batroids and the living nightmares that are Umbras. Hits very hard and retains a bit of the CA deployment trickery with Shas and Fractaas. Perfect for building thematic and effective little death squads.