Infinity/N3 Tactics/Japanese Sectorial Army

A units overview and tactica for the Japanese Sectorial Army (JSA).

Why Play JSA?

The Japanese are second-class citizens of the Yu Jing Empire. Due to the terrorist actions of a small nationalist organization, the Jade Empire continues to oppress the Japanese people. Even still they fight hard for Yu Jing with so much conviction that they were given their own army. Often thrown into the frontlines as cannon fodder, the JSA are a fast and aggressive army.

Play JSA if you are a massive weaboo. They've got space samurais, space ninjas, and even Akira Kurosawa references. No other army excels at close combat like the JSA.

Faction Features

• Seven Samurai: This sectorial has seven unique characters to play with. Each offering a different style of play

• Close Combat: The JSA has VERY high CC stats. Even though it isn't a common occurrence, Close Combat against the JSA is a death sentence.

• Aggressive Lieutenants: Because of access to Chain of Command, JSA LTs are able to play aggressively using their LT Special Order freely without much fear of LoL.

Special Skills

• Martial Arts: Going with the Close Combat theme, the JSA has a high number of troopers with Martial Arts as well as a select few with very high levels. Martial Arts also grants Stealth and V:Courage.

• V:Courage: Every single unit in the JSA has V:Courage.

• Chain of Command: The JSA has access to a cheap unit with Chain of Command, Kempetai, allowing their LTs to fight more aggressively without the fear of Loss of Lieutenant.

• Kinematika: Many of Yu Jing's troopers have this skill. Keeping the close combat nature in mind, JSA's soldiers can greatly capitalize on the extra dodge/engage movement to get away safely or run up closer to the enemy.

Weapons and Equipment

• Monofilament CCW: Oniwaban and the character, Shinobu, carry deadly Monofilament CCWs. With their high CC stats, TO Camo, Infiltration, and high Martial Arts, they can kill anything with a single swing.

• E/M Grenades: E/M Grenades are an uncommon weapon. The Domaru carry them and throw them accurately with their high PH.

Unit Overview

Light Infantry

• Keisotsu Butai: Keisotsu are the basic troop for the JSA, and it doesn't get much more basic than them. Poor stats across the board. However, they have V:Courage and are VERY cheap. There are 3 Specialist options -Hacker, Forward Observer, and Paramedic-, but they have a very low WIP12. Individually, they are perfect order fillers. It's worth noting that they have the only normal Hacking Device in the army.
  • Keisotsu Gui Feng, Yuriko Oda: Yuriko Oda is the Dire Foes character base on the Keisotsu. However, she's a far better trained and equipped: BS12, PH11, WIP13 with Hyper-Dynamics L1, Engineer, Minelayer, and V:Courage. The Engineer skill makes her a specialist with D-Charges. Minelayer comes with Antipersonnel Mines which allows her to protect the Deployment Zone as well as playing a shell game with Raidens. Only PH11, but she can Dodge and Change Face more reliably thanks to Hyper Dynamics. There are 2 options for 23, she gains a E/Mitter attached to her Combi Rifle. For a 1pt more she gets a Panzeraust instead. The most common choice is the Panzerfaust. Though E/M is a scary ammunition, Domaru and Haramaki both have E/M weapons already.
  • Core: The Keisotsu can link into a, inexpensive, but formidable, fireteam. The support weapons are so cheap that Keisotsu have a reputation as a decent defensive team. Always take them in 5s to get that +3MOD bonus. If somehow, there isn't enough points for a 5th member, the team will not survive long due to their terrible BS10. Yuriko Oda can join a Keisotsu fireteam. She's able to provide deadly Panzerfaust support, capture objectives, and protect their flank with mines. Take a Keisotsu fireteam if you need a lot of points for the rest of the army.

• Kempeitai: Kempeitai are a very cheap source of Chain of Command. Though the other non-CoC options are cheap, there's almost no point in taking them. BS12 is decent, and WIP14 is great for objective capping. Unfortunately, they're super short ranged, but SSL1 helps quite a bit with that.
  • Core: They can join a Keisotsu/Yuriko Fireteam adding a bit more durability with the Number 2 rule, and to keep your Chain of Command model safer with the Fireteam bonuses.

• Aragoto Senkenbutai, Advance Guard Regiment of Nippon: The Aragoto is one of the main attractions to the JSA, and why they have a reputation for speed. Aragoto are a well trained biker regiment unlike those dirty Kum Bikers from Haqqislam. They have a very nice assortment of weapon options, and with Mimetism they gain that edge against enemy fire. The most noteworthy options include: 19pt Boarding Shotgun for a very inexpensive short ranged gunfighter; Assault Hacker is a great and fast specialists especially for ITS missions like Supplies; The Spitfire is damn good alpha striker. Aragoto make for an excellent vanguard trooper.
  • Asuka Kisaragi, Aragoto Senkenbutai Jun-I: Asuka Kisaragi is the Aragoto character. She has similar stats as the regular versions. However, what makes her stand out is her weapons: Combi Rifle+LFT and Assault Pistol. She's VERY short ranged, but has nice damage output with a variety of tools. LFT to deal with ODD and Camo, Combi Rifle for short-mid range combat, and a high burst Assault Pistol for close encounters. She's also a very solid LT choice: WIP14 for the initiative roll off, and that extra LT order to spend freely thanks to Chain of Command Kempeitai
  • It's also worth noting that the Aragoto are well trained enough that they are normal Impetuous - allowing them to cancel their Impetuous Order without having to spend an order.

• Tokusetsu Butai: Basic Doctor/Engineer troopers. Unfortunately, they have an awful BS10, but with a competant WIP13.

• Warcor: Cheap and Irregular 3pt Flash Pulse dude with WIP13. Take them if you got a few points left over. Don't underestimate how useful they are as an ARO piece.

Medium Infantry

• Raiden Seibutai: Raiden are a solid active turn strike unit. They are decently priced for bringing Limited Camo, ARM3, and BS12. All 3 of their options are very solid choices. The most popular being the HRL + Minelayer.

Heavy Infantry

• Karakuri Special Project: Karakuri are one of the best specialist troopers in JSA. These bots are well known for being able to storm and capture the objective. They are HI with STR value and G:Remote Presence making them hard to permanently remove, and with V:Dogged they will fight to the death. Total Immunity also make them super hard to deal with. They are all armed to the teeth as well. There are 3 main options, but every option comes with Chain Rifle and D.E.P. They are all also Forward Observers at WIP13, so even if you decide to take a short ranged gun like a Heavy Shotgun, she can still Flash Pulse at a decent value. They are pretty pricey however.
  • Haris: There is a Combi Rifle option with the Fireteam: Haris skill opening up the option for 3 of these Japanese hooker bots to be extra mobile. This team is expensive, but great for storming domination zones, objective rooms, and capping objectives.

• Domaru Butai: Domaru are one of the more iconic units in JSA. For 2-wound HI they are super cheap. However, for HI they have a rather low BS12. Even still these guys are fantastic door kickers. MA3 gives them V:Courage and Stealth. Berserk adds even greater odds of critting in CC: CC23 + 3 for MA3 + 6 for Berserk = a whopping 32 in close combat. The options like the Chain Rifle Domaru already carry a short ranged payload, so CC is a valid option for them. All of their options except for the Spitfire carry E/M grenades as well, and with PH14 they're throwing them quite reliably even with Speculative Fire. The LT option is also noteworthy for the low cost. He can freely spend his LT Order without the fear of Loss of Lieutenant thanks to the Kempeitai Chain of Command. Domaru has Frenzy and will go Impetuous in the next turn if they wound something. The biggest downside to the Domaru is that JSA has little access to Smoke Grenades making it more difficult to bring their swords in closer. Unfortunately there are no specialist options in this unit.
  • Domaru Takeshi 'Neko' Oyama: Neko is the Domaru character. The main difference with him is that he's even more CC focused. He's got the standard Frenzy, Chain Rifle, E/M Grenades, MA3, and Berserk, but with CC24 and Dual Wield. In CC, he'll hit with PH14 AP+EXP. If he touches something in CC, it's dead. Also carries a Breaker Pistol instead of a normal one. Neko can also be a solid LT choice with WIP14.
  • Core: For a HI Core link, Domaru are rather inexpensive. In this team the Spitfire becomes far more relevant benefiting from fireteam bonuses. E/M Grenades and Speculative Fire gets far more potent as well. And in CC, the link leader gains +1 to PH and Burst for each fireteam member also engaged. Neko can also join the team. They only lack a real long ranged threat...
  • Duo: A pair of Domaru or Neko+Domaru can form a Duo team. This team has a much smaller footprint, but can still be pretty dangerous. A Spitfire can lend mid range fire support or a pair of CC Samurais can just go HAM down a flank.

• Haramaki Zensenbutai: The Haramaki are often compared with the Magister Knights of PanO's Military Order. They are a cheap and Extremely Impetuous HI. Also they dont have any high burst weapons. MA3 gives them Stealth and V:Courage. Unfortunately they also have no specialist options. So what's the point?....
  • Core: They do not have the Fireteam:Core skill; However, up to 4 Haramaki can join a Domaru fireteam (1 Domaru/Neko + up to 4 Haramaki OR 1 Domaru+Neko + up to 3 Haramaki). Domaru are the only way to link Haramaki which opens up some interesting ideas. Haramaki have better BS and can provide long ranged Blitzen or Missile Launcher support, while the Domaru get up close and personal. Also the basic Haramaki is 3pts cheaper than the basic Domaru, so they are better fillers. In the fireteam, the Extremely Impetuous is suppressed. Like the Domaru fireteam, this team will also be used for pure aggression and/or area domination.

• Shikami: The Shikami is a beastly combination of Domaru and Ninja. Same exact stats as a Domaru, but they're equipped with ODD. They're highly mobile with both Super-Jump and Climbing Plus. Dual Wield using AP and DA CCWs, and MA3 provides both V:Courage and Stealth. Also they're all Specialist Operative. These guys are very potent threats for both in combat and ITS objective missions. The weapon selection is thin with either Contender and Nimbus Grenades (a VERY situational weapon), or Combi Rifle. The Contender Options all have an Assault Pistol. Though short ranged, their mobility and ODD can easily get them in range. They are on the higher end on costs, but with such a nice combination of equipment and skills.
  • Duo: There is a Contender option with the Fireteam:Duo skill, so you can have a pair of these guys running up walks and jumping on rooftops.

TAG

• O-Yoroi Kidobutai: The O-Yoroi is a very unique TAG. Firstly, it's currently the only TAG with MA1 (which also provide V:Courage and Stealth). Then she also deploys with a pair of Crazy Koalas. ARM is on the lighter side compared with other TAGs of the same silhouette, and she's only armed with a normal HMG+HFT. However, the O-Yoroi is a much cheaper TAG at only 83pts and 2swc. There is also a LT option for an extra swc. Though the LT is swc heavy, she can be just as aggressive any any other LT in JSA thanks to the Kempetai Chain of Command. This TAG brings a great BS14 platform with added board control.
  • It's worth mentioning that the O-Yoroi Pilot keeps the CC21 and MA1

REMs

• Yaoxie: Yaoxie are the only MSV in the JSA. They can dish out pain, but they're soft target. However, Yaoxie are great aggressive pieces especially with supportware. Both are mid ranged shooters so play them more aggressively.
  • Lu Duan: Though the Lu Duan have only MSV1 and trades in the high burst Spitfire, it's got more tools and equipment to play with. Holoprojector L2 keeps your opponent guessing, HFT for crowds and Fire sensitive targets, and Mk12 is just a solid weapon.
  • Rui Shi: Rui Shi is more straight forward: Run up and shoot. They're great at hunting ODD and camo troopers.

• Yaokong:
  • Weibing: Standard toolbox REM
  • Husong: Standard Total Reaction HMG REM. JSA doesn't have a whole lot of HMGs, so the Husong is worth considering.
  • Son-Bae: Standard SML bot. JSA doesn't have a good deal of FOs and Keisotsu are only WIP12. There are fast or infiltrating Assault Hackers in the army, but they would need to Spotlight on WIP10s. SML bots aren't really worth the trouble
  • Chaiyi: Basic flash Pulse Sniffer bot.

• Yaozao: Take them to keep your Tokusetsu and/or Yuriko safe from harm.

• Yaopu Pangguling: Yu Jing baggage bots with an EVO option. JSA isn't necessarily a hacking heavy army and they have NO AD troopers. However, the basic Baggage bot can be useful in reload disposable weapons, and add to zone domination.

Skirmishers

• Ninjas: Still not the best TO Infiltrators even in JSA. The Killer Hackers can but useful for quick objective snatching, but Tacbow is not great. The Ninja KHD can apply heavy MODs, but what good is it if they miss their one shot with her box. The other Ninja options are very expensive without having the same psychological threat as an Oniwaban.

• Oniwaban: The Oniwaban are the master assassins. They have no specialist choice, because their sole purpose is to kill. Superior Infiltration gives them a +3MOD to infiltration in the enemy half and they wield a Monofilament CCW with Martial Arts L4. They also have Boarding Shotgun for short range gunfighting, or Nanopulser for surprise templates. If the super ninja makes it into base contact with the target, he can get an extra burst in CC with MA4. Kinematika L2 is worth remembering too. His skills also gives him Stealth, so he can easily maneuver around to stab the enemy in the back. Almost anything can be a target for the Oniwaban (avoid Natural Born Warriors). Once the Oniwaban gets within the 8" short range, they can be brutal. You do pay 41pts for him, so he's pretty expensive, and maneuvering and getting the best out of an Oniwaban takes practice and patience.
  • Oniwaban Shinobu Kitsune: Shinobu Kitsune is the most dangerous Close Combat threat in the JSA. Domaru can reach high CC modifiers, however, Shinobu is already infiltrated up the board. She's an Oniwaban character, but with CC25, PH13, Martial Arts L5, Smoke Grenades (one of the few in the army), and Combi Rifle. She has slightly better chances of passing her Infiltration roll than the Oniwaban - though whether it's worth the risk is debatable. She is a close combat monster able to take down nearly any target. The downside is that she's cost a much as a high end HI. Both Shinobu and the generic Oniwaban have Lieutenant options and with a Kempetai Chain of Command in your list, so you can play them aggressively without fear.

• Saito Togan: Saito is a TO Infiltrating ninja mercenary. He's 2pts cheaper than a generic oniwaban because he wields a EXP CCW instead of monofilament. However, he's still very capable in close combat and even brings his own Smoke Grenades.

Warband

• Miyamoto Mushashi: Miyamoto is another CC focused mercenary character. He isn't taken quite as frequently as say Shinobu or Yojimbo, but he is still a very capable fighter. For only 24pts you get a VERY fast trooper able to demolish anyone in CC. He's a soft target but has V:NWI. Though he only has a Chain Rifle and a Pistol for range, he's also got a WIP15 Flash Pulse for ARO. And in CC, he can take down even the heaviest trooper with Dual Wield, CC25, MA5, and AP CCW + EXP CCW. Miyamoto is irregular however, which is reflected in his low costs.

• Yojimbo, Sword for Hire: Yojimbo is an incredible mercenary trooper. For a DIRT CHEAP 21pts, you get a 8-6MOV Biker, Smoke Grenades and Smoke LGL, Martial Arts L4, Nanopulser, 2 Crazy Koalas!, and V:NWI. Yojimbo has CC24, BS12, and PH14 as well. Martial Arts L4 makes him the only biker with Stealth. Yojimbo also brings a whole out board control with the Crazy Koalas and Smoke Grenades. In close combat, Yojimbo is able to cover his advance with Smoke, Stealth his way up to base contact, and he hits hard with PH14 and DACCW. He's got very little for ranged combat. Armed with only a short ranged Contender. However, he can Smoke dodge with great accuracy. Unfortunately, he's both irregular and Extremely Impetuous, but that is reflected in his low costs.

Playing JSA

The JSA is a fast and aggressive army to play, and they are a great first turn Alpha Striking army. They hit hard, fast, and with surprising efficiency.

The main bulk of the army excel in straight forward combat. Just move forward stay in cover, and use strength and MODs to take enemies out. When they get too close, draw katanas and charge. JSA have a LOT of close to mid range power, this mean they have to advance to be truly effective. Getting too close to the JSA can be detrimental to your opponents' troopers in terms of combat (unless they are just as capable like the Steel Phalanx). Because of the forward moving nature of the JSA, Smoke Grenades are very useful for blocking LoF so your troopers can advance. Smoke Grenades are also super useful in getting into Close Combat.

On the side of the JSA, are the deadly ninjas. Oniwaban are better in close combat assassinations than being a gunfighting skirmisher. Single out targets and surgically take them out one by one. Don't forget Stealth.

Shinobu, Saito, and Yojimbo are the only sources for Smoke Grenades. Thankfully they all have great PH to throw them. These guys are great for both singling out troopers for CC kills, and blocking LoF so the rest of your army can move up.

Tactics

• Chain of Command: It's worth reiterating that Kempetai with Chain of Command allows JSA's LT to play aggressively and freely use their special LT Order.

• Need for Speed: There's plenty fast troopers in JSA. Bikers like Aragoto and Yojimbo, REMs, and Miyamoto. It's not just raw MOV values, but also Frenzy and Impetuous taking troopers up the board for "free" and TO infiltrators who are already half way up the board.

• Bikers: It takes some practice to be able to control bikers due to their Impetuous. It isn't recommended that you don't fill the max AVA and leave points for the rest of the army. That said they are great shock troops. Don't forget that Aragoto are are only normal Impetuous. Plan out your moves.

• Crazy Koalas: Crazy Koalas offer a lot of board control, and they're on tough and fast troopers.

• Holoprojector L2: Lu Duan can cause great confusion by Holoprojecting itself as 3 Aragoto, Panggulin, or other Yaoxie. This would only be a deployment bluff, because they would not have Impetuous Orders and activating it will require a marker.

• MSV2 and Smoke Grenades: There are only 3 units with Smoke Grenades and only 1 with MSV2, but it's still a very strong tactic to use.

• CC and Smoke Grenades: Smoke Grenades are a great way to get a Close Combat unit into base contact.

• Natural Born Warrior: Avoid CC with troopers with Natural Born Warriors. They will shut your samurais and ninjas down.