THE HAMMER OF BOURAK - Ghulams in RTF
In the Unit Focus series I take a look at the different units that
make up the Ramah Taskforce, and try to answer why, not if, you should
include them in your lists.
Basic Infantry of the Finest Caliber
I personally think that Ghulams are without a doubt the best basic infantry in the game of Infinity, full stop. They boast a thoroughly mediocore statline (without evident weaknesses!), with the notable exeption of their stellar WIP 14! In RTF Ghulams can also form flexible Fireteams with Naffatûns, Khawarijs, Namurrs , Zhayedans, Beasthunters, Fiddler and the whole repertoir of Character Wildcards available to the Sectorial - you can basically build your Fireteam to be what ever the Mission requires for them to be! The other thing that sets the Ghulams apart from other line infantry besides their amazing WIP, is the fact that their basic armanent isn't the common Combi Rifle, but rather the way stronger Rifle + Light Shotgun! The Ghulams don't even seem to pay for the afore mentioned buffs over other Factions' basic infantry, as they cost only 11 points for the standard loadout! These soldiers even benefit from Terrain (Desert), though this truly doesn't come up too often...You Called for a Specialist?
Enter the Armory
The Ghulams have a very wide variety of different loadouts and options available for the RTF commander to field.
Rifle, Light Shotgun; 11pts (Lieutenant option available)
What differentiates the bog standard Ghulam from most basic infantry is their access to the versatile Light Shotgun. This means that the humble Ghulam can force tricky face to face rolls at short ranges thanks to the +6 modifier, and even threaten targets that are way beyond their weight class using the Direct Template mode. The Light Shotgun elevates the standard "cheerleader" to a capable corner guard and a surprisingly dangerous assault troop. If you're looking for a cheap Lieutenant that can contest face to face rolls when pressed in closed spaces (as is often case when a tucked away Lieutenant comes under attack), look no further! It is advisable to bring a body double along, if possible. I've found that most Opponents get rather deterred when they have to try and dig a well protected Lieutenant out of hiding, and even if they succeed, there's a 50/50 chance that their (often expensive) assassin just ate a Direct Template from the decoy LT!
Rifle, Light Shotgun, Lieutenant (+1 CMD Token); 15pts
Who wouldn't love an additional Command Token, especially when it costs only 4 points? I used to start my lists with this LT option, but most of the time I ended up downgrading him/her to the standard Ghulam Lieutenant to shave off the few points required to make everything fit, so these days I've basically given up trying! I personally feel that Ramah isn't a Sectorial that's especially hungry for Command Tokens, as it features few Irregular Troops and the fantastic Ghulam Number 2 that can keep the Fireteam operational even when the casualties start to mount. In the end, how important you find the extra CMD Token comes down to your playstyle; do you include several Warcors, Monstruckers and/or Beasthunters in your lists, or do you perhaps prefer loads of Coordinated Orders? If the answer to these questions is no, you might just use the 4 points for something else!
Rifle, Light Shotgun, Forward Observer, Flash Pulse; 12pts
For merely a point you can upgrade the standard Ghulam to be a Forward Observer; a cheap WIP 14 Specialist who gets an additional (ARO) weapon in the form of the Flash Pulse, and as such is great bang for your buck. As Technical Weapons don't benefit from the Fireteam Bonuses to Burst or to Hit, I usually don't feel the pressure to include these guys in my Fireteams. The FO Ghulam instead makes for a great Deployment Zone guardian and a backup Specialist. Enemy Combat Jumpers/Parachutists should think twice before entering the field withing LoF of a Forward Observer Ghulam, as they are met with a WIP 14 Falsh Pulse shot (or even a Direct Template, depending on the range they land in)! Flash Pulses are especially likely to shut down any attacking models they hit, because they force two saves against BTS - ouch!
Rifle, Light Shotgun, Panzerfaust, Number 2; 13pts
The Panzerfaust Ghulam shores up Ramah's perceived weakness in the Reactive Turn, by giving us access to a cheap model that can threaten pretty much anything in the game. I've sometimes even fielded these guys as my primary Fireteam models, and boy have they excelled! The Opponent has to weight very carefully what they challenge the Fireteamed Panzerfausts with, because a poor roll can easily see their beloved offensive piece smeared across the battlefield, while they only get to take out a 13 point model if they win the firefight and you end up failing your save. I've racked up a disproportionate list of elite troopers blown apart by these guys, and as in most cases this happens in the reactive turn, it's not even costing me Orders!
Once the disposable anti-armor weapons have been spent, the RTF player is still left with the versatile Rifle+Light Shotgun AND the Number 2 skill. This means that as long as atleast one of these 13 pointers is still around, losing the point man/woman won't break the Fireteam. In practise this means that you can fling Shotgun wielding Ghulam, after Shotgun wielding Ghulam at the enemy, without the need to spend Command Tokens to reform the Fireteam everytime the sacrificial Team Leader goes down... The Panzerfaust doesn't even cost any SWC! Take them, use them, love them.
Sniper; 16pts/0,5SWC
Heavy Machine Gun; 20pts/1SWC
Missile Launcher; 17pts/1,5SWC
The Missile Launcher offers the Ghulam based Fireteam a long ranged and hard hitting Impact Template Weapon... But then again, the range bands are a bit finicky (you'll need to stay beyond 24'' for the maxium effect), and the Panzerfaust offers almost the same performance for way lower a price. I'm not saying don't use her, but I'm saying it's a tough choice between the Missile Launcher and the cheaper anti-armor weapon equipped Ghulam!
Rifle, Grenade Launcher, Smoke Grenade Launcher, NCO; 15pts/1SWC
Rifle, Grenade Launcher; 13pts/1SWC
I try to find a use for all the models in Ramah, but just find the two points and upgrade to the NCO! There isn't a limit to how many of them you can have after all...
Rifle, Light Shotgun, Medikit, Doctor (+3); 15pts
The famous Ghulam Doctor! For a truly competitive price of just 15 points you get everything that the standard Ghulam package offers, and a WIP 14 Specialist who can heal her comrades on 17s (don't forget about the CMD Token rerolls either)! I rarely leave home without this one, and you will be hard pressed to find another as cost effective healer in the game! Personally I prefer to run her in a Core Fireteam, but having her on her own with a Nasmat or two is also a valid way to go!
Rifle, Light Shotgun, Hacking Device; 16pts/0,5SWC
I really like this profile, but I still often struggle to include him in my lists. For a reasonable cost, you get a WIP 14 Hacker, who can wreak havoc among the enemy... A Ghulam Fireteam hunkered down in a covered position can prove extra troublesome to deal with, if the Hacker can threaten HI, TAGs and spam Spotlight. Then on the other hand, this model has BTS 0 and it gives enemy Killer Hackers and Hackers something to target in an otherwise almost unhackable team. Ramah also really struggles to get any aggressive early game Repeaters on the field, with access to few fast moving ones (Rafiq, Fanous) and no Pitchers whatsoever! The Ghulam Hacker can also fill the spot of a DZ guard/backup Specialist on his own, much akin to the FO. Ultimately though, it comes to the Mission and the Opponent whether I consider reaching for the Ghulam Hacker or the Sniper as my 15th model when low on points remaining.
Rifle, Light Shotgun, E/M Mines, Deployable Repeater; 13pts
This rather interesting package gives the Ghulam fireteam the ability to enlarge your Hacking Area and drop nasty E/M Mines as it advances around the field of battle... The poor soldier carrying these pieces of equipment has on the occasions I've used him/her often placed one last Mine/Repeater as an ARO when faced with almost certain death, but the profile faces very stiff competition in it's points bracket. Most of the time I'd just rather try and blow up my opponent's models from a distance with the Panzerfaust Ghulam who costs exactly the same...
Team - Form Up!
As of the N4 Fireteam Update of the spring of 2022, the way Fireteams are constructed and how the Fireteam Bonuses are counted has changed drastically. The type of Fireteam that the Ghulams can form is these days imaginatively called "Ramah Taskforce Fireteam" (="RTFFT"). You can form both a Core and a Haris out of the selection of units available for the Team, and here are my current takes on the two main options.
Ghulams as a Part of a Fireteam Core
If you're a new player just dipping your toes into Ramah Taskforce and all this talk of Fireteams is making your head swirl, fear not! It's totally fine to start off by just throwing together a squad of five Ghulams and worrying about the finer points of Fireteam construction at a later time! Just stick your Sniper and Missile Launcher in good ARO positions on your Deployment Zone, tuck the Doctor in a safe place with good access to both of them and hide your Lieutenant and their decoy somewhere the enemy can't get to - now the only one who has to worry about the Fireteam is your Opponent!
Ghulams as a Part of a Fireteam Haris
The best candidates for joining forces with the Ghulams to form three member strike elements seem to be the Khawarijs, the Namurrs and Yara Haddad, while the Zhayedans and Naffatûns are as serviceable here as anywhere! If you're looking for something more exotic, you could even spearhead the Team with Fiddler and bring along a Beasthunter...
A Haris including Ghulams should most likely be defined by the non-Ghulam model(s) included in the Team, with the humble Line Troopers sticking to providing supporting functions. Then again, there's nothing wrong about putting together a dirt cheap triad of Ghulams and seeing what they can do!
The Kind of Allegiance Money Can Never Buy
And there you have it! My take on what I personally see as the best basic infantry in Infinity N4! The Ghulams are an essencial part of Ramah Taskforce, and you'll have to build a pretty special list not to include any! This unit is an excellent example of the backstory meeting gameplay - the at face value unassuming soldiers are elevated by their training and doctrine to be the true defenders of Haqqislam! Categorically, if the Ghulam have failed in their mission during my games, it has been the fault of their Commander, not that of the boots on the ground!
Until the next time - I wish you the very best in leading the Swift and Deadly Spear of the Haqqislamite Army to Victory!
Until the next time - I wish you the very best in leading the Swift and Deadly Spear of the Haqqislamite Army to Victory!
The Veteran's Word
In The Veteran's Word I write down experiences and tactics that I did
not include when I released the article originally. I will separate
these additions into a subpart of their own, instead of adding them to the
main text, as to make it easier for readers who've already read the article
to find the new additions!
- The Ghulam's Gambit. This is a tactic I've had such success with that I just had to write it down! This ploy sees the RTF player field a Ghulam Lieutenant and a Lieutenant body double. The idea is to entice the opponent to go for the wrong Lieutenant, and then punish them for it. Employing decoy LTs isn't a new tactic to be sure, but in "Ghulam's Gambit" you intentionally lure the enemy to come close to your not-actual-commander. How do you achieve this? Well, that'll depend on your Opponent! Against an opponent unfamiliar with me, I've found best success arranging heavier guard detachment (though easier access) to my decoy than the actual Lieutenant, though the situation may call for (especially against a familiar Opponent) the use of double or even trible bluffs! If your opponent gets their (propably pretty valuable) assassin to your fake commander, Shotgun template them for their trouble! Quite often the enemy will be unable to have enough Orders to actually attack your decoy (especially on the first turn), but their aggressive piece(s) will be left in your Ghulam's close proximity - there's no way a Lieutenant (or a decoy for that matter) would attack them, right? Once you've managed to lure the enemy in, instead of trying to rescue your Ghulam, charge the opposing piece(s) with your decoy in your active turn, and double Direct Template them (or shoot with the +6 mod if they Dodge) to reap your rewards! Just in my last game this tactic paid of hugely, with my 11 point Ghulam taking out two Karhus and a Fusilier from a Svalarheima Core Fireteam that went for my throat! Also keep in mind that you can also charge out with your actual Lieutenant if his/her death is all but guaranteed anyway, and/or the potential rewards for doing so are very high!
2/1/2021 Edit. Added the picture of the converted Ghulam NCO with Grenade Launcher.
30/3/2021 Edit. Replaced the last picture of the article.
15/4/2021 Edit. Added "The Ghulam's Gambit" to The Veteran's Word subsection of the article.
16/4/2021 Edit. Corrected a number of spelling mistakes and poor wording choices to (hopefully) improve the reading experience.
16/4/2021 Edit. Corrected a number of spelling mistakes and poor wording choices to (hopefully) improve the reading experience.
6/6/2021 Edit. Added the picture for the Ghulam's Gambit.
10/4/2022 Edit. Updated the article to the post Fireteam Update era.
Ah, Ghulams... I loved them when they were 13 pts (and 1 SWC for the lieutenant!), look how good they've become! They totally deserved it (and I agree, they're the best line infantry in the game)
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