The Ships of the Desert - Kameels in RTF

THE SHIPS OF THE DESERT - Kameels 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.

 

As the brunt of the fighting done by Ramah Taskforce is borne by elite infantry operatives, the Remotes of the force are mostly relegated to support duties. Where the Murafeq Remotes specialize in providing tactical support, the apply named Kameels ("camels") offer (mostly) logistic support to RTF strike teams.

They Aren't Nicknamed 'Ships' for Nothing

As you'd expect from an equipment hauling robotic unit named after a beast of burden, Kameels are quite a lot bulkier than their speedy Murafeq counterparts. With MOV 4-4 and S 4 (and the accompanying rather huge base), the Kameels aren't going anywhere in a hurry. They sport moderate BS 11 (which is of consequence only for the single armed profile), but decent ARM 2 and BTS 3, making them somewhat sturdy. WIP 13 is mostly important only for Resets against enemy Hackers, though there technically is a Specialist profile also available!

 

The Kameels have the standard triumvirate of REM skills; Courage (these humble mechanical servants will lay their "lives" on the line if commanded to do so), Remote Presence (and thus two levels of unconcious) and Immunity (Shock) (which allows for them to take advantage of the said two levels on unconcious even against Shock weapons).

All in all, the historical nickname given to the Camels of old also applies rather well to the Kameels of Infinity - these REMs feel just about as nimble as ships to maneuver around the battlefield... Luckily their tactical role rarely requires long treks anyway!

Please Idenfity User and Submit Resupply Request

The Kameels are basically defined by their Baggage piece of equipment. This piece of kit allows for friendly units to resupply their Disposable equipment stacks back to maxium levels by spending a Full Order while in the Zone of Control of one or more of these Remotes. This means Mines and Panzerfausts aplenty for all those in need! Baggage also allows for the Kameels to count as extra 20 points worth of troops for the sake of controlling Zones of Operations in some missions, and I've won games on the back of this benefit! The robotic beasts of burden come in three very distinct flavours:

Deactivator, Repeater - 8pts

The "standard" Kameel is basically brought along as a cheap Regular Order, and a source of Baggage, whether the latter be as a reservoir of expendable weapons, or as a "counts as" 28 point model waiting to be moved to a nearby Quadrant (although, if you're only going for an Order, you should propably get a Fanous (if AVA allows for it), as the "lamb" provides a decent Flashpulse ARO for a point less). The Repeater can catch opponents offguard - remember to capitalize on it with any Hackers your force includes, if enemies stray close! The Deactivator is more of an afterthough - it's pretty rare for a Kameel to be able to set their sights on a non-Camouflaged Mine in order to remove it, and it's propably not a good idea to spend Orders to go hunting for ones either...

 

EVO Hacking Device - 15pts/0,5SWC

In addition to being a Baggage Bot, this Kameel version is a (slow, large and unarmed) Hacker Specialist. The EVO is purely a supporting Hacking option, that helps Hackable targets with Firewalls, Remotes with Burst 2 AROs or Marksmanship, and challenges enemy Drop Troops with a -3 PH mod (this is the only benefit Controlled Jump awards, as Ramah itself lacks Combat Jumpers). You aren't breaking the bank to get this robot, but you really require atleast a moderate presense of other REMs (or a very specific set of circumstances) in order to justify taking this piece!

Rifle, Light Shotgun, Total Reaction, Repeater - 18pts

A cheaper, more durable, yet shorter ranged option for when you're considering a Shihab. While the Kameel loses hitting power and reach, it does incorporate a Repeater, which makes applying both supportive and offensive Hacking more easy. This is the most (read only) aggressive Baggage Bot RTF has access to, so I find myself considering picking this Kameel for Quadrant controlling missions, or when I have to shed some points and choose to replace the Shihab. Interestingly, the Total Reaction Kameel sports a Light Shotgun, which opens fun possibilities, especially when combined with Assisted Fire and tight spaces...

Requested Destination and Allocated Travel Time Incompatible, Please Issue New Command

The Kameel Remotes are as much a dedicated support unit as you'll find in RTF. Two of the three profiles are basically unarmed, and none of them are something you'd bring along just as stand alone pieces. This means that the Mission being played, and what other troops you choose to include in your list, will determine the value of any Kameels you may decide to bring along.

All of the Kameels facilitate tactics involving copious amounts of expandable weapons being used, thanks to their Baggage. While RTF does have a decent amount of troops armed with Mines, most of these troops are either working their magic up the field, or don't require restocking (there are only so many Mines you need to place on your Deployment Zone!), so spamming these types of munitions is usually out of the question. Ramah does however, have access to the excellent (and cheap!) Ghulam Panzerfaust profile (as well as couple of Hortlak Janissary picks with the Blitzen), which does open two ways of printing money when combined with the Kameel. The first is the less resource consuming way; just have your Ghulams (or Hortlaks!) unload their disposable weapons at enemies (mostly) on the reactice turn, and let any survivors top themselves off from a nearby Baggage Bot! The second, more aggressive option, is to have your Panzerfaust troopers focus down tough ARO pieces with volleys of Coordinated anti-tank weapons - you can even Coordinate a resupply if needed! While I have had success with this strategy, it requires sacrifices in the list building part of your game, careful deployment and anticipation of opposing deployment, and even when executed perfectly, it incurs a heavy toll in Command Tokens spent and casualties suffered. Consider bringing the Ghulam Lieutenant with +1 CMD Token if you choose this approach!

 

If you're already planning on bringing a multitude of Murafeq Remotes, you might also consider bringing the EVO Kameel. If you've read my article on the Zhayedans, you know how important Marksmanship is when it comes winning gunfights! Boosting the Rafiq or the Shihab to an effective BS 14 is great, especially on the latter, because the TR Bot can take advantage of Burst 4 on both the active and the reactive turn! Just remember to think your deployment through properly; while the Rafiq, Fanous and Total Reaction Kameel do carry Repeaters (and thus can be buffed by an EVO deployed anywhere), the Shihab does not - as such the Hacker Kameel should propably set up shop near the HMG dotting guardian robot! The EVO can also boost the ARO Burst of friendly REMs to 2, and a reactive turn double Light Shotgun from the Rafiq or a double Flashpulse from the Fanous can be a nasty surprise to the enemy!

 

The EVO Kameel can also be a measure of defense against enemy Combat Jumpers, by imposing a -3 on their PH roll with the Controlled Jump ARO - but ponder carefully whether imposing this penalty is worth it if you have any Supportware active on friendly targets, as declaring Controlled Jump will cancel your other program from play! If you're running lot's of Hackable targets against infowar heavy opposition, or a number of Heavy Infantry against the Tohaa, Fairydust can go a long way towards helping you stave off any Comms Attacks coming your way, by imposing a -3 mod on enemy attack rolls, and a +3 BTS mod on your saving rolls! While the Kameel is as cumbersome as they come, this beast of burden can also be employed as a Specialist of opportunity if the situation so dictates (that is, attrition has been heavy among your more active Specialists). As a last note, remember that friendly Repeaters make your EVO Hacker susceptible to enemy Hackers, and the poor robot's only course of action against enemy cyber attacks is to Reset!

While all the Kameels can be tasked with providing points for securing Quadrants (or Objective Rooms/other Zones of Operation), the Total Reaction version is probably the best suited for the task, as it can defend itself at close ranges, and (effectively) outcost most fast moving enemy solo pieces, with it's counts as point cost of 38! The EVO can also add 35 points to a zone, while the 28 points of the Deactivator version might not cut it against many Parachutists and Combat Jumpers. Most of the time moving the Kameel(s) beyond the Quadrants closest to your DZ doesn't come to question, but you really shouldn't have logistic support troops spearheading assaults anyway!

Let's Set Up Camp for the Night

Back in the days of N3, with no restriction on the number of Order generating models players could bring, it was depressively common to see maxium AVA Baggage Bots (and Flashpulse Bots!) in many lists. This felt not only powergamey, but also unimmersive - why would a crack team of elite spec ops operatives have a whole Baggage train trailing behind them?

Luckily, those days are far gone! In the present, we only bring the Kameel(s) along for the mission if the situation calls for dedicated logistic, and at times to a lesser extend, tactical support. Best not underestimate these Remotes though - I've won games simply by the virtue of having some (positive) Baggage along!

Until the next time - I wish you the very best in leading the Swift and Deadly Spear of the Haqqislamite Army to Victory!

 

 

26/4/2021 Edit. Fixed some language mistakes and added links to the text.

26/4/2022 Edit. Gave the article a post Fireteam Update glance fixing a couple of language issues.