Captain Haqqislam: Lore and Tactics of Tarik Mansuri

So before we get into the main article about Captain Haqqislam, just wanted to say that there may be a slow down in how quickly I get these articles out and that is because the Sword of Haqqislam now has a wonderful editor who you may know as Terrordactyl over on the forums. I am a fallible human and I know my grammar isn't the greatest so you may have noticed that my last article was a bit more polished than the others and that is thanks to Haqqislamite Commander Terrordactyl so wanted to take this time to thank him for making the Sword of Haqqislam even better. Without further delay, let's meet Captain Haqqislm! - Envihon

Tarik Mansuri, Khawarij Amir, is one unit I hear a lot of people ask about, which is why I thought to write this article on the man who I have come to call Captain Haqqislam. The model itself is still one of the best Haqqislam models out there even with the newer stuff Corvus Belli has produced and he does have a great stat line on top of the awesome lore that makes him a compelling character within the Infinity universe. Just reading through the Haqqislam section of the N3 book, you stumble over a lot of his quotes that help characterize what Haqqislam is and how they make war. It is no wonder that a lot of people want to know how to use him on the table. He is an expensive unit but he puts those points to use. Now, let's dive into who Tarik is and why he is so important to Haqqislam.

Captain Haqqislam: The Living Ideals of Haqqislam

The similarities between Captain America (one of my favorite super heroes, by the way) and Tarik Mansuri isn't just in the fact that they both are super soliders and that both got huge after their transformation. Just like Captain America embodies the ideals of America in his character, Tarik does the same for Haqqislam. Just like Captain America, Tarik has become a symbol to his people, becoming something that everyone within the nation strives to be. The way he is characterized in the N3 Core Book from his description, and the couple of quotes found in it, he carries the Haqqislamite emphasis on the power of humanity over the reliance of machines and technology. To Tarik, the only way to truly win a war is through the courage and willpower of humanity. One quote attributed to him conveys the sentiment that you may have all the technology in the world, but if you don't have the courage and willpower of humanity, you don't have what it takes to truly win the war, which may or may not be a subtle jab at the Hyperpowers over-reliance on technology to do the work for them. Either way, just like Haqqislam, Tarik sees technology as useful tool for humanity to use, bu,t becoming too reliant on it can have a number of consequences, like laziness, and a lack of drive to actually fight. Tarik even goes so far as to lament the innovation of plastic weapons, because you lose the ability to properly bash an enemy in close quarters and, when you try to, you will more than likely shatter the weapon in the process. Although, that may just be something Tarik has to deal with because of his super strength.

By reading further into the N3 core book you will find that Tarik was one of the earliest participants of the Runihura program. He is also one of the most successful because the program turned him into the hulking beast of a man that he became. Prior to the procedure, Tarik was already quite well suited to receive the Runihura, because we are told that Tarik was not only in peak physical condition, but he also already had a superior metabolism, so he was seen as the ideal candidate. Tarik's results have never been repeated and from the way it is written, no one has quite figured out why. All that they know is that the process interacted uniquely with Tarik's body to produce the results that it did. Whether this has to do with Tarik's pre-conditions or something else is never disclosed, and with Tarik being the only one who responded as well as he did to the treatment, it's hard to nail down why Tarik's body reacted so well that it made him into a hulk of a man, able to stare down Ajax as a fellow S5 human without the benefit of power armor. The Runihura didn't just make Tarik into a colossus of a man either, it has also slowed down his aging and allowed him to stay in peak physical condition. He is an agile warrior, able to dispatch enemies quickly and efficiently.

Tarik's strengths don't just lie in his superior physical attributes either. Just like his fellow Khawarij, Tarik is well learned and a brilliant tactician. The Runihura, in addition to enhancing his physical abilities, was able to focus his mind as well. He is able to maintain a clear mind even in the most dire of situations and his senses are honed, allowing him to be an asset in the field and in the command tent. Between deployments, Tarik is often seen as an instructor for Haqqislam military training since he is the best that they have to offer. To say that Tarik is the most successful soldier of the Runihura is an understatement.

Tarik Tactics: Heavy Infantry Masquerading as Light Infantry

With a long list of accolades like that, you have to wonder if he performs that well in the actual game. Short answer? Yes. I often see many people asking how best to use Tarik in game. He's got an awesome model and an awesome stat line but people still sometimes come off confused exactly where he sits in the grand scheme of things, and whether the amount of points he takes is actually worth it. To start this off you have to realize one thing: Tarik is not actually Light Infantry. I know, you are going to say but Army lists him as Light Infantry! Yeah, and Army is lying to you. Look at his stat line and then compare it to other light infantry but then go take a look at Haqqislamite Heavy Infantry. You will discover that Tarik has way more in common with Heavy Infantry, despite what his Type is listed as. This is my first piece of advice for anyone wanting to use Tarik: Stop thinking of him as Light Infantry and start thinking of him as Non-Hackable Heavy Infantry because that is what he truly is. With that, let's jump into his stats and then break down the loadouts Tarik gets.

So, Tarik may be expensive, but at least you get a lot of good stuff for all those points. To start off, Tarik's statline is this: 6-4 MOV, CC 23, BS 13, PH 14, WIP 15, ARM 3, BTS 3, W 2, S 5 along with Martial Arts Level 1, Bioimmunity, Kinematika 1, Super Jump, Religious Troop and Poison. Before getting into the various weapon sets that Tarik has available let's just unpack everything right here first.

Right off the bat, that 6-4 movement is huge when it comes to moving Tarik up the board and getting him in range to do what Tarik does best, which is eliminating enemy opposition. In addition, it gives him a 6 inch cautious movement so it's a lot easier to get him up the board without taking AROs. Combine this with the fact that Martial Arts gives you Stealth along with all that and Tarik becomes quite scary for your opponent indeed. The biggest thing to watch about moving Tarik around the board though is his S5 profile. Be mindful of this so that you don't take unexpected AROs due to the bigger profile. It will take some practice in judging what gives full cover to Tarik, but once you get used to using him, his mobility is great at getting reliably into Tarik's threat range. Combine this with super jump (See my article on the Khawarij for super jump tips. Tarik has even better use of super jump because of stealth as well so take advantage of that!) and Tarik is one of the most mobile units in Infinity. If you take a reliable source of smoke, Tarik becomes quite dangerous to your opponent. (Mutts, Muyib and Al Fasid are all great options. The Al Fasid is my favorite to take with Tarik because of the hammer and anvil concept but it is expensive and the Muyib would save you on both points and SWC. Just remember though, this is for vanilla. Right now, the only smoke we know of in the Ramah Taskforce is the Al Fasid. The two in combo is expensive, but it is also a pain train.

Tarik's BS skill lines up with his fellow Khawarij so we know that he can hit what he shoots with that BS 13. Where Tarik gets better than your average Khawarij is that that he actually gets Martial Arts Level 1 along with a better CC of 23. Martial Arts adds +1 damage to Tarik's already impressive PH of 14 so when Tarik hits, he hits like a truck at damage 15, and that goes for his Poison as well. Add onto this that every profile of Tarik comes with a DA CCW. That means that if you are facing an enemy with wounds, they have to take a double hit to their armor but also a hit on the BTS all at damage 15...that is brutal. Tarik in close combat is a terror to behold and he can get there. I would not get stuck on only trying to get him into close combat, though, because he can shoot well enough and hit what he is shooting, but if the opportunity presents itself, do it and make your opponent pay for allowing him to get so close.

Unfortunately, Tarik doesn't get as much out of Bioimmunity as his smaller counterparts since he is both ARM and BTS 3 with 2 wounds but hey, only having to make one roll for viral ammunition is still pretty awesome. Kinematica 1 is nice for getting him up the board on your Reactive turn or getting him into safer places and having a PH 14, Tarik dodges pretty well when you need him to. Religious Troop is kind of invalidated by having Courage through Martial Arts but hey, it fits with the lore. Tarik also has a high WIP of 15 which only really comes in use if you decide to have Tarik as your LT. And that's it, Tarik has a lot to use just in his stats which is why I said he's not really Light Infantry, he has all the benefits of Heavy Infantry with none of the drawbacks like being Hackable.

Tarik's Weapons of War

In Army, it will show that Tarik has four different loadouts, but there are only two differences between the four. There are two different main weapons Tarik can take: AP Rifle + Light Shotgun, and a Spitfire. Each of those has an LT option, making the four loadouts. If you take the AP Rifle + Light Shotgun as an LT, you get +1 SWC which off the cuff may seem really useful, but Haqqislam has cheaper SWC costs compared to other armies. Not Ariadna cheap, but definitely not any reason to feel pressured to take this option. Honestly, I don't like taking Tarik as an LT option unless I have a Farzan with Chain of Command along too. Tarik is a high risk unit and if your opponent wants to take him down, they can. It’s not worth Loss of LT. I prefer the Spitfire version because it greatly extends the threat range of Tarik allowing you to use him as a toolbox of death to either shoot at a distance or take an enemy out in close quarters depending on how the match is going and Tarik's placement on the board. The only time I would take the AP Rifle version is for the LT version to get +1 SWC, but I have never felt the need for more SWC so Tarik is usually rocking a Spitfire. The AP Rifle is 0 SWC and 2 points less than the Spitfire, but if you are taking Tarik, he is there for one reason.

With the main weapon, Tarik gets a Nanopulser, Grenades, a Pistol and. as I pointed out before. a DA CCW. We already went over how devastating Tarik is at close combat. but what you need to remember are his Nanopulser and Grenades. With a PH 14, Tarik can reliably speculative fire grenades to take out units you can't see around corners. The Nanopulser is nice to help make your opponent make hard decisions by making them decide between wanting to shoot back or dodge if you confront an enemy in the range of the Nanopulser.

There is a lot that Tarik brings to the table and his job is the same as his fellow Khawarij; he is a hunter. As a hunter, he has tons of things that help him complete his job of hunting down pesky units that you want eliminated. To me, he is well worth his points and I have never regretted taking him. He lives up to his legend that is presented in the lore, Tarik "the Man" Mansuri is a badass who will terrorize your enemy because he is a durable unit with unbelievable killing power. If you haven't, take Captain Haqqislam out for a spin. Have him be that elite unit that you build a list around. I promise you won't be disappointed. Until next time, my friend, continue to seek knowledge.

Under the Red Turban: The History and Inspiration of the Khawarij

I have been quiet for a few weeks due to some things coming up but now the Sword of Haqqislam is back with something that I promised back in the tactics of the Khawarij, the lore and history behind the Red Turbans of Haqqislam. This post took a little longer due to the extensive history behind the Khawarij, including the historical Khawarij, the history behind the Mu'tazilah movement (the sect of Islam that the Khawarij of Infinity follow) and the fact that who the Khawarij are in Haqqislam is tied to the background of the faction because of the reformation that Islam went through to become Haqqislam in the Infinity universe. Without further delay, let's dive into the rich history and lore of the Khawarij. 

The Historical Khawarij

I thought we would first start with the actual history because to understand who the Khawarij are now in Infinity, it's important to look back at who the Khawarij were in history and see how Corvus Belli took this concept and made it into the super soldier badasses of humanism we know. The origins of the Khawarij actually goes back to almost the beginnings of Islam. They formed after the death of the Prophet when it came to deciding who would lead Islam now that the Prophet had passed on. Those familiar with this time period will know that this is where the main divide of Sunni and Shi'ite happens within Islam which revolves around mainly about who was to succeed the Prophet as the leader of Islam. The Sunni believing that the Prophet never designated an actual successor and a successor should then be chosen by the people while the Shi'ite believing that the Prophet appointed his son-in-law to succeed him as Imam. The group that would become know as the Khawarij agreed with the Sunni but disagreed in the way that the leader should be chosen. 

The Sunni wanted to choose the successor through arbitration, a method that the Khawarij opposed and they opposed it violently because through arbitration its the people who decide the successor, a decision that the Khawarij believed only God could make. How did they think God chose a successor? Through the outcome of a battle since it was God who would choose the victor. They believed that anyone could be an Imam and lead a community as long as he stayed pious and infallible because if they sinned, it was the duty of the Muslims in the community to rise up and dispose of them in favor of a new Imam. These beliefs made them more violent than other sects which lead to assassination attempts in their history. They also invoked takfir, a form of excommunication where a Muslim declares another self-described Muslim as a non-believer. Some said that any sin made one a non-believer while others said that it had to be a major sin. 

As we can see the historical Khawarij practiced an extreme version of Islam that wasn't well received by the other sects at the time. Their willingness to invoke takfir has actually lead some modern radical elements to have some of these doctrines rise again. Any fan of Infinity lore will know that this vision of the Khawarij greatly contrasts not only the humanistic ideals of Haqqislam but also the brotherhood of the red turbans. The fictional reformation of Islam into Haqqislam is a big part of this but the Khawarij isn't just this historical Khawarij because Corvus Belli did a clever thing by taking this historical account and combining it with another piece of Islamic history: the Mu'tazilah movement. The Khawaij of Infinity are not just warriors but they are scholars as well. 

Mu'tazilah: Logic and Reasoning Become Moral Pillars

The Mu'tazilah is a Sunni school of theology in which those who ascribed to it gave more weight to philosophy allowing logic and reasoning to determine morality instead of the rigid Hadith and Shariah. This movement had its rise around the 8th century but then declined into obscurity around the 10th century due to its radical and what many conservative scholars saw as heretical, beliefs. 

The Mu'tazilites had a preoccupation with the concepts of divine justice and divine unity. Traditionally, Islam not only draws its morality from the Qu'ran but also from the Hadith and the Shariah, from which many of the concepts of divine justice and, thus divine unity derive themselves in Islamic society. The Mu'tazilites' outright rejected this thought process. They believed that good and evil were not to be determined through scripture or divine revelation. In Islam, knowledge is considered divine and this is where the Mu'tazilites drew their belief that morality, concepts of good and evil, divine justice, etc could be determined through unaided reason. Since knowledge is derived from reason itself, reasoning should be the final say when determining whether something is morally good or morally evil. Their school of Kalam (Islamic theological school) put forth that God's authority could be reached through rational thought alone and not the sacred scriptures of the Hadith and Shariah which, to the Mu'tazilites, were not verifiable as true hence why they were critical of them. The obligations and what is just in a religion should be determined through logic and reasoning because it is the most effective means to do so under this precedent. 

As you may see though, this is what drew anger from many of the conservative religious scholars and Imams of the time. Such thought threatened their power and they actively spoke out against it. This would eventually lead to the decline of the Mu'tazilah school of Kalam in the 10th century and many of their writings were destroyed to prevent any others from ever resurrecting the school. Many of the modern reformist movements occurring currently, however, draw from much of the same ideas that the Mu'tazilites put forward during this time, and so those thoughts are slowly coming back as modernist movements try to reform Islam. Many of them have not identified themselves as Mu'tazilite but their ideas no less align with this Kalam school. There are a few though who consider themselves neo-Mu'tazilite and are actively trying to use this reforming to resurrect the school. It is from here that we transition from our historical account to the lore of Infinity because it is these ideas of reformation and the resurrection of Mu'tazilah that lay the foundation of Haqqislam itself. 

Before we go on though, I would like to say that there is a rich history for both these subjects that I could in no way cover in a blog post. If these piqued your interest, I would suggest researching them. For me, it has lead down a rabbit hole of intrigue. For my Mu'tazilah studies, the book that has been most influential is: The Defenders of Reason in Islam which is a fascinating book that tells not only the history, core beliefs but also the modern movements surrounding the Mu'tazilah school of thought. Now after that little aside, on with Infinity. 

The Rise of Haqqislam

To understand who the Khawarij are in Infinity, we first have to understand the rise of Haqqislam because as our historical depiction suggests, the Khawarij in Infinity certainly are a long way from the Khawarij of history. This is because with the rise of Haqqislam came a fundamental shift in Islamic thinking. Taking a look at the entry within the Infinity N3 Corebook, we learn that Farhad Khadivar, the founder of Haqqislam, expressly rejected all the former foundations of Islamic law, the Hadith, the Shariah, etc,  
to create a form of Islam that focused more on Knowledge as the precedent for Islam. He thought that they did not fit with the Qu'ran's humanistic values and allowed for corrupt individuals to seize power by abusing these laws in order for them to take control for themselves.  

As we now know, this sparks a fire within the Islamic world and Khadivar's ideas take root as people start to champion his cause. Eventually a new movement under these new ideals emerges: HaqqMu'tazilah. The HaqqMu'tazilites speak out against the conservative ideas that have wrecked so much havoc putting forth their rationalist ideals are more suited for the modern times. Conservative regimes fight back against this rising tide and even succeed in eventually assassinating Khadivar but all this does is create a bigger push back until they are defeated and the Islamic world unites under the banner of Haqqislam to become a global power on Earth thus allowing for a new Golden Age of Islam to emerge again. This is the environment from which new Khawarij emerges and the ideals that these warrior scholars will champion. 

The New Khawarij

Instead of violent extremists fighting for their strict view of Islam, these neo, Haqq if you will, Khawarij were founded by HaqqMu'tazilite Sages who were looking for a protective force to protect Haqqislam from not only foreign powers trying to destabilize the budding nation but also from those within who wish to reverse the Haqqislam movement. These sages created warrior scholars who strictly adhere to the principles of the HaqqMu'tazilah to form the Khawarij. To be selected to become a Red Turban, one must show their dedication to Haqqislam and their willingness to defend it to the death, a feat that is not easily done because they are highly selective in who gets this honor. After selected, they go through the Runihura program to become super soldiers augmenting their already considerable combat training. These aren't merely front line soldiers though. They are some of the best versed scholars in Haqqislam who study as much as they fight making themselves valuable not only in combat operations but also as leaders and advisers. They have a strict honor code bound in the ideals of HaqqMu'tazilah and will not violate these under any circumstance because they believe that as long as one does not stray from the Word of Allah, Haqqislam can not fall. This is how people have come to look up to them in the highest regard for their scholarly insights as well as their formidable fighting prowess. 

This is how we see the merging of the historical Khawarij with the historical Mu'tazilah movement to create an awesome unit within Infinity. Corvus Belli took a sect of Islam that doesn't have the best past in Islamic history to make it into an honorable warrior who is a champion of humanistic ideals, an aggressor into a defender something that I extremely admire which makes delving into the historical inspiration for these units so fulfilling. The Khawarij are one of my favorite units when it comes to their lore and background which is why I wrote a post finding ways to use them in game. A unit that has an awesome background like this deserves to be used, and shown off, to show why Haqqislam is awesome and why you don't want to mess with it's defenders. Until next time, my friend, continue to seek knowledge.