Advice on 1st purchase

[DarkLink]

Coincidentally, I just started PanO, mostly vanilla/neoterra. PanO's TAGs are pretty beastly, and they've got some pretty sweet heavy infantry. 8 games in atm. You need order monkeys, though. That pretty much means you might as well get the starter pack, you'll get your basic dudes you can use to generate orders, and then grab the specific models you need from there, and you can be at 300pts for a minimal investment. Though I've found that, given the opportunity, even a random Fusilier can go on a murderous rampage if your opponent leaves an opening you can exploit. Even heavy infantry doesn't like it when a BS12 combi-rifle pops up behind them and starts unloading into them.

[scadugenga]

I almost went PanO (and I do have a small budding force, thanks mostly to tourney win prizes) but the stupid backwards banana mag on the combi-rifles really throws me off, for some reason.

They do have the coolest Remotes outside of the Nomads though. The Peacemaker looks amazing. Of course, I imagine it's just a major PITA to put together as the Sputniks.

[chromedog]

I've got 4 factions.
Started with PanO. Yes, they have pretty average willpower (Haqq has the GOOD willpower) but they do have almost godlike shooting abilities. They have the most TAGs - and although I dislike giantfightingrobo mecha - the TAGs of Infinity are more "heavy gear" size than "gundam".

Next up was my JSA - because ninja. You can run 4 'regular' ninja as well as 3 oniwaban (and shinobu kitsune) in that force if you want to (but you'll be north of 300pts to do so).
Next up was Aleph. Pure vanilla - I like the Asuras and Devas too much to go full greek (while the myrmidons are cool, and the officer, I don't like Ajax or most of the named characters (Eudoros, Machaon, etc) - Penny is an exception. Hot girl on bike is always going to go in my collection.
Last I got QK. I started with a blister of alguaciles (prize from a tourney) and then a blister of ghulams (another prize).
Then added Scarface and cordy, some Kaplans, some Druze, some yuan-yuan, and the Iguana.

Yes, I've used Scarface and Iggy in the same force. Didn't work out too well for my opponent, though.