The US Paragon Programme

Paragon Units are the United States’ elite enhanced infantry in Konflikt ’47, representing the pinnacle of the secretive US Paragon Programme. This Rift-tech genetic and biological enhancement program (based in a classified Nevada facility, often linked to Area 51 in lore) creates super-soldiers with improved strength, speed, resilience, and capabilities — the American answer to Axis horrors like Nachtjäger.

Lore Background

• Volunteers come from elite branches (Rangers, Marines, Airborne).
• Success rate is low (~5%), with many “failures” feeding into Paragon Support Units (PSUs) — still highly trained veterans led by a full Paragon NCO.
• Paragons handle high-risk commando raids, disruption missions, monster-hunting (especially vs. German enhanced troops), and deep reconnaissance.
• Public heroes in US propaganda (newsreels, comics), but their enhancements can unsettle regular troops.
• Famous example: ‘Slammer’ Samuels (Captain Harris Samuels), the first major success — a Ranger hero enhanced with Tesla gauntlet and leadership prowess.

Main Unit: Paragon Squad (Core Rules from Latest US Army List)

• Type: Specialist Infantry (Rift Unit), Veteran.
• Composition: 1 Paragon NCO + 2 Paragons (minimum 3 models). Can add up to 3 more (max 6).
• Base Cost: 84 points for the core squad.
• Movement: Fast (8″/16″ Advance/Run) or standard 6″/12″.
• Quality: Veteran, Damage Value 6+, Morale 10.
• Standard Weapons: SMGs.
• Key Special Rules:
  • Heavy
  • Fast
  • Infiltrator
  • Tank Hunters
• Rift Dice: 1 (or 2 if taking Heavy Tesla Rifles).

Active Rift Ability — Gung Ho! (once per turn when issued an Order): Generate 1 Guts point. Any model in the squad can spend Guts as if they were a Hero (e.g., for re-rolls, extra actions, or mitigating pins). Unused Guts persist turn-to-turn. Using this exhausts one Rift Die after the Order.

• Surging Bonus: Gain Fearless.
• Exhausted Penalty: Lose Fast.

Options (highly customizable):

• Additional Paragons (+28 pts each, up to 3).
• Heavy Tesla Rifles (+6 pts, up to 2 per squad) — powerful arc weapons.
• Infantry Flamethrower (1 per squad).
• Paragon Close Combat Weapons (up to 6, +2 pts each) — Deadly (2) and +1 Pen in melee.
• Squad-wide upgrades: ATRDs, Fanatics, Engineers.

Paragon Support Units (PSUs)

Playstyle & Tactics

• Elite hit-and-run/assault: Infiltrators with speed, durability (Damage 6+), and Guts generation make them excellent for flanking, objective grabs, clearing monsters, or holding key positions.
• Versatile loadouts: Tesla for anti-infantry/arc damage, flamethrowers/CC for close work, Tank Hunters for vehicles.
• Synergy: Pair with Fireflies (jump troops) for mobility, walkers for heavy support, or regular infantry for numbers. Gung Ho! helps the whole army via Guts sharing.
• Rift Management: Time Gung Ho! carefully — the squad is strong but loses mobility when exhausted.
• Community feedback: Strong performers, especially in small elite squads. Good in mid-range combat and adaptable. Some note Guts nerfs in updates may adjust spamming, but they remain solid.

Guts generation via Paragons’ Gung Ho! ability gives the US player (and specifically the Paragon squad) a powerful, flexible edge by granting Hero-like capabilities to non-Hero models. This creates tactical versatility, better activation control, and improved resilience — all for the cost of expending a Rift Die after the order.

What Guts Do (Hero Mechanics)

Any model with access to Guts points (normally Heroes, but Paragons temporarily gain this) can spend them for:

• Modify a die roll: +1 or -1 to any single roll made by or against the model (after rolling). Multiple points can stack on one roll (up to limits like max 6 or min 1).
• Extra activation: Return the unit’s Order Die (or a friendly unit’s within 6″) back to the dice bag. This lets the unit (or nearby ally) activate again later in the same turn. (FAQ limits: only once per unit per turn via Guts.)
• Survival: If the model would be removed as a casualty, roll a D6 + remaining Guts. On 7+, it stays on the table and loses 1 Guts instead.

Unused Guts from Paragons persist turn-to-turn, making them a renewable resource as long as the squad has Rift Dice available.

How Gung Ho! Works for Paragons

• Once per Game Turn, when the Paragon squad is issued an Order: Generate 1 Guts point.
• Any model in the squad can spend it as a Hero.
• After the squad completes its Order, exhaust one Rift Die.
• Surging bonus: Often grants additional benefits like Fearless (exact details in the US list).
• Exhausted penalty: The squad typically loses “Fast” movement until the die recovers.

Tactical Edge This Provides

1. Activation Superiority Chain extra moves/shoots/assaults on your elite squad or support a nearby key unit (e.g., a walker, officer, or another Paragon team). Combined with US mobility (Fireflies, jump walkers) and platoon commanders’ bonus Guts, this lets you dominate dice flow, react to threats, or double-tap objectives.
2. Combat & Survival Boost
   • Re-roll or adjust critical shooting/melee/morale tests.
   • Tank more damage in prolonged fights or against scary Axis monsters.
   • Keep your expensive Veterans alive longer.
3. Flexibility & Synergy
   • Share Guts with nearby units via a Hero or commander.
   • Use on offense (push harder) or defense (rally/pivot after pins).
   • Multiple Paragon squads or ‘Slammer’ Samuels (who has strong personal Guts) amplify this across the army.
4. Risk-Reward with Rift Dice The exhaustion cost is real (temporary loss of speed/mobility), so timing is key — save for decisive turns rather than every activation. This fits US hit-and-run/mobile doctrine perfectly.

Overall, Guts generation turns Paragons into “mini-Heroes” that punch way above their points cost. It rewards smart list-building (multiple small Paragon teams + officers) and gives the US player more “heroic moments” without needing many actual Heroes. This is a big part of why US lists feel dynamic and aggressive compared to other factions.

Situations & Actions to Avoid

1. Static Defense or Prolonged Firefights in the Open Paragons excel at mobility and aggressive play. Staying put in open terrain invites concentrated fire from heavy weapons, artillery, or Tesla/Gravity weapons. Use Infiltrators to start forward and Fast movement to reposition or close distance quickly. Once the Rift Die is Exhausted, they lose Fast (becoming vulnerable to being outmaneuvered).
2. Exposing Themselves to Heavy Anti-Infantry or Area Weapons Early
   • Mortars, howitzers, flamethrowers, or automatic fire (e.g., British Automated Infantry HMGs, Axis gravity pulses) can pin or whittle them down despite their toughness.
   • Avoid bunching up — they are still infantry and susceptible to templates or high-volume shooting before they can use Guts effectively.
3. Charging into Unsoftened Heavy Combat Units Without Support
   • While they have strong melee options (Paragon Close Combat Weapons for Deadly hits) and Guts for re-rolls/survival, avoid blind assaults into fresh Axis monsters (e.g., Nachtjäger, Schreckwulfen, Totenkorps hordes), Japanese Shibito, or Soviet Ursus/Moroz units.
   • Soften targets with shooting (especially Heavy Tesla Rifles for arcs) or supporting fire first. Guts help in prolonged fights, but bad dice or numbers can still overwhelm them.
4. Over-Reliance on Gung Ho! / Early Rift Exhaustion Generating Guts is powerful for extra activations or survival, but it exhausts a Rift Die. Avoid spamming it every turn — time it for decisive moments (key objective push, surviving a big hit, or chaining activations with nearby units). Exhausted Paragons lose mobility and become easier targets.
5. Isolated Deep Strikes Without Extraction Plan Their infiltrator/fast nature tempts solo heroics, but without support (e.g., Fireflies for distraction, walkers for backup, or regular infantry screens), they can be surrounded and ground down. Plan for fallback or use Guts to reactivate and reposition.

Units/Opponents They Struggle Against (Relatively)

• Heavy Walkers/Tanks with Good Armor (e.g., Axis heavy walkers, Soviet Mastodon): Tank Hunters helps, but dedicated anti-tank or high-penetration weapons can still threaten them if caught in the open.
• High-Volume Pinning Fire (mortars, sonic weapons, massed MG fire): Pins reduce their activation reliability and Guts efficiency.
• Fearless/High-Morale Monsters that close quickly: Though Immune to Horror, sheer volume in melee can bypass some advantages.
• Units that Neutralize Mobility (e.g., British computational systems for reliable shooting, gravity weapons that manipulate positioning).

Paragons reward aggressive, thoughtful play and shine in objective-based scenarios where their speed and Guts flexibility let them outmaneuver foes. They are strong but points-expensive — mismanaging their Rift Dice or exposing them turns them into costly casualties.