How do I make Traktor Muls work?

They way I used them before I sold my Ariadna was basically as 2 order monkeys/bots. In missions that required domination on zones, I coordinated both up and let them hold for as long as they could due to bonus from baggage.

I never used them as anything offensive, as I merely regarded them as harmless 5 points Kuang Shi with a bigger silhouette.

 

If I can make the SWC work, I like to add one to my list, usually with the Katyusha MRL. Since I play USAriadna, I tend to have a lot of FOs. (Usually 2 Foxtrots, a Grunt, a Maverick and sometimes an Airborne Ranger. Then its about opportunity cost. If I can pop a Foxtrot out of camo and get a Targeted State on something juicy I will. Especially if I can pull off the Targeting relatively safely. I can risk an 18 point model to Target someone's TAG or HI. Then depending on Range Bands and if they have an enemy Hacker with U-Turn, I spend up to 5 orders making sure the Targeted thing is DEAD.

The Traktor Mul is the only (AFAIK) model that can fire indirectly in either Spec-Fire or Guided Fire modes, allowing you to chose the best scenario for you. Guided fire is more accurate, but subject to ECM and U-Turn.

I tried bringing the Uragan MRL a few times and found it wasn't worth the extra 7 points. Sure it can direct fire 3 missiles on its active turn that are AP Shock, but to do so, you need LOS. Sure you get Total Reaction also, but at BS 10, no ability to buff it, and the kicker is unlike other Total Reaction Drones, the range bands on the Uragan MRL suck. So for 7 more points, you are paying for an ability that you will probably not use, just hiding the Traktor Mul behind a building.

So the comparison is between weapon types:
DA vs AP Shock (that costs 7 points more).
Same Strength.

Hence I always take the Katyusha. Also, I find it draws a lot of fire, as people are scared of eating templates they cannot ARO back at, so you have an 11 point fire magnet that you can tuck into cover on top of a building. While your opponent wastes time and effort trying to silence it, you complete game plan.

As a distraction alone, it is worth 11 points. But then you realize, all the Traktor Mul needs to do is hit one time to score back its 11 points. If you get a good template placement, you can clip 2 or 3 models, turning an 11 point investment easily into 20 to 40 points of dead enemies.

And, if you weren't sold yet, if all else fails, run it up on the last turn to get that baggage into place to help capture sections of the board (if the mission you are playing is using them.)

 

One strategy is spending 24 points (the engineer plus 2 simple mules) for 3 regular orders (equals with 8 points per order), helping in the secret objectives and resupplying weaponry with limited use plus the baggage rule.
Another strategy is to use the mules for their own weapons, provided that you already have enough Forward Observers to target their enemies.

Usually whenever I've used them (not very often) I go with the first option because the second one is order hungry.

Keep in mind also that using them or not has to do a lot with your army choice. I've noticed that many FRRM lists include them and that's because of their limitations in heavy weaponry. USARF and CHA have a different gameplay and other options so it is less probable to meet any SWC mules. In vanilla the options are endless so it is up to the player to choose what his list is all about!

 

Whilst his focus is on USARF, The Dice Abides does a good writeup here

https://www.thediceabide.com/blog/2017/10/infinity-unit-review-traktor-muls

I tend to agree with his sentiment that USARF benefits the most from the armed Muls due to the fact they're usually bringing a good number of FOs.

 

Regarding the order chearleader POW, I don't even find Mul relevant in vanilla. For their cost, I can have 2 volunteers + 112 or 2 volunteers + line kazak + warcor. Both alternative are easier to hide, can go prone and can fight back when attacked.

Resupplying is quite useless to me as my mines users are in midfield and muls in backfield and classified objectives is a pain as noone shoots the muls so I would need to make them jump to damage them myself...

 

There are two cases where I use them and both have to do with ITS -

Missions with classifieds (to repair them for Test Run)
Missions that required "stand in the box" since they have Baggage

They will likely be more useful in TAK since 2+Dozer is cheaper than 3 Line Kazaks

 

24 points for 3 orders with : 2 S4 that can't shoot and 1 specialist
or
28 points for 3 orders : 2 line kazak + 1 FO line kazak

Not sure 4 points is worth it, even in TAK. If the muls where S3 and easier to hide or had at least a flash pulse that would be a choice.

Edit : silhouette corrected, thanks @Scooper396

 

Muls are S4 not 5.

 

I was just going to put that link here! Really it all comes down to a surprise shot Forward Observer. Once you target something the next step is easy, either Guided or Spec Shot depending on what hits some more models. :)

 

Either commit to it with multiple camo FOs or take x2 minesweepers for orders and repairables for test run.