Le Muet: Worth the Investment or Nah?

He has his uses, but is harder to include. I find that I have points for one "big profile", be it saito, le muet, scarface and cordelia, or an anaconda. Its hard for him to beat out those other "big profiles"

I think for him to be worth his points he's got a couple criteria to fulfill:

1. You want to keep him as your reserve model so you can keep the element of suprise. Try to lock down a lane that is far away from where their long range weapons can get to. Make them either give up that lane or waste orders repositioning.
2. No MSV2 heavy weapons. He hates Maruts and Intruders

With those fulfilled he's a potent area denial. That's useful, but not "flashy" so to speak. He can stack range, cover, and odd modifiers to get that -12 and we have no TO or ODD snipers. We also tend to lack MSV options so he helps.

Biggest problem with him is he's expensive. You can't slot him in as an afterthought and ARO is a game of practice and experience. Second biggest is that he's MSV1 so he suffers against smoke.

I think he's got a high learning curve and it's easier to take a MSV2 grunt or druze sniper in a linkteam, or even a clipper, but the nice thing about him is you can place him after seeing your opponents positioning and exploit their deployment, if that's worth 45 points is up to you. He's not flashy. If anything, if he's doing his job well your opponent wont be engaging him, but then he'll feel like hes doing nothing. I'll maybe use him for fun. Wish we got Jethro but...

 

The funny thing is that your best ARO piece here might be Scarface in a Duo... with Valerya Gromoz (so you can activate Cordelia to repair Scarface without triggering AROs, and he won't become Impetuous), until you have to start Dodging to survive because no SS2.

Sure, you can make an ARO terrace fireteam, but the SWC that will eat is quite big (probably 3 to 4 SWC) and only the Clipper is inmunne to Shock (on the other hand, ARO with a SS2 B2 Marksmanship L2 CD12 AP+DA missile and no distance malus is more than sweet).

If (IF) Le Muet gets access to other long range weapons with less CAP cost (like a shock sniper rifle), I would suggest adding him. As it is nowadays, I think it's more a matter of preference and circunstances than any kind of "yeah, best ARO piece on the Druze sectorial".

 

it's a plan that frequently breaks down, but depending on the missions for a given event, one of my lists will be a 'go second' list. That is, a list that I expect to have to weather a first turn rambo from my opponent. Le Muet works nicely in those lists.

 

I actually find that a lot of great DBS units overwrite other units that would otherwise be great. The Clipper is probably the best example... Not much reason to pay 2x points for a Druze Sniper, or close to 3x points for le Muet, when for 17 points you can get a piece that hits harder with better Ballistic Skill. Not saying either the Druze or Le Muet are bad, but that Clipper is sweeeeet, especially when you can also throw in the Brawler MSV2 Sniper for fairly cheap also.

For Le Muet though, he does bring Minelayer. There are scenarios or matchups where you absolutely want that ODD, 2 Wound Sniper with Minelayer to watch the field for you and keep the bad guys out in Turn 1. As great as the Clipper is, Le Muet can offer things that the Clipper can't. So I don't think Le Muet is a choice for every mission, but there are definitely times where you want to have that mine on the table Turn 1.

 

I gave the druze a try recently and also had muet in my list. 2 games against onyx. As there was no MSV in my opponent's force he made a pretty good game both times, although dying early in the first one due to two crit in one attack. But he had a solid effect of keeping my opponent back and having him use a lot of orders to get rid of him. In the second game he even destroyed two tags (the linkable on ones, can't think of the name right now).

So I think e is quite worth it despite his point costs.

 

I think depends on your list style. The way I would play DBS he doesn't fit in.

When I say list style, I can see the following options in DBS

• 5 Man fireteam, Evo and repeater remotes: This is my preference when playing DBS. I specifically wanted to play a remote heavy list when I picked them up. There is no room for him in this style of list.
• 5 Man fireteam without Evo: In this style he can fit in. Without the Evo Tax there is room for a model like him to support a fireteam. There may be a couple other remotes in there, but its not a focus point in the list style.
• Evo with lots of remotes: You would want lots of remotes with a couple Duos. If you need a sniper there is ABH or Brawler that would do the job for half the points. He would be a bit expensive for the role.
• Duo Swarm: This style would usually have Scarface and Cordelia as the main attraction. Or potentially the anaconda. He could work in this style.

While he is good, he is does not justify picking a style in order to play him.

 

I don't think that Le'Muet is only an ARO piece. He is great as an active piece to counter TR-bots and Missle launchers links in out-of-range (difficult with missle launcher to make >40" but possible). Makes -12 for TR bots or fusilers in links with missle launcher shoots at him on 12 base + 3 link - 3 range - 3 cover - 6 odd = 3 vs 13 bs from armand...Or armand can try to get in <24" vs missle launcher= 12 base + 3 link - 3 cover - 6 odd = 6 vs 13 bs from armand ... I like those odd more then unpredictable HMG lottery....

 

Le Muet....NAH....

 

Generally speaking, I find that solo snipers (and other single-dice ARO pieces) are always outclassed by within-faction equivalents, with a few exceptions. If I take a unit with a sniper rifle, it has to be,

a) Cheap, and I don't mind losing it (Daylami on the cheap end, but this also includes irregulars like Cateran).
b) In a fireteam or otherwise throwing multiple dice in ARO (Sin Eater Snipe?)
c) In a camo state so it provides an order sink and can choose its battles wisely

Le Muet really doesn't tick any of those boxes for me.

 

The trick with Le Muet is that if you’re not using him on the active turn, you’re probably better off spending the same points on two ABH snipers, which can be in two places at once.

My main issue with Le Muet is justifying orders on him, when I could be lobbing EM grenades across the field isolating my opponents lieutenant.

 

I find muet to be a heavily skilled taxed character. He is cool, and has a lot of flavor, but because of all those skills, and equipment, hes an expensive unit. I find more use with my MSV2 Harised brawler multi-sniper.

 

Never underestimate resilience. One of the functions of a decent ARO piece is sucking up opponent's orders. I have spent 5-6 orders taking the bugger out when i've decided to deal with him (maybe twice since he's come out). The only lame part is when people just use smoke to evade him... but then he's still a killer in the active.

 

Le Muet - best proxy for Cube Yager.

 

I've been toying with him a bit more, and I think found his ideal job. DataTracker.

He may not be the fastest, but he's not that much slower, with a real second wound, ODD, forward deployment, and a nasty arsenal of weaponry, he may be our best bet for an offensive DataTracker, outside of a TAG. Unlike a TAG though, he cannot be hacked, and is much easier to hide, and still a few points cheaper.

I covered him a bit in my recent article about ITS list building for Druze: https://www.thediceabide.com/blog/2018/1/16/druze-bayram-its-list-building