Missile Launchers, vanilla. Why or why not.

Non-marker state missile in Vanilla is probably best avoided.

Now hidden deployed missile launchers, thats a different story.....

 

The Swiss Guard with a Missile Launcher is absolutely terrible (for your opponents) and should never be taken (unless you want to win).

 

I tried a Zanshi ML once in vanilla Yu Jing. I would only do it again if I had the swc and not many points to spare... didn't work out very well.
I can see an argument to be made about a MB ML in vanilla nomads because of 2 W and V:Courage but without a marker state or hidden deployment ( looking at those damned Noctifiers) I think those are just edge cases.

 

I've taken a Grenzer, Riot Grrl, Mobile Brigada, and Hollow Men MLs in Vanilla Nomads before. They're stronger in missions with saturation zones, like Power Pack.

The Riot Grrl and Brigada are quite irritating to your opponent on their active turn, but don't expect them to survive. I'd definitely take the Riot Grrl over the Brigada for cost and for Hyper-Dynamics L2, but either are fine. The Grenzer is the budget option of this, but not much cheaper than the Riot Grrl. Really depends if you want to deal with Frenzy or not.

The Hollow Man does a weird thing, which set up crazy super jumping long range shots on link teams. Is it reliably useful? No. Is it fun? Yes. TO MLs are definitely the kings of ARO, but not everyone has access to them.

Anyway. Take a ML, try it out. Don't expect it to survive, but hopefully it will suck some orders from your opponent's pool before going down. I do think the line infantry MLs aren't really optimal in vanilla though. I'm extremely unlikely to field an Alguacil ML solo, for example.

 

I used a Zuyong ML for ages to threaten my opponent's Tohaa. Yu Jing's Line Troop HI are surprisingly good solo platforms for the weapon, as they have higher-than-average BS and some defensive stats. Most opponents won't bring armour or links to the fight in the lane it covers unless they can get a good range band, and won't send anything at all if it doesn't cover an objective. This lets it keep open flanking routes quite easily.

 

Noctifer MLs feature in a lot of my vanilla, and sectorial lists, they're a menace.

That said, the Rodok ML isn't all that bad either.

 

Pretty sure we're not talking about evil stuff like Yan Huo 2xML here, or even a Zuyong ML.

Yeah, there's not a whole lot of reason to take a BS11-12 1W ML in Vanilla.

 

Do you have a few points and some SWC left over after taking all your usual/essential pieces? If yes then why not, it's a big scary gun and can dissuade links and groups of model from heading down areas of the board covered by it. Basic line troops are not amazing platforms but they make for interesting and useful support when performing co-ordinated orders to take down potentially tricky things like TR bots and fire-teams. Even if they aren't the best shots, the threat of an EXP template can really distract attention.

I'm always tempted by the Zhanying missile launcher in vanilla (although I've not yet fielded it). Sixth sense 2, a nanopulser for things up close and one of these days I'll correctly use nimbus grenades.

The pricier evil stuff like Yan Huo or a hac tao I use quite frequently. I'm also coming around to the son-bae smart missile launcher, hacking support makes it a quite fun option.

 

Basic Line Infantry Missile Launchers are good for stacking AROs, because you really can't afford to ignore them no matter what their BS is. However, stacking AROs is hard until the third turn, when everyone is pressed for orders and has to Move through heavy fire just to make it to the objectives. If I had the spare SWC, I'd absolutely take a Zhanshi ML to stand up and watch the objective just before my opponent's last turn. I just couldn't use him before then because actually being shot at would end him in an instant.

 

I once faced a Haqq list that had 3 ghulam missile launchers set up as ARO duty. Completely unlinked and basically acting as decoys while max AVA fidays and Tariq did the dirty work. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't super effective either. Game ended in a rather silly moment when Tariq punked my Blekjek and died to his chest mines.

On a less "silly, casual game stuff" side of things, I've seen unlinked Heavy Infantry models deployed further back on the deployment zone be a major pain in the ass. Since the +3 range band goes from 24 to 48, it's easy for them to lock down a long lane if there's one on the table, and since they're HI, they can afford to shoot at something with camo or mimetism because they'll usually be at 10 while their oponent will be at a -6 penalty (cover+range). Of course, this all applies to camoed missile launchers, but I think the uncamoed one has a psychological effect of the oppoent either wasting orders to take it out, or spending extra orders to avoid it.

 

I used the Grenzer ML extensively in generic Nomads. As a combination reactive trooper (usually near a Total Reaction Remote) and active turn Fireteam punisher. They also excel as secondary troopers in a Coordinated Order where you're not losing any Burst.

That said, we try to make sure that most tables have at least some Low Visibility Zones and usually some Saturation Zones, both of which make the Grenzer with his MSV1 work better.

 

Multiiple missiles and panzerfausts are good candidates for Coordinated Orders. You don't see a lot of Coordinated Attacks take place because players typically don't want to suffer the reduction in Burst. But you can do some pretty impressive things by coordinating a couple of missile launchers and other hard-hitting weapons.

 

I frequently take the SML bot in vanilla Aleph due to having extra SWC left over and not a lot of points. I've never fired a Smart Missile, but it really forces your opponent to Dodge against that CO, which is great for you as there is no danger, just opportunities.

 

@ijw Wonder how MLs can actually threat the Link Team. B1 makes it quite nervous to fire in active turn, and often savvy ones put teammates at the total cover and pops only the leader to dakka.

How do you play? Blast fishing?

 

Sixth Sense 2 really makes the Zhanying usable. Doesn't have the Burst bonus of a link team, but might as well be in a 4-man link.

 

It's obviously terrain-dependant, but if there are multiple Fireteams (notably Tohaa and Steel Phalanx, but that can cover almost all Sectorial these days) then it's often hard to get that one member in a good reactive spot without other members being in the blast template. At which point the other player has to choose between shooting back and something like a 60% chance of losing the other trooper, shooting back and having the other trooper Dodge which may immediately result in lost BS bonuses or potentially losing the Burst bonus if there are only three troopers, or Dodging with both of them.

None of those are good options for the Fireteam.

Also, and again terrain-dependant, an ML can outrange anything but another ML or Sniper Rifle. In extreme cases I've had the Grenzer walking around in the open to get an angle on a Combi-armed Fireteam member, because one shot on BS13 (and catching another member) was a really good swap against two reactive shots on BS9 due to range. Even if shooting back, the ML was more likely to cause damage to the shooter than to get damaged...

 

So basically its a predator like weapon. Thanks for sharing.

Although I doubt I can fetch a good blast-pocketball shot when I meet savvy ones.

 

MLs without Markers or Link have a few glaring issues.
The worst of them is, they're usually opportunistic and unreliable so you will want the usual HMG on top of them.
While MLs certainly can do a lot of damage, they're very binary in doing so. They're prone to fail you at important moments. Where a HMG would usually win a FTF, a ML might be facing 50/50 odds (after hitting at all) against a fairly standard target opting for a Dodge. Thing is you can't rely on them to do pretty much anything. Most harder targets have good odds to survive a hit on top of that as well.
Things change when multiple targets come in the equation, but again a casual ML fails to be as reliable as for instance a BSG to take out a clustered Link or to follow up an initial hit.
For ARO duty a ML is scary but a competent opponent will find a way to get 4:1 or 5:1 odds for himself with Rangebands/Surprise Shot/Camo, Smoke(+MSV) past them or finds a way to engage them in CC.

Sometimes things are the way they are for a reason. It's not the i.e. Zhanshi ML's fault that no one takes it in Vanilla. It's just that a TR bot and a lot of other choices do a better job at attacking or defending relative to their point cost.
People dream of oneshotting HIs and TAGs off the table with MLs and neglegt the fact that generic Camo Infiltrators and Warbands are much more common foes.

Solo MLs need some synergy to enable mostly their template and their rangebands to find targets they can not only hit but have opportunity to go against to begin with. Once you can genuinely expect to ARO against a Rifle at -9 in it's active turn or to spring a trap on that big HI Link, a ML is several times more reliable.
Without that you're merely gambling for that one game where things will go your way or the other guy makes big mistakes.

It's certainly not a complete waste of points but the main use of a barebones ML would be psychological. Put down that solo Riot Grrl Missile to encourage your opponent to work his way around a different Firelane etc. But again, someone with a TAG or Swiss HMG might not care and simply punch through your bluff.

Imho Vanilla MLs and their application is simply a matter of overthinking. There are a few that work, but in general that is precisely what you should pick up a Secorial for instead of shoehorning it into a Vanilla force.

 

Really there are roles a ML can fill, that HMGs don't do better. Notably those tend to be in ARO when you have to rely upon stacked mods.

The ability to do a lot of damage in 1 aro, especially at long range (outside of where suppressive fire can work), is the prime appeal. If its covering an important objective it cannot be ignored. It is the ultimate "come at me bro weapon."

That say, when you say "come at me bro" there is a decent chance you'll get punched in the face.

To most effectively use them you need to do everything possible to stack odds in your favor, and limit you opponents options. Most notably saturation zones are a primary enabler, if you meta doesn't use terrain rules, or play odd scenarios like power pack (or remember the zones in those scenarios) MLs become much more of a crap shoot.

As IJW mentioned Grenzers are excellent ML options, forests which typically combine low vis, and saturation really help them fix odds. (the ML doesn't care about saturation, grenzers visor doesn't care about low vis). Riots are a more expensive/durable version, with the notable pros and cons associated with fury, on a ML I'm more inclined to call it a con, but still cuts both ways.

For the cost sometimes things like panzerfausts are a better deal, you still get a lot of the threat, but the cost is lower. 3 panzerfaust jags are similar in cost to 1 grrl ML. But there are significant pros and cons. (+ cooridnated orders, + more orders + more wounds) (-worse shots, -limited # shots, - scares links a lot less)

For those peeps planning to attend the Rose City Raid, you may want to get some practice and give some thought to how terrain effects your play, right @TheDiceAbide !!