Noctifer ML Is the brutal easy recommendation. Any ML with some defensive tech on top is pretty great.
Tankhunter ML is OK in vanilla Ariadna since the 5 pt difference between it and an autocannon goes a long way in that faction. I honestly wouldn't consider it though outside of a unit with marker state. The only exception is the 18 point missile bot that almost everybody gets - it can be fairly effective on ARO duty if you aren't planning on using guided shots exclusively. Caveat: I don't generally recommend taking one for this purpose, but on the right board, when your opponent has a ton of Impetuous troopers, it does a great job of popping them. Anything would, of course, but the template can make it a more costly affair either in terms of bodies or orders.
Should point out that a lot of people are getting those things as link-team filler now, which can really up the combat effectiveness in Sectorials. On it's own, though, I don't like leaving such a fragile bot exposed for AROs.
I sort of agree but since it's a remote you can use supportware on it and either marksmanship lvl2 or enhanced reaction (burst 2 in ARO) which makes it a lot nastier. With the extra level of unconsciousness it's also something people will think about wasting an extra order on to finish off, just to ensure you don't fix it back up.
I think tossing in all of the Missile Launcher bearing unit profiles in the Vanilla army lists here might help with the discussion here a bit, simply for convenience sakes. PanOceanian Missile Launchers ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 5 1 SWISS GUARD Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, AP CCW. (2 | 69) FATHER-KNIGHT Missile Launcher / Breaker Pistol, DA CCW. (1.5 | 49) MAGISTER KNIGHT Missile Launcher / Pistol, DA CCW. (2 | 32) BOLT Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 27) FUSILIER Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 15) 8.5 SWC | 192 Points Open in Infinity Army Yu Jings Missile Launchers ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 6 ZÚYǑNG Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / 2 Breaker Pistols, Knife. (2 | 36) YĀN HUǑ 2 Missile Launchers / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 52) YĀN HUǑ 2 Missile Launchers + TinBot C (Neurocinetics) / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 56) HAC TAO Missile Launcher, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CCW. (2 | 65) ZHÀNYING Missile Launcher, Nanopulser, Nimbus Grenades / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 28) ZHANSHI Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 16) 11 SWC | 253 Points Open in Infinity Army Ariadnas Missile Launchers ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 4 LINE KAZAK Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 17) TANKHUNTER Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 29) SCOT (2nd Battalion) (CH: Camouflage) Missile Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 31) MINUTEMAN Missile Launcher, Light Flamethrower / Pistol, CCW. (1.5 | 29) 6 SWC | 106 Points Open in Infinity Army Haqqislams Missile Launchers ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 5 GHULAM Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 17) HALQA Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 20) GOVAD Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 30) ZHAYEDAN Missile Launcher, Nimbus Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 30) JANISSARY Missile Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (2 | 37) 8 SWC | 134 Points Open in Infinity Army Nomad Missile Launchers ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 5 ALGUACIL Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 15) GRENZER Missile Launcher / Pistol, Breaker Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 29) MOBILE BRIGADA Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 40) RIOT GRRL Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 33) HOLLOW MEN Missile Launcher, Chain-colt / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (2 | 35) 9 SWC | 152 Points Open in Infinity Army Combined Army Missile Launchers ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 4 MORAT Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 19) NOCTIFER Missile Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32) RODOK Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28) UNIDRON Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 20) 6 SWC | 99 Points Open in Infinity Army The one and only Missile Launcher ALEPH has ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1 AGÊMA Marksman Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 27) 1.5 SWC | 27 Points Open in Infinity Army As for using Missile Launchers in vanilla... IMO, it really depends on who is carrying the ML. Whoever can make the best use of the range band manipulation the ML provides ( It's +3 range band reaches 40'', but it does only start at 24''. ) and the positioning it demands ( Bullying everyone who has negative/neutral MODs beyond 24'' if they end up having to fight outside that range. ). So... I don't think regular line troops make good ML carriers in vanilla. Better keep the Fusilier/Alguacil/Ghulam/etc. MLs in their respective sectorials, IMO. They're cheap, yeah, but the SWC investment is too heavy for such a low return. I'll also say that all Frenzy/Impetous/Extremely Impetous Missile Launchers probably fare pretty poorly outside of sectorials, due to their Fury levels making maintaining their position AND stacking negative MODs via Cover kind of a hassle. Now units that have ways of shifting the odds closer into their favor, such as the Sixth Sense Lv2 skill on the Zhanying and Multispectral Visors carried by units like Govads or Grenzers, and especially the MSV2 on the Agema, or negative MODs and/or Marker States they can make use of, such as Rodoks, 2nd Batallion Scots and Tankhunters, merit some form of consideration IMO. Ideally your goal would probably be to simply make the enemy dedicate resources to avoid and/or eliminate the little buggers, so anything that makes that a bigger hassle helps. ( By that definition, I suppose non-Fury HI MLs and even Bolt MLs with Zhayedan MLs could qualify here. Either by way of ''I need to take away twice as many wounds off of this ML to get rid of it.'' or ''If I don't immediately dead that ML, it could potentially just get back up with it's AutoMedikit.''... or just the Bioimmunity on the Bolt making regular Sniper Rifles ( Weapons that can outrange MLs. ) have to deal with them using their BTS of 6 for saving rolls against Shock. ). So those units IMO can be pretty justified and viable for use in Vanilla lists. And ofcourse there's the fact of the TO ML units... which are perfectly serviceable and useful, since the issue of having to get around them becomes even more annoying once you both unwillingly enter into their sights without preparation and now have to deal with this unexpected surprise. So just the factor of ''I just rammed this missile launcher into my enemies plans'' makes them good options IMO. Still, this all depends on the same thing all sniper rifles depend on IMO... good positioning. 'Cause if you're not leveraging that extended positive range band, you're kinda missing out on one of the main advantages of those weapons ( Or the main advantage, in the case of snipers. P.S.: I really really REALLY like snipers. ). Just my small bag of cents here.
