Silent Ones: How many do you hire, and what do you use them for?

[Grim]

I've been playing Rasputina more than any other Master lately, maybe 5 games in. I've hired one Silent One for the healing action and a rather mobile Ice Mirror node. I was wondering, how many do you normally hire, and what do you use them for? Thanks!!!

[Sybarite]

Theyre good at attacking things in cover or melee.

[farabaugh100]

7 hours ago, Grim said:

I've hired one Silent One for the healing action and a rather mobile Ice Mirror node.

That is interesting I never found the Silent One mobile.  

I love the model in theory.  It's shooting attack is so good and having a heal is awesome(my first master was Von Schill.  I miss the healing.)  I have only one game with them so far so I haven't had a chance to really try them out yet.

[OldMetalShip]

In my competitive Raspy list, I run 4. They only get better in multiples, being able to fully heal the one your opponents were trying to focus down. Their mobility is somewhat lackluster but Snow Storm helps. You also kinda have to be careful how you place them. The key is to set up a web in the first turn where no enemies leaving their deployment zone are safe from Raspy. Walk+Walk first turn with all your Silent Ones first turn is perfectly acceptable if you can set up this web. Obviously, this doesn't work against highly mobile crews(looking at you, Viktoria slingshot) but that just comes down to knowing your opponent's crew.

Silent Ones may be the most hated model in our local meta because of how effective they've proven to be. The only real downside is their WP but even that isn't so bad since they're immune to Horror Duels.

[Dereikt]

I regularly field one, even in crews without any other frozen heart models. Mostly, I use it in support of my melee elements, both with the zero action heal and for adding in wounds where I need them. While freeze isn't a high damage attack, Ca6 ignoring cover, engagement, and terrifying makes it very reliable, and the triggers and blasts are useful bonuses when I get them. The extra healing and ice mirror if used with other frozen heart models are also useful bonuses, but  not essential for a Silent One to be worth taking. I'm somewhat wary of taking more than one however, since they do feel like a support model, and with two I feel I'd be taking out too many of the models they should be supporting. As for mobility, I find they have enough in the context of their long range and the presence of other, more mobile, models in the crew, but it is another reason I'm not keen to take multiples of them, particularly not with Rasputina, who is even less mobile.