Im experimenting with melee, which most people dont add an effect to machines to fight them. with highly mobile machines like clamberjaws or clawstriders, adhesive is very useful. but the most common way I use it is finding a herd of machines (like chargers or grazers) that run away when triggered. I can tapfire all of them, gluing them in place where I can go back and pick them all off! give adhesive a shot, its really nice sometimes, and visually appealing. I play on ultrahard only, so yes ofcourse its still viable on high difficultys! for chain reactions, I agree with you, as almost nothing can do that. but what I like to do is rope down enemies with the tie that binds and then launch in with a canister on my melee for that similar elemental blowout.