Just unpacking my new HotE box and I am unimpressed with the reward “Scouted Enemies”.

Apart from Agent Blaise and very rare mission rules that allow mid-round optional deployments when would this be useful?

One can only assume that there are missions where this is a benefit but based on past play it seems minimal at best.

Am I missing something?

It's not terrible but definitely not that great either

It's an exhaust so Rebels can keep using it to make sure a group doesn't get suddenly redeployed by Blaise or mission triggers

ex. Imp have 10 threat and Rebels just killed off that eJet group. Then for the current round the Rebels know that no matter what they do (for mission triggers) they definitely won't see eJet coming back until next round. It can matter if eJet would be the last un-deployed card (open group) in Imp's hand, because the Imp would be stuck with 10 threats

You're missing that the next deploy/reinforce step is during this round. The next round starts after the next status phase.

Scouted Enemies can thus guarantee that the group you just defeated must sit on the bench for one round (unless a mission event or ability allows a mid-round deployment).

Ahhhh got it! This could be rather annoying as an IP when you have a cheap but annoying (for the heroes) deployment card such as hired guns or a Jawa that the heroes take out of circulation for a round.

Timing is everything in this game.