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I mean, not every model in the game can or has to be "competitive", I get that. Some fringe models are only there to perform one stupid trick, that you have to build the entire army around to make it work, and even then it will only happen once in a lifetime, if all the stars align, and isn't even really powerful enough to actually win you the game, if it does. It's a joke to be brought for beer-and-pretzel games, and enjoy the pretty model and the nice background story.
Thing is, with Cypher and his Fallen, I feel like I am missing the joke.
The Fallen are just a 1:1 carbon copy of a Chosen unit, with LESS options. They are 1 point cheaper, but lack the hatred for Imperial forces, and worst of all, a number of keywords, which makes the idea of including them in a Battleforged army almost impossible. Cypher has a teeny tiny bit of extra dakka at very short range, that's it. So what's up with that?
The "gimmick" seems to be, that they also have the Imperium keyword, but I can't see them as doing anything more interesting as an ally in an Imperial soup build, than in a Chaos soup build. I even checked the Dark Angels codex to see if there is any real in-game effect, that represents how he messes with their heads, but I didn't see anything.
OK, sometimes I am a really bad reader, and maybe I failed to look at the right place. So, is there somewhere, anywhere, any interesting interaction, that I am missing?

You aren't really missing anything. They're something GW liked enough to include as a distinct option for its own sake, but not enough to actually design any real use or function around.

The only real reason to bring them is to troll your friendly local DA player. If you really really want to push it for a niche use, you can spam plasma guns that can overcharge without needing a lord to babysit them. With no double tap, fighting twic, or stackable negative hit modifiers, there’s not really a reason to rake Fallen over chosen.

In the second Vigilus book, the Fallen did get a specialist detachment. It basically gives them access to Chaos Rhinos and Sorcerers plus a couple of very situational stratagems. It's not good or anything, but it's there.

You're missing nothing. They're absolutely terrible, a solid candidate for worst army in the game. Cypher in particular is just utter junk in this edition, which is a bit odd considering how much he's played up in the lore.

They're just a huge swing and a miss in 8th edition, for reasons that are rather unclear.

Are the other 'mini-Factions' out there as poorly-supported rules-wise?

'Cause it kinda seems - to me, from the outside looking in - like GW expanded their range with a bunch of KEYWORDS and almost immediately regretted it.

 Excommunicatus wrote:
Are the other 'mini-Factions' out there as poorly-supported rules-wise?

'Cause it kinda seems - to me, from the outside looking in - like GW expanded their range with a bunch of KEYWORDS and almost immediately regretted it.

Eeeeeeh, I'd say fallen are uniquely badly supported. Maybe the BSF RnH models suck more. but I've acutally had a surprisingly fun time with the Rogue Trader guys in my mixed imperial army. They even have a cute mechanic where they've got like, really really really gakky stratagems, but if you make the captain lady your warlord you get like 4CP to spend on just those cute little signature moves, like teleporting your one little admech dude, or getting reroll wounds on your 20pt sword lady.

Inquisition is also similarly amusing, in its own little way. I play with them fairly often. Assassins are also fun.

Overall I have a real great time with my goofy, cobbled-together imperial mixed force in narrative games.