Paul B is wise! Failed circles rolls and linked tests should push the story forward. It’s not just about getting dice or people to do stuff for you.
In our recent game:
Dro spent all his artha to prevent Luke from pushing the sexy Vaylen scientist on him as the result of a failed circles test (because he wanted an ally against her in future scenes).
Luke failed a circles test and ended up recruiting my 2iC Anvil Captain as his Forged Lord’s right hand (he later, through his building scenes, bought off the enmity clause by making the Anvil Captain an Anvil Lord).
Thor helped us in the manuever by hacking the Vaylen scientist’s computer database (after making a sexy time with her as the result of a DoW) - this was a linked test to help me with a journalism roll. And yes, he basically set himself up to be hulled in order to pull off this linked test.
In BE, the linked tests are very important not just to gain +1D, but to allow players to help each other even though their characters aren’t sharing scenes together.