Hi guys,

I'm having a lot of problems fighting Dark Elves. I can deal with a Blood Cauldron, even with the Immortal Warlord. But each time I want to kill a Hydra, I get my ass kicked hard.

I must say that I'm playing games at 2000 pts, sometimes 1500...

My best attempt was a pack of 25 normal orcs biguns (2hw) + warlord, with a banner of eternal flame. I wasn't able to kill it first round and at Ini2, he killed me 6 guys with breath, 4 guys with attacks and 3 guys with thunderstomp. I flee, he pursue, he kill me...

This is even worst with my black orc, I'm using Great weapon, he kill me more than half of my pack and I cannot kill it after, I flee, he pursue, he kill.

Should I try 2 Rock lobber and snipe it? Should I always double charge against him? Should I crash some pump wagon in it?

Should I just try to redirect it?

Thank you in advance!

What about Arachnarok? I don't own one so I never used one. Should I try it? I don't see a lot of stuff that can bring this down except magic and ballista.

By the way, do Arachnarok fear elves too? So our terror become a fear?

that goblins fear elves has no effect on the elves, nor does it affect ItP-terror causing arachnarokks.

i think maybe a Giant is a better option than the arach, but i'd stilll go for the Black orcs. How big did you say your black orc unit w-eternal flame was?

it's annoyng that they can bring 2 hydras at such low cost.

Rock lobbers and Mangler Squigs. They should make a mess of them.

in theory yes....but most dark elves should have enough shooting power to stop your mangler before even reaching the hydra.

25 guys is a bit on the small side for any Orc unit, even at 2000 points. Put more beef in them would be first suggestion. Second, Horde formation is your friend against that skinny frontage - 4 more attacks make a difference. Third (and you already got this right), bring fire. I'd throw 30-40 Blorcs with the Flaming Banner at them, because there's no kill like overkill.

Black Orcs with flaming banner. Str7 will sort it out in like one round.

Theo

Arachnarok is a good monster eater.

The giant is better though. What Initiative does a hydra have?

Theo

Assuming a Hydras normal attacks also count as flaming then how about a mounted Orc with the dragonbane gem and glittering scales, shield and a double handed weapon. It might take a while, but then you're probably not going anywhere either and it's one less threat to deal with. Total = 107 pts

The Hydra's normal attacks aren't flaming, so that won't work too well.

You might try to hit it with some impact attacks. An orc chariot or unit of gobbo chariots could work well. Also upgraded pump-wagons can put the hurt into something.

I don't know the full stat-line off the top of my head, so it is hard to brainstorm other ideas.

I can provide that one easily enough.

M 6, WS 4, BS 0, S 5, T 5, W 5, I 2, A 7, Ld 8, Armor 4+, Regen

Unfortunately, the armor and Regen conspire to make chariots bounce off it unless you bring them in squads of 3 (and even then you average less than 3 Wounds), and it will gobble them up in combat without much effort. It's a tough thing to deal with, especially considering that the vast majority of Dark Elf armies at 1750 or above can and will bring 2.

This post has been edited by rothgar13 on Mar 9 2012, 04:48 PM

I2? Giant=win!

Theo

Hydras are a snotweavle to deal with. Rock Lobbas and Wolf Chariots are "best" against them. Lobbas for the distance and hoping you go through the 4+, Wolf Chariots because even though they may not be super effective they still put out a hurtin' and are cheap enough to be sacrificed.

A medium-large block of Black Orcs with the flaming banner would munch a hydra if it doesn't munch them first, or if you've not got the bodies.

What is most important about fighting a Hydra is simply to reduce its wounds before it gets to use its breath, be that in close combat or by walking up to something of yours and breathing all over it. You do NOT want a S4/5 breath, believe me!