How To Deal With Hydras

Well, it looks like I need to go back and read the shooting modifier chart again!

The things you overlook when they don't change for well over a decade! Someone bring me my cane...

You want a plain one, or the fancy one with the sword hidden in it?

I don't think that firing on a Hydra with bows will do a lot of damage... you need 5+ to hit usually and after you need 6+ to wound. The hydra can save on 4+ with its armor.

So with 20 shots (24 orcs on 3 ranks) you have 0.55 wounds.

This post has been edited by Gradolt on Mar 13 2012, 08:16 PM

Yeah, Flaming arrows are not the answer. I still stand by my answer (seconded by Squigkikka) or Blorcs with the Flaming Banner. It's not elegant, but it's the best we have.

a 50% chance of knocking the regen off the hydra so your warmachines can kill it is pretty good seeing as you dont have to sacrifice any points to kill it, black orcs are the worst option as a 350 point unit is needed to kill a 175 point model the remaining handfull of black orcs are no match for the remainder of the dark elf army and will probably get shot down or chopped before they strike

recently i have been taking flaming arra boys to stick my shaman and BSB in, they have proved to be a good unit

I am going to say that your not really trading 350 pts. to kill 175, because once the dang thing keels over they will just turn their axes on the next unfortunate. I mean to say that they will likely just end it round 1. Just 6 wounds to cause is no problem at all for BOrcs, with no resistance beyond weapons skill.

I do have a question though, is this guy only a problem for greens?

This post has been edited by Skawilly on Mar 13 2012, 10:00 PM

Nope. Most armies have issues with the Hydra, and yeah, Blorcs go through it like a hot knife through butter.

I played with my dark elves friend 2-3 times. I always kill is Hydra with 30 SOBU, shaman in for the 5+ WS and of course, Big stabbas.

I dont know if i was lucky, but i charge them every time, and the big stabbas do his job. After that, couple of wound and i win the fight. Oh for sure, Flamming banner.

The ruby ring was my idea, you git!

Yeah, BO are a good option, but also expensive if your plan is to bring lots of them. You are using lots of points to kill just 175 as swampy pointed, BUT! a unit of 10-12 with the banner can do a great support .

Big stabbas are a good option in this case, cause each impact deals 1D3 W! The thing is that you need to charge . With some wolf rider diverting, it can be possible.

This post has been edited by mickkk666 on Mar 14 2012, 08:11 AM

I cant wait for the DE to get a new armybook. And that it is not written by Gavin Thorpe. DE Armies have ridiculous Hydra spams options & deathstars and unkillable heros. Mind you its very satisfying when you beat them with a goblin army

My issues with Black Orcs w/ Flaming Banner are that they are slower than the Hydras, so they are really only going to beat Hydras defensively, they won't chase any down. Also, a Hydra does a ton of damage to Black Orcs before it gets killed. With Great Weapons, the Hydra gets handler attacks, breath weapon, normal attacks, and Thunderstomp before or simultaneous to the Black Orcs. That will probably kill almost as many points in Orcs as the Orcs kill in Hydras. If you use 2HW, you'll do fewer wounds, and avoid Thunderstomp if you're lucky, but will probably be screwed (and lose a lot more Orcs) if you don't kill it the first round.

Another option, although I'm not completely convinced its better, is Boar Boyz (preferably Big'Uns) with the Flaming Banner. They are faster, so can more reliably hunt down the beast. This also makes it easier for them to get a flank charge, so they can bring more bodies to bear. The Boars are I3, meaning you can reasonably expect to put a wound on the Hydra before it strikes, dropping the breath strength by a point. Combined with the better armor save, this keeps quite a few more guys alive (not as important in the kills/point sense, but can be important for combat resolution). They also completely avoid Thunderstomp by virtue of being cavalry. They might be better as a "clean up" unit, however, because they don't have the second turn power of the Blorcs, so they need 1 or 2 wounds already on the thing to kill it reliably.

What you've got to realize is that OnG have no efficient ways to deal with a hydra, and so we resort to desperate means. A Black Orc unit with flaming, sacrifical wolf chariots or rock lobbas are our most "reliable" means of taking one out.

Ideally your black orcs engage a hydra that already has taken 2-3 wounds, rendering the breath attack somewhat harmless (s2-3 vs T4 with 5+ armor isn't too bad).

Thunderstomp happens at the same time as GW ASL. AHW might be better if it's low on wounds/you are lacking in Black Orcs.

Really though, a unit of 20 ought to be enough to handle a hydra relatively well since they are likely to be steadfast. This, of course, does not take into account potential shooting or magic going their way.

Neither that the black orcs are M4 and not very mobile. If were i dark elf player, would rarely allow a black orc unit to target my hydra. I would probably just go around them and spray them with fire on the way.