LA Pythium Hydras

Lingchih · #1 October 16th, 2007, 12:42 AM

Just started a game with the Serpent Cult. Wow, want a variety of magic paths? It's a bit mind-boggling to come up with a strategy with this much to choose from.

I'm wondering about the Hydras though. They cost 250 gold, and they only have 6 hp? That seems to be a lot of money for something that could easily die from a stray arrow, or one hit from a broadsword. Is this a mistake, or are they really meant to be that weak?

Jazzepi · #2 October 16th, 2007, 12:44 AM

I think the point with those hydras is to get body etheral, and luck to cast on them.

Jazzepi

Sombre · #3 October 16th, 2007, 12:49 AM

-sigh-

6hp is just for the first head.

They have several forms, all with different hps. If they 'die' they switch to the next form. So the total hp from the 9 forms is more like 80 or so. They're actually very durable units.

Be aware that they currently have two bugs. Firstly if they lose heads they will grow them back after combat, but no longer be sacred. Only the very first form is sacred.

Secondly if they are reduced to a certain number of heads (3 is it?) they will not grow them back ater combat.

Lingchih · #4 October 16th, 2007, 01:58 AM

Ahh, I see. I sent a troop of them into combat though, and (without any buffs), they still died very quickly.

I think they're crap. I won't recruit any more of them unless someone tells me how to use them effectively.

Jazzepi · #5 October 16th, 2007, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Lingchih said:
Ahh, I see. I sent a troop of them into combat though, and (without any buffs), they still died very quickly.

I think they're crap. I won't recruit any more of them unless someone tells me how to use them effectively.

I just did!

Jazzepi

Baalz · #6 October 16th, 2007, 02:34 AM

I was pretty impressed, I played around with them and a group of 4 hydras didn't run into an idie province they couldn't take without a loss (I'm sure there are some, I didn't play around that long) and I didn't do any buffing at all. Granted that's not the cheapest expansion force but they certainly have their uses and they're practically resource free. That fear plus 9 initial attacks plus area poison damage seems to be pretty effective at routing units and the multiple forms give them enough survivability to last a couple rounds. When I tried just 2 they died pretty quick, but 4 were able to spread the damage enough and hit hard enough round one that everybody ran away (the fear aura stacks to).

Zylithan · #7 October 16th, 2007, 01:59 AM

wow. thats a very cool mechanic

Saxon · #8 October 16th, 2007, 07:54 AM

Being on the receiving end of a pair of them right now, I can assure you they a pretty powerful. I don't even want to think about what would happen if they were buffed...

LDiCesare · #9 October 20th, 2007, 02:42 PM

Does anyone have good ideas about how to use LA Pythium?
Hydras are very nice, but no troop resists to poison, so you're stuck with hydra only armies until you have researched quite a bit.
Then, comitatenses, palatines, theurgs and the good priests are all capital only, which means you only get limitanei and the minor mages in other forts. I find that early expansion is easy (alteration 1 to give resist poison to a minor mage, bringing him to 100% Poison resist, build 4-6 hydras depending on indep strength, and you've got a force that can take all indeps without stopping). But then the hydras strategic move of 1 comes in and hampers mobility a lot. Bringing reinforcements is almost impossible unless you're having a stable front in a long war. You end up relying on a variety of weak mages who may have found one site to give them the needed gems, and a choice of armies that's very limited (milite, limitanei and solaris who are expensive due to fire resistance).
So does anyone think of a strategy for LA Pythium? I think for a small map, going all-hydras with nature/death/fire magic support might be worthwhile?

Meglobob · #10 October 20th, 2007, 03:34 PM

Just with a W9 bless the hydras are awesome. I have not had a problem with knights or anything else. I have been using 1-2 big hydras with 18-19 small hydras. You occassionally lose 1 or 2 of the small hydras but thats it.

The only drawback is you only have 1 mage/priest with 100% posion resistance to lead/bless them. He needs armour to protect him from missile fire. Your prophet can of course lead some but he needs a ring of posion resistance.