Pythium and Hydras

[General Tacticus]

Originally posted by st.patrik:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Someone posted a tactic of using one commander with a poison-resistance ring and some 5 Hydras across the front. Position them way forward into the battle. Have them hold 1 turn then retreat. You paint a path of poison cloud that the other army runs thru to try and reach you. One or two of those runs can be a good softener on an army.

I experimented with this and couldn't get it to work very reliably.

---

I saw someone using that tactic in MP against indies (I had a scout wathcing the fights). It did work at softening the indies (who had knights), but it also cost the user a few hatchlings and even one hydra when he was being chased. Turning your back on the enemy is not the best of tactics, even if by doing so you poison him...

Playing pythium, I usually start by making a more conventional army. Once that is done, I work on a second army with Hydras, some hatchlings (until I can get 10-15 hydras, which is enough not to get mobbed), and one or two poison resistant commanders. Then I keep 25 gladiators near them, on standby. For easy fights I send only the hydras, for tougher ones I add the gladiators on the front line. Gladiators are cheap, quite good, and have excellent morale : perfect for a disposable force with a punch.