8th Ed. DE Hydra - How to deal with it

[Myster2]

Hello All, i need some ideas on how to deal with DE Hyrdas in an upcoming tournament.

I can not change my army as the lists have already been submitted and approved, this is a "friendly" tournament.

My army list is close to this:

Life Slann - Rumination
Old Blood - Carnosaur

Scar Vet Cowboy - Dragon helm build
Scar vet BSB

35 Saurus
3 Salamanders
2 units of 7 chameleons
Ancient Steg
Baby Steg
2 units of 20 skink cohorts
1 unit of 13 skink cohorts (slann hides in this usually)
10 skink skirmishers.

I was looking over the lists earlier and there is a good possibility i will play on of the DE players. Both take two hydras. Looking over my list i'm not sure what I could do vs them. What would you do?

I feel my options are:
1) Double flee them for as long as possible as a i have a lot of chaff
2) Try and pepper them with as many poisoned shots as possible and hope to get lucky
3) Try for the carnosaur to kill one (although in experience he loses to a standard dragon from the 2d6 flaming breath attacks, i can't imagine he would have any chance against the hydra).
4) Dwellers it and hope to get lucky?
5) Have the baby steg shoot it every turn and hope to get really lucky.

Are their any tactics I'm missing out on here?

 

[Stonecutter]

The most effective solution is to use anything in the list with flaming attacks and a good chance to hit & wound (i.e. blade of chotec, flaming banner on slaan with poisoned shooting, etc.). The SV cowboy within 12" of the BSB can generally kill a hydra or break it over a couple rounds (assuming you have dawnstone as well to give a 1+ re-rollable AS). Steggies can do the same if they stay within 12" of the BSB & slaan since the LD re-roll keeps them in combat while life casting recovers any lost wounds as they slowly grind the hydra down (don't bother with the bolt thrower unless it a free shot with nothing else to do). I am not sure if the cohorts are pure skink or skrox. If they are skrox, then that is a good unit to take on the hydra since they cannot be stomped and can hit back with S6. I would keep carnie away if possible since all the attacks will go against carnie and likely drop him although you might get lucky.

Massed shooting can take a hydra down (20 wounds required on average so it will take a while) and there is definitely loads of that in the list. However, I think the shooting would be far better focused on squishy, expensive, elves with low armour saves. For magic, the only spell I would recommend is awakening wood or shield of thorns since even taking 1-2 wounds off a hydra markedly decreases the impact of its breath weapon. Also, if dwellers is going off, it should be directed at units of troops with expensive S3/4 characters rather than a desperate gamble relying on your opponent rolling a 6.

 

[Pofadder]

It depends on how the flow of the battle goes, but I normally would send a scar-vet cowboy in for the kill. In my last battle he broke the hydra after the first round of combat and ran it down As your scar vet should get the charge and possibly do 1 - 2 wounds on average, depending on armament, this may be better with burning blade of chotec that nullifies that pesky regen save. which means you could have 3 for combat res already, if you can slip in on its flank even better.

 

[n810]

The only problems I have had with the Hydra is the fact that its handlers are crazy powerfull.

 

[NexS1]

The other (more cowardly) option is sit in front of him for a charge and redirect him out of harm's way
Like a kick to the groin, there's no such thing as a dirty fight - it's either a win or a loss

 

[Caprasauridae]

I'm sorry for being such a noob, but I have never played against Dark Elves, so I have no idea what a Hydra can do. Still, everywhere the name of the creature is spoken with voices full of fear. What are this monster's stats and what can it do? And really, handlers are that fearsome?

 

[n810]

Between the 2 handlers it's 8 strength 4 armor piercing attacks.
and they can't be targeted directly in close combat.

 

[skillfull_dan]

There are no tactics you are missing, your list just doesnt have any flaming attacks which are the best answer to hydras. Thats not to say you automatically lose, it just makes your job harder. The tactics you listed are all the things you should be trying for.

I dont know what your cowboy build is, but putting your cowboy against it solo is good if he has a greatweapon and the dragonhelm lets him survive the breath weapon. Be careful about putting him into combat at the same time with any other units since he doesnt have stubborn like the stegs.

Besides that, hope you dont run into any trolls, hydras, chimeras, or lizardmen casting earthblood.

 

[Trax]

Between the 2 handlers it's 8 strength 4 armor piercing attacks.
and they can't be targeted directly in close combat.

The beastmaster's may be evil but not *that* evil. They're hacking away with 6 attacks at S3 (AP), that's "all". Still, that's quite a bit less dangerous than 8A with S4^^

As for the problem: I'm just diving into the Lizardmen microcosm (playing DE normally), but looking at your list, I can see the problem: Without the fire banner on some Saurus Warriors/TG or Sword of Rhuin at hand (you seem to have none of it), you're best bet might really be the cowboy - does he have the dawnstone with him? If not it could get really tough, though and due to regen it will take a while at any rate - Flesh to Stone might help you there, whoever's ending up against the hydra (the Saurus Warriors might be your best bet in the end. Buffed. Not unbuffed...)

The Carnosaur could kill a Hydra - but might as well die in the process, I wouldn't really risk it, I think.

Anyway, good luck, and nice knowing 2 Hydras still count as "friendly"^^