Hydras

[Archduke]

Why do so many guard lists run hydras, I currently run demolishers and I don't see how its worth the trade off. What is the logic behind that choice?

[Tynskel]

long range, cheap, anti-transport, ect.

[Commander Vimes]

Hydras are stupidly cheap for their firepower. 75 points for two twin-linked auto-cannons, with a 72" range that also ignore flat out saves is great. Adding in a heavy bolter for more anti-infantry firepower and mounting it on the annoyingly resilient chimera chassis makes all the other anti-light tank options in the book look sad. It's the same cost as an auto-cannon heavy weapons team, but is much more resilient, more mobile, and has better anti-infantry firepower.

I played a very competitive Guard list that fielded 3 units of 2 at 1850. Backed up by melta-vets and Vendettas for anti-heavy tank shots, the list would wipe out vehicles.

[DarkLink]

It's like a Razorback, with better guns and AV 12, and you don't need to take guys to get one. And Chimeras are cheap enough that no one cares that Hydras can't carry a scoring unit.

[Archduke]

But why do you take them over demolishers or other russ variants is my real question.

[Fellend]

Because if you can't open up the transports the demolishers won't really do that much. With mass mech spam being common place, opening transports is the key to winning. Once they are open you really only need one demolisher shot to end it.

Also, things that go ridiciously fast is generally a problem for IG, you don't want those melta speeders to reach you, so blast them out of the sky

[MasterSlowPoke]

But why do you take them over demolishers or other russ variants is my real question.

They fill entirely different roles. Hydras are supression platforms. Russes are largely anti-infantry platforms that can (in varying degrees) moonlight as anti light/medium tank.

[ElCheezus]

First off, Hydras are crazy cheap. Second, they're far far more accurate. Third, volume of fire. Fourth, high rate of fire.

Demolishers are heavy armor with short range meant to lead a mech charge. Hydras are meduim armor that hang in the backfield and can support both mech and infantry lists.

Demolishers excel against three things: High AV, things with FNP, and multi-wound models. They're also good against heavy infantry. Medium and light infantry get hurt, but a smart opponent can spreat out enough to minimize the damage a blast template does.

The rest of the Russ variants fill roles, so I'll stick with the one you mentioned.

Hydras are good against light and medium AV, MCs, and medium/heavy infantry (due to wounding on 2+ and number of shots, not due to AP). They're not great againt hordes, but their rate of fire means they're not crap.

I play a hybrid list, and run two Hydras as my only Heavy Support choices. My blobs take up the middle ground, and can play defense against incoming units that would take out the Hydras, or they can play aggressively. Hydras have the range to support the blobs either way.

It all comes down to your list, man, just like most choices in most codecies.

[blackarmchair]

Remember you can take Hydras in squadrons too. It's possible to run 1-6 hydras and still have room for russ(es).

Plus, Hydras can put skimmers out of commission which REALLY helps against mech-dar: one of the few armies IG can struggle with.

[erwos]

My heavy support section usually looks like:
2x Hydras
2x LRBTs w/ hull lascannon and plasma sponsons
1x Manticore

The Hydra blows open transports, the LRBTs annihilate what was inside - and they can do it at 72". It's really difficult to overstate how brutal pie plates can be on squads in craters or even just disembarked.

LR Exterminators should have been an option instead, but GW screwed it up by overpricing them (and underpricing the Hydras). At 90 points vs 130 points, it would have been much more of a thinker as to which one to take.

[Sam]

Well, the hydra is more cost efficient against pretty much everything it can actually deal damage to. To phrase that a little differently, the demolisher is overkill against the targets you would use a hydra against, so if you are going to shoot at: transports, light/medium infantry, walkers, MCs, and light/medium vehicles not already covered; then you would be better off taking the hydra (or 2, since that's still cheaper than a demolisher).

[Sandman2663]

Simply put...the Hydra is the best gun in the IG arsenal.
Compare the IG to WW2 Germany...http://www.battle-fleet.com/pw/his/Flak_ww2_Anti_Aircraft_Gun.htm
"Flak 88 mm Gun
The German eighty-eight is probably the best known, even famous, artillery piece of World War II. It was not one gun, but a series of anti-aircraft guns officially called the 8.8 cm Flak 18, 36 or 37, and could also include newer and more powerful models, the Flak 41 and 43, although these were different weapons. Flak is a German short form of Fliegerabwehrkanone, meaning anti-aircraft gun, the original purpose of the eighty-eight. A number of versions were also produced for anti-tank use, referred to as PaK 88 (Panzerabwehrkanone, anti-tank gun). In informal German use, the guns were universally known as the Acht-acht, a contraction of Acht-komma-acht Zentimeter (8.8 cm = 88 mm).German 8.8 cm guns were used in anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles."

Similarities are prevalent.

I run a Flak Company and they wreck Mech lists and give Horde lists trouble. 3 squadrons of 3 Hydras is only 675 pts, supported by the rest of the IG list makes for tough choices for your opponent.