The Hydra is a heavy Myrmidon for the Retribution of Scyrah faction in Warmachine MkII.
Background and Description
The Hydra is built to hammer enemies with its Force Fists and Force Cannon while conserving energy. It's energy abilities allow it to convert kinetic energy into focus.[1]
Special Abilities and Weapons
- Field Dependent: Model loses its Kinetic Capacitor ability and cannot attack with its Force Cannon when the Field Generator is crippled.
- Focus Battery: The Hydra retains focus during the maintenance phase.
- Kinetic Capacitor: The Hydra converts attacks that hit Focus points.
- Weapons
- Force Cannon (ranged Attack)
- Magical Weapon
- Focus Powered: Ranged attacks gain RNG and POW for focus points on the model.
- Force Fist x2
Strengths
- Front loaded Focus: Allocate three focus on the Hydra on turn 1 plan to reserve only 1 or 2 future focus points per turn after that. Its Focus Battery should keep it well equipped and humming from turn to turn.
- High Ranged Potential: Speed + Range of Cannon + 3" from Focus = 21" Threat Range with the Force Cannon.
- Nickle and Dime renewal: Enemy hits give the Hydra Focus. During its Activation, a Hydra can replenish its force field. Assuming the shots are weak enough, a Hydra can keep its force field up with focus provided by the attacks that granted the focus. Even Blast Damage should trigger the focus effect.
- Control: Its chain attack triggered power attack gives it options for when a power attack alone isn't enough, and damage against the target alone isn't enough.
- Unlimited Kinetic Focus: Enemy hits that provide focus do not allocate focus, and therefore may go over the three focus maximum.
Weaknesses
- Chain Attack: Not really strong enough to do a lot of damage on its own, not reliable enough to help save focus on its own.
- Fist and Gun Drainage: Using the Gun to its full effect (boosting to hit and damage) every turn will nullify the benefits of its focus preservation mechanic (unless, that is, you're counting on enemy attacks to power up the battery). Deliberately guaranteeing a Chain Attack is focus intense as well (boosting three hits).
Synergies
- Adeptis Rahn: Load it up early on with focus for its Focus Battery to use it as a high ARM gun platform. Polarity Field will force the enemy to advance into it rather than charge it with high POW weaponry, further guaranteeing that it will absorb and retain focus from enemy attacks rather than lose its Field Generator.
- Dawnlord Vyros: Take advantage of its Force Battery to conserve focus and use its Force Cannon with Bird's Eye to hit models obscured by forests, smoke or models.
- Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper: Powering up its focus battery early on can give Kaelyssa an out of turn shot at POW 15, RNG 15 from Witch Hunter.
- Ravyn, Eternal Light: Power up the Hydra's Focus Battery early in the game to give it the extra range, and cast Snipe on it later to further extend its RNG out to 19". Spend one focus to boost the attack roll and one to boost the damage roll and you're left with 1 focus to cycle back the following turn, causing Ravyn to devote 3 focus to the Hydra (2 to replenish it up to three and 1 to upkeep Snipe).
- Dawnguard Invictors: Set up the unit with its Defensive Line and dare the enemy to attack. Should they shoot at the unit or deal with the more dangerous threat and increase its focus? If the Hydra is Marshalled by the unit, attacks against it should still generate focus and allow the Hydra to use Focus.
- Battle Mages: Present another conundrum for your enemy. Shoot the low DEF Hydra and give it focus? Or try to eliminate the board controlling battle mages but try to hit DEF 15?
- Arcanist: Concentrated Power makes the Hydra a bit more respectable in melee combat with two attacks at P+S 16.
- Dawnguard Scyir: When Marshaled by a Scyir, a Hydra can still benefit from Focus gained from its Kinetic Capacitor, and the Scyir's Drive: Reroll makes the Chain Attack easier to trigger.
Articles
Notes
- 1 Forces of Warmachine: Retribution of Scyrah. 2009
