# Versus... Orion



## squeek (Jun 8, 2008)

Hi all,

Continuing with the Fantasy Versus... series, next on the list is Orion (suggested by Aspiring Toaster). If you want to add your suggestions as to who Fantasy Versus should deal with next, go here for the general thread.

So, Orion, how do you combat 'the king in the woods'? He is unbreakable, causes terror and brings 6 S7 attacks on the charge and a longbow that acts like a Bolt Thrower. He has no armour save, but is T5 and of course has the forest spirit ward save and the option to bring two hounds which can be used as ablative wounds.

It is perhaps his special rules that make him the most dangerous for an opponent. He brings an extra 2DD to the WE player, has a 1 use horn that causes a panic test to all enemy units in 18" and best yet, makes Wild Riders core choices allowing the prospect of an all mounted list with minimum M9!

So how do you plan to combat him? Do you have a preferred unit or tactic that works every time? Do you just rely on shooting and artillery and hope your opponent fails the saves enough? Are you always able to negate his potential with counter units?


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## Dafistofmork (Jan 9, 2009)

whilst never having played him, i would imagin a barage of dwarf artiliiery (yes, i have gone for the organ gun again to defeat him) followed up with some rock hard units of dwarfs (such as warriors or thunderers!:laugh and just wear him down in a war of attrition.

i mean, he's a poncy elf at the end of the day. admitlidly T5, but still an elf.


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## Lord Sven Kittyclaw (Mar 23, 2009)

Dwarf artillery, such as bolt throwers, cannons, with runes are all magic attacks and wound him easily with multiple wounds, and he gets no save when they have runes on them.


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## Ascendant Valor (Jan 3, 2009)

Hit him hard and hit him often. Odds are he's going to be working the back-field of the board, just out of reach of your nastiest units. He won't be an easy nut to crack, but he can fall all the same.

If I had the opportunity, I'd send in my Prince on Star Dragon to hit him hard and fast; that way I can also avoid all that pesky Fast Cavalry. His bow would pose a serious risk to this idea, however, and it should be dealt with accordingly.

Remember that he does have the terrain on his side - literally. Hiding in or around trees isn't such a good idea. That is, unless you're already rocking the Lore of Life. How the tide has turned, Orion!

Really, it would seem his biggest weakness is in combat. I'd try to bring my troops in his grill as fast as possible, often meaning cavalry. A couple small units of Heavy Cavalry should do wonders, even if he Stand-and-Shoots a them. Otherwise, let the artillery roll.


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

I think I would go with the easiest option against him- lose.
Cant really see anything fun that I can do to kill him, I'm assuming he is very resilient to shooting so while I might try to snipe him with a hunter I doubt it would work. I expect he's immune to killing blow so trying to get a jammy shot with a scraplauncher is out... I might be able to beat him in combat with a bruiser/tyrant but I doubt I could get there. Could probably get some core ogres into him but I would need some serious luck to do much of anything against him.
-damn I wish there was an Ogre SC that was hard enough to make it onto a "Versus..."


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## squeek (Jun 8, 2008)

Really the best way to deal with him in my opinion is magical attacks that remove his ward. He may have 6 wounds at T5 but without that ward save he is very vulnerable. Either a hard hitting character getting the charge (preferably after a little softening up) or perhaps the best options versus Wood Elves with Forest Spirit saves; Magic Missiles.

Any of the (2)D6 S4 missiles are worth a couple of dice as even though he is T5 you should still average a wound every 3 hits. You can also use the Hunter's Spear to wound on a 3+, though there are perhaps better targets about for that unless he is with friends and you have a flank!  Lets just reiterate that, any casts on a 5+ MM should do at least one wound on Orion per cast _on average_.

Since he is treated as unbreakable due to Spirit of Kurnous (bear in mind it isn't straight unbreakable, see the FAQ), every point he loses combat by costs him a wound. This is particularly useful if he is in a unit. Hit it in a flank away from Orion and make sure you don't have anything he can challenge and you have a whole turn to let CR do its magic. He will often be with Wild Riders which are not all that hard to kill if you get the charge. So assuming you both have banners if you can bring something with outnumber and a few ranks, with flank and any wounds you do Orion is in the brown and sticky.


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

If your in the flank away from Orion then he cant challenge anyway.. not the first turn anyway- you have to be in the combat to be able to issue a challenge.


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## effigy22 (Jun 29, 2008)

Kurt helborg in a unit of 15 inner circle knights supported by 2 steam tanks... that should do quite nicely.


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## squeek (Jun 8, 2008)

Tim/Steve said:


> If your in the flank away from Orion then he cant challenge anyway.. not the first turn anyway- you have to be in the combat to be able to issue a challenge.


Indeed, my wording perhaps wasn't the best. I was getting at the fact that Orion is a bad ass mofo in challenges particularly if in turn 2 of a combat in initiative order. So champions and characters just tend to give the WE player +lots for overkill! :spiteful:


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## Ascendant Valor (Jan 3, 2009)

The flanking idea is a noteworthy example of how to take Orion on, Squeek. If he's flanked by his hounds and his hound(s) form the fighting rank on the unit, they should be easy enough to take on. Plus Orion won't be able to strike back!


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## The Meddler (Sep 25, 2010)

Ascendant Valor said:


> The flanking idea is a noteworthy example of how to take Orion on, Squeek. If he's flanked by his hounds and his hound(s) form the fighting rank on the unit, they should be easy enough to take on. Plus Orion won't be able to strike back!


New rules, Make way! means Orion can just swap places with the hound, so that tactic won't work anymore.


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