Playing Orcs

[DemonSax]

I've been taking turns playing the various multiplayer races against the AI to try and hone my strategies against specific race match-ups. I've recently started trying to play orcs, and have run into some problems. I've been operating under the impression that the core tactic behind the orcs is the Horde; to overwhelm your opponent with sheer numbers using their less expensive units. On smaller games this seems to work reasonably well. However, on extended games the large number of weak units tend to merely serve as xp fodder for the other races.

I've also had problems with their lack of a fire attack type, which is how I tend to counter wose and ghost attacks. Anyone have any good tactics for orcs to use against them?

[Elvish_Pillager]

The core 'cheap, weak unit' of the Northerners is the Orcish Grunt. Get tons of them. Then the Orcish Archer; if your enemy is weak to Pierce, use the Goblins instead of Grunts, but otherwise, they're not such a good idea. Grunts and Assasasins together are good at taking out Woses. Trolls are good against Undead in some cases.

[DemonSax]

The core 'cheap, weak unit' of the Northerners is the Orcish Grunt. Get tons of them. Then the Orcish Archer; if your enemy is weak to Pierce, use the Goblins instead of Grunts, but otherwise, they're not such a good idea. Grunts and Assasasins together are good at taking out Woses. Trolls are good against Undead in some cases.

I see may of my misgivings against the Orcs are being addressed here: http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5953

However, my fundamental problem is that on larger maps it would seem that having a large number of weaker units only serves to level up opponents who have fewer, yet stronger units. Although the orcs cost less, they do not give less xp (save the goblin, of course), and thus orcs are putting more xp on the table for their opponent than is being provided in return. Thus, as the game draws on, they tend to level up more quickly than the orcs. I eventually find myself facing an increasing number of higher level units without seeing a good way to counter them.

[ryn]

Could you post a replay?

[Rhuvaen]

However, my fundamental problem is that on larger maps it would seem that having a large number of weaker units only serves to level up opponents who have fewer, yet stronger units.

That is why they are such a favourite as a campaign AI enemy!

The first part of your strategy consists of recruiting more units than your enemies. The second part consists of knowing they are weaker and concentrating more units in one place! Don't go around thinking: great, I have more units, so I'll grab more of the map, or you'll experience a slow, agonizing, giving-xp-away downfall.

Pro's and con's of more weaker units vs fewer stronger ones:
cons:
- you have more xp to give away
- you'll lose your attack power more gradually and faster
- you'll have less units that will level
- you'll never have enough villages to heal all your units

pros:
- you can use your attack power more effectively (i.e. more units to direct means less remaining unit's attacks wasted on 1hp enemies, and a potentially more effective distribution of attacks generally)
- you can surround and fence in your opponents better, and keep better control of territory
- you can more easily direct those xp that you'll gain towards certain chosen units

I agree with EP, the goblin spearman horde is a nice idea but doesn't really work in most circumstances. They're soo much weaker than the already cheap Grunt.