How do you kill Acheron?

[Cyrusfan]

I just did a search and such threads seem to be for the FfH verion, not the strength 35 Channeling 3, Hero, It'll have every useful promo by the time you fight it version found in RiFE. My only success has been abusing Affinity, either Lord D'Tesh with a full entourage of tier 3 casters summoning Djinn, or Chalid (who died in the process). I'm wondering if there's any general way to go about it as most of my non-Affinity fueled attempts result in a stack fleeing back outside his city's border and the remainder insufficient to the task.

 

[Ghostslayer]

I just did a search and such threads seem to be for the FfH verion, not the strength 35 Channeling 3, Hero, It'll have every useful promo by the time you fight it version found in RiFE. My only success has been abusing Affinity, either Lord D'Tesh with a full entourage of tier 3 casters summoning Djinn, or Chalid (who died in the process). I'm wondering if there's any general way to go about it as most of my non-Affinity fueled attempts result in a stack fleeing back outside his city's border and the remainder insufficient to the task.

You need units with courage or undead, not to be scared by the dragon, or summons that are immuned to fear.
First strikes (dance of blades) help to be sure that Acheron will be damaged by the attack of your units.
Sacrifice an initial cheap unit (like a skeleton, warrior, etc) to get rid of its stoneskin.
And be prepared to lose several champions/rangers in the fight.

And do not use Djinnis. They are largely useless as Acheron is magic immune (IIRC).

 

[BiffQJ]

A lateish game hero (chalid is good) with Combat 5, Heroic Strength 1 & 2, and the city attack promos (as many as possible) usually does the job for me... Either that, or get a whole pile of champions and an adept with Spirit 1.

 

[black_imperator]

And always bring a fairly promoted beastmaster to finish the job and go rampaging with your cute little red dragon

 

[Valkrionn]

Keep in mind, Acheron is a 'Monstrous Creature'. This carries many boosts, but it also grants a -50% vs Siege units, and a -25% vs Archery.

 

[Cyrusfan]

I can tell you the Djinn worked wonders. I had Lord D'Tesh at strength 40+, but couldn't actually use him in the attack because he fled after defending the stack from Acheron between my turns (and had some item that gave him +80% vs heroes so I meant to use him to finish the dragon off). so it was already damaged a bit. Even then I just got lucky as the third one did a bunch of damage, after which the rest steadily whittled away.

Looking over the mentioned spells, they're tier 1 and thus available to any civ that can make adepts (and Mechanos have refined mana affinity to abuse). I also see the shadow spell Blur prevents first strikes, which would offset the massive advantage it gets from Drill 4.

Valk, I noticed that bonus, but I'm not sure how I would get generic siege units near him without getting their health obliterated by meteor (and if he decides to wander out of the city, they're basically worthless anyway)

I guess another question I had is what size stacks you're all using?

 

[mo123567]

As the Mechanos, I bombarded the S#$% out of him and moved Lenora in for the kill. Lenora also had the capture beast unit ability so he became a problem for my enemies.

 

[Elwist]

It is also nice to bring a couple of people with marksman and get red of any other barbarians that might be in the city as well.

 

[(name here)]

I've yet to do it myself, but shooting him a bunch with artillery seems like the simplest plan.

 

[Aoleleb]

Swamp him with Ice Elementals (Illians are my poison at the moment).

Failing that, leave him alone until Auric Ascended gets bored and decides to eat him.

 

[ZeroZeroSix]

I captured him as the Scions. I fortified a Horned dread near its home city and Acheron attacked next turn and lost, so I gain an Acheron. But it cant move even if he have 5 moves points !!! Is that normal ?

 

[arcticnightwolf]

One word: Nukes.


(( Or eventually Holy hand grenade of Cahir Abbey. ))

 

[Aoleleb]

Lord D'tesh has found another thread!

 

[thadian]

I always focus on the scout branch of units in preparation, for to me there is no complete game where i do not kill and capture Gurid, Margalard, Acheron, Mother, Roc, and any other awesome beast who i can capture. sometimes i even capture larry, curly and moe.

 

[arthas125]

beast masters with subdue beast + commanded by a good level commander ( tho this may be dangerous because the meteors and the collateral damage they make, plus the damage of the skill itself can kill them, same with siege weapons, so have a lot of healers in order to keep them alive every turn) and combat III or IV is more than enough, just make sure you weak him a bit with ranged attack from your siege units, then send the beast masters in, you'll also capture him after the battle, but is pretty useless since he can't move

 

[Aoleleb]

So if it's thread necro'd twice, is it unundead? ;P

 

[Jheral]

It makes it damn hard to kill, that's for sure... Much like Acheron!

 

[Beleaguered]

All you people seem to have way too much trouble killing him. Max promoted, he has a
-195% city defense, bringing his overall to about 20.00. I've killed him with 5 hippus horseman, fully upgraded on the withdrawal, and one with a bunch of combat ups. Turn 135 marathon.

 

[cain3456]

What about his Sons of the Inferno buddies?