Ogre Missile Strategy

[selenite]

Last night I introduced some newbies to Ogre with the Two Mk IIIs Attack scenario. They won because one hoarded her missiles until she was in range of the CP. Which started an argument over the best strategy for missiles elsewhere: Use them right away? Save them for important targets? Something else?

What's your strategy?

[dwalend]

One counter-tactic for hoarding missiles is to blow them up just before the ogre moves in range of a valuable target. Like all things Ogre, it's a bell curve gamble, but there's no great benefit to attack the missiles them earlier.

The hoarding ogre should face an extra tank or two for many turns. That tank will be chipping away at guns and treads the whole time, and will be there to take aim at the missiles. Statistically that's a bad trade for the ogre.

It makes for an exciting end-game.

[woodchuck]

It depends on what you're fighting against. Lots of GEVs nipping your heels you might have to backtrack and lob your missiles at them, if the force is spread out you might save them, or if your facing some thing that you have a good chance at killing let 'em rip. As always a missile that is destroyed in the launch tube is completely wasted.

[tomc]

I use them right away so the tanks I destroy never get to hit me. With the MkV I often save one so the opponent has to respect the threat.

[tomc]

Originally Posted by woodchuck

As always a missile that is destroyed in the launch tube is completely wasted.

I wouldn't say it's completely wasted. If it was hit by your opponent then it soaked up some damage that would have gone to your treads or guns. Also, if it was targeted and missed that means it soaks up even more potential damage.

Only if you fired the missile and missed was it completely wasted.

[atomic]

Originally Posted by tomc

Only if you fired the missile and missed was it completely wasted.

Hear! Hear! A man after my own heart. Given the number of Ogre targets you opponent has I believe it's worth the risk!

[Shostak]

I like to use the missiles early, at targets in the direction I intend to have the Ogre move. These targets should be ones against which I can get at least 3:1 odds, so that disabling is assured. Because disabled units are killed on a subsequent D result, on my next turn, I can move ahead and use guns against any disabled ones with a very high chance of a kill.