Forum Discussion

Trolloween's avatar
Trolloween
6 years ago

Is orca op?

Am I just bad or is the orca really difficult to counter? I always use it playing gdi and it seems almost everyone does. My issue is the speed, unless you have several missile/laser squads lined under its direct path it will always be able to fire before dying and very often can escape with some damage. If you combine the orca with some kind of anti infantry it's a very strong easy to get combo, but is it op? I just think it needs to be a bit slower or a bit of a delay before it fires to give some chance at killing it. 

8 Replies

  • Marine_CorporaI's avatar
    Marine_CorporaI
    6 years ago

    I don't think it's OP. At least not for me. It's basically a suicide bomber for me because it doesn't last too long. When I use it, I can only get maybe 2 volleys with it if my opponent has no counters to it when it first comes out. After they bring out lasers or missiles, it gets taken down very easy unless I put my complete focus on it all the time and ignore everything else. If I do that, I lose.

    The only time it's OP for me is when my opponent is stupid and allows me to get 2 Orcas on each pad and continues spamming bikes or buggies right in it's path instead of sending laser or missile troopers.

  • xrmiao4's avatar
    xrmiao4
    6 years ago

    Op if your opponent mircro well

    If you run talons they are easy prey, you can run pitbulls at the same time to attract them.

    missile troopers are just too slow and may not reach them in time

  • Trolloween's avatar
    Trolloween
    6 years ago

    Pitbulls are great since you can chase them down, but playing as nod I time and time again can have a missile squad and a banshee waiting for an orca to bomb my harvester and it can always fire before dying. It's also difficult to have units waiting since the orca is so fast. A missile squad can't kill it fast enough, any ground unit will be killed in one shot and it can reload before you can send another. It might be a different story with equal levels but who has that luxury in this game. 

    Just feels like it's nearly right but given the popularity and how often it is the turning point of matches it seems like it isn't quite balanced. I might have to swap banshee for phantom but then I am dead against titans, avatars and tanks so it's not quite worth it for most matches. 

  • xrmiao4's avatar
    xrmiao4
    6 years ago

    Playing as nod I find it funny stealth and orca oneshot each other

  • Mister_Crac's avatar
    Mister_Crac
    6 years ago

    There's a reason why I have a Talon and a Banshee in my decks. They eat Orcas for breakfast. 🙂

  • Trolloween's avatar
    Trolloween
    6 years ago

    I do the same, but even if I boost my banshee with oxanna the orca can still fire and then leave. If the banshee could fire while moving it would be fine but the orca is too fast to ever get much damage done. 

    I'm talking about the good players here who never let it sit still after firing. Kind of like stealth tanks but at least they can't escape so easily  

  • Mister_Crac's avatar
    Mister_Crac
    6 years ago

    Yeah, the hit-and-run tactic can be pretty annoying when you have to deal with it.

  • BattaIia's avatar
    BattaIia
    Seasoned Ace
    6 years ago
    Yea, I hear ya. When in a dominant position orca can really shut down the opponent. But I don't personally mind the suicide drive by's that everyone does with them. Orcas are what? 70 tib each? Could be 80. If I'm wrong correct me, but I'll go with 70. So 2 orca dives to get my harv costs them 140 tib to which they get 100 back. I'm fine trading that every day of the week. Especially love it when they finally bag the harvester when the nuke is going critical and then I just use the freed up pop cap for another combat unit =p But I won't lie, I have lost games because I never rebuilt my harv when this happens, so it's not a super strong move.

    Another solid tactic is to keep on top of their orca with something non threatening. Flame squad? Wheels/wardogs? Anything. Keep it close and unassuming and run them by right as it reloads and you can keep the orca out of the fight for that much longer.

    Personally the orca is in a pretty good spot right now. Does it's job decently well and has it's weaknesses. Might feel a little strong right now due to the fact that the only infantry counters lie in lasers/rockets or expensive hard air counters. But overall I'm not struggling with em.

Featured Places

Recent Discussions