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Would this, to many people, seem a viable option for a Fanatic unit?

Explanation: When you release Fanatics, you select a point in the unit for the Fanatic(s) to be released from, as well as a direction. You then roll 2D6", and move them in that direction (stopping 1" away from any units). This determines where the Fanatic lands, and any unit that lay between the released fanatic location and final location takes 1D6 S5 hits. Generally, there's all sorts of tricks to try and line Fanatics up just right to be in front of the target (such as screen units, diagonal throws, etcetera).

What I'm wondering is if you could purposefully throw a Fanatic through your own unit in this fashion Say your unit is like so:

[Front Rank]
[Rank Two]
[Rank Three]
[Back Rank]

Could you release the Fanatic behind [Back Rank], then throw them in the direction of [Front Rank]?

RAW, I don't think there's anything saying a Fanatic must go in the direction it was released from. However, logically, that seems like something that the Goblins would not do (mostly because it's basically inviting them to have a Fanatic spiral through them), and a bit of a dick move to essentially use the depth / width of your unit to ensure that the Fanatics are released pretty much 100% of the time in a position that the chargers must slam through (since 4-6D6 S5 AP hits ruins pretty much everyone's day).

I don't see anythinf in the rules that would prevent you from doing so.

You get to pick the direction and the point from which the fanatic's are released from after all.

Well... yeah, you could release them from the back of the unit and move forward. They'd tear up the unit in the doing, though, and could well cause it to break and run in the process. Would it really be worth it? Really worth it?

 Vulcan wrote:
Well... yeah, you could release them from the back of the unit and move forward. They'd tear up the unit in the doing, though, and could well cause it to break and run in the process. Would it really be worth it? Really worth it?

Worth it? Hell yes.
With 3 fanatics, the goblins would be taking 3D6 hits to cause 6D6 hits, and prevent further fanatic issues.
Against things like warriors of chaos, 6D6 hits can take out the whole unit. 3D6 hits goblins barely notice.

You you give up 8 goblins to kill 14 warriors of chaos?
Where do I sign up?


-Matt

 Ma55ter_fett wrote:
I don't see anythinf in the rules that would prevent you from doing so.

You get to pick the direction and the point from which the fanatic's are released from after all.

Just seems odd picking a point of release and, essentially, having the Fanatics move in the direct opposite direction. I mean, I could at least sort-of assume a near-horizontal throw from the release point, but straight back (well, forward)?

But there doesn't seem to be anything in the rules against it. The only thing that might arguably count is the fact that you'd purposefully be targeting your own unit in the efforts, and I don't think that matters for terms of random movement point-and-go.

 Vulcan wrote:
Well... yeah, you could release them from the back of the unit and move forward. They'd tear up the unit in the doing, though, and could well cause it to break and run in the process. Would it really be worth it? Really worth it?

Generally? What HawaiiMatt said. Those 6D6 hits on a Chaos Warrior unit (assuming you didn't kill them with a very lucky 4D6 from the first two) could very readily break even with the point cost of your unit fleeing even if it took out the unit, all the fanatics, and an attached character in the bargain (since that would only cost about 325-400pts).

Durh, I keep forgetting some people aren't smart enough to pull out the fanatics with cheap units early and instead do it with their main combat blocks.

That's why I keep plenty of harpies, shades, and dark riders in my army lists. Better to make the gobbos throw them at 55-85 point units than 300-400 point units.

Just one point on the original post. The Fanatic does not stop 1" away from any unit. If it comes into contact, it goes right through the unit ending up on the other side, even if this takes it beyond the rolled distance. And does the damage in the process of course...