Dealing with Fanatics

Dealing with Night Goblin fanatics is always a tough call no matter what army you are playing.

With the latest release of rules, they have streamlined them a bit, but still can cause many players headaches.
Here were the primary changes:
1. Allow an armor save now. So cavarly troops stand a little bit of a chance against them now.
2. No more random direction to start. Owner always gets to point them and push.
3. Easier to kill now with a unit landing on them.


So obviously to deal with fanatics, lots of scenery and smaller throw away units are the best way to deal with them.
For higher elite armies like Bretonians and high elves, it is tough to do.

Lets break this down into 2 categories, setting them off and killing them.

There are only a few good tactics for getting fanatics releasedm, but here are some of the biggest points.
1. Always try to get them released as soon as possible. The earlier the better. The idea being they are farther away from your main units and actually closer to his.
2. Try to set them off from troops in terrain. This prevents him from pushing them towards the troops that set them off so there is a good chance they will do no damage the turn they are released.
3. If you can't used terrain, try and place another O&G unit between you and the night goblin host unit. So if he wants to get to your unit, he has to plow through his own first.
4. Use smaller units to get them released. Example, for chaos would be warhounds.
This has the affect of killing a cheap unit but also they don't get free movement by popping out the back side.

Now onto killing them.
Care should be taken and considered when looking at a fanatic out spinning on the board. Remember once released they are as dangerous to the enemy as they are to you. A fanatic right in front of his unit, is probably best to be left alone. But definetely rid yourself of any that have made it behind your lines.
1. You can magic them. A small magic missile will easily dispatch them.
2. You can shoot them. Even a small unit with bows should be able to get rid of him.

Finally, just land on them. The rules get a bit fuzzy on when to take the panic test. One interpretation is you can land on them, destroy them and take 2d6 impact hits. (1 for initial and the 2nd d6 for the death throes)
Using this interpretation, taking only a single model, say the lone guy left from shooting, or a previous fanatic hit can move on him. Take 2d6 hits, die and take the fanatic with him.

Some players will claim that a panic test must be made after the initial hits and then if you choose to stop on him you take 1d5 more and kill him if you make your panic test.

However you play it, just be consistent and good luck taking out those little whirling dervishes.