Hello all, The other day I was playing a game for fun against O&G and his fanatatics came out fairly early at my camo skinks. I wind Blasted one right back into his own unit. My question is....was I really being too cheeky or this actually a viable tactic?
In reading the Wind Blast spell description, it specifically states that if the target unit (in this case, the fanatic) comes into contact with another unit it stops 1" away and then both units suffer d6 S3 hits. Accordingly, a fanatic could not be pushed through another unit by means of this spell. It would be a great trick but unfortunately the spell description does not allow it although it is likely to kill the fanatic.
It still 'comes into contact' with that unit doesn't it. So then the fanatics rules come into play and it deals it's 2d6 hits and dies. With the added bonus that I also deal damage to the unit because it's been hit by the spell.
The wording states that if it comes in contact it is stopped 1" away, which means it never really touches the unit - something that strikes me as an obvious contradiction. Notwithstanding this contradiction, the spell is very specific that the unit stops 1" away, which precludes the fanatic's rules from coming into play and shooting it through the unit.
Myself being mostly an Orc player, i would say the fanatic comes in contact with the unit, then the special rules for fanatic special rules take effect. Remember -- normal units cannot come into contact with the opponent unless charging, hence the 1" rule for them, from which the fanatic is an exception. I DOES NOT deal 2d6 -- this applies only if another unit walks over the fanatic. It will instead pop through an be 1" away from the affected unit after causing 1D6 Str 5 AP hits.
Not to flog a dead horse here but just one issue if you are opting to have the fanatic pass through a unit with windblast. At what point is it intended to actually complete the spell effect and inflict d6 S3 hits on both units - before or after it passes through the unit?
I would say after. Because the fanatics rule comes into effect in the middle of the spells effect... 1) Cast Spell 2) select fanatic as target 3) fanatic moves x" 4) fanatic comes into contact with other unit 4b) fanatic rule states that when it comes into contact it moves through unit and does 'x' damage 5) wind blast rule to place unit 1" away is redundant as fanatic is already 1" away anyway 6) Damage done to both units as per Wind blast ruling (Because rule states damage to be done after models are placed 1" apart) As a point of interest - I read somewhere else that it would be better to push the fanatic into another fanatic as this destroys them both.