Individule Unit tactics: Gnoblar Fighters

Uses for Gnoblar Fighters

First a note on unit size. I started with units of 30 to ensure outnumbering and lessen the chance of panicking, what I’ve found lately to be better is to go with 2 units of 20, you can still get the out numbering if you need, as a whole are harder to panic and as an added bonus you are less likely to have the unit do nothing at all due to bickering and if necessary you can split them up 

First of all (well really second) things not to do

Deploy them in front of ogres, whether this is to screen them, use for bait or any other such thing. It’s fairly obvious why M4 and bicker, while you can do these things just don’t put them in the way (more on this later)
Do not try to use them in conjunction with ogres on the other side of the board again it’s the movement difference that’s the problem. You can however do it on your side of the board, i.e. against Bretts

Now there uses

Use number 1 is stalling in deployment. Putting these guys down early isn’t going to tell your opponent much is it? This links with the refused flank tactic, once you have bluffed your opponent the can help slow down the out of position flank by either flank charging or march blocking

Use 2 is table corner grabbing, on your own half the best spots are behind hills, in woods or tucked away in the corner. It is important to make sure your opponent can’t scare them off be cause they can represent 240 VPs (100 for you losing a corner, 100 for him gaining a quarter and 40 for the unit). Of course he may just contest the quarter and nobody gets anything. On your opponents side of the board the best be is to put them way out on the edges and either march them straight into his half and into some terrain or wait somewhere inconspicuous and make a move latter in the game, not too late though or you will fail your bicker test.

Use 3 March blocking, there won’t be much of a chance for this with M4 and bicker but a good trick is to use them out on the flanks to slow down fast cavalry and such. The most common way would be like this

----Flanker-------M-a-i-n-d-e-p-l-o-y-m-e-n-t-l-i-n-e
------------Terrain----------------------------------------
Gnobbos----------M-a-i-n-d-e-p-l-o-y-m-e-n-t-l-i-n-e

It can work very well; remember your sharp stuff when you do this

Use 4 stopping light units dead in there tracks. Most units of fast cavalry aren’t going to be able to inflict the 5 wounds required to beat a unit of Gnobbos. (10 attacks hitting on 3 wounding on 3 no armour save =  4.3 wounds) a bit chancy but what do you want for 40 points? Plug that bottle neck out on the flanks and hopefully problem solved. Remember to angle them so if (and when you lose) the pursue into terrain or just further towards the table edge 

Use 5 stopping enemy units dead in there tracks. This little tactic can be very nasty mainly due to the fact that your opponent will charge gnobbos thinking they will flee or break and flee. What you do is make sure that your general is within range and your’ BSB; I know most people around here don’t use the BSB but I have found him useful. Even if you lose by 2 (6 wounds) re roll LD 7 isn’t that bad about. This is obviously not going to work on units that can through out heaps of attacks or full static combat resolution   

Use 6 Bait and flee, shove them in front of that unit knights barreling in down the middle of the board and flee the charge, this works the same way as with naked bulls so I won’t rehash it here. (see my gnoblog or search for Individule Unit tactica: First up bulls in the feeding ground)

Use 7 Shooting flankers, example unit moves up into the gnobbos flank arc thinking he’s safe, turn 90° expand your frontage and let loose

Use 8 Screening, due to there rather slow movement putting these guys front of anything you want to protect doesn’t work to well. You can however walk them in front of siege or missile units that have set up out on the edges of the board. If there on a hill, which is likely you’re going to have to keep moving up, until you die or flee or are intercepted by something. Some people will suggest that this forces the missile unit to shoot them or else they will charge them and use there combat resolution to win. Unfortunately there is a very high probability that the stand and shoot will be enough to reduce there static resolution that they will loss, against siege on the other hand go for it, most recommended

Use 9 drawing out and crushing fanatics. Move up, draw fanatic, then walk on it (forwards backwards whichever direction is needed) Problem solved
       
Use 10 Providing combat res, as stated you can only co-ordinate ogres and Gnoblars on your side of the table so this is only going to work against cavalry. The other thing to relies is that gnobbos dies so easily that there static resolution may be negated by the wounds they take. This means its only going to work on things like the flank of a single rank of cavalry or charging with 3 units on the front arc (2 won’t work as they should take up half of the frontage each) eg

------HvyCav----
Gnbs-Guts-Gnobs

Use 11 Shooting large targets

C & C welcome

Scroth


P.S I've also heard that they can be used to stop forrests from moving when facing wood elves, having never played them I wouldn't know

Nobody got any comments?

Is it that good? Or bad?

Scroth

P.S add Use 12 drawing frenzied troops