Need Help in getting Aura-Emitters to stay put

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
This could be applicable to any nation, but I'll make this specific for my specific problem:
Tien Chi S&A, early game: Get the Iron Crutch around turn 4. I'd like to send him out with my expansion team because he can schlepp those summoned Spirits with him and is a good searcher, also immortal in case things go wrong.

--snip--
Now I successfully conquered a few provinces, but my prophet, commander, and half my archers are diseased.
Is there any way to get him (and similar unhealthy-aura emitting units) to keep away from the rest of the troops? Must I tell him to attack? But then I dont want him diseasing my front line troops either....
what can I do (besides: keep him out of battle until he learns some ranged spells)?
thanks much in advance

This may be completely backwards, but once you have enough spells for him to be useful, bring only archers and put him in the FRONT set to casting self-shielding spells first and let the enemy try their luck getting anywhere near him... (Think Pythian Hydra and such...) As mentioned earlier though, +Dominion provinces only (a Manx Slinger with one lucky toss can ruin his forever...)