Flanking is a strategic military maneuver in which one or more divisions attack a single enemy division from multiple angles during engagement, resulting in varied damage modifiers throughout the battle.
The damage multiplier applied during an attack depends on the enemy's position, ranging from a reduced 0.5x (-50%) to a substantial 3x (+200%). Unlike a direct frontal assault, flanking grants the targeted enemy division more military experience while providing less experience to the flanking division.
If you opt to split your collective division instead of attacking with a single division (a tactic known as 'encirclement'), you can gain additional experience compared to the standard flanking method. However, this comes with the trade-off of incurring higher losses. Despite the significant attack advantage flanking provides, failure to eliminate the enemy division due to an unsuccessful flank can lead to devastating losses.
Unit Hitboxes
The damage inflicted during a flank depends on the specific hitbox location of the enemy unit being targeted. While the diagram illustrates an infantry model, the flanking bonus applies universally to all types of military units and battles—whether on the ground, at sea with the navy, or in the air. Thus, the infantry hitbox diagram can conceptually be applied to these other unit types as well.
Damage Zones
- Green Zone (Front): You deal the least amount of damage in this zone.
- Yellow Zone (Left/Right): You deal a moderate amount of damage in this zone.
- Red Zone (Back/Left/Right Front): You deal the highest amount of damage in this zone.
Usages
This feature can be used for a variety of reasons, including:
- AI Lure troops to their demise.
- Kill enemy units faster.
- Depends on where you flank the enemy from.
- Yield higher war exhaustion gain for your enemy.
- Leads to decreasing stability and may lead to the collapse of their nation.
- Deplete your enemy's manpower.
- Especially useful when the enemy is a small nation.
Tips
How to Use
- Look out for opportunities to flank the enemy. These can be divisions sitting alone or a division moving towards a city. Once you find one, split your division in half or into multiple parts using the 'Split in half' or 'Form Line' mechanism, respectively, to surround your enemy. Then, move in to attack them.
- Especially in a war where the enemy used auto-capture, you can remove their divisions one by one before initiating a counter-offensive to recapture or take enemy cities.
Countering
- If you realize your enemy is about to flank your division, consider abandoning the city you are defending by repositioning your division from the frontlines.
- If yielding the city to the enemy is not an option, move another nearby division to provide support. Alternatively, you can rely on the same division without reinforcements, but this is advisable only if your unit numbers match the enemy's.
- Additionally, utilizing artillery, ships, and planes to bombard the enemy can disrupt their flanking efforts and reduce their combat effectiveness.
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| Units | ||
|---|---|---|
| Army | Primary | Infantry • Tanks • Home Guard |
| Support | Artillery • Anti Aircraft | |
| Navy | Escort | Destroyer • Frigate • Transport Boat |
| Capital | Battleship • Aircraft Carrier | |
| Underwater | Submarine | |
| Air Force | Fighter • Attacker • Bomber • Transport Aircraft | |
| Nuclear | Nuke | |
| April Fools | Nuke (April Fools) • Space Units | |
| Mechanics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Strategic | Doctrines • Operations • Attrition • Entrenchment • Flanking • Auto Capture | |
| Leadership | Military Leaders • Traits • Political Leaders | |
| Logistics | Manpower • Experience • Military Power • Conscription Laws • Readiness • Military Spending • Recruitment Centers • Reinforcements | |
| Other | Technology • War Exhaustion • War • War Justification • Skins | |