Flank Attacks

[gamercb]

I remember reading discussions about flank attacks and whether they should cause an automatic drop in cohesion but not the outcome of the discussion.

I am playing in the Digital League and my Russian Offensive Shieldwall are engaging a Pictish Warband to the front and I attack it in the flank with a second unit of Offensive Shieldwall and in the rear with Nomad Horse Archers. Neither attack causes a drop in cohesion. Is this how it now works? How do I know what flank or rear attacks cause a cohesion drop as this does not seem to match the manual.

Thank you,
Colin

[rbodleyscott]

The rules on flank attacks have not changed (and they are not bugged). A flank attack on an engaged non-light unit by a non-light unit will cause a cohesion drop. (A further flank attack in the same turn will not cause another cohesion drop).

First you need to fully understand what constitutes a flank attack. An attack at 45 degrees to the enemy direction of facing is not a flank attack - the attack has to be at 90 degrees or more from the target's direction of facing. Secondly the attacking unit has to start its whole move at 90 degrees or more from the enemy direction of facing. See manual, section 12.12.5.

Thirdly, built up areas render a foot unit immune to flank attack, and obstacles protect from it on the side they are on.

I don't suppose you took a screenshot this time, but if something that doesn't seem right happens again, take a screenshot and post it here as an attachment. (You will probably first need to load it into a paint program and save it in a lower quality mode so the file isn't larger than about 250k)

[gamercb]

I broke one unit and I am about to repeat the process against the second unit.

I have looked again, and they are in square so that is why they are not suffering the flank attack cohesion drop. They still seem to be fighting as effectively as if they are not in square, is that correct?

[rbodleyscott]

I broke one unit and I am about to repeat the process against the second unit.

I have looked again, and they are in square so that is why they are not suffering the flank attack cohesion drop. They still seem to be fighting as effectively as if they are not in square, is that correct?

Yes. If they fought significantly less effectively there would not be much point in their forming square, except as a slightly slower speed bump.

They do have other disadvantages - they cannot only move 1 square, they cannot charge, and (most importantly) they do not exert any ZOC, so the enemy can pretty much ignore them other than as a physical obstruction.

[gamercb]

Thank you Richard.