Attack the position that changes the battle
A frontal fight is not always the best way to reach the objective. Battleplan flanking tactics use another approach to threaten an exposed side, cut a supply connection, or force defenders to respond to more than one direction. Effective battleplan flanking tactics still need reconnaissance, coordinated orders, and a protected route behind the attacking force.
This guide concerns the WWII Battleplan from Foolish Mortals Games and Slitherine, Steam app 3743140. It explains operational planning from the developer's published systems. The sources do not establish a universal numerical flank-damage bonus or a guaranteed attack route for every scenario.
The official Battleplan Offence diary, published September 16, 2025, describes multi-step attacks, reserves, synchronization, and terrain considerations. The Supply and Defense diaries explain why exposed advances can lose support. Use those dated principles with the current map and briefing.
Decide what the maneuver should accomplish
| Flanking purpose | Operational value | What must happen afterward |
|---|---|---|
| Reach a less protected approach | Avoid spending strength on the strongest defense | The attacking force must capture or influence a useful objective |
| Threaten the enemy rear connection | Create a supply problem | Your own corridor must remain open |
| Coordinate attacks from separate directions | Give the defense multiple problems | Timing and support must match |
| Capture a supply depot | Remove a reserve and potentially gain stored supplies | Hold the depot and surrounding connection |
| Counterattack an overextended formation | Punish an exposed advance | Preserve your defense of essential ground |
The useful outcome is changing the operational situation. Moving around the enemy without threatening something important may simply expose your army to another fight.
Find a flank worth attacking
The first step in battleplan flanking tactics is information. Scouts or recon aircraft can help identify defenders and supply positions. The developer specifically recommends those assets for locating enemy depots, and describes spotting effects that help subsequent combat.
Compare the intended route with terrain and elevation. The Defense diary identifies towns and forests as favorable defensive terrain and describes poor conditions in swamps, wetlands, and beaches. A route that bypasses one strongpoint can still lead into another unfavorable position.
| What to inspect | Why it matters | Decision it can change |
|---|---|---|
| Defender concentration | A weak-looking edge may conceal support | Strengthen the attack or choose another approach |
| Enemy supply positions | A useful rear target gives the maneuver purpose | Route toward a depot or connection |
| Terrain along the approach | Movement and fighting conditions vary | Avoid a costly route through poor ground |
| Your supply corridor | The attacker needs continued support | Narrow or consolidate the operation |
| Required objectives | Time spent maneuvering has an opportunity cost | Prioritize a relevant target |
| Enemy reserves | A flank may become a new defended front | Keep support and a fallback option |
For battleplan flanking tactics, compare the full route rather than only the destination. A division must reach the objective, remain capable of fighting, and stay connected afterward. The shortest line on the map can be less useful than an approach that your following forces can secure.
The official game uses real geographic data, but real-world terrain does not supply a release-version walkthrough by itself. Do not import coordinates or road assumptions from an unrelated game merely because it also depicts Normandy.
Distinguish an opportunity from a lure
An exposed enemy formation may invite a counterattack, yet it can also draw your reserve away from the objective it protects. Ask what happens to your defense when the mobile force leaves.
The developer's Defense diary recommends reserves behind the frontline, covering depots and routes toward important objectives. Apply that responsibility before committing the reserve to a wide maneuver. A good opportunity should not leave an essential supply position undefended.
Coordinate the supporting and maneuvering forces
The strongest battleplan flanking tactics give separate formations clear jobs. One force can maintain pressure or hold the existing line while another follows a different approach. Your plan should explain who captures the objective, who holds the route, and who remains available if resistance is stronger than expected.
The Offence diary describes Breakthrough Attacks proceeding along a route without stopping to hold every captured area. It also describes Complex Attack preparation with assembly, artillery, scouting, attacks, and reserves. Choose the order sequence according to the actual defense rather than treating every flank as a fast rush.
| Force or step | Main responsibility | Coordination check |
|---|---|---|
| Existing frontline | Hold essential ground and contain resistance | It retains enough strength after the maneuver force leaves |
| Reconnaissance | Investigate the route and target | Information concerns the actual operation |
| Fire support | Prepare or assist the relevant fight | The target is within usable reach and the timing helps |
| Maneuver force | Reach the useful side or rear objective | Supply and route security can sustain the advance |
| Following infantry | Hold ground behind the attacker | The corridor does not depend on armor alone |
| Reserve | Respond to unexpected pressure | It has a meaningful position and remaining capability |
A practical battleplan flanking tactics plan uses synchronization deliberately. The developer describes wait-until-date or signal steps to coordinate attacks. If one force begins early, it may face the entire defense while the other is still moving into position.
Review generated orders, too. A Complex Attack can provide a starting plan, but the developer allows editing its steps. Check whether the route is reasonable and whether supporting elements contribute where you need them.
Use regimental responsibility to hold the gain
Zone Orders let you allocate regiments to defined areas and change the shape during execution. The developer describes different tactics within those zones and battle-information panels estimating attack and defense outcomes.
Use those tools to prevent the captured corridor from becoming an oversized responsibility for too few troops. A successful flank can stretch the army's shape; adjust assignments as the operation develops rather than preserving the opening allocations unchanged.
Keep the maneuver supplied and respond to the enemy
The most common danger in battleplan flanking tactics is overextension. The Supply diary describes armor pushing ahead while infantry follows to hold the ground. Without that follow-up, the leading force can run short of supplies and become vulnerable behind enemy lines.
Supply transfer depends on depot-to-headquarters distance and terrain. Movement and fighting increase consumption. Before extending the maneuver, check whether the leading division's reserves and incoming flow support another stage.
| Warning during the maneuver | What it may mean | Response to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Armor is far ahead of infantry | The route is not securely held | Consolidate and bring the holding force forward |
| Supplies are falling | Demand exceeds support | Shorten the operation or restore the logistics connection |
| The target is heavily fortified | The approach needs more preparation | Reassess scouts, artillery, engineers, or the target |
| A counterattack threatens the corridor | Your connection is becoming the enemy's objective | Reinforce the route or pull back to a supported position |
| HQ is exposed | Command disruption is possible | Keep headquarters behind a defensible area |
| Another mission objective is endangered | The maneuver consumes too much strength | Rebalance priorities before pursuing the flank |
For battleplan flanking tactics, capturing an enemy depot can be useful, but it is not an endless supply solution. A depot stores finite stocks and needs a functioning connection for replenishment. A captured position inside an isolated pocket remains a limited buffer.
Do not assume every maneuver receives a special numerical combat multiplier. The references support high-level planning, combined arms, logistics, and multiple approaches, but do not establish a universal release-version flank-bonus table. The advantage can come from position and the problems you create for the opponent.
Adapt the tactic to German scenarios
The official German-scenario article describes defending with limited resources and counterattacking exposed Allied supply lines. Its Cherbourg example discusses allowing an enemy to advance and then striking from the sides if that advance becomes overextended.
That is a useful principle for battleplan flanking tactics, with important context: German scenarios use different objectives and generally lack Allied air support. They do not give you the same customized force carried through the Allied campaign. Plan around the actual scenario assets and victory conditions.
A limited counterattack may therefore be more appropriate than a broad sweep. The purpose can be reopening or cutting a connection while preserving enough strength to continue holding the required ground.
Evaluate the operational result
After the maneuver, ask what changed. Did you secure an objective, capture a useful depot, restrict the defender's supply, or make the main attack easier? Can your force hold what it gained?
If the only result is a tired division farther from support, reconsider the target or scale of the operation. A maneuver should produce a sustainable advantage, not merely a longer path across the map.
The examples here apply published mechanics. They are not claims of personal gameplay testing, a guaranteed mission route, or exact current coordinates.
FAQ
What makes battleplan flanking tactics useful?
They can change the defender's problems by threatening another approach, a supply position, or a rear connection. Their value depends on the target, timing, and whether your army can sustain the maneuver.
Is there a guaranteed flanking damage bonus?
The provided sources do not establish a universal current multiplier. Plan around position, enemy response, support, and logistics rather than invented percentages.
Should armor perform the entire maneuver alone?
The developer's supply guidance emphasizes following infantry holding captured territory. Armor can penetrate quickly, but a secure corridor and support network are needed to sustain the gain.
When should I abandon a flank?
Reassess when the force cannot stay supplied, the corridor is unsafe, resistance exceeds your support, or another required objective is threatened. Consolidating or choosing a smaller target can preserve the operation.