Flanking bonuses

[Thor7]

Can someone explain exactly how flanking bonuses work? Do you get these automatically or do you have to have that one policy in honor that increases combat strength by 15% when a friendly unit is adjacent? Also how does the stacking work?

I was being overrun by gandhi's stupid elephants so I built a spear thinking he'll at least take out one before they range attack me to death but low and behold, the elephant I was going to attack had one to his right and one to his left so he got a 45% increase to combat strength! I had to call of the attack until I got more reinforcements. I was confused though because gandhi was spending culture on tradition policies, as indicated on the diplomacy screen and because he was getting a 33% bonus in his lands from oligarchy obviously.

So is there an inherant flanking bonus in the game, and do you have to surround the enemy or just have guys next to you? Like if I had attacked the end elephant instead of the middle one would he still get 45% bonus or less?

 

[Sonereal]

Can someone explain exactly how flanking bonuses work? Do you get these automatically or do you have to have that one policy in honor that increases combat strength by 15% when a friendly unit is adjacent? Also how does the stacking work?

I was being overrun by gandhi's stupid elephants so I built a spear thinking he'll at least take out one before they range attack me to death but low and behold, the elephant I was going to attack had one to his right and one to his left so he got a 45% increase to combat strength! I had to call of the attack until I got more reinforcements. I was confused though because gandhi was spending culture on tradition policies, as indicated on the diplomacy screen and because he was getting a 33% bonus in his lands from oligarchy obviously.

So is there an inherant flanking bonus in the game, and do you have to surround the enemy or just have guys next to you? Like if I had attacked the end elephant instead of the middle one would he still get 45% bonus or less?

You have to surround the enemy. Say that your spearman attacked from a hex with three war elephants bordering it and you attack the MIDDLE one, you're in trouble. That best way to beat flanking bonuses is attacking units on the flank first.

 

[Nunya]

The attacker gets a 15% bonus for every additional friendly unit adjacent to the enemy he is attacking. The defender gets a 15% flanking bonus against the attacker for every additional friendly unit adjacent to the attacker. This is inherent and doesn't require any policies.

 

[Bibor]

You have to surround the enemy. Say that your spearman attacked from a hex with three war elephants bordering it and you attack the MIDDLE one, you're in trouble. That best way to beat flanking bonuses is attacking units on the flank first.

As Sonereal said, the best way to remove flanking bonus is to apply the Oblique order.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_order

 

[Danceofmasks]

I use the less efficient method: lots and lots and lots of arrows.

 

[Slowpoke]

I use the even less efficient method: giant freaking rocks and balls.