- Flanking fire hits defenders from the side or rear, exposing weaker armor angles and thin defensive lines
- Suppress first: fix the enemy with frontal fire before your flank element starts moving
- Best flankers: line infantry squads, recon elements, and dedicated anti-armor units
- Terrain decides: woodland, villages, and trench lines keep your flank route concealed
- Withdraw after contact: rotate spent squads instead of holding an exposed flank position
GroundInFlames Flanking Fire Basics
Flanking fire in GroundInFlames means directing your shots at an enemy position from its side or rear instead of its front. On a battlefield built around trenches, squad morale, armor penetration angles, and fog of war, the direction of your fire changes the outcome as much as the weapon you choose. A frontal attack asks your squads to beat the strongest cover and the thickest armor at the same time; a flank attacks neither.
| Aspect | Frontal Fire | Flanking Fire |
|---|---|---|
| Armor result | Hits thickest frontal plates, higher bounce chance | Side and rear hits improve penetration odds |
| Defender response | Easy to cover from a prepared trench line | Forces defenders to split or pivot their fire |
| Squad morale effect | Steady pressure, slower cohesion loss | Pressure from two directions breaks cohesion faster |
| Cover value | Defenders use full trench protection | Side exposure reduces the benefit of cover |
| Attacker risk | Highest, against prepared defenses | Lower, but the flank route can be spotted |
Armor Angle Advantage
- Penetration depends on impact angle, range, and contact point
- Side shots against vehicles outperform frontal shots with the same weapon
- Use dedicated anti-armor assets from favorable angles
Cohesion Break
- Fire from two directions degrades squad morale faster
- Suppressed units move slower and fail to execute orders
- Delayed movement is not always pathfinding failure
Split Defensive Fire
- Defenders can only cover limited approaches
- A flank forces movement, and movement weakens prepared defenses
- Revealed positions become targets for artillery and drones
Flanking fire is not a separate weapon type in GroundInFlames - it is a direction of fire. The same infantry squad, anti-armor team, or vehicle that struggles frontally becomes far more dangerous when it attacks from an unexpected angle.
Step-by-Step Flanking Attack Setup
A reliable flank in the current Early Access build follows the same combined-arms rhythm as any other attack: observe, suppress, move, strike, and secure. Skipping a step usually means the flank element arrives without support and gets pinned in the open.
Establish Observation First
Use reconnaissance elements or drone observation to confirm enemy positions, sightlines, and the gap you intend to exploit. Treat every unscouted route as hostile until it is confirmed. Note trench connections, vehicle approaches, and suspected anti-armor positions before committing anyone.
Fix the Enemy With Frontal Suppression
Assign a fire base - line infantry, indirect fire, or vehicle weapons - to keep the target position under sustained pressure. Suppression reduces the defenders' ability to spot, aim, and react, and it creates the window your flank element needs.
Move the Flank Element Through Cover
Advance infantry, anti-armor teams, or vehicles in short bounds through woodland, buildings, depressions, or connected trenches. Use smoke to mask any exposed crossing, and keep the element separated from the frontal fire base so one burst or barrage cannot hit both.
Deliver the Flanking Fire
Once in position, strike the enemy's side or rear: anti-armor units take side shots at vehicles, infantry enfilades the trench line, and revealed positions become targets for artillery. The goal is to make the position untenable, not merely to deal damage.
Exploit and Secure
Push armored vehicles or fresh infantry through the opening only after the position breaks. Set a fallback line behind the start point, keep a resupply route open, and rotate depleted squads out before they collapse.
Before a major flank, use the pause and time controls to review sightlines, sync the suppression order with the movement order, and confirm your fallback position. Synchronized orders are worth more than fast hands.
Best Units for Flanking Fire
There is no universal best unit for a flank; battlefield value depends on visibility, terrain, enemy composition, and the support available. The table below ranks battlefield roles by how well they support a flanking attack in the current version.
| Unit Role | Flanking Value | Best Use | Main Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recon elements | ★★★★★ | Find gaps, confirm routes, spot anti-armor threats | Fragile if caught in direct combat |
| Dedicated anti-armor | ★★★★★ | Punish vehicle side and rear armor | Exposed without infantry or terrain cover |
| Line infantry | ★★★★ | Deliver flanking fire, hold cut-off exits | Vulnerable crossing open ground |
| Indirect-fire support | ★★★★ | Fix defenders frontally, deny reinforcement routes | Wasted without target info or a follow-up |
| Armored vehicles | ★★★ | Exploit the breakthrough after the position breaks | Lost quickly without infantry screening |
| Support and logistics | ★★ | Sustain the push, rotate spent squads | Not assault units, keep off the contact line |
Recon plus anti-armor is the strongest flanking pair: reconnaissance maintains target information while anti-armor units wait in concealment for a side shot. Add one infantry squad to hold the exit and the combination covers nearly every phase of the attack.
Terrain and Flank Routes
GroundInFlames maps are shaped by villages, roads, woodland, trenches, and open ground, and each terrain type changes how a flank route performs. Choose the route that matches the concealment and speed your plan needs, not the shortest distance to the target.
| Terrain | Concealment | Speed | Flank Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland | High | Slow | Best hidden approach, expect close-range contact at exits |
| Villages | High | Moderate | Covered approach, secure exits, blocked enemy sightlines |
| Trench lines | High | Moderate | Protected movement and safe fallback positions |
| Roads | Low | Fast | Use for speed only when screened by terrain or smoke |
| Open battlefield | None | Fast | Cross only under suppression and smoke |
Before You Commit the Flank Element:
- Confirm enemy sightlines with recon or drone observation
- Identify at least one covered approach to the flank position
- Plan smoke for any exposed crossing on the route
- Designate a fallback line behind the start point
- Keep ammunition and resupply within practical reach
Never send a lone squad across open ground as a flank. Unscouted, exposed movement is the most common way a flanking plan turns into a pinned squad that cannot retreat. If no covered route exists, create one with smoke and suppression or wait for better conditions.
Common Flanking Mistakes
Most failed flanks fail before the first shot, during setup. The table below lists the mistakes that appear most often when players attack prepared defensive lines.
| Mistake | What Happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Flanking without suppression | Defenders pivot freely and engage the flank element | Fix the position frontally before moving |
| Stacked squads in one corridor | One burst or barrage degrades the whole force | Separate elements and stagger movement |
| Ignoring drones and electronic warfare | The enemy observes and preps your route | Vary timing, use EW to disrupt observation |
| Overextending past supply range | The squad runs dry mid-attack and collapses | Advance within practical support distance |
| Leaving AT units unprotected | Vehicles punish exposed anti-armor teams | Screen with infantry and terrain |
| Holding a spent flank position | A weakened squad triggers a wider collapse | Withdraw under smoke and rotate fresh units |
A controlled withdrawal beats a collapse. Pull back squads that are heavily suppressed, low on ammunition, or unable to contribute, and keep a fallback position ready so retreating units do not drag the frontline down with them.
FAQ
Q: Does flanking fire improve results against armored vehicles in GroundInFlames?
Yes. Armor penetration depends on the weapon's penetration capability, impact angle, range, and point of contact, so side and rear hits generally produce better results than frontal shots with the same weapon. Position dedicated anti-armor units on the flank rather than trading frontal shots with a protected target.
Q: Can a suppressed squad still execute a flank?
Not reliably. A unit under effective enemy fire may slow down, lose combat effectiveness, or fail to carry out movement as expected. Create a safer window with frontal suppression and smoke first, then move the flank element through the opening.
Q: What is the smallest force that can run a flanking attack?
A minimum viable flank uses three elements: a recon or drone asset for observation, a frontal fire base to fix the defenders, and one flank element to deliver the side fire. Add an infantry squad to hold the exit if you plan to exploit the breakthrough.
Q: Do drone and electronic warfare tools matter for flanking?
They matter a great deal. Drones shorten the time between discovering a target and applying the right effect, while electronic warfare disrupts the enemy's ability to observe your movement. Use both to protect the information advantage that makes a flank possible, and vary your drone patterns so the route stays unpredictable.
This guide reflects the combined-arms systems available since GroundInFlames entered Early Access on 10 November 2026, as listed on the official Steam page. Balance values and unit behavior can change with updates, so check the Steam Community Hub after each patch.