A common heard complaint of Napoleons Battles is the lack of a flank attack modifier in the rules. The optional rule below attempts to fill that gap. The more or less regular group of Napoleons Battles players within NOVAG have been using it for quite some time with good results. So give it a try and see what you think. Any suggestions or comments would be welcome.

Flank Attack Criteria:

In order for a unit to qualify for the flank attack bonus it must BEGIN its move with at least part of a stand behind the enemies front and END its move in contact with the enemies flank. The front of a unit is determined by tracing a line along the leading edge of its front-most stands (see diagram). Artillery and units in square have no flanks.

Emergency Respones

A unit attacked in the flank has a chance to avoid the flank attack melee penalties. If a unit attacked in the flank can roll a D 10 under its modified Response number it suffers no flank attack penalties in melee. This is based on the assumption that sufficient forces were redeployed to counter the flank attack. In the case of a multi-round melee the attacked unit may roll at the beginning of each round of melee. The response number of the unit being attacked is modified as follows.

Unit is cavalry +2
Unit is infantry and is in line formation -2
The highest ranking attached general is - Poor -1, Good +1. Excellent +2
Unit is disordered -3
Unit is also contacted to it's front by another enemy unit -2

As an option you may wish to use the nsponse number modifications oudined in the rules under 8AA.3.3

Effects of a Flank Attack

A unit attacked in the flank that does not pass the response number roll suffers a -3 in melee that round.