When to Flank in World of Tanks

Flanking your enemy in World of Tanks is one strategy that can easily earn you a victory.

There are several strategies that players will need to learn over the course of their tanker career, but one of the most important lessons is knowing when to flank in World of Tanks.

Flanking in World of Tanks, as in many other games, involves pushing through a poorly defended area. What constitutes a poorly defended area varies.

It could be a place where the enemies are thin, a section where their tanks are positioned poorly, or even where the enemy make-up of tanks is insufficient to battle your own firepower.

Preparing to Flank

At the beginning of the round, teammates may ping areas on the map where they intend to travel. Work with these teammates to help form a platoon for flanking.
At the beginning of the round, teammates may ping areas on the map where they intend to travel. Work with these teammates to help form a platoon for flanking.

Part of knowing when to flank in World of Tanks requires some preparation and understanding. First, you need to figure out whether you are well-equipped and in the right kind of tank.

If your tank is cumbersome and damaged, flanking might not be the right choice for you. However, a Light tank will have a better chance at flanking thanks to their speed. A tank with a high top speed will be able to push into an enemy’s unprotected rear with relative ease. 

Pay close attention to the minimap. Up until you're halfway across the map, you won't know for certain whether you can flank. If you encounter enemies on your flank-push, consider staying and fighting or trying to flank from another direction.
Up until you're halfway across the map, you won't know for certain whether you can flank. If you encounter enemies on your flank-push, consider staying and fighting or trying to flank from another direction.

The drawback to this being that a Light tank won’t have the necessary firepower to take down some of the heavily armored opponents. Your gun can still be useful, so long as you know where to aim to deal more damage

What you will be able to do is draw their attention, hopefully revealing their weak points to your allies. Following this, one of the best tank types to use in a flank are Medium tanks thanks to their speed and firepower. While they aren't as fast as Light tanks, they will be able to deal meaningful damage.

Just because a Light tank can get into a flanking position faster, doesn’t mean you should avoid assisting. If you’re in a Heavy tank or Tank Destroyer, you should still follow your Light tank into a flank to support them with your superior firepower and armor. During a flank, you might come across some tanks in well-defended areas or

During a flank, you may come across some tanks in well-defended areas or tanks sitting in a hull down position. You have the choice to either fight it out or find another route to use for your flank.

When to Flank in World of Tanks

By counting the enemy units, you will be able to tell if whether to expect resistance when pushing a flank. In the above image, the enemy team had focused heavily on the Eastern-side of the map, allowing my team to push along the top unopposed.
By counting the enemy units, you will be able to tell if whether to expect resistance when pushing a flank. In the above image, the enemy team had focused heavily on the Eastern side of the map, allowing my team to push along the top unopposed.

Once you have prepared for a flank, you will need to assess when to flank. This can be done by taking note of a few factors including enemy numbers, surrounding allies, and escape routes. Before initiating a flank, look for the enemies on the minimap. If you can count a majority of enemy units pushing one side, you will be in a prime flanking opportunity. As obvious as it sounds, this is because you want to encounter as few enemies as possible when pushing around them.

If you can count a majority of enemy units pushing one side, you will be in a prime flanking opportunity. As obvious as it sounds, this is because you want to encounter as few enemies as possible when pushing around them.

Second, you will want to ensure you have allies that are ready to assist you during a flank. Any allies that come with you during a flank will be able to help damage the enemies—causing them to panic, turn their turrets, and even break form.

However, keep in mind that teammates are inherently untrustworthy. You can always trust that your enemy will shoot you, but you can’t trust your teammates will support you.

A well-executed flank will result in numerous enemy deaths with minimal losses to your side. In the above image, my team begins to collapse in on the remaining enemies as our TD secures the SPGs and the base.
A well-executed flank will result in numerous enemy deaths with minimal losses to your side. In the above image, my team begins to collapse in on the remaining enemies as our TD secures the SPGs and the base.

Finally, you ought to look for points along your flanking path that you can use for cover or as a means of retreat. Or in simpler terms, learn to look where you're driving. This will ensure you have a backup plan in case your flank fails.

As you begin the flank, be sure to keep going and don’t stop to shoot across the map. Any slow-down can cause the enemy to recognize they’re being flanked and react accordingly. You should also avoid stopping at the enemy base to capture it, as this will simply put you out of the battle and will likely draw the enemy back to you.

The idea is to simply move around your enemy to reach their vulnerable sides. When they recognize they are in danger, they will turn their turrets, giving your allies ample opportunity to take shots at their exposed flanks. You can even position yourself to the side of your enemy, as getting directly behind an enemy isn’t always feasible.

Flanking in World of Tanks is an extremely important strategy, as battles cannot always be won through face-to-face combat. Sometimes in order to succeed, you need to apply pressure where it hurts. Just remember to keep the above tips in mind when looking to flank, because a flank is a risky strategy, but when performed correctly, can net you a victory. Let us know in the comments how you flank in World of Tanks!

Sam Chandler is the Australian piece of the AllGamers puzzle. Out of all his gaming-related passions, collecting N64 games, speedrunning, and Souls games rank among the most important. You can reach Sam through Twitter, @SamuelChandler, or through his email, sam.chandler@allgamers.com, at any time of the day or night on either side of the globe.

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