Flank Morale Modifier

[Jagger]

From the reality perspective it seems rather realistic that a unit that is "anchored" on both sides to be more steadfast.

From the gaming perspective one shouldn't forget that even a failed assault will lead to the defender being at least disrupted and that leads to the moral being one level lower again so the next turn that unit is more vulnerable.
I don't mind the flank moral bonus because there are many modifiers that can lower the moral but few that can raise it, right ow I can only remember flank moral and having a leader in the same hex giving a raise of moral, all other things lower it.

BigDuke, actually I chose the option because it encourages realistic tactics.  And yes, units anchored on both flanks should be more steadfast in most cases.  The big question is whether a unit should be rewarded for using historical behavior or penalized for not using historical behavior.

In my Chickamauga PBEM, we are around 1400 hours, day 1.  So we have played around 18 turns, enough turns for me to see the impact of the flank morale option with standard OOB.   Basically we have long static lines in firefights.  His assault divisions are primarily B morale units, A with the FM option.  So far, I have only disrupted one B morale unit which was on a flank-thus no +1 morale bonus.  The interior B units have been invulnerable which is to be expected with a +1 morale bonus.  However what is interesting is that my Union line is holding.   My units also receive the +1 morale bonus.  Even though I have units regularly disrupt and periodically rout, so far I have always had enough reserve units to replace and maintain my line.  The improved Union morale has kept my lines from breaking.  The rebels are making very, very little progress.  Basically we have static lines because unit morale is too high.

Anyway, I decided to create a new OOB with morale of all infantry/cavalry reduced by one.  I kept the Flank Morale option on but now units are penalized for not using historic tactics.  Then I started a new game against myself and decided to compare the results to Peter Cozzins highly detailed Chickamauga book.  

Historically, the Chickamauga was a very fluid, see-saw type battle with many quick and decisive clashes settled within minutes to an hour.  The new OOB with -1 morale and Flank Morale option is producing far more disrupts and routs which is similar to the fluid, back and forth clashes of the actual historic battle.   The PBEM battle with normal OOB morale and flank morale modifier is giving a very static game unlike historic Chickamauga.  IMO, the results, at least for Chickamauga, are convincing that the Flank Morale option is best used with a modified -1 morale OOB.  

In the future, I will no longer use the Flank Morale option except with a modified -1 morale OOB.  It just gives a better game.