A flanking maneuver is the act of attacking an enemies exposed side (or “flank”) during battle. In slang terms, it is “to flank” someone, for short. It is a time-tested tactic that has been used on battlefields for millennia, but metaphorical flanking maneuvers can be performed as well (more on that further down).

Flanking is a broad tactic which can be performed on all three Levels of War. Understanding these three traditional forms of flanking will give you a better idea of how to make use of the concept on the digital battlefield and during Anonymous Operations.