Covered Flanks modifiers

We we're wondering whether the covered flank modifier should be added after all other modifiers are figured out. Sometimes a unit can end up at 0 or even in the negative. In our trial run of the rules we decided to add in the covered flanks after figuring out the final number. So assume a disordered unit of VBU1 with one covered flank is in melee. We have a VBU of +1, with -1 for disorder and a +1 for covered flanks. If we simply add up the modifiers we end up with a final number of 1. We felt in our trial that the covered flanks could easily be lost at the lower ends of the system and tried it this way.

+1 for VBU
- 1 for disorder.
0 total VBU

This would be upped to +1 VBU as the minimum and then we added the covered flank giving the unit in question a final total of 2 VBU/dice.

Thoughts and opinions most appreciated.

An additional scenario.

A disordered FL at VBU4 is attacked by a large warband. The warband cause 3 damage. With the -1 for disorder the FL has a 0 CT rating. The minimum role is 1 for the CT. If the FL had one covered flank it would gain no benefit for it. I am wondering whether covered flanks should be added on after the final CT number is calculated. Not sure about this but it seems to me that flanks are critical to a units fighting ability.

Treat it as a regular modifier, if your unit is so smashed that it is down to negative cohesion number then so be it, no number of friends is going to keep those guys going, so if the flank support is expended to bring them back up to critical number 1 then so be it.

Similarly with melee dice, if the flank bonuses are needed to bring you back up to +1 then you're so smashed it just isn't funny.

Consider the effect of the change on melee as to the minimum number of dice for a double supported unit.

I'm with GG on this one; I don't see any reason for giving the covered flank bonus a different status from the other melee modifiers.

I see this new bonus as improving the fighting ability of the unit itself, rather than the flanking unit adding to the melee (that applies when the flanking unit is also a support unit). So if the unit is already poor, I don't see why covered flanks should count for more than eg making a flank attack. Otherwise, disordered VBU 1 single rank pikes making a flank attack in difficult ground get 1 dice, but the same pikes making a frontal attack over the same ground but with covered flanks get 3 (the most extreme case I could think of).

RogerC

Or how about a 4VBU unit, no matter how much they get smashed provided they stay in line they always get 3 dice.

Hardly reasonable unit degradation (even accepting cohesion tests will go down) if they keep fighting at near full effect.

On second thought GG you're probably right.

Worth play testing mate but if we leave it as written then that also helps overcome your Roman concern, their discipline will give them a much better chance of staying suitably supported against those warband lunatics.

Add the disc bonus and there's 3 extra dice most likely.

they must be threated liek other modiifiers. You calculate the whole. Then if the total is 0 or less, you roll at least 1 die.