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<blockquote data-quote="Hypersmurf" data-source="post: 4658886" data-attributes="member: 1656">... what?4E, like 3.5 before it and, with a couple of exceptions, 3E as well, eschews the concept of 'facing' in combat.&nbsp; It's assumed that someone involved in a combat is in motion, and does their best to keep opponents in view by turning, looking around, etc.'Flanking' is a rules-mechanical term with a rules-mechanical definition, which doesn't necessarily equate exactly to the English definition, in the same way that someone using the Walk action isn't necessarily walking in a strict English sense, or might in a state an English speaker would consider 'weakened' without actually possessing the Weakened condition.If you and an ally are adjacent and opposite to an enemy, you are Flanking him in the rules-mechanical sense.&nbsp; You have Combat Advantage.&nbsp; Whether you're behind, beside, or in front of him is a matter of flavour, not mechanics - you might be in front of him, and the Combat Advantage is because your ally provides a distraction at a key moment; or you might be behind him, and the Combat Advantage is because your ally is holding his attention in front; or you might both be to either side (flanking in the English sense), gaining CA by coordinating your movements to confuse his defenses.The flavour is flexible, and is not restricted to a strict English reading of the label they've given the mechanic.-Hyp.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hypersmurf, post: 4658886, member: 1656"] ... what? 4E, like 3.5 before it and, with a couple of exceptions, 3E as well, eschews the concept of 'facing' in combat. It's assumed that someone involved in a combat is in motion, and does their best to keep opponents in view by turning, looking around, etc. 'Flanking' is a rules-mechanical term with a rules-mechanical definition, which doesn't necessarily equate exactly to the English definition, in the same way that someone using the Walk action isn't necessarily walking in a strict English sense, or might in a state an English speaker would consider 'weakened' without actually possessing the Weakened condition. If you and an ally are adjacent and opposite to an enemy, you are Flanking him in the rules-mechanical sense. You have Combat Advantage. Whether you're behind, beside, or in front of him is a matter of flavour, not mechanics - you might be in front of him, and the Combat Advantage is because your ally provides a distraction at a key moment; or you might be behind him, and the Combat Advantage is because your ally is holding his attention in front; or you might both be to either side (flanking in the English sense), gaining CA by coordinating your movements to confuse his defenses. The flavour is flexible, and is not restricted to a strict English reading of the label they've given the mechanic. -Hyp. [/QUOTE]

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