Elemental Forums
We need the ability to place our units on the battlefield prior to the battle starting. Otherwise, our units are placed in ways we can't adjust for our strategy. Kinda takes the tactics out of tactical combat!
It has been stated that there will be some kind of pre combat unit placement in the release version, they simply havent added it yet.
Good news, it is needed. Thanks.
Time consuming.
Maybe best if you can choose from 3-6 presets, or at least set up in advance somehow so you are not having to choose it each time combat starts.
- Manii Names
Simple having high initiative units default to being up front would probably help quite a bit. More options would be better, but I find the most frequent annoyance is just when your units that move first start in the back, making their move first advantage essentially useless.
i kinda agree, but it could be that placement is possible only after a medium high lvl research also more indicated for when there are actual armies to manage
Not all my melee units use Charge + Fast. 
I think it should be highest defense units at the front, then other melee units, and range weapon carriers (including mage units) should always be at the back.
even a script that stops putting my archer in frount. and my mounted units in the back.
Sword of the Stars did this pretty well. You specified the positioning of your ships on a grid and this template was reused for every battle. You could change it at any time on the strategic map.
From back to front the placement should be designated along the following parameters:
Ranged or Magic as primary weapon
Has lower Defense
Has lower Initiative
Has lower Movement
but it should be an option, you should just be able to start right away with a preset unit position if you want.
I'd definitely like it if you could also just "set their formation" outside of battle ... as an inherent trait of the army group.
Say you have several 'auto-configurations'
1. Priority is on high initiative in the front
2. Priority is on low defense in the back
3. Priority is on low HP in the back
4. Priority is on ranged units in the back (so a sword champ would be in front, a bow champ in the back, and an Ice-staff in the back)
And then you can pick one and "edit" it into a new formation ... as in personalized on a unit by unit basis .. and just have this be the formation for that army group -> Cannot store more than one custom formation. If you switch back to an auto-configuration, the custom formation is lost. If units are removed or added, the custom formation is lost.
Or we could just have the little 3x3 box for units on the strategic map represent the formation and then drag and drop where we want units to be. Simple fix.
Great to hear they're working on it! Another score for Stardock.
"Alright you maggots." "Pikes in front. archers behind."
-Orc general(LOTR).
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