How to deploy units in same depth instead of same frontage?

[arras]

When you deploy several units at once by dragging their new position on terrain all units preserve same frontage. This means that units which have less men in them end up in thinner formation (with less rows).

Is there a way to place those units in a way that they maintain same depth with varied frontage instead?


Here is what I mean.
Result of current deployment of two hypothetical units (left click and drag):

xxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxxxx xx


What I want instead:

XXXXXX XXXX
XXXXXX XXXX

[Forward Observer]

Here are two ways. There might be more, but I am not aware of them.

You can adjust frontage (rank) and depth (file) on an individual unit by selecting it and then using the bracket keys. Once you have them like you want--select all the units you want to move, group them, then ungroup them, then group them again. Their rank and file will now become static and will not change when you move the group.

To repeat, you have to hit the group button or the "g" key three times.

1. to group
2. to un-group
3. to group again

This should freeze each unit's rank and file--plus their relative position to each other when you move them.

You can do this with your entire army or just selected units. Using "control" and "a" will select your entire army. You can select various units for grouping several ways. Right clicking and dragging a box around them is the quickest, but you can be more precise and selective by holding the "control" button down as you select individual units.

You can also move armies and selected units forward and backward using the interface arrow keys and they will not change rank and file. I find this more useful for fine tuning position and facing after using the previous method.

However, if not grouped when using this method, if one tries to change the facing using the rotation arrows, the individual units/companies will rotate and not the army as a whole.

The group, ungroup, and then regroup method is the only way I have found to right click move an army or selected units and maintain their rank, file, and relative postions to each other

I hope that helps

[arras]

Thanks a lot FO. I know trick with group. Its bit impractical when you want to quickly deploy units out of formation or you simply want to create new formation in the middle of the fight however.