Scourge of War Boards

I can't believe that I have played this game for so long and still can't get this right. I order a brigade to move across the map over roads and want to form up in line. I do this by clicking on the map and then clicking use roads and then line formation. the regiments head off down the road in line formation. Stupid...I have to send out another order to form in column.
What do I need to do to have the brigade march in road column to the location and then form up in line formation once there?

Use roads should be the last command. the sequence should be 1. move, 2. change formation, 3. use roads.

Something like this.....

Send a courier to Brig. Garnett

or Click on the name of Brig. Garnett

Orders.....
TC Off \ On
Move to.....
Move to this Map Point.....or Move to a certain point such as a farm etc...
Click somewhere on the map.....destination=anywhere....
Change to this Formation
Brigade Form March Column \ or Division March Formation if moving a division
Orders.....
Face in this direction.....West \ Any Direction?????
Orders.....
Move to.....
Use Roads for this unit ( something similar to this wording )
End Message \ Can't remember the exact wording here.....

That's it I think!

I will also add that sometimes you will read that a formation has to be at the end of all of this, but I don't remember adding one when I move the men around the map.

davinci

Guys,

I don't think GBS is using couriers. I had something similar happen yesterday - ordered, by hand - no couriers, a French Brigade to march down the road and supposedly deploy into column of divisions when they got to the objective. They started marching down the road in column of divisions. I haven't seen that before and now since the latest patch.
Am I right, GBS?

Jack B)

GBS still needs to click use roads after he clicks the formation...that should alleviate the problem.

Thanks guys. I highlight the brigade commander I am ordering and then clicking on the command map. I will try clicking use roads last.

GBS still needs to click use roads after he clicks the formation...that should alleviate the problem.

And it does....thank you very much.

Good. I'll try that too. But...that is generally the way I get troops moving. Hmmm...

Jack B)

As I'm learning this stuff too, what about using the CTRL key using waypoints? Could you not say give the location to move to, order them to use the road in Road Column and then use the waypoint to give the second order to move into line?

Without a waypoint, the formation will use what it thinks is the best route which is usually the straightest line. By road, waypoints are usually not necessary as the road itself becomes a series of waypoints. However if there is a choice of roads and you specifically want to use a longer route (to come up on an enemey's flank, for example) then placing a waypoint somewhere down that road will get the formation to head that way.

I usually only use waypoints to maneuver a unit tactically a very short distance when other friendly units are nearby; the AI pathing logic can often send a unit away in some awkward time-wasting direction, so I use waypoints to force it along a direct route (which bizarrely is the exact opposite of what waypoints should be used for!)