Game-play suggestions

idk about presets, we're mostly talking about stuff like this:

preset formations are good for movement I guess, but it'd be better if we could create line formations and order units to then move in formation.

That depends on how powerful the preset formations are.
When I use line formations in Spring I use concaves to maximize fire on 1 target, I use lines to face the enemy lines, I draw along the edge on the top of a cliff so that my units can fire on units below without hitting the cliff and I draw circles around the enemy to surround them for example. I can easily decide the size of the concave, the length of the line, the proximity to the edge of the cliff and the radius of the circle and I do all this while some of my units die and other reinforce.
Now how would you make preset formations match the power of this without gloating the UI?
Now if you want to make a box of units and keep artillery in the back and radar jammers covering the whole group this isn't as easy with just line drawing as a preset formation would be. Making the formation face the enemy without having to redraw the whole box and individually ordering the radar jammers to a new position in the group takes a bit of micro compared to a preset formation.

*whistle*
I can see the power of such a tool. Totally changes gameplay. I can now see that I want this in PA

I never played spring, went straight to Supcom (friends didn't like modded stuff lol).

I like that formation tool though.

As to if you wanted you heavies up front I'm sure they could implement buttons to change the formation around. Or even persistent formations. If you have ever played Myth 2 there is an option for persistent formations. What it does is it keeps units that are in a formation together in a larger formation. For example, if I make a spread line of archers and a tight formation of warriors then selected both the archers and warriors, when I move them, the warriors stay in their tight formation and the archers stay in their spread formation but move together (relative to their starting locations apart from each other).

Nice, so then you can have a game-changing tactics tool!
Wish I had that tool in SupCom. I select my navy and tell them to go somewhere...WHAT do they do?!!! They spread out leagues from each other so they can't support each other and the faster boats race ahead of the slower ones! Such as my irreplaceable battleship!!
*Huff* *Huff* Sorry, one of my pet peevs about the game.
I verily hope they implement at least Some type of formation tool. Even if it is preset options.