This idea is from a post of mine in some thread here


The idea is that each army does some control strength to adjacent tiles which determines how the deployment area is built. 

Currently the deployment area is striclty a width * depth multiplication determined by the total number of units in battle. This can result in certain armies being blocked from battle if they are so happened to be in enemy deployment zones (Fig 1, example which happened to me).


Fig 1) red army attacks middle blue. It was a weak scout army which could not defend at all since the enemy occupied the other two tiles with additional armies from me. Tech was researched at that time


Since the attack direction is important and also which army attacks whom, the following is also possible to happen.

Fig 2) Since deployment area is a strict y * x the one blue army is inside that deployment zone and cannot deploy immediately.


As such I suggest a "Army Control Strength" based system which determines frontline(s) between the two factions and which tiles are deployment zone for whom. 

Rules:

- Army is a set tile and connot be taken

- Control strength should be determined by number of units or army CS in an army to prevent one-man army running amok

- (in Example) Control strength gets halved with each tile further away

- tile for deployment zone goes to the side with more control points or if tie, to defender

- if an army is behind enemy lines there will also be drawn a frontline with deployment zone for this army

- any connected deployment zone between armies of the same empire can freely deploy in that zone

- control strength does not go through enemy controlled tiles


Benefits:

- not able to cheese out armies

- attack direction is not as important

- army placement is still important since it determines the deployment zone control

- several deployment zones possible if an army so happens to be behind the enemy


In the following picture you can see an example. This example uses 80 points for first tile, 40 for second, 20 for third. I have not counted all if a number was clearly one sided