Geoffrey
So, it'd mean that if one unit in the larger group moves, it'd affect the rest but with a slight delay;
A bit different. Imagine the units being people who hold hands. If one man moves 3 metres forward his neighbours would go 2.7 metres, their neighbours 2.5 and so on with the man at the end of the line noticing nothing of that man moving forward as the movement is "absorbed" by the many people between the two.

I was assuming there'd be a strategical section too
Possible, but I will first concetrate on making the tactical game which will be enough work for the coming year.

Fragony
Reduce the graphics to little purple boxes clashing for all I care, I would love a 'bigger' game.
I was thinking of that initially too, a bit like the Osprey battle maps (if you know them). It would make the engine a hell of a lot quicker to finish, but the loss of seeing the soldiers might be too big to still feel immersed in the game. Or not?