A newbie asks...

[Gandalf Parker]

Yes formations can often help the problems being discussed.
And scripting. I also often use hold, hold, hold, hold, hold, stay behind for many of my commanders. Using the Ctrl-# to record the script and then # to assign it to new commanders can be very useful.

Its a good idea to spread out your commanders and mages so that they arent susceptable to one big destruction.

Often with larger armies I have at least one dumb little indept commander mostly there to get more troops in place so I like to have at least one of those in the far back corner with hold commands.