The gist is that the rules don't really specify whether combat groups are a property of the army list which you then put units into, or if they are a property of units, which you then aggregate when you go to play. They also don't discuss the ability/inability to create new ones at play time via the command token usage to transfer group membership. I didn't feel like getting into a rules argument at the time so I didn't worry about it. It's a really niche idea and I don't know if this player has actually executed this, as opposed to just spitballing the concept.
Well, in turn 3 you can blow up all the Kuang Shi unless you need them to score zones or something like that. By the way, Am I the only who thinks the YJ engineer that designed the control device did a sloppy job? Is either that or the Celestial Guards just don't care about learning how to detonate individual Kuang Shi and just press the big red button each time. I'd say you can't change troopers to a "ghost" combat group. If it's not created when you make your army then that combat group just doesn't exit. But you can always include a warcor in a second/third combat group when creating the list if you really want to do that
The only thing we've gotten cleared up on the matter is that making an empty combat group is not permitted
For reference, the level of "clearing up" is IJW level in response to a question whether you're allowed to make a second combat group to trick your opponent into thinking you've got two combat groups and thus get them to waste a command token or to prepare for units that aren't there. Should also give a hint as to roughly how old the question is if you need to go digging.
Lol, that's sportmanship as its finest /s In the case that you could create a blank combat group, that would make you vulnerable to the command token use. I don't care if you have units there or not, if you have 2 combat groups then -2 orders.
They're Kuang Shi. People cheer when they explode. So I don't think the CG actually cares enough to only detonate one of them at a time.
That still bothers me. Does the grenadier throw all his grenades at the same target? Does the fireworks engineer simply light all fuses with no care for their length and leave? Does the demolitions engineer blow up all their charges (including the ones still in the boot of the car)?