JonB said:
You control your units by giving them orders, but not turn-by-turn. They can do things you didn't expect or don't like due to changed situations since you set up your battle plan.
You specify orders for each unit at the start of each turn, they then carry out those orders in initiative order, defaulting to AI orders if their order becomes untenable. That suggests ongoing unit control to me, though I guess what you were referring to was something closer to Warmachine's activation system where you can sequence activations to react to and shape combat (i.e. activate your infantry first to clear a blocker out of the way for your warjack to then charge through where they were).
To be honest I like that in a strategy game, I like the idea that my orders might cease to apply by the time the unit gets its' turn, it feels pretty realistic for old-school warfare and encourages me not to overkill a single target.
AS for the research I actually found backfilling cheaper research in a few turns when I had later research to boost my Science was a pretty efficient strategy. Pay less later for the same thing.