Posted by: @cyrano

1:  Just to be clear, it would seem that facing almost -- I stress almost -- never matters while moving, correct?

Yes, this is generally correct, deployed Units may move in any direction. Ployed Formations move as a single Unit from the head of the column. Facing matters when determining arc for some order conversions, but generally yes, you are correct.

Posted by: @cyrano

2:  I have found the language about passage of lines, but can I pass through the notional, much larger, "rear area" of a deployed formation?

The empty space? There is technically no prohibition. Some players find it easier to keep the areas clear and restrict friendly movement in it simply to keep Formations clearly discernible. But there is no rule requirement for doing this.

Posted by: @cyrano

A:  Related to this, I have seen many photographs of folks giving their reformation area marker a miss.  Is this common?  Put another way, is it preferred?

Can you clarify what you mean?

I was working my way through a bunch of AARs and many (most?) of them didn't seem to be using a marker for their reformation areas.  I'm working on my own, but I wanted to make certain they were still taken as standard.

Posted by: @cyrano

I was working my way through a bunch of AARs and many (most?) of them didn't seem to be using a marker for their reformation areas.  I'm working on my own, but I wanted to make certain they were still taken as standard.

Most after-action-reports I've seen and games I've witnessed generally do use Reformation Areas in the forms of wagons, caissons, or similar. I would presume that if you're seeing games of people using existing collections (vs the ESR Box Sets), particularly if they are just getting into ESR, they may not yet have the requisite vehicles and such to use as Reformation Areas.