diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
index f82b46508a..4d1ff9db93 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ using IrrKlang;
 using IjwFramework.Collections;
 using System;
 using IjwFramework.Types;
-using OpenRa.Game.Traits;
+using OpenRa.Game.Traits;
+using OpenRa.Game.GameRules;
 
 namespace OpenRa.Game
 {
@@ -185,8 +186,22 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 		public static readonly Pair<VoicePool, VoicePool> SovietVoices =
 			Pair.New(
 				new VoicePool("ackno", "affirm1", "noprob", "overout", "ritaway", "roger", "ugotit"),
-				new VoicePool("await1", "ready", "report1", "yessir1"));
-
+				new VoicePool("await1", "ready", "report1", "yessir1"));
+
+		static int2? FindAdjacentTile(Actor a, UnitMovementType umt)
+		{
+			var tiles = Footprint.Tiles(a);
+			var min = tiles.Aggregate(int2.Min) - new int2(1, 1);
+			var max = tiles.Aggregate(int2.Max) + new int2(1, 1);
+
+			for (var j = min.Y; j <= max.Y; j++)
+				for (var i = min.X; i <= max.X; i++)
+					if (IsCellBuildable(new int2(i, j), umt))
+						return new int2(i, j);
+
+			return null;
+		}
+
 		public static void BuildUnit(Player player, string name)
 		{
 			var producerTypes = Rules.UnitInfo[name].BuiltAt;
@@ -195,12 +210,29 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 					&& producerTypes.Contains(a.unitInfo.Name) && a.Owner == player);
 
 			if (producer == null)
-				throw new InvalidOperationException("BuildUnit without suitable production structure!");
-
-			var unit = new Actor(name, (1/24f * producer.CenterLocation).ToInt2(), player);
-			var mobile = unit.traits.Get<Mobile>();
-			mobile.facing = 128;
-			mobile.QueueActivity( new Traits.Mobile.MoveTo( unit.Location + new int2( 0, 3 ) ) );
+				throw new InvalidOperationException("BuildUnit without suitable production structure!");
+
+			Actor unit;
+
+			if (producerTypes.Contains("spen") || producerTypes.Contains("syrd"))
+			{
+				var space = FindAdjacentTile(producer, Rules.UnitInfo[name].WaterBound ? 
+					UnitMovementType.Float : UnitMovementType.Wheel );	/* hackety hack */
+
+				if (space == null)
+					throw new NotImplementedException("Nowhere to place this unit.");
+
+				unit = new Actor(name, space.Value, player);
+				var mobile = unit.traits.Get<Mobile>();
+				mobile.facing = SharedRandom.Next(256);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				unit = new Actor(name, (1 / 24f * producer.CenterLocation).ToInt2(), player);
+				var mobile = unit.traits.Get<Mobile>();
+				mobile.facing = 128;
+				mobile.QueueActivity(new Traits.Mobile.MoveTo(unit.Location + new int2(0, 3)));
+			}
 
 			world.AddFrameEndTask(_ => world.Add(unit));
 
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/GameRules/Footprint.cs b/OpenRa.Game/GameRules/Footprint.cs
index efd384b35e..3a8441a347 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/GameRules/Footprint.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/GameRules/Footprint.cs
@@ -10,25 +10,38 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game.GameRules
 	static class Footprint
 	{
 		public static IEnumerable<int2> Tiles( UnitInfo unitInfo, int2 position )
+		{
+			return Tiles(unitInfo, position, true);
+		}
+
+		static IEnumerable<int2> Tiles(UnitInfo unitInfo, int2 position, bool adjustForPlacement)
 		{
 			var buildingInfo = unitInfo as UnitInfo.BuildingInfo;
 			var dim = buildingInfo.Dimensions;
 
-			var footprint = buildingInfo.Footprint.ToCharArray().Where( x => !char.IsWhiteSpace( x ) );
-			if( buildingInfo.Bib )
+			var footprint = buildingInfo.Footprint.Where(x => !char.IsWhiteSpace(x));
+			if (buildingInfo.Bib)
 			{
 				dim.Y += 1;
-				footprint = footprint.Concat( new char[ dim.X ] );
+				footprint = footprint.Concat(new char[dim.X]);
 			}
-			foreach( var tile in TilesWhere( unitInfo.Name, dim, footprint.ToArray(), a => a != '_' ) )
-				yield return tile + position - AdjustForBuildingSize( buildingInfo );
+
+			var adjustment = adjustForPlacement ? AdjustForBuildingSize(buildingInfo) : int2.Zero;
+
+			var tiles = TilesWhere(unitInfo.Name, dim, footprint.ToArray(), a => a != '_');
+			return tiles.Select(t => t + position - adjustment);
+		}
+
+		public static IEnumerable<int2> Tiles(Actor a)
+		{
+			return Tiles(a.unitInfo, a.Location, false);
 		}
 
 		public static IEnumerable<int2> UnpathableTiles( UnitInfo unitInfo, int2 position )
 		{
 			var buildingInfo = unitInfo as UnitInfo.BuildingInfo;
 
-			var footprint = buildingInfo.Footprint.ToCharArray().Where( x => !char.IsWhiteSpace( x ) ).ToArray();
+			var footprint = buildingInfo.Footprint.Where( x => !char.IsWhiteSpace( x ) ).ToArray();
 			foreach( var tile in TilesWhere( unitInfo.Name, buildingInfo.Dimensions, footprint, a => a == 'x' ) )
 				yield return tile + position;
 		}
@@ -38,15 +51,14 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game.GameRules
 			if( footprint.Length != dim.X * dim.Y )
 				throw new InvalidOperationException( "Invalid footprint for " + name );
 			int index = 0;
+
 			for( int y = 0 ; y < dim.Y ; y++ )
-			{
 				for( int x = 0 ; x < dim.X ; x++ )
 				{
 					if( cond( footprint[ index ] ) )
 						yield return new int2( x, y );
 					++index;
 				}
-			}
 		}
 
 		public static int2 AdjustForBuildingSize( string name )