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The most common type of 'surprise" move in ancient battles was to screen which troops were really where by putting different troops in front of them.

I.e. you put light cavalry across the front so you can't see the heavy infantry behind them.

I feel this type of approach could easily be recreated on the mini-battlefield using simple blinds.

I have also seen where, in an ancients game, after terrain is deployed, the commander may hold X units in reserve and place up to Y ambush markers on terrain in his zone. The reserved units are designated with a (concealed) position number corresponding to a marker. They may subsequently be revealed at that marker either during the controllers turn, or when revealed by enemy troops.

Of course, avoiding ambush spots can make the unit something of a squandered resource.

While it's a hex and counter game, Starship Troopers (based on the novel not the movie---though both board games are good) has some cool ideas.

It uses inverted counters for the bugs. The bug player also has a small map sheet of the entire board for recording subterranean units and movement.