AutoCAD Inventor :: Draw Rectangular Patterned Array Of Objects At An Angle?

is there a way to create an associative array of posts so I only have to edit one part to have the entire array change?  that is, I want to have global values for the dimensions in the picture below: post diametervertical width between post centreshorizontal width between post columns (again, centre to centre)vertical shift of each column w.r.t. previous one I've used the Rectangular Pattern tool to create a repetition of my posts, but I want to shift each column of posts up slightly with respect to the one before as in the attached picture:

It seems that if you want to repeat along non-perpendicular axes like this, Inventor fails if there are too many repeats.  I came across this when searching the site:

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I can verify that this is my exact problem but can add that in my example, 4 repeats on the almost horizontal axis and 3 on the vertical work fine.  However, 3 almost horizontal axis repeats by 4 vertical axis repeats will only work if I choose the vertical axis as Direction 2.  (Is this a bug or am I trying to use the Rectangular Pattern Tool incorrectly?)

The repeat unit can be simplified to 1 circle with 2 construction lines along the repeat Direction instead of the 2x2 circles shown here but the problem persists. Also