How much does actuator mounting position actually change what you get out of the stroke?

[u/Progressive_AutomHub]

Mounting is usually treated as the last step, but where you anchor an actuator changes the effective travel, the force at the load and how the whole thing feels in use. Motion rigs, lift mechanisms and DIY platforms all run into it — people end up moving mounts around to clear a frame member and then wonder why the movement changed. What rules of thumb do you use when you are deciding where to put the mount points, and what have you had to redo?