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Interesting take - I think it'll be more interesting than just "Xenonauts with better graphics and some QoL fixes". I'm personally a huge fan of JA2, so having things go in that direction sound good to me. Since we're going with 3d models this time and don't have the same issues pre-rendering animation frames, why not have a prone mode eh? You could have it that certain heavy weapons can only be effectively used crouching or prone, which would increase the balancing options. But minor issue. I think having a rating in different fields makes sense (combat, technical, science, etc) - to riff off of previous posters I think still keeping sub-stats under those is a good idea though. I'm not against streamlining / simplifying where it makes sense, but I don't think we need to go simpler than new XCOM - it's proven that their level of complexity can get mass market adoption. One issue would be balancing out each field rating vs specific stats under it - what if someone has a science rating of 3, but is maxed on medical but little research, should they be able to use a prototype laser weapon? To borrow from Fallout or JA2, what if each (rank) of a field lets you assign a "perk" that acts as a bonus. These would stack with modifiers from armor and weapons while still allowing for a personal "feeling" for each soldier. So say each soldier has an option for fixed or semi-randomized stats (you'll need some display of movement and TUs etc if for nothing else they show up in combat and when you have some armor that modifies them), but they get a slight boost in relevant stats when you level up a "field", plus get to choose a "perk" to go along with it. So we're going more like nu-xcom in that you get a boost in stats when you level up vs using a skill, but they're tied to profeciencies in a field vs an overall rank. Perks also feel a bit more personal than numbers IMO, seeing someone has a profeciency or skill rather than just a higher number. Having a lot of pre-made characters also allows for some interesting/quirky combinations of perks, and less power-gaming of "optimal" perks (though it'd be fun to have some all low level ranking characters that you can then define better as well). Someone with science perks for medicine, but a combat perk for melee due to them being a knife fanatic or whatever. One of the best things about JA2 was how characters had "personality" - without voice acting that'd be harder, but some actual sense of personality / backstory, hopefully some interaction between them goes a ways towards that. Overview / overall stats (could be more or less). Could be static and only effected by starting stats (semi-random or not, config option), or could have small bonuses when leveling up relative ratings. Health (armor, perk) Efficiency (time units - combat rating, perk, armor) Fitness (exhaustion mechanic - overall ratings, perk?) Accuracy (combat rating + perks, weapon mods?) Morale (combat rating + operative rating, perks) Research (science rating, perks) Medical (science rating, perks) Development (technical rating, perks) Explosives (technical rating, perks) Infiltration (operative rating, perks) Persuasion (operative rating, perks) Overall fields and perks (10 in each rank, each rank boosts relevant stats and every other grants use of a perk. 5 in each rank, only perk each time?). You can also have some perks that apply negative and positive effects, have certain ones unlocked at certain ranks. Sort of a skilltree but less forced imo. COMBAT RATING (each time someone levels up they get more accuracy, time units, etc) marksmanship (tactical bonus to hit with projectile weapons) sniper (tactical bonus to hit targets x+ tiles away) cqb (tactical bonus to hit targets x- tiles away) martial (tactical bonus to melee attacks) resilient (tactical health bonus, faster wound recovery) weightlifting (bonus to carrying capacity, melee, less time units) distance runner (bonus to time units, less carrying capacity) SCIENCE RATING (each time someone levels up they get more medical, research, etc) physics (strategic bonus to research, bonus to... thrown item accuracy? idk lol) chemistry (strategic bonus to research, bonus to chem weapon use) medical (strategic/tactical use) adaptive (gets to use new weapons with a -1 to science rating) self-medicating (bonus to exhaustion, more susceptible to toxins in field) drug-resistant (less likely to be harmed by gas/poison, self-buff items less effective) TECHNICAL RATING prototyping/manufacturing (strategic use) explosives (tactical use, manufacturing bonus?) mechanic/repair (strategic and tactical use) adaptive (tactical bonus to using enemies equipment in field) OPERATIVE RATING stealthy (tactical bonus to not be spotted) recruiter/mentor (strategic bonus for recruitment, funds, etc) charismatic (tactical morale to nearby soldiers) cryptography (bonuses to finding new targets, gathering resources from raids?) assassin (tactical bonus to hit with silenced weapons / throwing knives / etc, minus to persuasion) pacifist (bonus to persuasion, non-lethal weapons, etc minus to lethal weapon accuracy and morale loss after a kill)