All good ideas. What about adding in some more audio for immersion? Perhaps some radio chatter on the strategy layer? How about a fully narrated ufopedia? Kind of like the feel of Mass Effects narration. It could perhaps be one of the scientists with recorded findings but adds immersion like your in a briefing and may be fairly simplistic to create and easily cancelled out of if you prefer reading vs listening.
Cover system but I do like elevation advantages, and I like kneel, and prone for additional hit %
