The strategy of the game. Concept.

[Komandos]

1. Each continent (country) has its own landscape (urban buildings), which is fundamentally different from the landscape of other countries. This ensures that each region will have its own tactics of warfare.

1+ Each alien race tends more towards different regions. This also ensures that each region will have its own tactics and complexity of combat operations.

Each region will differ not only in financial benefits.

2. There should be several parallel technologies, each of which can be developed from the beginning to the end of the game. If some artifacts are unique (once or several times during the whole game - for example: a unique spaceship; a unique alien base). then, by transferring this artifact into the hands of one or another researcher, you will be able to independently choose the global technological specialization of your team. There should be at least three such possible paths of development.

Allows you to make the game interesting for many adventures.

 

3. The Tetris principle. I think everyone has seen this game. Various types of "UFOs" descend to "earth" from the sky. The player's task is to deploy and land them in the right place for himself with the help of "air defense means".

If mobile means of "air defense" do it in such a way that UFOs are forced to adjust their course and choose a place for their actions in a predictable place for the player. 

For example: some types of UFOs purposefully target the location of your fighter jets and bases, which causes discontent in the region and threatens to collapse the economy and reduce funding.

Other types of UFOs, on the contrary, develop speed and land troops away from your bases and fighters. But this is fraught with a complete loss of regions. Although the economy may not change. 

The player's goal is to distribute a uniform load across all regions of the planet in order to avoid dangerous "peaks of activity" of UFOs in certain regions.

To do this, air defense systems should be more mobile. Namely, it is necessary to add the possibility of placing temporary bases and airfields in major cities of the planet. This will make cities a strategic resource, not just empty points on the map. Naturally, the number of temporary airfields should be limited so that they can cover a very limited number of regions of the globe. (Prevention only in the place of possible occurrence of peaks of UFO activity).

Since the player is unable to predict which UFO squadron will appear next, the task of directing UFO activity to a reliable region and blocking UFO activity in a depleted region will not be trivial.

[Komandos]

On YouTube, I watched a video of the latest version of the Xenonauts 2 game. A squad of soldiers is forced to walk in a dense crowd so that the combined firepower is enough to destroy 1-2 aliens who ran out from close range. An increase in the range of visibility and an increase in the range of weapons will allow soldiers to disperse and control a wider front of the map with their help.

[Komandos]

Let's say there is a territory (planet Earth) divided into regions.

UFO squadrons descend from space to Earth, where the activity of each UFO increases discontent in the region over which the UFO is carrying out its mission.

When the height of UFO activity reaches a maximum, the region goes out of control of earthlings.

To prevent UFOs from carrying out their mission over the region, X-COM fighters block UFOs with an attack.

However, the war for the region (the UFO crash in the region) reduces funding (income) from this region. (As a result of economic damage from the fighting). Thus: the more X-COM military bases are built and the more fighting around military bases, the less revenue from the territory.

This explains the limitations on the number of "X-COM" military bases in the game.

Regions over which there is no alien activity and no fighting (UFO crashes) do not suffer economically and give more income (money).

Every month (once a month), each region reduces the negative impact of UFOs on its territory by a certain amount (depending on the properties of the region). This is the state aid of the region, which is able to compensate for some of the mistakes of X-COM.

Also: if all regions (countries) without exception have "UFO activity" on their territory, then this amount of "activity" disappears, as in the game Tetris.

The player receives a bonus. For example, the patriotism of the inhabitants of the planet earth is growing.

If the activity of UFOs in at least one region is zero, then cash receipts in this region increase, but there is no decrease in the schedule of discontent of earthlings (UFO activity) in the regions. (As in the case described above).

The frequency of alien UFO attacks and the number of alien UFOs is increasing every month.

The player can deploy temporary (mobile) bases in cities of any country to shoot peaks of UFO activity. 

The total number of temporary and permanent databases is limited. (For example, a total of 9 pieces together). Construction cannot be carried out on a temporary basis. Storage capacity is limited by freight transport.

[CaptainSPrice]

On 11/2/2021 at 7:07 AM, Komandos said:

On YouTube, I watched a video of the latest version of the Xenonauts 2 game. A squad of soldiers is forced to walk in a dense crowd so that the combined firepower is enough to destroy 1-2 aliens who ran out from close range. An increase in the range of visibility and an increase in the range of weapons will allow soldiers to disperse and control a wider front of the map with their help.

Well this strategy is called = Farm reflex , throw smoke nade, let them come close,each soldiers do reaction fire, no matter if they hit or miss (praying for misses, because more people can do reaction fire) = don't care,  you know when each of your soldiers do enough reaction fire to receive +1 or +2 on reflex stats, you do regular shots, no matter if they hit or not, still counts to +1 or +2 Accuracy stats, you left only with farming Strenght and Time units, where you can just simply farm by running on the map back and forth. - That's how you farm stats in Xenonauts-2.

Edited November 6, 2021 by CaptainSPrice

[Komandos]

Hi! This screenshot is taken from your YouTube video stream. When I played Xenonauts 1, I was forced to concentrate soldiers in one place in the same way. The problem was that the soldiers in "Xenonauts 1" (with a dense formation) killed themselves more often than they died from an alien attack.

 

 

[Komandos]

Through ground missions (ground attack on the Xenonauts' military base), aliens can react to the player's super profits: - cause material damage to military bases, forcing the player to spend money on maintaining the garrison; arming the garrison; providing armor, living quarters, vehicles, (other) which will help the aliens slow down the player's too rapid development in the game, control the necessary balance of forces. The player will (most likely) send the created garrisons on a mission if a UFO falls near the base. Which will also create a natural rotation of units on the battlefield.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Komandos

[Alienkiller]

We Betatesters have some Ideas in this Part too and Discussed them. For the small Outposts Garissions they are usefull and evtl. for small (specialised Workshop / Research) Xenonaut-Bases, which are directly in that Outposts / Bases and Defend them. But that we will see an portable Concept first in the next new Beta-Versions.

For all other Missions you have your Main-Troopers in the Main-Base and later evtl. an medium Secundary-Base with an Troop-Transport.

What you don´t know is, that we have an Stresslevel-System, which get an Refit after long active Testing. In the next Beta-Version it will be active again, there you get enough Rotation. Belive an Beta-Tester, that´s more then enough Rotation for your Soldiers like it is now.

[Komandos]

Each X-COM military base has its own "role characteristics". These are buildings. Staff. In fact: in the game we pump not soldiers, but Bases. The "experience" gained in battle is the money earned for the battle, which we distribute to "improve the characteristics" of the Base. If the developers make each Base unique (bonuses and penalties from the location of the Base, bonuses and penalties from the specialization of the Base). The money received for downed UFOs, for artifacts captured in ground battles, should be directed not to the general budget, but to the individual budget of the Base whose fighters shot down UFOs; whose soldiers stormed UFOs - then there will be rotation. Then all 6-9 Bases in the game will become similar to 6-9 characters in role-playing games, which the player improves.

[Komandos]

Add tactical tasks to protect trade routes: There are trade routes between different regions (trade routes are marked on the map). UFOs periodically attack ships carrying cargo, which worsens the economic indicators of the region and the financing of the Xenonauts project. Creating (buying) aircraft carriers in the game that will autonomously cruise along with cargo ships along trade routes so that they help repel UFO raids and free cargo ships captured by alien pirate teams.

Or: just add tactical tasks to the game to free cargo ships from alien pirates.

[MandoFlipp]

I love the complexity of this game. Every UFO attack is top notch!

Edited December 1, 2021 by MandoFlipp
Grammar mistake

[Komandos]

After the next wave of UFO attacks, several almost identical "tactical tasks" "lie" on the ground.

Three or four identical missions in a row is boring.

I propose to introduce a rule according to which the same mission cannot be performed twice in a row. (Even - not more often than once every three fights).

1. UFO waves should consist of different types of spaceships. So that after their crash, different combat missions appear.

2. If it so happens that there are many "crash sites" of the same UFO on Earth, then it is necessary to generate a random event that will make these three missions different from each other.

For example:

In one case, the player receives an additional squad (squad) of local self-defense forces under his command.

In the second case, the player receives a tank (from the local self-defense forces).

In the third case, the UFO was trying to deliver weapons (other supplies, resources) to its agents on the ground. Meeting such a UFO on a ground mission is like winning the lottery. Hit the jackpot. This is an additional excitement and incentive for ground combat.

Edited December 4, 2021 by Komandos

[Komandos]

On interception.

[Komandos]

Xenonauts are like a fire brigade - they fly out to "extinguish" downed UFOs and save alien property (artifacts) from destruction.

And the farther from the Base is the "UFO crash site", the greater the probability (percentage of probability) that the UFO will "burn to the ground" (remain without artifacts).

Depending on the speed of the transport aircraft (xenonauts), the radius in which the "fire brigade" manages to "extinguish damaged UFOs" should be greater.

The positive aspects of this:

1. The number of tactical missions in the game naturally decreases.

2. The player develops several bases and tactical groups.

 

 

Tactical ground battles are monotonous in their tasks: to take possession of UFO property.

One of the tasks (quests) of the battle can be: to stop the "self-destruction system" of valuable artifacts in the UFO (engines, navigation system, etc.).

For example: a player can train (in a research center) a soldier (new skill for a soldier). This soldier will "collect scientific material" during 1-2 ground missions. (for example: just go to the artifact and activate the trigger (script) (for example, the engine script). Starting from the third mission (for a certain type of UFO) - soldiers can reliably stop the "self-destruction systems" of UFOs.

This will help when capturing a new type of UFO - create 2-3 missions with new tactical tasks.

Edited December 7, 2021 by Komandos

[Alienkiller]

I aggree with Mandoflipp for the new Complexity, Rework, Refits etc. in Xenonauts 2.

I was very friendly the whole time with explenations of Differences it have already and show you where the Dev-Offer is to test Xenonauts 2 yourself (Steam).

Now I say it directly: Komandos I only see Xenonauts 1 with the X-Devision Mod in your Examples, which haven´t any value for the Buildup / Gamplayability in Xenonauts 2 anymore. The Devs refited Xenonauts 2 during the first Beta-Phases already in the Geoscape, the Missions, UFOs, Enemys and all other important / secondary Parts with more cools Stuff / Secrets comming in. Some Parts get testet already others are complete new.

Test Xenonauts 2 yourself and don´t nerve with the completely outdated Xenonauts 1 anymore.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Alienkiller

[Komandos]

1 hour ago, Alienkiller said:

 

I was very friendly the whole time with explenations of Differences it have already and show you where the Dev-Offer is to test Xenonauts 2 yourself (Steam).

I have submitted an early access request.

But so far, there is no need for new testers.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Komandos

[Alienkiller]

OK, then the Beta-Offer on Steam seems to be discontinued. But it sounds good that the Devs think for the Future and offer an Early-Access-Testing then. There the Game is more stable, Gapfillers are over 90% away etc.

And Sorry that I was so harsh. I´m a very patient Human, but if something like the massive Changes from Xenonauts 2 to it´s predecessor have to be repeated thousend times (on all Platforms) and outdated Things come everytime back, then not only I .

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Alienkiller

[Komandos]

There was once a game like this:

Ufo - The Two Sides v0.99 (1.0 2018)

 

https://youtu.be/Zxbd77a7nSE

 

Key feature is online play (multiplayer).

One player plays as the Earthlings.

The second player plays as the aliens.

Both players: build bases; are at war in the sky; fighting on the ground.

Having watched two broadcasts of the same battle (video from the point of view of aliens and video from the point of view of earthlings), you can get an idea of how the battles will actually take place with adequate alien AI.

The man playing for the aliens is trying to disable all the equipment of the ship (UFO), blow himself up and the artifacts with the last grenade so that the player playing for X-COM does not get them. (If he foresees his defeat at the X-COM team).

So my proposal is not so absurd.

 

P.S. So for general thoughts:

The classic balance of turn-based combat (range, visibility, terrain, starting position, etc.) Has a number of disadvantages, the main of which are 1. What should the player do during the opponent's turn? 2. Only a few soldiers survive the mission.

 

Good - 50% of UFO capture attempts are unsuccessful.

[Alienkiller]

I thank God, that such Games like the UFO-Extraterestials-Row, the old X-Com-Row and Xenonauts-Row is Singleplayer.

Yes it gave in the Microprose-Time with an try to make that Row a little bit MP-Playable. I think that was the Name (UFO - the 2 Sides). But fast it was seen, that such Games are much better in SP.

Something similar is integrated again in the new XCOM-Series, but I don´t use it about several good reasons. I have my Experiance in that from many Games. WoW is the only Game which I have to play with people I don´t know.

In very closely circle of Friends / very closely circle of Family evtl. Starcraft, Diablo or such. You see the older Gamer-Generation is very cautios in that, which have it´s big reasons.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Alienkiller

[Komandos]

I haven't played at xcom: 1-2 (New) and I'm not going to do it. If a squad of 6 soldiers needs to destroy hundreds of advanced enemies, then for me this is role-playing games, not tactics.

Jagged Alliance 2 hesitated to play for a long time because of this. But then I found out that the squad size in Jagged Alliance 2 could be 18 (in the original) and 32 in the 1.13 modification. And this is the tactics of a platoon and the interaction of several separate tactical units.For me, Jagged Alliance 2 is the best tactic at the platoon level at the moment.

The Xenonauts started playing only because in the settings it was possible to specify the size of the squad = 16 soldiers. 16 fighters can already be divided into 4-5 separate tactical groups.

I played UFO Extraterrestrials but quit (I got bored). The tactics of one unit are less than the tactics of several units. If UFO Extraterrestrials were an RPG I would love to play.

 

Xenonauts 2.

I also have new ideas about the tactics of air battles and the idea of a slightly different organization of the xenonauts base (while maintaining the existing interface, existing buildings).

Perhaps - when I watch the game, there will be ideas for strategy. But if the game is in the final stage of testing, then perhaps there really is no point in proposing new ideas and the topic can be closed.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Komandos

[Alienkiller]

I personaly like the new XCOM-Row about the Storyline, Chars and what it also makes the certain something it gives the Player / Players. What UFO 1 ET belongs, it should the first attempt to give the old X-COM-Row an fully new Successor with 2 or 3 linked Storygames.

With new Technologys / Possibilitys UFO 2 ET on the Market show us with DLCs for it in the Making (and Xenonauts 2 get in the new Technology-Posibility-Features too) that tonnes of outdated Things are not all. The new XCOM-Row is the first Pioneer of that new Gerne-Generation, which show us that Technologys / Possibilitys, but get slowly a bit age.

With the Complete-Refit from UFO 1 ET, the full WIP-Xenonauts 2 (Beta-Status-Gametests), as well as an DLC-Reworked UFO 2 ET [after the Complete-Refit UFO 1 ET Platinum is done] we all get an complete new Generation of that Gerne with Possibilitys and Features we didn´t have dreamed of.

That dosen´t mean that I don´t play Games with more complex Features, like the JA-Games, Hearts of Iron 4 and such, where you have to handle with more of that. They make fun too and an similar Game comes too from the Modders of the new XCOM-Row, which get called Terra Invicta. But the Devs here have to make an very very very small Ballance-Act about the more Tonnes of Features.

What I have learend in my more then 30 Years+ of Gaming is that the mix of all that Games makes the allurement. Combined with a cool Gameplay, Storyline, Missions, Chars and R & D-Equipment it gives the fun to the Player. Esp. in the Alien vs. Human-Gerne and Historical Gerne that is very hard to Ballance.

Means: You have to bring Beginners, Occassion-Gamers and Pros / Veterans on one Table. The Game have to be so Ballanced and Featured that all of them have fun (not to much overload, no unoversight, good playability and so on).

Edited December 10, 2021 by Alienkiller

[Komandos]

I do not care at all what the developers add or remove in the game in the X-COM universe (concept). In particular, the new Xcom line.

Team tactics (a squad of 3-12 fighters) are present in almost all role-playing games today. And there the game world is more interactive and deeply worked out.

+ (Also)

"OpenX-COM" has a sufficient reserve of functions to implement a variety of new tactical and strategic opportunities for the taste of any player.

 

How do you think? What is in the old X-Com (UFO: 1-2) and what attracts players to them to this day?

 And what of this "heirs" stubbornly refuse to implement to this day?

Edited December 10, 2021 by Komandos

[Alienkiller]

I know the Programm / Website "Open X-Com". And about nostalgic I play occassional X-Com Enemy Unknown and X-Com Terror from the Deep with the Open X-Com-Game-Abilitys. Naturaly X-Com Interceptor and X-Com Apocalypse too. Sadly as Fan from the Original the 3 more Storyline-Games never were born (X-Com Genesis, X-Com Alliance and X-Com Colonisatzion).

I find it good, that the UFO-ET-Row, Phoenix Point and the Xenonauts-Row put in the best Elements from the game basement Complex from 30 Years ago. That´s the Base-Management, R & D Management, Equipment- & Soldier-Management, Storyline as well as in the Ground-Structure from the Standard-Missions (like Recovery, Terror, Interception) which give still the Feeling from the 1990´s-Original.

What the Devs from Chaos Concept (UFO-ET-Row), Goldhawk (Xenonauts-Row), Snapshot Games (Phoenix Point) and Fan-Developers in the last 17 or 18 Years changed without to destroy the original-Feeling were that they put in new Possibilitys / Technologys to Rework and Upgrade the best Features from the 1990´s-Originals and make them useable for a complete new Generation of Players.

What the new Games are give are complete Differnt Storylines to the Player.

1. The UFO ET-Row: Humankind can´t hold Earth and have to flee to Esperanza. After a hard fight there Humanity have the Chance to give the Aliens a big Kickback as well as reconquest Earth (UFO 2 ET = Earth / UFO 1 ET = Esperanza with Reconquest Earth at the End). There are Features integrated, which get missing in Xenonauts 2 [f. e. upgraded Ammo for existing Firearms as well as Energy-Weapons (Sidenote: that was Testet in X-COM Apocalypse, but get never used again for more then 20 / 25 Years), movable Bases and more]

2. Phoenix Point: Humankind have to (like Corona) fight an Virus, which changes our Homeworld and the Vegetation / Humans / Animals etc. The remaining indepented Phoenix Point Organisation can do that with one of the 3 big Enclaves or complete seperate with many Side-Quest-Storylines from the DLCs and since the last DLC with more Action too [Airfights with all Elements all Games of that Gerne have]

3. Xenonauts-Row: Humankind fights an Alien-Invasion and can evtl. Stop it. Differences to the Originals and UFO ET-Row is that you have more Possibilitys / Technologys for everything in fully WIP Xenonauts 2 incl. more Features we don´t let us dream yet. Xenonauts 1 was an nice 1:1 Copy from the 30 Year-Base-Original with all Weaknesses and Strenghes.

4. old X-COM-Row [Hypothetically]: That Microprose would have done too, if they had the Chance for the Originals. The Original-Storyline wouldn´t get touched, but the Games would have get big Refits in all Parts to make them 64-Bit-Ready and Windows 10 / 11 suitable. And one more Point, the Storyline wasn´t finished. Like said: 3 more Games were in Production or in finished Planing Status.

An more radical Step is going Firaxis with the new XCOM-Row. That´s fully OK and give more Possibilitys / Features for the Game-Row-Development. They go an other Storylineway, make more Vids, give Storybooks (atm 3 out) and so on.

 

What the Devs of this Games (esp. Firaxis, Chaos Concept, Goldhawk and Snapshot) don´t do this days is implementing Data-Scrap and unnessecarry Things. Like an Tranpsort with over 80 Soldiers, not upgradeable Weapons / Ammo, no Informations about your In-Game-Status (like in the old X-Com Games) and something like this.

The new Games give you Informations and Oportunitys. That was the first Time comming up in the UFO-After-Row and get integrated in the new Games [in Refit UFO ET-Row, new XCOM-Row, Phoenix Point and Xenonauts 2], which is a very good Feature.

That´s the big difference to the old Games. In the 1980 / 1990s up to Mid / End 2k the Player had only 2 Oportunitys: a) Fight to the End (all In incl. Founds) or b) Loose. You hadn´t any Informations how good or bad you are and the chance were about 60% to loose, dosen´t matter what you did about the complete missing Informations the new Games are giving you today. Sadly there is to settle in Xenonauts 1 and UFO 1 ET Standard- / Gold-Edition too, with a small difference. There you know how good or bad you are ingame.

 

That´s why I´m so harsh about People which are still thinking like before 30, 40 or longer Past Years. They didn´t see the Oportunitys that this Gerne / other Gernes have today and can make the Originals with new Storylines (which are very important) much better.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Alienkiller

[Komandos]

I'm not saying New Xcom Games are bad. But these games do not interest me.

If I go to a bar and ask for a glass of beer, and they answer me: “We improved the old beer recipe. Now beer is not only non-alcoholic, but also similar in composition to milk. "

It's hard for me to disagree: beer is now really non-alcoholic, and you can drink it instead of milk. Which is "great". But I personally don't like these improvements.

I'm looking for a game in which X-COM CAN look like a real military organization (like the Warhammer legions).

Where the Xcom soldiers - not only: Base; Ship "Avenger"; Combat task (mission), as well as adequate manning of units (Detachment> Platoon> Company> Regiment). The new Xcoms are completely different from the military design (no matter how hard the player tries to give them a different look).

 

It's hard for me to understand why game developers are not afraid (have no concern) if I set in the settings:

 "Weak level of difficulty";

edited (in the file) the entire line of weapons the way I like;

bombed the crash site of a UFO without the participation of a tactical group in ground combat;

The number of aliens on UFOs has been increased several times;

but - everyone is very worried if I want to go into the settings and set the option to take into battle not 10-12-16 soldiers, but 16-20-24. (Just as now I expose not 6-20 aliens on UFOs, but 12-60). What is the eresy here?

 

Is 20 (24) soldiers instead of 16 so morally unacceptable that it is impossible to leave the player this option (the possibility of expanding the squad) for future (his personal) mods?

Edited December 10, 2021 by Komandos

[Alienkiller]

I haven´t spoken from new XCOM, which bases on an complete new Concept, you have correctly identified.

I told about Xenonauts 2, UFO-ET-Series, Phoenix Point and Fan-Projects, which base on the 30-Year old Concept with a lot useable new and important Possibilitys / Technologys for Refits, Reworks, Upgrades etc. without destroying the 30 Year old Game-Base.

The Ground-Base for all new Games of that Gerne is the Groundwork over 30 Years ago. On that Groundwork the UFO ET-Series, Phoenix Point, Xeononauts 2 and many Fan-Projects are based. Then they Refit it with the newest Possibilitys [upgradeable Armor, Vehicles, Fighters, Transports, Base Structures etc. etc. etc.] on the newest Technology [Graphics, Sound, Windows 10 etc.], which weren´t possible to about 12 Years ago [2008].

If the old Devs from Microprose (which have made the old X-Com-Row) could use the Possibilitys as well as Technologys which we have since about 10 or 12 Years they would Refit all of their Games to the newest Standard like Goldhawk-Devs and Chaos Concept-Devs are doing with their Games on that 30 Year-Game-Base to hold the old Gamers and get the Game attractive to new Gamers.

Better it can´t be explained in short.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Alienkiller

[Kamehamehayes]

1 hour ago, Komandos said:

I'm not saying New Xcom Games are bad. But these games do not interest me.

If I go to a bar and ask for a glass of beer, and they answer me: “We improved the old beer recipe. Now beer is not only non-alcoholic, but also similar in composition to milk. "

It's hard for me to disagree: beer is now really non-alcoholic, and you can drink it instead of milk. Which is "great". But I personally don't like these improvements.

I'm looking for a game in which X-COM CAN look like a real military organization (like the Warhammer legions).

Where the Xcom soldiers - not only: Base; Ship "Avenger"; Combat task (mission), as well as adequate manning of units (Detachment> Platoon> Company> Regiment). The new Xcoms are completely different from the military design (no matter how hard the player tries to give them a different look).

 

It's hard for me to understand why game developers are not afraid (have no concern) if I set in the settings:

 "Weak level of difficulty";

edited (in the file) the entire line of weapons the way I like;

bombed the crash site of a UFO without the participation of a tactical group in ground combat;

The number of aliens on UFOs has been increased several times;

but - everyone is very worried if I want to go into the settings and set the option to take into battle not 10-12-16 soldiers, but 16-20-24. (Just as now I expose not 6-20 aliens on UFOs, but 12-60). What is the eresy here?

 

Is 20 (24) soldiers instead of 16 so morally unacceptable that it is impossible to leave the player this option (the possibility of expanding the squad) for future (his personal) mods?

I’m definitely not against any of these ideas. I personally like the idea of having the option to edit a campaign however much a player wants. The player should have the power to edit the enemy quality as high as they want and change how many soldiers and alien there are in a battle. It would be a great way of increasing the game replay-ability. This could be a very similar screen to Firaxis Xcom’s “second wave” options. 

Generally, 10-16 soldiers is considered pretty complex for a tactical game. It can already take minutes to plan out optimal moves and it is a good middle ground to balance complexity and still not become tedious and unenjoyable. Increasing the soldier count to 20-24 is pretty ludicrous in the context of most players’ experiences, even if there is technically enough room in the drop ship to support that many soldiers. I’m completely fine with allowing the option for the player to edit the max amount of soldiers to enter a drop ship, but I am very much against balancing and developing this game around that many soldiers. 16 soldiers is generally my limit in terms of tactical enjoyment; any more soldiers will just start to make the game more and more of a slog imo when it was fun and enjoyable before.