The best thing imho, would be an all round more intelligent AI opponent.
But that’s for sure the most complicated and time consuming method. A good AI would be needed for tactial and for the geographical, economical layer.
Yes and no, I think it depends on how you approach things.
Chaos Reborn was given varying levels of AI intelligence just by leaving earlier iterations of AI development in the lower difficulty levels, and only placing the later iterations of that same AI’s development into the higher difficulties.
In X-Com (the original) Julian has said that the AI was programmed to make mistakes based on RNG calculation. If that capacity to make a wrong move is present, then the AI can easily be slid to make more or less mistakes. - A similar method is employed in sports games where essentially you have only have one programmed AI, but that AI exists with a variety of limitations in order to simulate higher or lower skilled opponents.
That’s just a couple methods that I’m aware of, I’d imagine that there are many more, but I don’t think it needs reprogramming of the AI from the ground up just to make it more or less capable.
Another question. Will there be some more balanced maximum throwing range for grenades? Because right now soldier with 18 strength with perk Expert Thrower and using Grenade Spam skill throws grenades almost as far as Missile Launcher shoots it’s own missiles, and definitely further than Grenade Launcher shoot it’s grenades.
I just realised that Expert Light Weapons perk increases damage to all weapons except heavy guns, melee and explosives. So it is beneficial to Assault, Technician and Sniper (even sniper rifles). Previously I assumed that light guns mean handguns and maybe Defender.
EDIT: Lol it even increases damage of Deceptor and Hel. Something is incorrectly classified here.
EDIT2: And another skill/perk which function not exactly how I expected it to function. Expert Melee - in Backers Build 4 it only increased damage of Strike attack from Stun Rod. Don’t you think it should increase damage of Bash ability? Or maybe even damage of Electric Strike from Mech Arms?