Hello one and all, I'm TheIdiot and recently I’ve been doing some thinkings over the ideas of XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Enemy Within and expanding on them while also dealing out some of my own ideas.

In terms of expanding ideas, let’s start with an easy number – EXALT.

EXALT’s concept is a simple one – they are a group of humans that are pro-human and actively sabotage the efforts of XCOM by delaying research, stealing funds and raising panic levels by method of propaganda.

However, I feel that there is something more that they could have done with these Black Vests and something they could of done more was have an EXALT Cell (if left unchecked) do a coup and cause a country to be on the verge of leaving the XCOM Project – the only way to prevent this is to undergo a difficult mission where you have to take down the Cell immediately. This would be even harder because of the obvious law enforcement that would try to stop you.

If you don’t do this mission, or if you fail it, panic will spike in the surrounding countries on the continent – besides that; if you do complete the mission but, you attack law enforcement and possibly kill them, it would yield panic that isn’t as reduced as it could be.

An easier example of something they could do (and taking a page out of Arad’s book) is that EXALT would actually assist the Aliens in Terror Missions, or in Base Defense/Ashes and Temples; both would be even more difficult and would show their Les Collaborators side more.

And, speaking of Ashes and Temples, to better turn with the theme of the expansion Enemy Within have it be so that some of your best guys are actually double agents that are allied with EXALT and you have to actively fight and kill them during that mission like in the Movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier – like how Hydra Agents were in Shield.

Any of these ideas would be interesting on their own to do, but enough of my ramblings; come forth and share your own ideas on the Pro-Alien fraction and how they could be used better.

(P.S. Please don't suggest that they get plasma weapons, they already have an Elite Unit and specific gene mods that are unique to them.)

have an EXALT Cell (if left unchecked) do a coup and cause a country to be on the verge of leaving the XCOM Project – the only way to prevent this is to undergo a difficult mission where you have to take down the Cell immediately.

If you don’t do this mission, or if you fail it, panic will spike in the surrounding countries on the continent – besides that; if you do complete the mission but, you attack law enforcement and possibly kill them, it would yield panic that isn’t as reduced as it could be.

Sooo... EXALT Propaganda? Terror missions?

As for double agents: base personnel aren't really a threat to anybody with their rookie loadouts, and having your soldiers turn on you? You couldn't be sure who's in on the coup, so you would want to give all of your soldiers weaker gear - for one of the hardest, largest, game-endingest missions. Not even Long War hates the player that much.

I think giving EXALT soldiers bigger armor visually in their later tech stages would fit better - XCOM's doing it, so why not them?

Back to the 'law enforcement,' though, I think it would be cool if some armed police/military units were still on the field as allied units when XCOM showed up - fighting back with ballistic weapons (what's so different about XCOM's dakka besides the huge proportions?) and possibly injured from the sustained firefight (likely to go down soon after you arrive, really), they could be recruited to XCOM if they survive. Also, they could have their equipped gear improved by granting Council requests in that country.

4149028
Sort of like how Xenonauts does it?

Well, what if Exalt either have their own MAC units just not as tough as the alien ones, or maybe use power suits that have different uses then the ones you make for Xcom.

4149298 Pretty much! Does Xenonauts let you keep those forces, though?

4149827 I believe they do.

4149827
Actually, I don't believe that they do.