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[MetalSlimeHunt]

The Berserkers are similar to the Reapers, sure, but I think they could have had their own niche. The Berserkers are always backed up by a Muton squad and aren't destructive enough. I'd have taken the cover smashing ability they never use and given it to the Reaper. It would have something like 45 health on Normal and go in a straight line to its target, destroying any terrain it contacts along the way. When it reaches your troops it would bite one in a direct attack, but also flail around and knock anyone nearby flying for a less damaging but very disorganizing attack. With the right design (like an unholy cross between a Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor) it could be as frightening as a Chryssalid.

The Silacoids and Celatids could have been fused and redesigned. I'm thinking a heavily armored amoeba-like creature with acid spit and a crushing melee attack. They could be ambivalent towards humans and roam around the level eating whatever's closest, be it living or nonliving. They would grow as they consume until splitting into two like a cell, ad infinium. They would have a role as not being a direct threat most of the time, but a huge potential danger if you ignore them while dealing with the other aliens.

[Neonivek]

Plus there is a fact that they are more of a genuin global threat then the Beserkers.

Which is sort of what the game lacks at times. The original had subtle hints at how exactly the aliens could take on the planet even without large scale invasion and without unstoppable technology (which is rather unique for a setting featuring sci-fi aliens. That their technology while giving them an edge is not a supreme edge)

This one not so much. Even the thinmen don't act like their roles would define.

The closest was the Crysalids but their serious power factor was rather weakened in this game.

[Sirus]

45 HP? Considering normal sightline distance and assuming that all squad members have a clear shot, can that even be taken down before dealing damage? You'd need high-level snipers or assaults with top-tier weapons to even have a chance.

[The Scout]

45 HP? Considering normal sightline distance and assuming that all squad members have a clear shot, can that even be taken down before dealing damage? You'd need high-level snipers or assaults with top-tier weapons to even have a chance.

I'd assume they're late game. As in end-game.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

This one not so much. Even the thinmen don't act like their roles would define.

X-Com isn't really in a position to see the Thin Men in infiltrator mode. They probably do well at their job when they aren't fighting you.

45 HP? Considering normal sightline distance and assuming that all squad members have a clear shot, can that even be taken down before dealing damage? You'd need high-level snipers or assaults with top-tier weapons to even have a chance.

Yes, you would. Not like X-Com was supposed to be easy.

That said, I was envisioning it as a late-game enemy. Terror Missions after the Base, perhaps.

[Neonivek]

They probably do well at their job when they aren't fighting you

They are too sickly and similar to work at sneaking at anything but a distance.

Personally my theory after a while is that X-com got it wrong and that they are actually a terror unit to make the world leaders start to doubt themselves. "Ohh no, they are trying to disguise themselves as us!"

Either that or they just never completed their disguise.

MIND YOU the game was rushed... so they never included an Elite Thinmen.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

They probably do well at their job when they aren't fighting you

They are too sickly and similar to work at sneaking at anything but a distance.

They look pretty human to me. The discoloration and eyes are giveaways, but they could pull off being around humans and not getting outed as an alien.

MIND YOU the game was rushed... so they never included an Elite Thinmen.

I can't really think of a design for that. I guess you could always have used the original Snakemen as Elite Thin Men.

[majikero]

I thought Thin Men is just an excuse to put Sid Meier's face in the game.

[Neonivek]

They look pretty human to me. The discoloration and eyes are giveaways, but they could pull off being around humans and not getting outed as an alien

They look sickly palid and greasy as well as moving with an improper gait, over gesturing, and being unable to vocalise.

They probably would be arrested if they tried to walk into a fast food restaurant even if people didn't know aliens existed.

[Sirus]

Er, we have no idea if they can vocalize or not. And plenty of people look greasy and have bad posture. It's entirely possible that they only come out at night to hide their most obvious features in the darkness.

[Neonivek]

Er, we have no idea if they can vocalize or not. And plenty of people look greasy and have bad posture. It's entirely possible that they only come out at night to hide their most obvious features in the darkness.

Not that badly... Only a handicapped (seriously handicapped) person would look like that.

Oddly enough a good way to see if someone is a Thinman is just to weigh them. They are much lighter then their size would indicate.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

The autopsy says their spines can compact and extend beyond human limits, so their posture is probably better while they aren't fighting you.

[Neonivek]

The autopsy says their spines can compact and extend beyond human limits, so their posture is probably better while they aren't fighting you.

It is worse, but that is to be expected. They are aliens trying to immitate an equally alien culture.

Hense why in both Xcoms that study was actually considered a priority.

I have no doubt in my head that in time a perfected Thinman could have occured. In fact there are two ways I can see an Elite Thinman
1) They perfect the disguise an the Elite Thinman will look like an ordinary human until they attack
or
2) An unmodified Thinman

The autopsy says their spines can compact and extend beyond human limits

A fairly common Reptile trait.

[Furtuka]

EDIT: Ignore this post actually.

[GlyphGryph]

MSH, I was trying to say the modifications that turned a muton INTO a heavy floater were a lot worse than the the ones to change a snake man into a thin man.

Not that the basic Mutons themselves were heavily modified.

Just wanted to clarify that.