I used to mod out the stat bonuses the aliens got in Classic, but I've been playing it vanilla and yes, it does suck sometimes. RNGod does not like me sometimes.
I once had a support who survived the very second mission (I had tutorial on) and had kicked much ass as a rookie. Henceforth I nicknamed him "DogeTrooper" and the rest of the campaign was focused on keeping Doge alive and using him on every mission.
He lived and kicked ass for many, many splashed UFOs and terror missions. I awarded him medals and it looked like he was going to make the endgame. Then tragedy struck.
During a regular splashed UFO mission, a large one, he and his squad of laser rookies began sweeping the wreckage. Things went well at first, then it happened. A single elite muton was waiting, whom I've nicknamed "Muton Shields". The rookies spread out and took down the regulars, taking some hits but surviving. Muton Shields broke off of the fight, retreated some distance, just to the edge of view distance. And then he fired a single burst.
Some how, from full view distance away, in low cover, a z-lvl below, he hit and crited Doge, whom was in full cover. Doge had taken some scratch damage and the 180-noscope crit downed him. I had the laser rookies throw nades at Muton Shields until he was nothing but a smoking crater.
DogeTrooper was declared KIA, and was posthumously rewarded the Shibe medal of Honor. His sacrifice allowed his squad to live. He is survived by his wife, Wow, and only son, Doge jr.