I wondered if FC has already implemented such little features (list below) into the current build? If not it would add to some depth/immersion to the game with little effort.

1.  A chance that mercs trigger a cracking sound that could alarm the enemy (e.g. when sneaking) when moving over wood/rock terrain. 
    
2.  Mercs/enemies begin to limp when get shot in the leg.

• Limping, decreased movement speed

3.  Enemies smoking a cigarette when on guard and not alarmed.

• high AP cost for round based mode

        
Note: Only when not in fight... during a fight would be hilarious, but imo no :)

4.  Mercs/enemies scratching their heads or hitting for insects when idle.

• should accour on average basis

Note: The audio background implicates insects, so why not hit them when they try to get you? :)

5.  Don´t know about this one...could be bigger, but imo worth the effort.
A chance that mercs/enemies stumble or even fall over some wood/rock, trying to run on over it.*

• Drains AP and slightly hurting the merc/enemy.
• Bad agility stats increase the chance to stumble or even fall,but good stats decrease it.
• should be a very low chance though for gameplay reasons

Note: I think if implemented this could lead to funny and/or exiting gameplay moments. 

*Maybe it could work this way: 
A merc is at movement to its destination. The chance to stumble or fall hits when he enters a specific rectangle, so a animation plays that shows the merc/enemy first stumble (beginning in the rectangle the chance has hit) and stop in "crouch stance" at the next rectangle on its waypath. 
Similar to falling...the animation that shows the merc/enemy falling down at the next rectangle on its waypath. The merc/enemy is in "lie stance" then.

Final note:
FC has done a great job so far and keeping in mind that the fun stuff to create is yet to come (when you have a stable basis to build upon), it is killing me that they run out of money/release it at exactly this point. This game can become great when the community (or better FC themselfes) were able to add more small pieces on top of the basis. When the game is released, imo it would help a lot to be able to change and add animations...don´t know if this is possible though. 

greetz

Nice ideas. But more for another kickstarter?

Also, some ideas are funny, they could distract from the actual game that JA provides. Other than limping I don't see any benefits in implementing it. I could go further and ask, why not drinking, sleeping, heat or cold etc. It is not a scout simulation but a fight simulation. So bleeding after you are cut by a knife or beeing able to poison the blade of the knife would make more sense gamewise.

And if you build in so many random penalties, where is the fun and balance? =) You then have to find trades that make your mercs happy (and you as a player) to balance that.

EDIT: sorry, forget your number 1. is really a huge idea. This could really add to the combat experience.

I'm all for having expanded RPG system, but I think right now, the focus needs to be on core functionality.

Another thing to keep in mind, each player mercenary has style and you get attached to them. Having penalties on your own character might sound good in principle, but when you're in a thick of a battle and your last remaining teammate fumbles and drops his gun or trips and falls, loosing precious last APs, causing himself or another team member to get killed, 99 out of 100 players would likely to reload the game. Unless you're playing IRON MAN mode. So basically, you end up penalizing enemy AI, which is already nowhere close to human level. So while it would give you a chuckle first couple of times you see it happen, just like cinematic elements, it can get tired rather quick.

I love your ideas! 1, 2 and 3 really add something to the game!

1. could be implemented with just a little sound file, when stealth is calculated to fail by the game.
2. will be hard to implement by now, due to the status of the development. I guess no time for new animations left and the added value wouldn´t be to high. Still, it would look nice.
3. Opens up for so many interesting and great options in the battle! You get a real incentive to scout your enemies and attack them by surprise in a favourable moment. I suggested that for the interruption mode and i don´t know if by now there are any routines for defenders, which didn´t discover the attackers yet..

 @ Archo

In regards to fun: i had a good laugh when the first enemy head exploded in JA2, It was stylistic more of a b-splatter movie. Did give a huge + to the game for me :) In fact this should be one of the little ones, too.

Limping would be a design choice. I think it could add some depth to the game if it matters where you or the enemy get hit. Also it does not have to be intense limping, just a little bit. 

@Syrop

Yeah i think you´re right, wasn´t sure about point 5 neither. It would be balanced through the amount of agility points the character has, so its more or less likely to happen (a clumsy or agile character). But going further i can see this feature could be more anoying than enjoyable, even occuring rarely^^... btw. if you´re down on two mercs and you have to run for every AP something has gone wrong before that ;)

@maddog

thx, :) but i´m also totally aware FC has enough on their shedule already. I´m just throwing the ball around at the moment, maybe, someday...