- Hazard Exposure Level (like on a Moon without an atmosphere) increases construction costs and makes combat super lethal due to the fact that even a small puncture in an envirosuit can cause instant death.

- With the new modeling of Water Salinity, dissolved Heavy Metals, PH levels (acidity-alkalinity), notably Food and Water production will often not be as obvious anymore.

- The newly added Battle Report, that is accessible through the History Window and it allows you to inspect the battles fought during the other player’s turns in much more detail than previously.

- The Private Economy has been reworked with the addition of Private Farmsteads and the ability for your Population to go into debt. This will allow very small groups of Population to eventually scratch out a viable living in a new Zone.
- The Tech Tree has received an additional 20 Tech Fields, including: Furnaces, Ammo Factories, Landmines, Ablat Coating and Techs to obtain Hide Points for your Models.

- The Artificial Intelligence (AI) has received a lot of love and should prove more of a challenge than in v1.20d. Notably it has a better handle on its economy and is more likely to use Tanks now.

- New portraits, double the resolution and more moddable


- Ammo-usage has been completely revamped and especially offensive warfare supported with artillery and/or mechanized equipment can now become quite expensive, as well as a serious logistical challenge.
- On the contrary: Infantry has now become relatively more economical to use.
- Energy weapons, once developed, will still be powerful, but Ammo-based weaponry should not be ditched that lightly anymore, especially on Planets with low air pressure and/or gravity.
- Ensuring adequate Energy production, especially in the early game, will also be more challenging. However Organic- and Scavenge Furnace Assets have been added to the game.