Hi,
I really like the changes made with this version, except for the civ count. There have been several missions where I couldn't save any civs. Even if I had my troops go running in and a lot of them gets wiped out, I still can't save the civs, since the first few rounds the aliens have already shot half of them.
You really need to get rid of that civ count and just apply their deaths to the supporting country's happiness in their support. I have tried many different tactics to save the civs, but still, by the time my troops get deployed and out where the aliens are hiding, most of the civs are dead.
At least in the X-com games, you had 5 to 10 rounds to get your troops out and about before civs got killed and at least those civs did make an attempt to run away from the aliens, instead towards them.