I think this game could proceed alot further if every faction armor was a little different as how the technology of each faction proceeds. Not entirely dependent on ZC, more of a assignement kind of thing. Easiest example would be whole new armor with base stats equal to mk1-2 but base cost around mk3 and, as a kind of prototype, get little stat boosts over time when certain amount of technology progress is achieved.
Then the system : each assignement type will give technology progress (TP if.) points according to its difficulty and techonological importance. Nothing fast but rather steady amount to support doing assignements as an investment.
aaaanyway I could go on, but tell me now what your opinion is.