Statstrings

The default configuration:

Open XcomUtil.cfg with any text editor. The section on Statstrings is at around line 1200 (and can be easisly found if you search for "statstrings"). This is the default configuration as it comes out of the box. The comments have been added to make it more readable, but the actual data has not been changed. In case you messed things up and forgot to make a backup, you can copy-and-pase the following code:

NameStats
StatStrings

x p:-30        //Psi strength (resistance) 30 or less
P p:80-        //virtually immune to Psi attacks
p p:60-79      //reasonably safe from Psi
K k:60-        //high Psi Skill
k k:30-59      //good Psi Skill
b b:60-        //very brave
c b:-10        //coward
w s:-25	//weak

Snpr f:60- r:60-

M f:70-        //Marksman
m f:60-69

Sct  r:50- d:60-

R r:60-        //Reactions
r r:50-59

The main problem with the default scheme is that sooner or later, most of your soldiers will become a "Snpr". The same string for everyone is like having no string at all.

Simple Numeric StatStrings

Instead of Mnemnonics, many people prefer to have actual figures displayed. Like: firing accuracy from 45-54 becomes a "4", from 55-64 is a "5" and so on. The following statstrings will do just that, first digit is Firing Accuracy, second reactions, so "Anton Miller /45" would a Soldier whose firing accuracy is about 40, and reactions about 50. Just copy and paste this into the statstrings section of you XcomUtil.cfg file:

1 f:0-14
2 f:15-24
3 f:25-34
4 f:35-44
5 f:45-54
6 f:55-64
7 f:65-74
8 f:75-84
9 f:85-94

1 r:0-14
2 r:15-24
3 r:25-34
4 r:35-44
5 r:45-54
6 r:55-64
7 r:65-74
8 r:75-84
9 r:85-94

Detailed numeric strings

I've been using the above scheme for a while, but noticed that I don't really care what the actual firing accuracy of any given soldier is – all I want to know is who's better or worse than the next man. In the following example, it's no longer easy to map the strings back to actual stats; higher numbers indicate better soldiers, that's all.

I habitually only hire sodliers with 50+ in both reactions and firing accuracy: anyone who doesn't meet these requirements will have a dash added to the name.

Again, you can copy this into your config file if you want to give it a try.

NameStats
StatStrings

- f:0-49
1 f:50-54
2 f:55-60
3 f:61-64
4 f:65-70
5 f:71-75
6 f:76-80
7 f:81-85
8 f:86-90
9 f:91-95
a f:96-100
b f:101-105
c f:106-110
d f:111-115
e f:116-

- r:0-45
0 r:46-49 
1 r:50-53
2 r:54-57
3 r:58-61
4 r:62-65
5 r:66-69
6 r:70-73
7 r:74-77
8 r:78-81
9 r:82-85
a r:86-89
b r:90-93
c r:94-97
d r:98-100
e r:101-

W s:0-19    //weak. can only carry Rifle + clips OR Laser Rifle + grenades
w s:20-25   //additional Medikit or Stun Rod or grenades possible
n s:26-30   //normal. no problems with standard gear
h s:31-40   //heavy cannon or auto-cannon, each plus spare clip
H s:41-     //can handle 4 Large Rockets + Launcher

1 p:0-15      
2 p:16-25    
3 p:26-35
4 p:36-44
5 p:45-54
6 p:55-64
7 p:65-74
8 p:75-84
9 p:85-

0 k:1-15     
2 k:16-24
3 k:25-34
4 k:35-44
5 k:45-54
6 k:55-64
7 k:65-74
8 k:75-84
9 k:85-

This results in Soldier names like "Anton Karas /13n" (before Psionic Training) or "Grace Kelly /41H81" (after Psi abilities have been unveiled). The scheme is:
firing accuracy - reactions - strength - Psi strength (resistance) - Psi skill

Notes:

• I wanted to use W-w-n-s-S for weak-normal-strong, but it's impossible to distiguish an S from a 5 which really looks weird. So I settled on H for "heavy gear" instead.
• values for Firing accuracy and reactions are pseudo-hexadecimal, 1-9 then a-e; it may be that the sudden appearance of letters where you're used to numbers may look strange. I don't know, because my soldiers never become that good.