Balancing infestation level

[Clifford, Destroyer of Worlds]

I started my first run recently (medium). got through mission 2 with 4 wounded, exhausted, traumatised marines. Everyone in hospital for 4+ days (for seemingly minor injuries)

I tried starting mission 3 with 4 rooks, and it's too difficult with no mines or sniper etc.

I restarted the game and just finished mission one and keep getting events forcing me to waste more days or further incapacitating my team. The infestation meter is stressing me out. How much of a threat is it really? I see posts ranging from hardly any difference to huge difficultly increase.
I'm not sure of the right balance between burning days resting the A team and increasing infestation, or leaving the A team in medbay and running missions with rooks. But it seems excessively difficult without upgrades.

[Deepeye]

This is the best I have seen for now. If someone has access to data from in-game files to re-confirm maybe.

https://www.nexusmods.com/aliensdarkdescent/mods/16

[Metal Gear Banana]

The infestation meter adds a lot of imaginary tension. In practice, I haven't noticed any increase in difficulty at the maximum level of 5, and I'm playing on Hard. As a result I've gone over 30 days without deploying at all, and I'm sitting on over 1000 supply. I'm pretty sure this isn't intended.....

[Kedryn]

Originally posted by Gentle Banana:

The infestation meter adds a lot of imaginary tension. In practice, I haven't noticed any increase in difficulty at the maximum level of 5, and I'm playing on Hard. As a result I've gone over 30 days without deploying at all, and I'm sitting on over 1000 supply. I'm pretty sure this isn't intended.....

It looks like it only affects onslaught size?

via Reddit:
https://old.reddit.com/r/AliensDarkDescent/comments/14ucj0m/guide_to_planetary_infestation/

[kyu bey]

Mission 1 until forced going back to base alone iirc already give enough exp to lv up your first team to lv 3.

You really shouldn't focus exp on just few marines.