Stardock Entertainment and Ironclad Games are happy to announce the availability of Beta 2b (0.80) for Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion today.  Now available via the Steam client for all pre-order customers, this update contains a number of bug fixes, performance optimizations and balance adjustments.

NOTE: THIS UPDATE IS NOT SAVE GAME OR REPLAY COMPATIBLE WITH PRIOR VERSIONS.

Change Log:

[ Graphics ]

• Added correct icon for Mine Control ability.
• Updated some UI textures.
• Removed name from texture on TEC Corsev battlecruiser.
• Increased zoom-in distances for all ships/structures.
• Moved out build emitter point on Advent Titan Factory to prevent mesh clipping.
• Fixed various mesh point errors on Advent Discord battleship.

[ Gameplay ]

• Players are now limited to a total of four simultaneous superweapon structures. Based on feedback this amount may be increased, decreased or the weapon effects buffed, etc.
• Adjusted AI to allow AI players to make better use of their available Fleet Supply. This is one step in a multi-step process that will be continued in the next update.
• Autocast conditions added to most ultimate abilities; allowing the AI to use them.
• Replaced Advent refinery drone mesh/texture with trade drone mesh/texture.
• Updated game Victory/Loss strings.
• Fixed typo in Advent racial description.
• Reduced shield regeneration rate on all Envoy cruisers from 2.0 to 1.0.
• Artifact Planet players (Occupation Victory) will no longer be placed as random militia on maps.
• Replaced TEC Rebel corvettes at Pirate planet with Pirate Rogues.
• Fixed bug that allowed temporary or illusion ships to be cloned by abilities or research subjects.
• Updated Pirate Raid fleet compositions per level. Raids will now have a broader range of ship types and numbers. The max level raid is now particularly brutal, so you won't want to be the target of that!
• Pirate Mission costs adjusted for new raid levels (based on average summoned fleet supply). Pirate Missions are now substantially more expensive to account for the greater difficulty.
• Reduced Pirate research upgrade costs for all subjects.
• Reduced number of research upgrades per raid from 2 to 1.
• Increased rate of points gain for Diplomatic Victory and decreased the number of points required to win. This should greatly speed up Diplomatic victories and make them a more viable option.
• Increased roll rate of all Titans from 0.65 to 1.65. 
• TEC Loyalists:
• Inspire and Impair (Ankylon Titan ability) updated to include AlliedOrEnemy and NoOwner planet types.
• AntiFighter Frigate balance adjustment: MaxHP reduced from 900 to 765; MaxShields reduced from 450 to 405; DamagePerBank reduced from 17.25 to 14.6625.
• Loyalist Corvette balance adjustment:
• Cost increased from 100/10/5 to 190/20/10.
• Fleet Supply increased from 2 to 3.
• XP increased from 4 to 8.
• Laser damage per bank increased from 30 to 33.
• AutoCannon damage per bank increased from 15.5 to 20.
• Missile damage per bank decreased from 25.5 to 25.
• TEC Rebels:
• AntiFighter Frigate balance adjustment: MaxHP reduced from 900 to 765; MaxShields reduced from 450 to 405; DamagePerBank reduced from 17.25 to 14.6625.
• Rebel Corvette balance adjustment:
• • Cost increased from 100/10/5 to 190/20/10.
  • Fleet Supply increased from 2 to 3.
  • XP increased from 4 to 8.
  • Laser damage per bank increased from 30 to 33.
  • AutoCannon damage per bank increased from 15.5 to 20.
  • Missile damage per bank decreased from 25.5 to 25.
• Pirate Mercenaries balance adjustments:
• • Fleet Supply summoned range changed from 45-60 to 75-100.
  • Weights now favor Pirate Cutthroat, Pirate Corsair, Pirate Rogue, Pirate Reaper, Pirate Pillager.
  • Cost per use changed from 2500/150/500 to 6000 credits.
• Advent Loyalists:
• Subjugating Assault (Coronata Titan ability): Increased Cooldown from 2 to 20 seconds; reduced Weapon Damage modifier penalty from 40%/35%/30%/25% to 25%/20%/15%/10%; Antimatter cost per shot reduced from 6/5/4/3 to 5/4/3/2; removed PointDefenseLaser from ability; autocast defaulted to off while we create a better aiUseTime.
• Unity Mass (Coronata Titan ability) target constraint added to prevent it from being used against invulnerable targets.
• Assimilated Populace buff increased from 1200 to 5000.
• Fixed bug with Global Unity that caused players to gain culture at gravity wells they didn't own.
• Adjusted autocast on Repossession ability (Coronata titan) to cast only during planetary bombardment (when no other threats are present).
• AntiFighter Frigate balance adjustment: MaxHP reduced from 650 to 552.5; MaxShields reduced from 620 to 558; DamagePerBank reduced from 22.5 to 19.125.
• Domina Subjugator Perseverance ability no longer needs to face its target.
• Domina Subjugator Suppression ability no longer needs to face its target.
• Loyalist Corvette balance adjustment:
• Cost increased from 100/10/5 to 175/15/15.
• Fleet Supply increased from 2 to 3.
• XP increased from 4 to 8.
• Laser damage per bank increased from 25 to 30.
• PDL damage per bank increased from 23 to 25.
• Advent Rebels:
• AntiFighter Frigate balance adjustment: MaxHP reduced from 650 to 552.5; MaxShields reduced from 620 to 558; DamagePerBank reduced from 22.5 to 19.125.
• Rebel Corvette balance adjustment:
• • Cost increased from 100/10/5 to 175/15/15.
  • Fleet Supply increased from 2 to 3.
  • XP increased from 4 to 8.
  • Laser damage per bank increased from 25 to 30.
  • PDL damage per bank increased from 23 to 25.

[ Sound ]

• Fixed incorrect sound effect for planet bomb muzzle on Advent Loyalist Titan.

[ Misc. ]

• Optimized speed of quitting a game so there shouldn't be nearly as much of a delay on the Stats screen as before. If people still run into long delays, please zip up your autosave that repros this and send it to us at rebellionbeta@stardock.com.
• Optimized a variety of systems that are dependent on getting targets in range. This should resolve one of the biggest causes of slowdowns in large games.
• Optimized AverageCulturePercFromAllConnections, which was causing major slowdowns, especially in terms of targeting.
• Optimized pathfinding within the same orbit body for improved performance.
• Optimized threat detection system for performance.
• Optimized order system cleanup for performance.
• Fixed bug with Logitech G-series keyboard display that allowed players to see unexplored planet information.