New build! Mega large one, too: https://wiki.arcengames.com/index.php?title=AI_War_2:Finalizing_Multiplayer#3.104_Option_For_A_Distributed_Economy
(Reminder that if you have trouble with the build, you can always go into betas and choose most_recent_stable to go one build back. This is how I sleep at night after making some major changes.)
There's too much to fully summarize, so please do check the notes.
For all modes, hull techs have had some cost revisions to make the ship ones more viable (and the turret one less OP).
Idling transports now don't stack their bonuses, but only use the top one at any given planet. This mainly affects advanced players, but at any rate, spread those out now more.
When the AI has more than 1 strength on your planet, or a wave incoming, you can no longer switch your command station type (it's "pinned"). This prevents some exploits and baiting that advanced players were using, but shouldn't affect the average player at all.
Lots of new balance work and additions are in place for Challenger+ modes in general, and those options can be turned on in Humanity Ascendant, as well, if you want.
Forced on starting in Expert mode, but optional in lower modes, is a new Distributed Economy Mode. This is something we've wanted for a long time, but it's a bit more advanced. Essentially, it completely re-balances how metal and energy is granted from Asteroid Mining Reactors (Metal Harvesters) versus just the command station type itself. There's spreadsheets and everything for you to see the details, but the bottom line is it gives the AI more chances to be smart tactically, gives you more weak spots, and makes the number of asteroids per planet suddenly matter a lot more. You'll want to put econ stations on high-asteroid planets. The way that asteroids are seeded is also improved.
Plus two new mods by Zweihand! And many mod updates and general bugfixes and other tweaks.
The meat of Expert is still to come.
Enjoy!