You can get the b15 beta mod here: https://discord.com/channels/128196211969753088/135543171768647680/806233743446245378
A full list of outstanding changes with much more detail can be found here: https://github.com/HW-PlayersPatch/Development/pulls?q=is%3Apr+is%3Aopen+label%3Alive
Quick index:
Build 15 (b15) is the largest single update 2.3 will have received since I (Fear/Novaras) started working with Cloaked on it some years ago.
Build 13 severely damaged Homeworld 1 races due to a huge blanket nerf to their research tree. Since then, most changes have been buffs to HW1 races, and b15 is no different.
Unlike previous builds, b15 is using a live beta-testing strategy to more accurately adjust balance based on real game scenarios, rather than controlled environment testing.
Unfortunately, Cloaked is very busy right now, and the release process is lengthy and requires a lot of review and collaboration, so he's still finding time for release. This has resulted in b15 being quite delayed, and the number of changes has slowly stacked up over time.
The main focus of b15 has been to overhaul HW1, in order to address long-standing balance issues with HW2:
- how can HW1 strike be balanced with HW2 strike when they have no dock healing?
- how can HW1 strike be buffed in a way which doesn't overpower them early-game, but leave them worthless late-game?
- HW1 capitals are simply too expensive to research (b14), largely due to the extremely long tech tree compared with HW2.
It's become increasingly apparent over several builds that several of these issues cannot be resolved simply by adjusting numbers, hence the more dramatic changes to HW1 races.
Homeworld 2 races have received the smallest number of changes during b15, as the balance between these two races is fairly decent, and generally revolves around diverse fleet compositions with various checks and counters depending on maps and player preferences.
Details can be found in a race's section.
- Supercapitals have been slightly nerfed: Small health reductions around ~5%, or small build time increases. This is an attempt to reduce the incredibly overcentralising battlecruisers in team games, hopefully encouraging more frigate/platform play.
- Corvettes are worse vs collectors: In an attempt to reduce the effectiveness of simply/blindly throwing your entire corvette swarm into the opponents economy, especially popular with Vaygr players and Missile Corvettes.
- Interceptors are slightly better vs corvettes: To let players defend more effectively with a fast unit against vette wings backstabbing collectors.
- Minelayers are buffed overall
- Gun plats, Gunships, and Flak Frigates are buffed: Gunships and gun platforms have been significantly buffed, as neither unit sees basically any use in normal gameplay. Flak frigates are buffed less; this unit will probably always be highly niche and further buffs would likely overtune the unit.
- EMP is significantly cheaper, and is very effective against corvettes and frigates
- Torpedo frigates have been slightly nerfed
- Destroyers and cruisers had a slight HP nerf
- Interceptors were buffed vs corvettes
- Pulsars got somewhat worse vs collectors
- HW1 has had a capital tech tree overhaul: To allow capitals to be balanced seperately from frigates, and also to allow HW1 to play a more diverse range of unit compositions across all maps and stages of the game.
- HW1 has new damage upgrades for their strike craft: This is an attempt to introduce some scaling factor to HW1 strike, which are infamously overpowered either early or late game, due to a lack of scaling factor.
- Proximity detectors are slower and cost more
- Multiguns have been buffed
- Research ships cost less
- Missile destroyers have been buffed
- Gravwell code was re-written And now also prevents trapped units from firing.