Today Stardock Entertainment and Ironclad Games are pleased to release the first update for Beta 2 of Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion to testers via the Steam client.
NOTE: THIS UPDATE IS NOT SAVE GAME OR REPLAY COMPATIBLE WITH PRIOR VERSIONS.
Here's the list of the latest changes:

[Graphics]
• Added full quality intro video.
• Fixed bug with Fracture ability particle effects so they will now display on all affected ships.
• Fixed null pointer crash with the shadow system.
• Fixed bug that caused ships to disappear.

[ Gameplay ]
• TEC Loyalists
o Fixed bug that allowed TEC Loyalists to use Pirate Mercenaries on their Broadcast Center.
• Advent Loyalists
o Increased Acclimation of Will to two research levels; per level increase changed from 0.10 to 0.25.
o Assimilated Populace moved to Diplomacy tree; reduced from Tier 5 to 3; requires sufficient labs to function.
o Confluence of the Unity per level value increased from 0.10 to 0.25.
o Coward's Submission moved to Defense tree; reduced from Tier 6 to 4; pre-requisite tech removed.
o Global Unity reduced from Tier 5 to 4; added additional research level; pre-requisite tech removed; and now requites sufficient labs to function.
o Planet for a Planet Tier increased from 2 to 3.
o Fixed bug with Suppression Aura that would let it persist on ships captured with Subjugation.
o Global Unity should now affect newly colonized worlds. Culture caches are updated again upon colonization.
o Updated Coronata Titan's ultimate ability, Repossession, to not work against Capital Planets or the Artifact planet (i.e., Occupation Victory).
• Advent Rebels
o Cleanse and Renew moved to Military tree; Tier increased from 4 to 5.
o Expulsion moved to Defense Tree; Tier reduced from 5 to 4.
o Mass Communion per level increased changed from 25% to 40%.
o Protection of the Unity moved to Defense tree; Tier changed from 7 to 1; updated to 3 levels at 33% each; now requires sufficient labs to function.
o Reanimation Tier reduced from 4 to 2; now requires sufficient labs to function.
o Return of the Fallen Tier reduced from 4 to 1; now requires sufficient labs to function.
o Fixed bug with Reanimation that prevented it from cloning destroyed enemy ships.
o Fixed bug with Return of the Fallen that prevented it from resurrecting destroyed ships.
o Updated Chastic Burst to affect Starbases.
o Updated Wail of the Sacrificed to affect Starbases.
• General
o Multiplayer
 Added method to add/remove Friends by SteamID and sync to ICO.
 Fixed double friend message bug on ICO.
 Fixed crash in Steam game invites.
 Passwords will now work for joining password protected games on ICO via Steam.
o Added missing game win strings.
o Updated save system to save out fleet cohesion settings.
o Updated Titan weapon damage type vs armor values. Should prevent Titans from prioritizing strikecraft.
o Fixed incorrect Advent tech tree names.
o Fixed null pointer crash with the shadow system.
o Updated Starbase Destabilization InfoCard to more accurately display its effects.
o Flagships should now correctly bomb enemy planets when there are no other threats present.
o Fixed crash bug related to missions for the Pirate player.
o Updated other instances of Antimatter Recharger to Temple of Renewal in strings file.
o Increased warning threshold on when a planet will flip from culture.
o Fixed crash related to space mines - this was a big cause of random mid-game crashes.
o Added several constraints to corvette passives so they won't affect non-viable targets.
o Fixed bug that caused ships to spin in place.
o Fixed bug that would prevent ships from Phase Jumping.

[ Interface ]
• Tweaked some positions in the race select dialog.
• Moved tutorial text and OK button up slightly so they don't overlap notification messages.

[ AI ]
• AI players should be a bit better about when/who they offer missions to.
• Updated aiUseTime on Perseverance to Anytime.
[ Sound & Music ]
• Normalized all new sound effects.
• Fixed bug that caused the GameWin event to play continuously if you pressed Keep Playing after a win.
• Fixed incorrect allied game win voiceover.
• Added new sound effect for Wail of the Sacrificed.