APOC has posted change notes for Patch 1.05 here in the Official Forums.

I should emphasize that these are major changes to the game and that, at least to a certain extent, we'll have to see how everything interacts before we can fully judge the balance implications. In terms of exploits, I know many of you will be happy to see that all of the known exploits (to my knowledge) will be fixed as well.

Patch 1.05 is going through QA testing at EA and is slated to be released later this month. Feel free to comment on the changes below.

Change notes:
<pre style="color:white;font-size:larger;"><Fixed Exploits>

· Fixed an exploit in which players could use GDI Engineers,
Nod Saboteurs, or Scrin Assimilators to capture enemy structures
without moving the units over to those structures.

· Observers of multiplayer matches can no longer use hotkeys to
affect spectated players' production queues.

· Units affected by the Scrin Mothership's Catalyst Cannon now
lose their explosive properties if teleported via the Teleport
Units ability or the Wormhole support power.

· Scrin Mothership can no longer fire its Catalyst Cannon
through a Wormhole.


<Balance Changes>

The following balance changes are intended to enable a more-
diverse set of viable strategies for both casual and competitive
play, and to further ensure that the forces of the GDI, the
Brotherhood of Nod, and the Scrin are evenly matched as Tiberium
Wars rage on.

/General Balance Changes/

· Some structures on each side no longer provide Ground Control
for base expansion. These include: Power Plants, Reactors,
Tiberium Silos, Barracks, Hands of Nod, and Portals.

· Heavy infantry units' resistance to CANNON damage increased by
45%. This affects GDI's Zone Troopers and Commando, Nod's Black
Hand and Commando, and Scrin's Shock Troopers and Mastermind.
All other infantry resistance to CANNON damage increased by 25%.
This change means infantry are less vulnerable to tank shells and
similar weapons.

· Infantry armor penalty to SNIPER damage removed. This change
makes infantry slightly less vulnerable to Nod Shadow Teams in
particular; GDI Commandos and Sniper Teams, Nod Commandos, and
Scrin Buzzers are still highly lethal against enemy infantry.

· Infantry attack range bonus while garrisoned reduced by 25%.

· GDI Commando, Nod Commando, and Scrin Mastermind units can no
longer be crushed by enemy vehicles.

· CANNON weapons, such as those found on the GDI Predator Tank and
Nod Scorpion Tank, now cannot miss against moving enemy vehicles.

· GDI, Nod, and Scrin Harvesters' cost/build time increased by 40%
to 1400/14. All Harversters' speed and turn rates equalized, which
makes Scrin's Harvester slightly more maneuverable than before.

· GDI Refinery, Nod Refinery, and Scrin Extractor sale price
reduced by 70% to 300 credits.

· GDI Surveyor, Nod Emissary, and Scrin Explorer base expansion
units now all move at the same speed. Specifically, the Nod
Emissary and and Scrin Explorer move 50% more slowly to match
the GDI Surveyor.

· Repair Drones for all sides now repair vehicles that are under
attack. Limit one Drone per vehicle. Rate of repair is now
constant, rather than a percentage based on the vehicle's total
health. This means vehicles with lower maximum health will be
repaired faster.

· Standardized repair radius on all structures. As a result, the
radius on all aircraft production structures has increased.

· Re-stealth time doubled for units that do not have innate
stealth effects, such as units affected by Nod's Cloaking Field.
This means such units will take longer to regain stealth after
attacking or being detected.

· Ground Control provided by building a GDI Crane, Nod Crane, or
Scrin Foundry has been equalized. Specifically, the amount of
Ground Control gained by building a Nod Crane or Scrin Foundry
has increased by 50%.

· Tiberium Spike tech structure's income increased by 66% to 25
credits per unit of time.

· Defensive Tower tech structure's attack power increased by 60%.

· Visceroids are now punishable by crushing.


/GDI Balance Changes/

· Rifleman Squad: Speed increased by 20%. Attack power increased
by 50%. Dig In ability cost reduced to 100, build time reduced
to 5, Foxhole capacity increased to two units. Foxholes no longer
eject infantry units until the Foxholes are destroyed. Dig In
ability now causes the unit to begin building a Foxhole
immediately at its location.

· Missile Squad: Speed increased by 20%. Health increased by 100%.
Range increased by 75%. Attack power vs. aircraft reduced by 25%.

· Engineer: Speed increased by 20%.

· Grenadier Squad: Speed increased by 20%.

· Sniper Team: Speed increased by 20%. Health reduced by 50%. Rate
of fire reduced by 50%. Re-stealth time increased by 25%.

· Commando: Speed increased by 20%.

· Pitbull: Health increased by 33%. Rate of fire increased by 25%.
Turret turn rate and pitch rate increased, improving the Pitbull's
ability to fire on fast-moving aircraft.

· APC: Speed increased by 20%. Attack power vs. infantry reduced
by 25%. Turret turn rate and pitch rate increased, improving the
APC's ability to fire on fast- moving aircraft.

· Harvester: Attack power increased by 300%.

· Rig: Acceleration and deceleration times reduced, making the
unit more maneuverable. Battle Base Repair Drones changed to work
like all other Repair Drones.

· Mammoth Tank: Speed reduced by 7%. Attack power of rockets
reduced by 25%. Rate of fire with Railguns upgrade reduced by 35%.
Attack power with Railguns upgrade increased by 35%.

· Orca: Health increased by 50%.

· Firehawk: Now fires its missile loadout in volleys, improving
its ability to quickly damage groups of enemy aircraft.

· Ox Transport: Health increased by 70%.

· Sonic Emitter: No longer hits larger units multiple times in one
attack. Attack power per hit increased to compensate.

· Railguns: Upgrade cost increased by 66% to 5000.

· Composite Armor: Upgrade cost increased by 50% to 2000.

· Radar Scan: Support Power cost increased by 20% to 300.

· Shockwave Artillery: Support Power cost increased by 33% to
2000. Attack power reduced by 38%.

· GDI Airborne: Support Power cost increased by 50% to 1500.

· Bloodhounds: Support Power cost increased by 50% to 3000.

· Sharpshooter Team: Support Power cost increased by 40% to 3500.

· Zone Trooper Drop Pods: Support Power cost increased by 50% to
4500.


/Brotherhood of Nod Balance Changes/

· Militant Squad: Speed increased by 20%. Attack power increased
by 50%.

· Militant Rocket Squad: Speed increased by 20%. Health increased
by 100%. Range increased by 75%. Attack power vs. aircraft reduced
by 25%.

· Saboteur: Speed increased by 20%.

· Shadow Team: Health reduced by 50%.

· Black Hand: Speed increased by 22%. Health increased by 66%.
Attack power increased by 150%.

· Attack Bike: 200% attack power bonus vs. aircraft has been
removed. Turret arc and turn rate increased, which allows the unit
to more-effectively attack any nearby targets while moving.
Directional armor removed, which makes the unit more resistant
to attacks from the flank and rear. Fixed an error that caused
the unit to not always fire both rockets at once, effectively
raising its attack power.

· Raider Buggy: Attack power vs. infantry reduced by 25%.

· Scorpion Tank: Attack power reduced by 20% before Laser
Capacitors upgrade.

· Flame Tank: Cost/buildtime increased by 20% to 1200/12. Turret
turn rate doubled, improving the unit's ability to quickly acquire
targets. Attack power increased by 150%.

· Stealth Tank: Cost/buildtime increased by 50% to 1500/15. Attack
power increased by 50%. Attack power bonus vs. aircraft reduced
by 25%.

· Avatar: Cost/buildtime reduced by 27% to 2200/22. Flamethrower
upgrade attack power increased by 150%.

· Venom Patrol Craft: Attack priorities changed so that the unit
will always prioritize enemy infantry over vehicles and base
defenses.

· Carryall: Health increased by 70%.

· Armageddon Bomber: Health increased by 33%. (Note: This aircraft
only appears when summoned by certain Support Powers.)

· Laser Capacitors: Upgrade cost increased by 50% to 3000.

· Tiberium Infusion: Upgrade cost increased by 50% to 2000.

· Cloaking Field: Support Power cost increased by 100% to 3000.
Attack power vs. light infantry increased by 600%. Attack power
vs. heavy infantry increased by 200%.


/Scrin Balance Changes/

· Buzzers: Health increased by 50%. Movement rate improved; now
more effective at cutting through massed infantry but no longer
kill entire infantry squads all at once.

· Disintegrators: Speed increased by 17%.

· Assimilator: Speed increased by 20%.

· Mastermind: Cost/buildtime increased by 66% to 2500/25. Recharge
time on Manipulator Device increased to 30 seconds. Teleport Units
ability now begins its cooldown period after units are teleported,
rather then when units are first selected for teleporting.

· Gun Walker: Acceleration and deceleration times reduced, making
the unit more maneuverable.

· Harvester: No longer spawns an Ion Storm when destroyed.

· Corruptor: Acceleration and deceleration times reduced, making
the unit more maneuverable.

· Planetary Assault Carrier: Ion Storm ability now generates an
Ion Storm more quickly. Scrin aircraft now receive a 25% bonus to
attack power in addition to the 25% bonus to armor while in an Ion
Storm.

· Mothership: Attack power increased by 100%. Catalyst Cannon now
causes a faster, wider chain reaction. Damage sustained by the
Mothership has less impact on the power of its attack.

· Buzzer Hive: Buzzers immediately respawn when killed. Buzzers no
longer die if their Buzzer Hive is destroyed.

· Gravity Stabilizer: Now spawns Buzzers instead of Shock Troopers
when sold or destroyed.

· Force Fields: Upgrade cost increased by 66% to 5000.

· Stasis Shield: Support Power cost increased by 100% to 2000.

· The Swarm: Support Power cost increased by 50% to 1500.


<Multiplayer Maps>

Added four new multiplayer maps, which may also be used in
Skirmish mode. Two out of four of these maps are enabled for
ranked competition online, and so will appear in the Automatch
map rotation.

/Map 1: Tournament Rift/
Red Zones such as this have long since become uninhabitable to any
of Earth's life forms, and yet serve as a focal point for the
conflict between the GDI, the Brotherhood of Nod, and the Scrin,
in their continued efforts to gain control over the alien mineral.
This is a two-player map available for ranked matches.

/Map 2: Tournament Coastline/
As the spread of Tiberium inexorably continued across the world,
GDI and Nod forces found themselves frequently skirmishing for
control over strategic coastal regions such as this one. This is
a two-player desert map available for ranked matches.

/Map 3: Schlactfeld Stuttgart/
The Scrin, desperate for Tiberium, savagely laid waste to this
once-proud German city in short order. Now fighting over the green
crystal continues in the city's ruined remains. This is a two-
player urban map available for unranked matches.

/Map 4: Coastline Chaos/
An extension of Tournament Coastline, this map is based on the very
first map used to publicly showcase Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium
Wars at the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo. This is a four-
player desert map available for unranked matches.


<User Interface Enhancements>

· Added a "Classic Command & Conquer (Left-Click Orders) mouse
interface option, which may be selected in the General tab of
the Settings menu.

· Added the ability to cycle through multiple production
facilities of the same type either by clicking on the main
tab for that production category or using the respective hotkey.

· When placing unit-producing structures, players will now see
these structures' default rally point, which should help guide
base-building decisions near impassable terrain.

· The Reverse Move command for vehicles can now be given by
pressing and holding the hotkey (default 'D') as well as by
tapping the hotkey before each move order.

· The 'Show Healthbars' hotkey (default '`') now toggles on all
healthbars with one tap. Tapping the hotkey again reverts the
effect.

· Loading screens prior to online multiplayer battles now show a
snapshot of the selected map as well as statistics for each
player.

· It is now possible to rebind the default hotkeys for camera
controls.

· Hotkeys for Telestrator features are now available for match
Commentator. Visit the Hotkeys tab of Settings menu to view
the default hotkeys or change them.

· Various "slash commands" added to online multiplayer lobbies.
Type "/help" in an online lobby for a list of commands.


<Bug Fixes>

· Fixed an error that prevented players from being able to place
certain structures as closely together other as expected, which
makes it easier to find suitable building locations.

· Flying units can now be ordered to move onto terrain that is
impassable to ground units.

· The Attack Move order now works correctly if a target unit
is selected.

· Fixed an error that sometimes caused units to not target
structures automatically when given an Assault Move order.

· Fixed a graphical error that caused production timers in the
Sidebar interface to "snap" to position when switching between
production queues.

· Added an EVA announcement for when an enemy Scrin Mastermind
enters the player's line of sight.

· Fixed an error that prevented players from using hotkeys to
change unit stances while units were moving.

· Tiberium Spikes now continue to provide a flow of resources
if damaged and then repaired.

· Several campaign cinematics now show up as expected in the
Transmission Log.

· Fixed an error that sometimes caused GDI Ox Transports and
Nod Carryalls to become stuck and unselectable when ordered to
land next to edges of cliffs.

· Mouse cursor no longer suggests that air units can be used to
open crates.

· Jumping to a unit group now moves the camera to the center
of the group, rather than the last unit added to the group.

· Nod defensive turret hubs now appear unstealthed when their
turrets fire while under the effects of the Disruption Tower.

· Computer-controlled players will no longer attempt to sell
the same structure multiple times when low on resources, which
caused a stream of zeros to appear onscreen.

· GDI APCs now will always move close enough to their targets
to ensure infantry units inside are within attack range.

· Fixed an error that sometimes caused walker unit death
animations to not play correctly.

· Stormriders are now affected by the player's handicap setting
in multiplayer matches.

· Maps with six starting positions now properly randomize
players' starting positions.

· The Nod nuclear missile can no longer be stopped after launch
if the player powers down the Temple of Nod.

· Nod Avatars will no longer retain their veterancy level when
they are destroyed and their husks are recovered.

· Nod Beam Cannons now gain their expected bonuses to attack
power from veterancy.

· Fixed an error that sometimes caused Nod laser defenses to
appear as if they still were firing when powered down or
destroyed.

· Units created using Nod's Decoy Army support power will no
longer last indefinitely if the Nod Operations Center is
powered down. Decoyed Scrin Corrupter units no longer spawn
Visceroids.

· Fixed an error that sometimes caused units to display
veterancy ranks from the wrong faction.

· Added effects for when Tiberium crystals are attacked and
destroyed.

· Added effects for Nod Vertigo Bomber's rear anti-air turret.

· Added ambient sound effects for Scrin Gun Walker and
Scrin Annihilator Tripod.

· GDI and Nod Commandos will now respect the rules of their
selected combat stance with regard to their C4 charges. They
will not automatically rush to demolish structures unless
set to Aggressive stance.

· GDI Firehawks equipped with Stratofighter Boosters will no
longer fly in stacked on top of each other when groups of them
are order to use the ability at the same time.

· Nod Scorpion Tanks don't catch fire as quickly.

· The user interface now properly stretches to the top and
bottom of the screen in 1280x1024 resolution.

· Added recoil effects to unupgraded Nod Scorpion Tank and GDI
Guardian Cannon.

· Scrin Worm Hole support power no longer allows the user to
create the entry and exit points on top of each other.

· Scrin Buzzer Hives now show an attack radius when selected.

· If a player is defeated, the end-of-mission music no longer
plays twice.

· Computer-controlled players will now attempt to build
superweapons only in their most-fortified bases.

· Added an EVA announcement for when teammates place a beacon.

· The Resources chart in the post-match screen now graphs total
credits gathered over time.

· When spectating multiplayer matches, players will now hear the
game music change dynamically as the battle's participants do.

· Fixed an error that caused text to misalign in online chat
lobbies if players remained in those lobbies for a relatively
long period of time.

· When loading replay files directly from the Windows desktop,
Main menu music no longer plays during the match.

· Various other minor bug fixes.


<Other Changes>

· Some campaign missions have been tuned and rebalanced.

· In team-based matches, allied players now share Ground
Control, allowing them to build structures in each others'
bases.

· When attempting to restart a campaign from the beginning,
players will now receive a warning prompt notifying them
that their autosave for that campaign will be overwritten
if they proceed.

· Added wider variety of scorch marks to the battlefield.

· Added garrison-clearing effects for Nod Flame Tank, Nod
Black Hand, and Scrin Corrupter units.

· Added explosion effects for when Scrin Disintegrators are
crushed.

· Added Heroic-level firing effects for the GDI Juggernaut.

· Added music when viewing Intelligence Database during
campaign missions.

· Scrin Devourer Tanks now have an additional gauge that
shows remaining supercharged ammunition after using the
Conversion Beam ability.

· Added new visual effects for the Scrin Annihilator Tripod's
close-range EMP attack.

· Added an audio cue for when Repair command is used on a
structure.

· Added ammunition counters to the unit portraits of aircraft
with limited ammo, including the GDI Orca and Firehawk and the
Nod Vertigo Bomber. Also added reload sound effects to
these units.

· Updated the loading screen when loading saved games.

· Fixed various typographical errors in the game.</pre>

It seems to me as if they're not really sure how to address the imbalances, and so are just going to try everything with the hope that something works.

Hope is not a strategy.

About time! Sounds great, lots of well needed balances.



Yay!

One does have to remember that they have been testing these changes for the last month.

I think that it is interesting that harvesters cost more money, and that so many upgrades and powers cost more money as well. Will this slow the game down, or in fact encourage more usage of low-tech units?


In a very real sense, I think patch 1.05 is an entirely new game.

I feel like decreasing the refinery sale might also have been enough, but we'll see.

Not being able to expand your base by building powerplants and barracks is a good change though in my opinion. As Incia said, this should hopefully stop those annoying base-defense rushes. I played a bunch of games online yesterday and about half of them resulted in the other player - whether GDI or Nod - spidering into my base with base defenses. Somehow, I don't think that's what C&C is supposed to be about.

Not so fast, Incia. The Buzzers in 1.00 did small-arms damage, allowing them to quickly demolish structures when massed. I don't see any indication of the Buzzers' damage type changed back.

I imagine the reason that Buzzers kill entire squads after 1.01 is because of area damage (notice how the Sniper Team can't kill entire squads in one hit), not necessarily because of the damage type.