This edition is definitely a far more mature game, in that it is better organized and more complete than the first edition. More difficult aspects of the rules, such as air support, were sidestepped in the first edition, but here are completely engaged. And the complete rules for both unit design and campaigns are wonderful, allowing a full range of science fiction unit types from the small to the ludicrously oversized, but without being arbitrarily tacked on. It allows a lot of character in the game, where a lot of designs these days stop at the level of "it's all numbers, what's the difference," different unit types and sizes feel definitively different and there's opportunity for a great deal of variety and flavor that carries over to syles of play that the special rules encourage. At the basest level, too, the rules are much easier to read and the layout is extremely pleasant to look at, an often overlooked part of game design, and the whole book is very well organized. A very good edition and definitely a night-and-day improvement over the first edition.