Make an up-to-date full download of the mod. Either for the next version, or the current version if the next one isn't coming for a while. Pros: Less inconvenient for new players to get the game. Con: Requires extra web storage space.
I think they do that for every major version release. Or, at least I hope they do. It was fun applying v2.1, then v2.11, then v2.12..... actually, it wasn't. I wanted a v2 -> v2.12 patcher.
Unfortunately it gets tiresome when you have to update 20 machines, 2 patches each. But, that's a special case since I'm the admin of a LAN party.
good cause I tell people they should download and play empires, lota the time they just download 2.2 and cant join any servers so they dont try again.