AI Tactical Combat Suggestions (mildly long)

[mac5732]

In playing in the tactical combat phase, I'm
sure everyone has noticed that the AI seems
(at least to me) confused at setup and combat movement. Whatever formations they use don't seem to work, Most of the time they mill around before they come at you. I'm not an AI person, but what if the AI is given specific formations and sets up in that formation at the initial deployment on the screen? I would also add the Vee and Line formation, make them random so you never know which one they will start with. Attach a number to each AI ship. #1 start in middle, all odd to left all even to right or something similiar. By working on the formtions I believe that the AI would have better chance in combat and would be able to mass it's firepower to better effect. The same for their ftrs, have them attack & use formations better and more effectively. I know this could be hard with large fleets but the formation and initial setup seems to me the place to start for better combat in AI vs human player even each other. Imagine the Ai coming at you in a line or 2 straight lines with massed firepower. You could possibly base the formation on the type of ships the AI opponet has, If carriers, would deploy one way, if all warships another, and so on. Just some ideas. If this has been addressed on earlier post, I apoligize, don't have time to read all of them at one time. I just believe the way they are initialy setup and used at beginning of screen combat needs work. what does everyone else think? Just some ideas,
Mac