AI oddities

[Rexxx]

I play one of my races under player control with "complete AI on". Encountered two interesting "tactics" :

1.)
One of my opponents created minefields with satellites in it. For more than 10 turns none of my mine sweepers entered this sector. Up to six were sitting in front of it and enjoyed the view. In turn x+12, when all hope had faded, another sweeper swept the minefield without problems or being frightened off by the sats. The cowards and the hero had the same design (unarmed) and the Don't Get Hurt strategy. Now, at turn x+20 the cowards are still enjoying the view of a swept minefield….

2.)
One of my fleets (15 carriers full of large fighters and 5 missile battleships) "hunted" an enemy fleet for several turns without engaging them. The enemy fleet consisted of 16 ships (light cruisers, cruisers and battle cruisers). IMO they were no match for my carrier fleet. After watching this bravery for some more turns I toggled all ministers off. Ordered my ships to enter the sector of the enemy, they did but no battle ensues. I hit the Attack button, nothing. Tried it during several turns until resupply forced my fleet to retreat. Fleet strategy is set to optimal firing range, fleet leader was always one of the attack (missile) ships.

Hopefully someone can explain this really frustrating behaviour.

One more question about minesweeping:
When a minesweeper or any kind of ship with sweeping equipment encounters a minefield unknown so far, it is destroyed without sweeping any mines!? Is there any intention behind this? I thought the mine sweeping business happens quite automatically. Or does sweeping only work with known minefields? That would render my scouting attack bases full of sweeping devices pretty useless...

[Baron Grazic]

1) Never trusted the AI to move my ships so can't help you there.

2) - Could it have been that you had a friendly treaty with this other race? Either Non-Agreesion or higher?

MineSweeping does happen automatically the moment a ship moves into the sector with the mines. Could it have been your ships could sweep 10 mines but there was 20 inthe sector, hence being destroyed.

[Mephisto]

The Gold AI should order Sweepers to sweep mine field regardless of danger (the behaviour you described was common before GOLD).
Further, any ship will sweep a minefield (known or unknown) just not while cloaked. So it is bad idea to equip your Sweepers with cloaks or cloak armor.
I can't explain the carrier behaviour without a savegame But I think you have my Email, don't you?

[Rexxx]

You' re right, Mephisto. Minesweepers with cloaking abilities are a bad idea for sweeping unknown minefields. It does not happen with uncloaked ones. Well, I live and learn...
Yes, I have your email. In Pandora's name I will send you a savegame with the cowardly sweepers and the stubborn fleet.