AI is BETTER??

[DirectorTsaarx]

I'm still trying to win my game; the Ukra-Tal finally decided to make a treaty with me (perhaps the fact that I proposed a trade (which they accepted) and was nice about not glassing their worlds, and was at war with their enemy (the stinking Terrans) helped...). Anyway, we're now at Partnership (their doing, not mine; they refused all of my requests, probably because I was in 10th (!) place out of 10 real empires - the five "neutrals" are still in 11th-15th place). And we're both wreaking havoc on the stinking Terrans. Who are making me understand just how powerful the CSM V's are, even when I have decent PD support (planets are launching up to 12 missiles at a time - and I'm still only up to frigate-class ships!!!). Fortunately, the Ukra-Tal and I have managed to push the Terrans to 10th place, and I'm now number 9. I got really ticked when they glassed one of my homeworlds (it took them YEARS to get around to it, but they kept at it, and I could never get enough defenses on it, because every time I put enough defenses there to destroy a ship, they IMMEDIATELY came back with a bigger fleet, and then they mined the entrances so I couldn't even get ship support in there, oh it was a mess...)

Long live the Moebius Consortium (I hope)!

[jowe01]

Yes, the AI puts much more of a fight. Especially with Mephisto's mod, it will frequently beat you.
However, I am still not convinced that it is significantly better. There are some improvements in the area of minesweeping and missile dodging, but I have the impression that most of the better challenge is just due to the fact that the AI attacks you earlier and more frequently. The AI strategy and tactics are still not a good as they should be. In my latest game, the EEE were still sending in their dreadnaughts one at a time, while massing them into a fleet would have finished me.
Better use of fleets, better target identification and a more consequent follow up on attacks, these are the things on my wishlist for the next patch. All of them seem to be implementable to me. If they are combined with the increased aggressiveness, the AI would actually become an opponent to be respected.

[pathfinder]

Well Jowe, you ain't playin' the EEE that I am their main Fleet is 23 Dreadnaughts and the only reasons I haven't faced it bcause they keep glassing one of my "allies" worlds with it....

My turn is coming, unless their small 13 ship fleet decides to quit picking its nose...

[Cryptotec88]

In my game right now, the AI put up a decent fight early (pre-100 turns), but now I'm up to 2.6M vs their 2nd place player at 400K in score. No challenge now, just moping up.

I have seen the AI use better fleets than 1.11 though. The Amon-Krie continually hit my lines with between 7-11 light cruisers in one fleet. Of course in the between the good fleet attacks, they attack with 1 cruiser at the same warppoint with 3 seperate cruisers in 1 turn. The Eee are the same, poke here with 2 dreadnaughts, here with a singe DN. The EA does fill up their carriers (YEAH!!) finally. (Thanks Mephisto!)

The EA did hit me with 3 CVL's and 3 CG's one turn. Total of 240 fighters. Very interesting battle.

All in all, I would say the AI is definately better, but not finished yet.

Cryptotec88

[imperishable]

Does AI consider how their opponents equip their ships? For example, if the enemy never uses missiles, AI stop equiping point defense, and the like.

It could help to carry a few constructor ships in the fleet and after the first battle, quickly retrofiting the ships to adjust for the enemy.

[Talenn]

imperishable:

No, the AI does not 'react' to enemy ship designs at all. It has a set of guidelines within which to design its ships and this is preset with no ability to be altered during a game.

I'm not sure that it would be possible (or desirable) to have it react to the way enemy ships are built. In some ways it would help, but it would only lead to people doing the 'bait and switch' game with the AI IMO.

Talenn