Here is a representative overview of system layout and travels times at around mid-game:
- Planet Layout.gif (4.04 KiB) Viewed 15835 times
Now:
IF blue places 1-2 destroyers and a signle cruiser with any heavy weapon in each of its 3 border systems
AND red keeps its doomstack anywhere else but in its border systems
AND red attacks any blue systems
THEN Red has lost as blue can engage all 3 red border systems and take or bombard them before the red fleet even arrvies (min 6 turns). Red will then go on loosing another 6 or more turns returning to a friendly system due to loss of range so all blue has to do is take/bombard undefended planets with 3 tiny fleets.
Note that it doesnt matter what kind of forces Red has in this scenario as they never actually get ot engage the enemy. Red can have 10billion fleet carriers, it will still loose in the aboive conditions against 3 cruisers and 6 destroyers
The equition changes slightly if red has its doomstack in the border regions but is still too slow to win the war before blue takes everything as blue conquers systems 2X faster
And this is the key: time is the most valuable resource. It takes time to grow pops, build ships, refit ships and travel/retreat. Bote that Blue also finishes buildin the winning fleet well before red does and its time advantage icnreases the larger (useless) fleet red build
AI script has changed some time ago in order for the AI to amass larger fleets instead of small pockets of ships: this was done to ensure decidinig battles are provided to the player but this is for human enjoyment not becuase it is a better strategy. Its understandable but less effective
AI effectiveness was further reduced by the econmic rebalance allowing less ships to be fielded so an AI in advanteg cannot capitalise on time anymore
I dont suggest the AI main fleet behaviour or the economic rebalance ot e changed at this point - they serve their purpose
In orded to make the AI more competitive I would suggest complementing its fleetstrategy with cheap border defense fleets (1-3 small and a single medium hull) and/or making time less valuable.
The latter is likely easier to achieve with these measures:
1. Make bombardment less effective OR have considerable negative consequences
2. Prevent long range sniping of planets so that planetary defenses and starbases can hold their ground against 1-2 medium hulls at long range