Beta 2.5

I've heard several others mentioning the issue but have not noticed save games provided.  As I experienced it recently, here is a save game: http://pi2r.homepage.dk/tmp/EnemyShipsWeirdNotMoving.rar

Background:

- Game is random large-multiple systems with all settings fast except for research which is slow (I wanted to see the impact on AI performance with negligible research even when having large empires). 7 unfair-random AIs.

- I have never had a cease fire or any other diplomatic relations with any AI..

- Early on, the AI was as aggressive and competent as could reasonably be desired, but after I beat them back at my major chokepoint system Orestes(Terran), AI fleets began to accumulate in the Jacobi(Plasma Storm) system.

- They have been accumulating ever since.

At the save point:

- At the save point, the Jacobi system hosts three distinct AI fleets, each lined up on the perimeter as if they are intending to phase jump to Orestes(Terran) or Aharon(Plasma Storm)->Piironen(Ice)

- My tiny fleet is currently conquering the Merionis(Volcanic) system, which is next to the Jacobi system and belongs to the owner of one of the fleets (PSI order zealots). The zealots appear supremely unconcerned with what's happening to their world.

- There's a handful of PSI order zealots' adjudicators and purge vessels in Aharon. There's usually one or two of them phase jumping back and forth between Jacobi and Aharaon.

- The Trade Coalition fleet in Jacobi is occasionally reinforced with ships. It appears to send 1/3 to 1/2 of them on 1-ship missions to Orestes.

After the save point:

- 25 minutes after the save point, Merionis has fallen and been fortified long ago without any resistance. My defensive systems in Orestes and Piironen have been significantly upgraded.

- The three AI fleets are still in Jacobi, now all oriented on the Aharon phase line.

- The three AI fleets have been significantly reinforced.

- The AI has accomplished nothing whatosever by its actions.

Analysis:

- While it is entirely possible that this is due to a bug in the AI code in which case providing anything but the save game to Ironclad is for nought, if one assumes for the sake of argument that it is not the case, it bears all the hallmarks of an AI getting stuck in a "Threat in system X estimated as too high, wait for reinforcements while in position and THEN move out" with a couple of balancing weights considerably out of whack. On the other hand, if not being able to accumulate the needed forces within a reasonable amount of time due to whatever reasons (lack of priority, lack of actual resources, or, whatever), then the fleet can and should be assigned to a different target (whether friendly or hostile) since a fleet 'hanging out' and neither signficantly threatening nor defending is providing a continous opportunity-loss.