[BUG] AI fleets "stuck" in systems [beta 2.5]

from Sins Forums

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.

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Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

While I do not have the saves to help out, I can definitely confirm having faced this more than a couple of times in the 3-4 games I have played out on 2.5. I have also had this experience with the troubling addition of having two easily stronger allied (against me) AI fleets (unfair) sitting on the edge of an asteroid belt that links to a terran world of mine that had nowhere near the defences necessary to defend against their combined (or even, likely, their singular) fleets. Rather than attack, they sat, sat sat, for 20, 30, 40 minutes until an ally of mine had been rehabilitated (through cash transfers and the timely placement of one of my own starbases in one of his systems) to the point of feeling confident in assaulting the asteroid field.. I joined half-way through (it is a computer, after all, and doesn't care much to take the brunt of the casualties) and we easily cleaned the clocks of the much-delayed assault fleet.

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

I have experienced something simliar for the first time with the basic 1.13 version of the game.  I have forwarded the saved game to the developers.  This was a hard ai that was an allie.  We had captured 4 enemy ai worlds together and when it came time to go after number 5, my allie stopped taking suggestions.  It had amased its largest fleet ever, more than enough with or without my fleet to take the next world.  When I requested it attack the enemy ai world, it repeatedly assured me it was "on it", but never moved, just sat in the grav well.  Kept sending one ship at a time to the enemy world, gathering intelligence I assumed.  In the meantime my allie's worlds came under attack, and it stated it was concerned by this, but never moved its fleet to do anything about it.  It never moved its fleet for the rest of the game and I ended up quiting.  Too bad, we were on a roll.

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

I dont have the save games but i can say for sure 100% they seemed to get stuck in the area between some of my gravity well items.

a very Large fleet of an Allie showed up to help which was awesome cause i no no ships near enough to make it back even with a powerful star base in the well as well.

I has a couple missile and 3 hanger defenses and 2 repair and 2 jump inhibitors and 2 of those nano jammer things of the vasari. Which with the base is a good set up for defense.

But the allie ships all got stuck in a rather small area i had between some of the defenses and just stayed there almost like they where milling around confused how to get out.

I demolished all 4 sides one at a time and not till the fourth side was open as well they moved armound the planet to help defend.