[Strider]

The AI can be a challenge, especially if you play the IJN side. The IJN AI can give you a decent game. Over the long run, the AI will send out smaller task forces to raid and invade islands. As the IJN, the AI will attempt to capture the 'oil' islands, then try to "Cut the Sea Lanes". As the Allies, the AI will mostly fight over the 'oil' islands. But as either, the AI will pull different stunts on you, from time to time.

I too, only get to play single player mode with games most of the time, and I found that if you get complacent, the AI will nail you. For the most part, you can beat the AI, which is case for about any game you play. There were some games where the AI was very easy to beat, then there were some that it was a lot of work to beat it, then a few that I wondered what had happened when the victory screen came up telling me I lost.

The AI does not do the same exact thing each game, but bear in mind, it's options are limited to what the victory conditions are for it, so it can only do so much. If you play against the AI according to 'doctrine' you will always have a good game, but if you take advantage of the programming limitations that may exist, then you'll always beat the AI.