[jim]

Am I right, then, that this phenomenon is a bug?

It seems worse for planet WP stacks and Bases, almost as bad for BaseShips.

Does it affect only non-Gold games?

(So far, I ignore it, and accept as just another handicap that I conceded to the AI - along with high difficulty, high bonus, no Intel, no Mines, don't use Training, and put the AI(s) ahead of me in the Player #. BTW, can anyone recommend a non-Gold AI that I will get a game with, 1-on-1 under those conditions? Small, Medium, Large, or Huge galaxy, 2K-3K-5K, I don't care. Intel led to easy wins, as did mines, as did Stellar Manipulation, as did Training - so I disable all but the Last, leaving it because some AIs do use Training.)