[Rexxx]

Originally posted by Master Belisarius:

I have an observation about the EEE: they have lots of fleets with a few ships. Think it's ok fighting against others AIs, but against humans doesn't look so good.

MB, you're right. The EEE prefer more but smaller fleets to a few (very) large ones. Large fleets are very powerful but you can only attack one or two planets - sometimes even in the same system - at the same time. Small fleets are less powerful but you can attack much more planets (if the AI has a good day even in different systems ).
In a "normal" game you frequently face more than one enemy, more than one or two enemy fleets. IMO the best answer to these multiple threats are more but smaller fleets.
I agree that larger ones are more dangerous to a human player. However, normally your AI don't face the human opponent at first, the probability of running into a hostile AI is much higher. You're also right, that - in a normal game - this "more fleets strategy" works quite well against other AIs, especially those with large fleets. Thus, it raises the chances to reach midgame at all and not being killed early. In midgame (it means for me being able to colonize rock planets) the EEE I'm currently testing begin to build up larger fleets in their desperate attempt to be a worthy opponent for the human player.

The situation in this contest is quite different. There is only one enemy to be crushed and for this purpose large and powerful fleets are much better. I'm surprised that the EEE survived so long against your Pyrochette.

This fleet thingie is like the quadrature of the circle, there is no perfect answer. The only solution I can imagine would be the ability to control the structure of our AI fleets, that would boost the qualities of any modded AI and make them a much better opponent.
As it is now I like the fact that there are different approaches regarding those "fleet strategies", it protects the game from getting too easy and predictable for the human player. What seems to work well against the EEE might be useless against the Pyrochette. Bad luck... Reload or start a new game...

EDIT:
Hi MB: Just read your Last post. Bad news, very bad news .
Controlling most of the galaxy and losing at the same time is hard, very hard indeed.
Looking forward to checking the savegames. I guess the EEE - stubborn as they are - build unit upon unit, not realizing that these efforts don't increase the score.

[ November 30, 2002, 22:53: Message edited by: Rexxx ]