Noob question about AI and diplomacy

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

If I've got conveniently placed independent scout recruiting points, I churn out scouts nearly nonstop until I've saturated nearby nations. I even find it helpful to place scouts in the lands of trustworthy allies. If they're facing a deep, hostile invasion, it will let me know precisely what I'll be facing if I launch a relief effort, or aim assisting assassinations.
Or, if the invading force moves on without leaving any province defense or troops behind (it happens), I get to mess with their lines of retreat.

[sum1lost]

Lazy_Perfectionist said:
If I've got conveniently placed independent scout recruiting points, I churn out scouts nearly nonstop until I've saturated nearby nations. I even find it helpful to place scouts in the lands of trustworthy allies. If they're facing a deep, hostile invasion, it will let me know precisely what I'll be facing if I launch a relief effort, or aim assisting assassinations.
Or, if the invading force moves on without leaving any province defense or troops behind (it happens), I get to mess with their lines of retreat.

This is how I did a good deal of damage to Man, including destroying his retreating knights and prophet-hero-commander.

[Ygorl]

At least in Dom2, the AI would tend to pick whom and when to attack by comparing the number of troops to the number of provinces for each nation. If a nation had lots of provinces but few troops (regardless of their power) it would be a ripe target for the AI. You could fool it by hiring lots of PD (those were counted) or lots of garbage troops, thereby convincing it that you weren't worth the trouble of attacking.