Quote Originally Posted by JAG View Post
Agreed, still far, far too easy - but I don't know what they can really do about it now except for compeltely re writing the AI to actually be a challenge. Getting naval invasions working probably will help, but that could make the game just as easy... Post patch the game is a lil bit tougher, purely because the AI will attack back every now and then, especially after you have taken one of their territories - but the problems with diplomacy remain etc. Who knows they might make some improvements to make the game harder, but I think I will stop playing until the next patch, like I did last time. :/
I could throw in several suggestions:

1. Allow AI make peace with each other (CA is supposedly working on this)
2. Allow AI to make anti-player diplomatic blocks
3. Add a theater or two which would allow for ANOTHER huge empire to arise by the mid-game
4. #3 would definitely need naval invasions to be fixed
5. Reoptimize the economic AI

As to #5: I see most of AI factions being "feeble and destitute" by late mid-game. As I conquered a few trade nodes from the Dutch, I realized part of the reason: the huge blue stacks sitting on the trade nodes contained mostly fluyts (350 upkeep), warships and an occasional Indiaman. No wonder, a trading nation like the Dutch is not making money. They are spending more in fleet upkeep than they are getting back in trade revenue...

On the same token, I have tried gifting/trading for techs AI factions 100,000 a turn for several turns. The AI faction would still show up as "feeble and destitute". I wonder what are they doing with the money.