AI needs to build more ships of the line

[Slaists]

No, ships of the line fought separate from other types of ships because the other ships weren't strong enough to stand in a line of battle. Historically.

There are 4 different classes of ships of line in the game: 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st. I'd have a couple 2nd rates, and a mix of the lower line classes in my fleet.

1st class? Never built one actually. That tech simply comes too late for me to be of any use... So, I guess, I am like the AI in that sense, lol. Naval hospitals are the top dockyards in my game, lol.

[anweRU]

If you haven't done so at all so far, you should build a steam dockyard, then order a first rate and a steamship. You'll get two event messages, first 1st rate built and first steamship build events...

[LuxIrae]

Playing as Netherlands on Hardest setting I have had no problem with opponents turning up undergunned in naval battles. I was investing heavily in trade tech and trade fleet, when suddenly Spain and France declared war with massive fleets of 2nd rates sweeping my anti piracy frigates from the seas in short order! Suddenly my home port was blockaded and I was facing economic annihilation... and little ship building capacity to respond!

[Fisherking]

Playing as Netherlands on Hardest setting I have had no problem with opponents turning up undergunned in naval battles. I was investing heavily in trade tech and trade fleet, when suddenly Spain and France declared war with massive fleets of 2nd rates sweeping my anti piracy frigates from the seas in short order! Suddenly my home port was blockaded and I was facing economic annihilation... and little ship building capacity to respond!

When the AI has the cash I am sure they will spend it on good ships.

I would rather not see any scripting of who builds what.

Your game sounds interesting, if not exactly fun.

Did you find a way to deal with the situation?

[LuxIrae]

Experience from my most recent game suggests that the AI builds top of the line naval units relatively quickly on the higher levels, which would match up with your theory about having he cash Fisherking.

Game still not won, but starting to look promising. Sudden naval assault by France and Spain was beaten (they are both now gone as are all their former colonies) by brutal crisis management. Peace was made everywhere else and some of my territories were traded for peace or alliance. Every uneccessary army (regardless of quality) was disbanded, taxes were raised briefly and a short sharp focused assault destroyed them both on land. Had to give France away to a protectorate so that the
single truly powerful army I could afford with the blockade in place could go on to destroy Spain too.

Once I got over the panic of seeing my 30k surplus turn into a 30k defecit it was actually the most fun game of Empire I have played...