Just to experiment, I started a 5/5 game on 80 planets, with dyson sphere on 10/10. According to my whole-galaxy scout, the Dyson Sphere is something like 4 hops away from my empire, but I regularly get 1-2 gatlings coming through. Also, they are not triggering my Mines, which is strange because it doesn't say immune to mines. Not too big a problem, but if I just leave them alone without killing them, will they eventually go everywhere? Also, I think I read somewhere that the AI worlds will be on alert if there is a Dyson Sphere around, but it doesn't look like so... (OK,OK, at first there was no Dyson Sphere, I threw it in using cheats since I want to see them anyways).
BTW, I am amazed that on my previous game, the most annoying ship was Blade Spawner, and this time it changes to Spire Starship! Apparently the AI is different.
BTW2, I get Repraisal Warning 4 when I lost a cap of Fighters and half of Bomber I/II, but only around 40 ships came. 7 at Repraisal 2. Looks strange... A normal wave is larger than that...
BTW3. It is the first time I see >10 Riot Control ships in special force. I lost most of my Bombers there, but I also destroy all of them every time, sacrificing my Bombers. How often do AIs throw in new special forces?