So the AI doesn't cheat...

[sk_2013]

So I'm playing a game with the new expansion. I've played some of AI war, but typically got myself involved in something dumb and killed myself in the first hour or so. I'm playing with golems, fallen spire (though I'm not actually paying attention to it), Normal+Champion, etc. Good game. After four hours of reloading saves, I manage to survive the Exo strike force. Feeling pretty good. Between my botnet golem and my fleet I'm doing really well. Playing on highest fleet size.

Then the CPA hits.

I lose two planets almost immediately. My home planet is poorly situated, so I have to rely on fleets, allied Neinzul (tip: they suck), and golems. A 500 carrier starts moving in on one of my outer chains of planets, and I park my fleet over the wormhole to ambush it when it comes out. I have scouts in every planet within 5 jumps. Carrier doesn't jump.

Another planet gets hit. Botnet is deployed. Standstill. Enemy fleet has retreated, but not been defeated.
Another planet gets hit. On the third end of my "triangle" chain of planets. Botnet golem redeployed. Fleet jumps back in. Botnet falls back and warheads deployed to supplement planetary defenses.

All the while my fleet is protecting a planet chain from a comparatively small force, that never jumps through. After a planet mid-chain is hit, I pull my fleet back. The *instant* I clear the second wormhole, the carrier jumps in and kills everything. Free human city, captured zenith generator, etc.

Like I said, scouts reported no enemy units nearby. Nothing that could have told the AI that my fleet had pulled off. Including cloaked units.

This has happened to me multiple times. I love this game because the AI is smart. Things like this make me wonder though. The AI had no way to know where my fleet was, but it didn't send the carrier through until it was safe. If the AI doesn't cheat, how in the hell did it work out where to strike?

[Chthon]

Something to note is the AI always has perfect map vision, it just chooses not to use it depending on the AIP.

Neinzul allied to you do not suck, but remember, they as well already lost the war with the AI.  They will need assistance to hold off the AI.  They should not be relied on to be sole defense of a system, rather they will come to the assistance of any attack.

CPA or Cross Planet Attack takes excess defending ships from other AI systems + extras if need be from the strategic reserve (all if it needs to) to create a carrier with those ships aboard.  This carrier will then join the threat fleet at a random AI controlled location.  Yes, it will come out of "nowhere" from your perspective.  This is why it's announced so far ahead, so you can shore up your defenses.

CPAs will also attempt to come at the same time as Exogalactic Strikeforces.  This can bring truly evil results.  Always beware if a CPA is coming and an Exo is near completion.  You may have to face both at the same time.

[sk_2013]

The neinzul are awesome, but unreliable. I've yet to work out how they determine whether or not to help out. It's frustrating to lose planets while they're sitting around my command station doing nothing.

[Bognor]

The neinzul are awesome, but unreliable. I've yet to work out how they determine whether or not to help out. It's frustrating to lose planets while they're sitting around my command station doing nothing.

Maybe you already know this, but you have a limited ability to give high-level orders to allied roaming enclaves using chat commands.  See the wiki. 

[LordSloth]

I don't know exactly what you do, but here's how I prep for CPAs

I deploy picket scouts in all AI controlled systems adjacent to my core grouping, use the scout galactic filter to doublecheck. I also usually have enough mk2 scouts to push that picket out one system further, and I've made this easy by eradication of tachyon guardians and usage of auto-picket command.

I've also custom bound the "Threat" galactic map filter to T, so I can quickly spot them on the galactic map - though the threat # listing will work.

I was under the assumption that the AI was always able to compare relative strength for threat fleet and target system, and thus judge when to jump into system, as they lack 'scouts'.

This is why I use the l key to split my forces in half, or just pull out the crazy-ass golem back one system. If I need them to come back in a hurry, I load them in transports, and I also have shielded gravity/tractor turrets or EMP mines.

[Kahuna]

on 10/10 difficulty you can have 3 planets with defenses strong enough to auto stop 1500 Mark II ships (AIP about 80 - 120)

on 8/8 difficulty you can have 6 planets to auto stop about 750 Mark II ships (about 80 - 120 AIP)

just pay more attention to your defenses and what planets you capture

EDIT:

How to stop a wave in 3 seconds:
Time: 4:02:22
Enemies left: 631


Time: 4:02:25
Enemies left: 173

Sure 631 is a small wave but Area Minefields can stop huge waves too.

The first wave was stopped in about 1 second.

The second wave was stopped in about 45 seconds.