Why do tech level III technologists send mrkIV ships in their waves?

[Buttons840]

I've never once had a technologist AI send mark III ships in a wave, they're always mark IV, even though the tech level is reportedly III?

[RCIX]

THat's all the technologiests are allowed to send (i think), so that's what they do

[Fleet]

Technologists use very high Mk ships, by definition. I imagine since its sending IV instead of V, there is something in the code against sending V in a wave. Thus, the technologist sends the next highest it can, the IV.

[Nemo]

As I understood it, they send mk level ships one higher then an equivalent regular AI would send. When in doubt, the wiki should have the answer.

[Winter Born]

WIKI entry

http://www.arcengames.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=AI_War_-_AI_Techs


At What AI Progress Does The AI Tech Level Increase?

A: The AI will go up a tech level on the following AI Progress schedule:

Mark II: 300 - ( 10 x Difficulty of AI Player )
Mark III: 800 - ( 10 x Difficulty of AI Player )
Mark IV: 1200 - ( 10 x Difficulty of AI Player )
For "Technologist" type AIs, if their level would be II or higher, they are instead Mark IV. If they would be below Mark II, they will instead be Mark III.
Additionally, when playing on difficulties greater than 8, the AI players will always be one Mark level higher than normal, until they hit Mark IV.

So, for example, when playing against a level 5 AI the AI would tech up as follows:

Mark II at AI Progress 250 (300 - 50)
Mark III at AI Progress 750 (800 - 50)
Mark IV at AI Progress 1150 (1200 - 50)

[Buttons840]

The technologist AI's always send mark IV ships, even when their AIP is 10, from my experience.  As I said I've never seen a technologist send anything other than mark IVs; if this is how it's meant to be then why even have a tech level?