Synopsis
France doesn't move its army in a call to war. It acts with neither aggression nor self-interest. Rather, it exhibits a complete lack of function over several months of game time and several full game-exit reloads.
Context
Playing as Silesia for the "Back to the Piast" achievement. Poland and Lithuania have done well, formed Commonwealth and beyond. Opportunity finally arose to knock them down with the help of France, who I have been allied with, and who have rivaled Commonwealth for decades.
Evidence
Recount
The first picture is of Mainz, who once upon a time was in the war and who I thought France would just quickly take care of. I found that I had to siege them down myself and peace them out to prevent them from taking Paris, which I assumed would push France towards leaving the war. Note the progress through two of France's forts during this time. This was when I was still thinking I could get France to move through Ferrara and Venice to participate in the war. Several full exit game reloads occurred during this period.
Later more of my country was sieged down leaving me no access to the south so I thought to get more military access through Brunswick, Cologne, and The Palatinate. France still didn't take the bait, despite several more full exit reloads. Commonwealth did, though, and came in to finish the siege of Paris that Mainz started. When the siege of France's Capital, Paris, completed, with no sign of life from the French army, I decided to take the final screenshot of the French army and their ridiculous attrition before putting the game behind me and moving on.
Apologies for some lack of visual evidence, but note that months have passed from the first to the second screenshot and the French army remains in the same province. Also it may be useful to know that French trust of me was 85, opinion at +200, and this was the only war they were in.
Analysis
In the past, I was able to either solve this problem through reloading, or accept the possibility that the AI was playing the meta-game of defensive non-participation. However, in this case I was able to demonstrate an AI which demonstrated neither expected behavior nor high-level self-interest.
France isn't doing what a casual player would expect: helping in the war. France isn't doing what a meta AI or human player MIGHT do: station armies defensively in home country to (hopefully) avoid participation. France is simply non-functional: sitting in a single province with their entire army, allowing their forts and even capital to be taken, while draining manpower out the nose through self-attrition.
Conclusion
Evidence and discussion focused on the existence of instances where EUIV AI ceases to act. I trust that many players have experienced events such as these themselves. These occurrences should be acknowledged. This sort of "behavior" -- lack thereof -- from the AI prevents Europa Universalis from functioning as a game, and is unacceptable.
France doesn't move its army in a call to war. It acts with neither aggression nor self-interest. Rather, it exhibits a complete lack of function over several months of game time and several full game-exit reloads.
Context
Playing as Silesia for the "Back to the Piast" achievement. Poland and Lithuania have done well, formed Commonwealth and beyond. Opportunity finally arose to knock them down with the help of France, who I have been allied with, and who have rivaled Commonwealth for decades.
Evidence
Recount
The first picture is of Mainz, who once upon a time was in the war and who I thought France would just quickly take care of. I found that I had to siege them down myself and peace them out to prevent them from taking Paris, which I assumed would push France towards leaving the war. Note the progress through two of France's forts during this time. This was when I was still thinking I could get France to move through Ferrara and Venice to participate in the war. Several full exit game reloads occurred during this period.
Later more of my country was sieged down leaving me no access to the south so I thought to get more military access through Brunswick, Cologne, and The Palatinate. France still didn't take the bait, despite several more full exit reloads. Commonwealth did, though, and came in to finish the siege of Paris that Mainz started. When the siege of France's Capital, Paris, completed, with no sign of life from the French army, I decided to take the final screenshot of the French army and their ridiculous attrition before putting the game behind me and moving on.
Apologies for some lack of visual evidence, but note that months have passed from the first to the second screenshot and the French army remains in the same province. Also it may be useful to know that French trust of me was 85, opinion at +200, and this was the only war they were in.
Analysis
In the past, I was able to either solve this problem through reloading, or accept the possibility that the AI was playing the meta-game of defensive non-participation. However, in this case I was able to demonstrate an AI which demonstrated neither expected behavior nor high-level self-interest.
France isn't doing what a casual player would expect: helping in the war. France isn't doing what a meta AI or human player MIGHT do: station armies defensively in home country to (hopefully) avoid participation. France is simply non-functional: sitting in a single province with their entire army, allowing their forts and even capital to be taken, while draining manpower out the nose through self-attrition.
Conclusion
Evidence and discussion focused on the existence of instances where EUIV AI ceases to act. I trust that many players have experienced events such as these themselves. These occurrences should be acknowledged. This sort of "behavior" -- lack thereof -- from the AI prevents Europa Universalis from functioning as a game, and is unacceptable.
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But there is a chance that PLC will destroy the desant unlocking French army 
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