Devs: please teach the ai not to path through the L-Gates

[forfor]

So, I'm playing an "I am the crisis" run, and I discovered that the AI is massively over-reliant on routing ships through the L-gate primary hub system. (you're welcome to them for clearing the infestation they woke up) I found a pretty obnoxious exploit wherein I built a citadel in that system (I took all the starbase enhancing bonuses from ascension perks and unity tree) and put a few ion cannons on it. The ion cannons have enough range to reach the edge of the system, meaning every time a ship pops in, they're automatically engaged. Meanwhile, rando AI empires simply cant contend with a 60k fleet power citadel; not even enough to cause casualties among the regular defense platforms. So I'm just constantly bleeding their fleets because they're not smart enough to not path through that 1 system. Just food for thought to the devs that it might be a behavior to curb. At least if a war enemy holds that system.

 

[exi123]

I have no real understanding of the mechanics behind the L-Gate, but it seems that its more of a central wormhole, so every ship has to enter the system to connect to the next "wormhole" to reach another gate outside the L-Cluster. Its not a real Gateway-system as Gateways are, it works like a hub.

I also sometimes just park a fleet in the orbit of the Gate in Terminal Egress, it seems that the AI can not calculate the strength through the Gates, so it always jumps in.

 

[GnoSIS]

Once the gates open the AI has no say, because the hub is instantly the fastest way to cross the galaxy, and the pathfinder goes haywire with it!

Not having features in the AI functions to mark systems as don't enter/avoid at all costs, leads to the trap you have created.

 

[Methone]

Not having features in the AI functions to mark systems as don't enter/avoid at all costs, leads to the trap you have created.

Technically they do have this, but they tend to reserve it for Leviathans. And, one funny edge case I saw once in Observer mode, the Great Khan red-marks any system their Chosen of the Great Khan fleet is defeated in.

 

[GuardianGI]

Can we get an option to disable L-gates or a project to close the L-gates after opening so that awakened FEs and endgame crisis dont tunnel into your empire heart from the other side of the galaxy.

 

[Red Death]

I guess one way to fix this would be to have FTL inhibitors block the usage of gates to leave the system?

 

[DukeLeto42]

I guess one way to fix this would be to have FTL inhibitors block the usage of gates to leave the system?

This is the most efficient solution, because the problem seems to be that the AI always views it as an open pathway, ignoring the military strength waiting at Terminal Egress.

 

[SirBlackAxe]

Something I just experienced is one of my own construction ships pathing through the L-Gates despite me not having sent any ships to explore terminal egress yet. (And it worked!)