Two years into the second test game now and the NPR is progressing reasonably well. Here are some screenshots showing NPR activity in the five systems it has discovered so far. The first two screenshots are both the home system, but at different zoom levels. The seventh screenshot is the current ground force deployments made by the NPR.
In this first screenshot, two harvester groups are redeploying to a recently discovered gas giant in another system while the two Kagero class tankers are waiting for civilian harvesters to fill up. A troop transport group is moving a couple of garrison formations to a colony orbiting the second star (not on this screenshot) and five civilian freighters are moving to collect automated mines from the home world to transport them to the same colony. They have just returned from an infrastructure drop in Goranthis and decided on the contract while in that previous system. That contract was created by one population AI stating its need for automated mines and a second population AI independently deciding it had spare automated mines. The fleet AIs check for those matching supply and demand opportunities even if they are in a different system than either the supply or demand populations. In fact, a fleet will plot a series of moves from current system to pickup system to drop-off system and will not begin any contract until its has the whole route worked out.
The two Soryu class ships are gravitational survey ship waiting for a new survey opportunity. They returned home for fuel and resupply when they completed their previous task and had no immediate work to do. There are two more Soryu's deployed in another system but the AI (for this design theme) is only deploying two gravitational survey ships per system. The three Kumas are missile destroyers. They are waiting for a suitable operational group to join and will not form their own group as none of the operational groups in this design theme have Kumas as a key element. However, if there are too many spare Kumas, no more will be constructed and their shipyard will retool to a class that is in demand (missing from operational groups). Additional harvesters and troop transports have been constructed as well. They are key elements so the three harvesters formed a single operational group and the two transports each formed their own group. When suitable escorts are constructed they will move to join those groups. In the meantime, the new harvester and troop transport groups have been deployed by the Race AI.
This is an expanded view of the home system. At the B component are two geological survey ships and a troop transport. The transport is delivering a planetary defence regiment to a new mining colony. Each population determines its own value and then sends out a demand for installations and ground forces, depending on that value and the type of colony. The fleet AIs will sort out the installations contracts without higher level guidance. The Race AI determines the deployment of ground forces, depending on what it determines is the greatest need and the availability of troop transports. When populations AIs are building installations and ground forces, they will check the current demand from other population AIs and build installations and formations that have a higher Empire-wide demand than supply. This population in the B component is asking for a tracking station so the AI at the capital is currently building one to meet that demand. The decision to establish this mining colony was based on a 'mining score', which reflects quantity and availability of mineral deposits. This score gives a higher value to any minerals in short supply and can therefore change over time, which may cause the AI to redeploy its mines.
The NPR geosurvey ships have a new Standing Order - survey next thirty bodies - which means there will be less duplication of effort.
This screenshot shows a couple of jump point stabilisation ships working on recently discovered jump points (I need to fix the Op Group name
). The stabilisation ships have standing orders to find suitable jump points within constraints set down by the Race AI. The Race AI will not allow them to enter systems where it perceives a potential threat and will tell the System AI to pull them out of the system via the safest route if such a threat develops. The FAC Hunter Squadron is a small combat force of four ships that the AI has deployed to protect this colony of about a million. While there are three larger battle fleets at the capital, the Race AI has determined this colony is not yet valuable enough to send a larger force. The troop transport has recently dropped off a garrison formation and is awaiting new orders. The two terraformer groups have been sent here by the Race AI, which has identified Goranthis III as its best terraforming option. This decision is periodically reviewed as new planets are discovered. The Mogami is a scout ship awaiting new orders.
Here we have two gravitational survey ships which were sent to this system by the Race AI. On arrival, their own standing orders take over. If they complete their task and the Race AI has no immediate need for them, they will find a colony with refuelling facilities. The other ship is a scout awaiting orders.
Here we have two jump point stabilisation ships. One is working on a jump point, while the other is heading home to refuel. A geosurvey ship, sent here by the Race AI, is surveying the asteroid belt while a scout ship is awaiting orders. Some types of operational groups, such as scouts or warships, will move to a population or inner planet if they have no other orders from the Race AI.
Here we have a harvester group that was recently dispatched by the Race AI to the outer gas giant. The troop transport has recently dropped off a construction regiment on the second planet to begin recovery of abandoned installations. A xenoarchaeological expedition is also on the planet, although it has already completed its work. It will remain here until needed elsewhere.
This screenshot shows the current ground forces deployments made by the Race AI. I've closed the home world node as it has a lot of formations.