The Real-Time Strategy AI

"The real time strategy AI is not actually a single AI, but rather consists of myriad AIs. These AIs represent the fleet commander (an Admiral), task force commanders (Commodores), ship Captains (including orbital fortresses), commanders of other battle-worthy units (such as ground-based defenses), fighter pilots, and even the (simulated) AI in a torpedo or missile."

1. General
2. Authorities influencing the battle
3. AI Actions (Pre-Battle Planning)

1.
If a computer player attends a battle, there are three primary effects:

A The Ability Rating (and military bonuses and penalties) for that civilization's Big Leader are calculated into all leader-based decisions in that battle. This affects both the quality of the decisions made and how seriously subordinates will take them.

B Political considerations will be taken into account concerning allied forces (on both sides) present at the battle.

C Some doctrinal issues such as NBC use authorization and other rules of engagement, damage tolerance, and so forth can be changed "on the spot".

Subordinate officers at any level will almost always comply with their orders (short of having some personal defect or hidden agenda that prevents this). However, under appropriate circumstances they will act under their own initiative. How quickly and efficiently they fulfill their duties is influenced by the ship crew's experience, the Officer's ability rating, and how reasonable the orders are.
Officers can also be influenced by their personal agenda (which might include such factors as survival or the desire for revenge) which can influence their battle performance.
All Leaders have a "style" of leadership on a seven-scale from Bold to Cautious, which can influence their actions in combat.

- Bold
- Daring
- Provocative
- Balanced
- Deliberate
- Conservative
- Cautious

2.
A Political Authority: A network of political leaders, stretching from the human or computer player (at the top) to the lowliest functionaries runs the empire. These AIs collectively establish the policies and goals that might lead to battle in the first place.

B Fleet Admirals: There is one Fleet Admiral in each sector the player controls. That Leader is responsible for overseeing all battles that occur within their sector and neighboring areas where that civilization has yet to establish a sector Seat of Government. During real-time combat, the Fleet Admiral must coordinate the task forces at a battle in such a way that they are best able to fulfill that battle's objectives.

C Task Force Commodores: Task Force Commodores are responsible for control and coordination between the individual ships within their task force so that they can best fulfill that task force's mission.

D Captains: The AIs for individual space combat units will be referred to as "Captains" since they primarily consist of ship captains. Sometimes they'll get their orders from other Captains rather than from Commanders, but this is not a significant enough distinction to merit a fourth class of AI.

3.
Among numerous other things, that battle's military objectives must be defined. In general, these will be derived from the political situation, the capabilities of the fleet, and the acceptable loss level before disengagement is considered.
Primary objectives may be assault, besiege, raid, destroy or protect planets.. and many more.

Each task force consists of Objective Ships, Escort Ships and Picket Ships. The primary role of Picket Ships in the task force is the early detection and evaluation and secondary the early engagement of enemy threats. Escort Ships will move to place themselves between Objective Ships and incoming threats; they'll protect the Objective Ships with their lives if necessary. The Objective Ships are the ships that are of an appropriate type to perfrom the task force's objective. They'll remain protected until it is time to fulfill their objective (like assaulting a planet).

There are various missions that can be assigned to task forces. Defend Position is the default mission for planetary task forces (i.e. orbital and planetary defenses), and task forces that are taking heavy casualties may switch to this mission while waiting for help to arrive. Another mission is Assault Target - the task force will attack the selected target in accordance with its doctrinal capabilities.
The task force can also be assigned a series of waypoints along which it should move and it will move to each intermediate point in succession. Its actions upon spotting an enemy force depend on its specific orders.
The Reconnaissance mission can take place along a series of waypoints or at a specific location. If the task force is covert, it will take all reasonable precautions to avoid detection by the enemy. Additionally, each task force can have one (possibly two) other task forces assigned to escort it. Escorts will stay within proximity of the task force they are escorting and will engage the escorted task force's greatest threat.