Shattered Seas

[Leucarum]

I'd presume most AI paths were scored in Antiquity. It's pretty bad at scoring them in exploration. And with 2 paths depending on distant lands then Shattered Seas is very much a zero-sum game

 

[uppi]

Are shallow water barriers and relatively limited settling space such big obstacles for the AI

Yes, water barriers are quite big obstacles for the AI. Land units on water are quite vulnerable and one thing that the defending AI will reliably do is shoot at vulnerable units. So a successful invasion from the sea usually requires a combined naval and army effort and the current AI is incapable of such combined arms tactics.

I'd presume most AI paths were scored in Antiquity. It's pretty bad at scoring them in exploration. And with 2 paths depending on distant lands then Shattered Seas is very much a zero-sum game

Yes, there is maybe enough distant lands on the map for one player to complete the legacy paths, but that is usually the human player, leaving no room for the AI.

Also, the AI currently does not like to place specialists any more (not sure why), so it will not complete the Exploration scientific legacy path either. It tends to be only somewhat decent at the culture legacy path.