An AI cheat is an advantage given to the AI players to offset the lack of improvising talent and intelligence, which puts the human player at a disadvantage. The AI in random map games cheats massively, which makes it virtually impossible for any but the most experienced human players to beat the AI in a land-based game. The AI employs several key cheats
Unlimited Resources[]
Symptoms[]
AI players have virtually no need to gather Resources as they are provided unlimited resources for free. This means that it is impossible to starve an AI opponent off resources. Therefore, a key element in RTS warfare is only available when playing against human opponents.
Testing[]
This can be proven by raiding an AI's base until only one Town Center or Capitol remains. A small military force waits in front of the building and kills every Citizens immediately after it has been trained. Even though the AI has no longer any resource gathering citizen, it will never run out of food and will perpetually train citizen.
Acceleration Effect[]
Symptoms[]
AI players can train units and build structures in a fraction of the time it takes the human player. A single citizen, for instance, can rebuild a Tower quicker than a fully upgraded battle ship can take it down. During a massive raid of an AI base by a human players force, the AI player can rebuild important military buildings almost instantly if only a single citizen survives
Testing[]
Start a Random Map Game with an AI opponent and an AI ally. Assign yourself 20 Citizen at the start, one each to the AI players. In the time the human player manages to create 5 additional citizen, the AI ally will have created at least 10, built several buildings and trained several military units. On Island games, the computer will have built at least 3 towers as well, which is nigh-on impossible for the human player in the same time.
Magic Eye[]
Symptoms[]
The AI players are not hampered by the fog of war. The AI can perform detailed terrain analysis of the human players base despite the fog of war. It can even see University, Hospital and Temple ranges, enabling it to exploit even the smallest gaps in the human player's defenses.
Testing[]
Start a Random Map Game on a 'Large Islands' map. Surround your island with towers, protecting all but one with temples. The AI opponent will go straight for the single unprotected tower and flatten it with an Earthquake, even though it never scouted your base.
Defending against AI cheating[]
The easiest defense against AI cheating is to play custom scenarios in which the AI cheating has been disabled. It may be worth noting however, that the exaggerated AI cheating has seemingly been introduced to offset the generally poor quality of the Empire Earth AI. AI players, who cannot employ aforementioned cheats will be ridiculously easy to beat.
While it is generally extremely hard to with withstand the attacks of AI players, who can build huge armies in mere minutes, there are some options to beat an AI player, for instance in Large Islands Random Map Games.