AI cheats?

[PTTG]

I started up the first skirmish map... binaries or whatever. I start by building a bunch of basic trees, since it's a good world and I need whatever seedlings I can get. I still have a few more seedlings and I send them out one by one to the nearby worlds. It has been a few seconds since the map begain.

All of the adjacent planets are red, with heavy development.

Look, I know I'm not great, but can the AI really legitimately own five worlds on the opposite side of the map in less than thirty seconds?

Is it even remotely possible to win Skirmish maps at this point?

[Vanger]

Yes, it can. When these asteroids are given to it at start.

Who said that you are in equal positions? AI is disadvantaged - it's not as smart as you.

[Mr Frank]

It sucks when they turn up right next to you, though.  The other thing is when fifty wild seedlings pwn you out of nowhere right at the start.  By the way, is the AI still random, or has there been some work on it?  I have Eufloria, but can't really play it because I have an Intel onboard graphic chipset.