Territorial Objectives....

[Maximus Lazero]

My current campaign as the Bactrians has given me an interesting question: do the factions follow their own territorial goals? For instance, will they attempt to capture the settlements detailed in their objectives (for example, the Bactrians must capture the captials/important cities of Parthia, the Seleucid Empire, the Ptolemaic Empire, Pontus, Macedonia and Rome). Or, do they have their own plans, detailed in their AI?
My main hint of this are the Egyptians. When I played through as Rome, Egypt and the Seleucids were in a constant battle for the lands between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean. When I overran Anatolia and Mesopotamia, Egypt immediately attacked me when I took the settlements in that region that had belonged to the Seleucids.
Now, in my current campaign, I've been in a long war with the Seleucis. I'm barely holding on with my economy, but I've pushed as far west as Syria atm. Unfortunately, my plans were interrupted by the Seleucid's ally, the Armenians (I suspect that, considering how long I've shared a border with them, it only took them that long because they had armies trying to finish off the Sarmatians). That's bad enough...then I captured Doura Europous, completeling my conquest of Mesopotamia.
The Egyptians, my allies, had for some time been pwning the Seleucids. I believe they were even conquering them faster than I was. Then, for no apparent reason, they stopped. They had huge armies in Anatolia and Phoencia, and they weren't using them. Not to attack Arabia (which the Seleucids held in force with 3 medium armies nearby, so I decided to simply bypass it), even. That alone made me suspicious.
Up until my capture of Doura Europous, I had shared a border with Egypt via Syria, but that border was there simply because it extended slightly over a river. As soon as I captured that territory, I saw 3 armies headed straight for the city. Next turn, it comes under siege. >_<

So, again my question: does this have something to do with an AI program, where, once they capture certain territories, they'll stop, at least against a certain faction? It really makes no sense to me, because usually when nations declare war on me while fighting another, they fight both wars. And like I said, Egypt is NOT pursuing their war against the Seleucids OR their new one with the Macedonians, even though they have the resources to do it easily. (their army is now bigger than mine...wich sux for me)

[Pre]

Honestly I don't think the game AI is that detailed. I think its basically hardcoded that the AI dislikes no wars going on at any given point. And it goes out of its way to go to war with human players when they share a comon land border.

[Ares82]

Yeah, I think the only objective the AI has is to stop you from gaining your objective.

[Maximus Lazero]

Probably....Egypt recently got a ceasfire with the Macedonians after doing absolutely nothing...it appears that they've moved nearly their ENTIRE army into the area around Doura Europous. I've pulled back my main armies to guard the passes of the Euphrates River, with a medium sized mercenary force guarding the city itself (I figure it will fall eventually, but until then I may as well give the Egyptians a black eye)
The Egyptians demanded I become their protectorate, but immediately after I accepted, they attacked me again! (this explains why I've seen so many announcements claiming that a faction has become a "client kingdom," but when I look in diplomacy they are at war!)
So, while still at war, both the Seleucids and the Egyptians have abandoned fighting each other and have begun attacking me, although the Seleucids seem to have decided against it....for now.

[The Walrus]

The ai is hardcoded to gang up on the human. They will go for you instead of a weak faction if thet have a border with you most of the time