Long pause between months

[jeffryfisher]

I've begun to notice some long pauses (5+ seconds) between months. At first I thought that my event-heavy scenario was becoming a problem. However, the pauses weren't happening every month.

Then I noticed that many a pause would end with a new crimson scar appearing on the mini-map like a sabre wound. Apparently, when the map is crowded, the AI build-search routine can take a long time. It can also fail, meaning that an AI company is left wanting to try again the next month too.

The AI in my current game has built some bizzaro stuff, like building into my track at one point and then out again 20+ cells away. It has also sent trains into some of my stations to suck out the cargo. Fortunately, most of its miscegenation leaves its trains caught like flies in amber on congested mainlines.