Has anyone else noticed that the AI beasts for the most part ignore AI NPCs? I've seen the AI NPCs walk their pioneers right past (or next to) plague beasts and settle a city without getting attacked. I can't walk within two squares of those things or they'll chase me down and kill me. I'm very frustrated with that because the AI seems to be able to spam cities with impunity while I can't get any cities past the first wave of baddies surrounding my starting position because I'm not strong enough to kill or get past them and they always attack me.

My game always amounts to me starting between 1-3 cities of my own then only being able to get more because someone declares war on me and I just take their cities. The AI's seems programmed to initially just spam cities as far and wide as they can (which is fine because I try to do that too) but they have a a distinct advantage doing that because the AI monsters ignore them.