Question about AI Re-spawning
In OpenTTD 15 do AI opponents re-spawn after going bankrupt or after a hostile takeover?
AI Overview
Yes, AI opponents can re-spawn as new companies after going bankrupt, but they do not automatically re-spawn if you eliminate them via a Hostile Takeover.
Here is how company elimination and re-spawning operates:
Bankruptcy
If an AI company goes bankrupt, all of its infrastructure is wiped, and the slot for that competitor becomes available again. After a designated waiting period (which varies based on your settings), a new random AI or script will be assigned to that vacant company slot. [1]
Hostile Takeover
If you use the Hostile Takeover feature to purchase an AI company, it is immediately absorbed into your own transport empire. Because the AI company was technically purchased rather than destroyed by debt, it does not leave a vacant slot for a new AI to take over. [2]
If you are dealing with defunct or noncompetitive AI and want to prevent them from returning, you must manually adjust the AI parameters or reduce the maximum number of active competitors in your AI Settings to free up the slot without a re-spawn. [3]