Convinced.
So I am convinced that the game, much like how the phone any electronic device picks up what you're saying or clicking on, sees what you potentially have planned and does everything to ruin that attempt.
I played England, with the sole intent to finally play a colonization focused game. I even gave France the mainland with a bow and didn't bother with allies. And despite Europe getting steam rolled by which ever new power was in fashion, Spain and Portugal SWALLOWED the New World, even faster than I've ever seen them do. I had Friesland competing for land in Africa, I had Russia in Canada, and then I had the Ottomans in the Molluccas. Lol, while I enjoyed the absurdity of it all, I'm pretty sure its because I was checking out the colonization based achievements and strats. Anywho.
Time to see if I can do another achievement and see how the AI is gonna play with that.