My question is quite simple. When an allied player drops and you have the AI to work with, why is it when you try and send part of its fleet (from 1 planet) to attack or defend somewhere......it sends the ENTIRE fleet from around the map? Is there a way to avoid this?

For example: On a large map, the AI has many planets and a few small fleets, 1 close to the target and others far away. I only instruct the fleet close to the target to attack. It reacts by preparing to jump but wont actually make the jump until it's other fleets come from all over the map to jump with them. Therefore the fleet you needed help from take FOREVER to make the jump and is almost always too late.

Is this a major flaw in AI control or is there a way to get around it?