I just played "Dread Lords on Parade" for the first time since installing Beta 4. You guys made them smarter, didn't you?
That's my favorite scenario, so I've played it many times. Assuming I survive at all, it's because I build missile heavy fighters and beat them with numbers.
Last night I tried that and started winning just like usual. I got to the point that I was blockading Amalda and destroying any ship leaving the planet. I was just waiting for a constructor to arrive so I could reach the planet (it was *just* out of range of the fighters) before I invaded.
Then, all of a sudden, I jumped on one of their escort fighters that had just launched and this thing had Aeron point defense. That little SOB slaughtered all seven fighters and I didn't get in a single shot. Then more ships launched and they ALL had point defense.
They chased me all the way back to my shipyard planet and I had to throw away fifteen fleets in a mass attack to keep from getting invaded. Then I had to switch gears and start researching beam weapons, because nearly all their newer ships had point defense.
They've NEVER done that before. Maybe they'll put an invulnerability field on their defenders, but that's it. I was only playing at "Normal", not any of the higher levels. I got to say, that was a NASTY surprise.