I miss the diplomat/spy units!!!!

It's frustrating that I can't bribe another unit anymore... or subvert a city.

::chuckles:: I remember a little "feature" in Civ I that allowed a person to keep an enemy gridlocked by surrounding their city with fortified diplomats. They couldn't do anything until they attacked them, which was a nice tip-off that something potentially nasty was coming!

Has anyone successfully been able to initiate propaganda? Spy on cities has worked for me, learning troop movements has as well, but since I've started playing Civ 3, I have never seen an instance where a propaganda attempt has ever worked. After playing from Chieftan to Monarch levels, I've found that by the time I build the intelligence agency, I've already surpassed most of the other Civilizations Technology wise..... so there's no point in my attempting to steal tech.

Think I'll go get a new bit to champ at now.... Oh to be on the editor Beta team!

I am playing 1.17g (Mac OS 10.1.4). I have embassies and I have the Intelligence Agency, but Cmd-Shift-E doesn't seem to work, only 'E' for basic espionage.

Have I forgotten something? :confused:

Originally posted by Grey Randall


Has anyone successfully been able to initiate propaganda? Spy on cities has worked for me, learning troop movements has as well, but since I've started playing Civ 3, I have never seen an instance where a propaganda attempt has ever worked. After playing from Chieftan to Monarch levels, I've found that by the time I build the intelligence agency, I've already surpassed most of the other Civilizations Technology wise..... so there's no point in my attempting to steal tech.



No,not I. Once every civ has democracy, they immediately become democratic which makes them immune to propaganda. I guess I've never tried it against two warring civs who have changed governments to communism or monarchy.

Originally posted by Jaybe
I am playing 1.17g (Mac OS 10.1.4). I have embassies and I have the Intelligence Agency, but Cmd-Shift-E doesn't seem to work, only 'E' for basic espionage.

Have I forgotten something? :confused:

Are you accessing espionage through the "E" to the right of the lower right interface (shows active unit specs)? Once you access this link, you'll be givin' two options: (1) whether to use your embassy for espionage or (2) to use your spy for espionage. I hope this helps. I've stayed w/ 1.16f for now, but I've not read any bugs concerning espionage.

Thanks dojoboy, but my problem is in PLANTING the spy, not using the spy.

Look at the City Name bar wherever you built the Intelligence Agency..(you did build the Intelligence Agency, didn't you?). Double-click the shield on the right side of the bar, and voila! you can plant spies....or at least attempt to.

Thank you Mav,
BTW, I found that a single-click on your IA icon will do it. I have been soooo frustrated with not being able to use the keyboard to do it. Wanted to attempt to plant a spy well over 20 game-hours ago (still in the same game).

I've had a lot of success with propaganda, under the right conditions. Democracy is a killer, get them before Dem, it also helps to pick weak cities, the small ones that haven't expanded at all beyond the initial small square. It usually takes a few tries, I have never succeeded on the first try, it usually takes 3-5. Also after a couple of successes, (I have no tech data to back this up, but it sure seems to hold true) that civ will make a b-line towards Democracy. But if you are prepared to spend a fair amount of gold, you can target all the cities you want simultaneously and they will all fall within a few turns of each other.

My favorite form of espianage is sabotage production, very consistant results and a little bit goes a long way in giving you a little edge, if you use it as you are preparing to go to war against that civ.

if you want a spy unit they are now working on it in the unit creation forum