Boats = safe houses for your spies

[tempuraki]

I didn't see this mentioned before; apparently spies sleeping in boats parked in other civ's city don't get caught, while still enjoy 50% discount after 5 turns. Can anyone confirm this?

In my game last night, I left a spy+caravel in another civ's city and totally forgot about it. He survived almost 2 eras, until I finally remembered and used him on Military Science. So if this is true, then all you need is open boarder and a few boats, and you will not have to worry about your spies getting caught while waiting to make their moves.

 

[r_rolo1]

Not the first time that someone pointed it... a nasty side effect of the 3.13 change that made impossible for spies to get discovered while in boats and forgetting to take the stationary bonus.... IMHO it can be a clear exploit.

 

[Way_Traveler]

In addition, it's been reported that your spies can even sabotage sea-based improvements while in a transport! If that's right, and your enemy's only source of oil is a platform....

 

[Minmaster]

btw, do costs go even lower after 5 turns? sometimes i leave the spies in the enemy cities for a long long time and the costs are more than halved, sometimes a fraction of what it was at first.

 

[Polobo]

No, the 50% reduction is capped. What you are probably experiencing is that the more EP you have relative to your opponent (vis-a-vis and overall production) then cheaper missions against them cost. Over a long period of time, if you are focusing more EP against them than they against you, your costs will decrease for that reason - independent of the stationary bonus.

 

[r_rolo1]

^^-10% per turn with spy unmoved up to max of -50%... it is the basis of the EEs ( it makes cheaper to steal the techs than to self research them... )

 

[ese-aSH]

I didn't see this mentioned before; apparently spies sleeping in boats parked in other civ's city don't get caught, while still enjoy 50% discount after 5 turns. Can anyone confirm this?

In my game last night, I left a spy+caravel in another civ's city and totally forgot about it. He survived almost 2 eras, until I finally remembered and used him on Military Science. So if this is true, then all you need is open boarder and a few boats, and you will not have to worry about your spies getting caught while waiting to make their moves.

with a caravel you dont even need open borders

hmm I'm gonna have a try on a archipelago map

 

[madscientist]

Wow, I never thought of that. definitely try that in my next game.

BTW, seams open borders would be irrelevant as you can sail caravels and spies into AI lands without open borders.

 

[oyzar]

Don't you need to have open borders to sail into cities?

 

[madscientist]

Don't you need to have open borders to sail into cities?

Actually, I am not sure?

 

[lordqarlyn]

I believe even with caravels, you need open borders to enter other civs' cities.

 

[OTAKUjbski]

Don't you need to have open borders to sail into cities?

Actually, I am not sure?

Yes, you do.

But this is still so hack.

EDIT: oops .. crosspost with lordqarlyn.

 

[UncleJJ]

I am happy that spies are not vulnerable to being caught when in a ship and passing through another civs culture but they really should not accumulate the -10% spy bonus in the ship. That seems very dubious. I won't be using this trick, if it is true. When I want to cheat myself that badly using the World Builder is easier.

 

[Way_Traveler]

I am happy that spies are not vulnerable to being caught when in a ship and passing through another civs culture but they really should not accumulate the -10% spy bonus in the ship. That seems very dubious. I won't be using this trick, if it is true. When I want to cheat myself that badly using the World Builder is easier.

Are we sure that the AI doesn't use it? If its aware of the tactic too, then it's an even playing field.