Cannot perform espionage?
- Thread starter Buraque
- Start date
Welcome to the forums!
A spy has to begin its turn in the space where you want to perform an espionage mission. Just as you can't airlift a unit that has moved. You have to wait until next turn, when the unit has started in the space where you want to spy or airlift.
Note that a spy gets a discount for spending more than one turn in the same place. So if you let the spy sit in a city for two or more turns, the cost of the missions goes down by 10% for each turn it is stationary, up to a max of 50% discount.
A spy has to begin its turn in the space where you want to perform an espionage mission. Just as you can't airlift a unit that has moved. You have to wait until next turn, when the unit has started in the space where you want to spy or airlift.
Note that a spy gets a discount for spending more than one turn in the same place. So if you let the spy sit in a city for two or more turns, the cost of the missions goes down by 10% for each turn it is stationary, up to a max of 50% discount.
She should not have to sleep for a few turns, as long as she begins the turn "green" as in hasn't moved at all that turn:
This spy started her turn in the city and can perform missions:
See how the dots at her feet are green?
This spy has moved, and so can't perform missions this turn. Note the yellow dots at her feet:
This spy started her turn in the city and can perform missions:
See how the dots at her feet are green?
This spy has moved, and so can't perform missions this turn. Note the yellow dots at her feet:
Still_Asleep
Warlord
If you told your spy to go to a city, he will be highlighted once he is there if he has movement points left. If he used roads or railroads he might still have 1/3 or 2/3 left, so he could still move, therefore gets highlighted. But he needs to have the full movement point to perform a spy-mission ---> wait 1 turn. If you wait more than one turn, you will see how all possible spymissions get cheaper. However, every round of sitting in an opponents city implies the risk of getting caught (getting sent home and a -1 modifier in the diplomatic relationship with the cities owner).
Good luck with your infiltration
Supr49er
2011 Thunderfall Cup
However, the cost of the espionage mission goes down for every turn she can stay in the city (for maximum of 5 turns).
Welcome to the forums.
Bushface
Deity
Dare I suggest that this depends on what kind of performance you are hoping for ?
I learn something new every day. I wasn't aware there was a time limit.
Supr49er
2011 Thunderfall Cup
You can leave your spy there >5 turns, but you get no further espionage mission discount. Also, the longer she sits in the AI city, the greater the chance she gets caught.
Now that I was aware of. I've been leaving my spies in cities for much longer than 5 turns hoping to bring the cost down as much as possible, but it usually means I forget about them and they get caught. I'll have to keep a closer eye on the time limit I guess.
pxpdoo
Ninja Burger Fry Cook
Excellent detail, Dubai.
Der Schloss
Chieftain
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2007
- Messages
- 58
An interesting incident happened when I tried to use spies.
I had a spy in Instanbul, capital of Ottoman Emp, and I moved a second spy into the city planning to destroy the UN when it was built. The next turn I activated the first spy and succeeded in a couterespionage mission. The next turn, the just moved spy was caught.
Am I to assume that couterespionage only affects the spy's homeland?
Also, there were no Wonders available to destroy so I assume they are indestructable.
So, from having 3 out of 4 spies caught, I assume that Suleiman is pumping a lot of EPs and building Security Buildings and Intelligence Agencies, but the latter two weren't in the list of buildings that the spy could destroy.
There should be more documentation about spies somewhere, eh?
I had a spy in Instanbul, capital of Ottoman Emp, and I moved a second spy into the city planning to destroy the UN when it was built. The next turn I activated the first spy and succeeded in a couterespionage mission. The next turn, the just moved spy was caught.
Am I to assume that couterespionage only affects the spy's homeland?
Also, there were no Wonders available to destroy so I assume they are indestructable.
So, from having 3 out of 4 spies caught, I assume that Suleiman is pumping a lot of EPs and building Security Buildings and Intelligence Agencies, but the latter two weren't in the list of buildings that the spy could destroy.
There should be more documentation about spies somewhere, eh?
Catching spies seems to be a "passive" mission, that occurs automatically with no input from the player (or the AI.) Thus, a message will pop up saying "you've caught a spy!" Even though you did nothing specific. Counterespionage raises the cost of active missions, and presumably the listed "passive" missions, but whether it makes catching spies harder is one for the code breakers. I would doubt it.
Traditionally, wonders have been immune to destruction, so just guessing, but I doubt you can destroy them with a spy.
As for the security buildings, they can be expensive to destroy, and so may not show up on the menu if you don't have enough espionage points. I've seen the cost well over 2000 points to destroy the security bureau, with a chance of success below 60%. And that was in a country where I was outspending them on espionage.
You're right, more info on spies would be nice, but there are lots of "undocumented features" in this game....
pxpdoo
Ninja Burger Fry Cook
You know, never tried to destroy a Wonder with a Spy. Suppose it's just my ethics creeping in... 
Bushface
Deity
Spies cannot destroy Wonders, but they can destroy their production - at a frightful cost.
Counterespionage is stated to make enemy missions 200% more expensive, but does not mention whether the threshholds for passive actions are affected: I doubt it. But I would very much like to know the possible costs to the enemy of their efforts against me.
A security bureau in a city gives a 50% increased chance of catching enemy spies there, and perhaps (possibly) in adjacent tiles. A spy unit (not a specialist) in the city reputedly has the same effect; hence, park a spy early, build a Sec.Bu. when you can, then use the spy actively.
Intelligence Agencies, Courthouses and Jails increase EP generation, which affects the costs of both your efforts (cheaper) and the enemy's (dearer); they don't help to catch spies.
As for seeing where your enemy has spy buildings, or indeed whatever buildings he has, get enough EPs against him to reach the "investigate cities" threshhold shown in the Espionage screen and you can open all his city screens at no cost. What he has and what he's doing then lie naked to your probing eyes. Alas, there is no way known to me to determine whether or not he can do the same to me.
Counterespionage is stated to make enemy missions 200% more expensive, but does not mention whether the threshholds for passive actions are affected: I doubt it. But I would very much like to know the possible costs to the enemy of their efforts against me.
A security bureau in a city gives a 50% increased chance of catching enemy spies there, and perhaps (possibly) in adjacent tiles. A spy unit (not a specialist) in the city reputedly has the same effect; hence, park a spy early, build a Sec.Bu. when you can, then use the spy actively.
Intelligence Agencies, Courthouses and Jails increase EP generation, which affects the costs of both your efforts (cheaper) and the enemy's (dearer); they don't help to catch spies.
As for seeing where your enemy has spy buildings, or indeed whatever buildings he has, get enough EPs against him to reach the "investigate cities" threshhold shown in the Espionage screen and you can open all his city screens at no cost. What he has and what he's doing then lie naked to your probing eyes. Alas, there is no way known to me to determine whether or not he can do the same to me.
pxpdoo
Ninja Burger Fry Cook
It very definitely does make catching Spies more easy. The physical handbook that comes with the game refers directly to the non-existant "Kill Spy" and "Spies May Not Enter our Borders" missions; I have noticed, however, that whenever I conduct a "Counterespionage" mission, even against a Vassal of mine, I catch 2-4 Spies the very next turn. They're like cockroaches lol
I suppose they beefed up the counterespionage mission, to make up for the ******-ness...
