Complete Espionage Mission Cost Guide

I've just gotten the SDK for BtS and so I want to make some use of it both for me and the community.

I'll post the base code in spoiler tags so people without C++ knowledge don't have to read it and people with it can correct my analysis.

By "You" and "We" I refer to your player.
By the "Enemy" or "Owner" I refer to owner of the city.

I would like to hear your comments.

Spoiler :

bool CvDLLButtonPopup::launchDoEspionageTargetPopup(CvPopup* pPopup, CvPopupInfo &info)
{
CvUnit* pUnit = gDLL->getInterfaceIFace()->getHeadSelectedUnit();
if (NULL == pUnit)
{
return false;
}

CvPlot* pPlot = pUnit->plot();
CvCity* pCity = pPlot->getPlotCity();
PlayerTypes eTargetPlayer = pPlot->getOwnerINLINE();
CvPlayer& kPlayer = GET_PLAYER(GC.getGameINLINE().getActivePlayer());

General Formula:

Mission Cost = BaseMissionCost * MissionCostModifier * Number Of Players In Your Team * 0.01

Spoiler :

int CvPlayer::getEspionageMissionCost(EspionageMissionTypes eMission, PlayerTypes eTargetPlayer, const CvPlot* pPlot, int iExtraData, const CvUnit* pSpyUnit) const
{
int iMissionCost = getEspionageMissionBaseCost(eMission, eTargetPlayer, pPlot, iExtraData, pSpyUnit);

if (-1 == iMissionCost)
{
return -1;
}

iMissionCost *= getEspionageMissionCostModifier(eMission, eTargetPlayer, pPlot, iExtraData, pSpyUnit);
iMissionCost /= 100;

// Multiply cost of mission * number of team members
iMissionCost *= GET_TEAM(getTeam()).getNumMembers();

return max(0, iMissionCost);
}

 

Base mission cost:


All the variables are taken from file CIV4EspionageMissionInfo.xml (as it is in BtS 3.13):

1.Stealing gold:

The amount of gold stolen is = (Target'sTotalGold * iStealTreasuryTypes / 100) * CityPopulation / Target'sTotalPopulation

Note: iStealTreasuryTypes is normally defined as 100

The mission cost is then = iCost * amountOfGoldStolen / 100
Note: iCost is normally defined as 300

Spoiler :

if (kMission.getStealTreasuryTypes() > 0)
{
// Steal Treasury
int iNumTotalGold = (GET_PLAYER(eTargetPlayer).getGold() * kMission.getStealTreasuryTypes()) / 100;

if (NULL != pCity)
{
iNumTotalGold *= pCity->getPopulation();
iNumTotalGold /= max(1, GET_PLAYER(eTargetPlayer).getTotalPopulation());
}

if (iNumTotalGold > 0)
{
iMissionCost = (iBaseMissionCost * iNumTotalGold) / 100;
}
}

2. Steal Tech

Mission Cost = iCost + ((100 + iBuyTechCostFactor) * TechBaseCost) / 100

Note: iCost is normally defined as 0 and iBuyTechCostFactor as 25

Spoiler :

else if (kMission.getBuyTechCostFactor() > 0)
{
// Buy (Steal) Tech
TechTypes eTech = (TechTypes)iExtraData;
int iProdCost = MAX_INT;

if (NO_TECH == eTech)
{
for (int iTech = 0; iTech < GC.getNumTechInfos(); ++iTech)
{
if (canStealTech(eTargetPlayer, (TechTypes)iTech))
{
int iCost = GET_TEAM(getTeam()).getResearchCost((TechTypes)iTech);
if (iCost < iProdCost)
{
iProdCost = iCost;
eTech = (TechTypes)iTech;
}
}
}
}
else
{
iProdCost = GET_TEAM(getTeam()).getResearchCost(eTech);
}

if (NO_TECH != eTech)
{
if (canStealTech(eTargetPlayer, eTech))
{
iMissionCost = iBaseMissionCost + ((100 + kMission.getBuyTechCostFactor()) * iProdCost) / 100;
}
}
}

3. Forment Unhappiness

Mission Cost = (iCost * iHurryConscriptAngerPercent (from CIV4GameSpeedInfo.xml)) / 100

Note: iCost is normally defined as 120

Spoiler :

else if (kMission.getCityUnhappinessCounter() > 0)
{
FAssert(NULL != pCity);
// Cannot make a city unhappy if you've already done it (value is negative when active)
if (NULL != pCity && pCity->getEspionageHappinessCounter() <= 0)
{
iMissionCost = (iBaseMissionCost * GC.getGameSpeedInfo(GC.getGameINLINE().getGameSpeedType()).getHurryConscriptAngerPercent()) / 100;
}
}

4. Poison water

Mission Cost = (iCost * iHurryConscriptAngerPercent (from CIV4GameSpeedInfo.xml)) / 100

Note: iCost is normally defined as 120

Spoiler :

else if (kMission.getCityPoisonWaterCounter() > 0)
{
FAssert(NULL != pCity);
// Cannot poison a city's water supply if it's already poisoned (value is negative when active)
if (NULL != pCity && pCity->getEspionageHealthCounter() <= 0)
{
iMissionCost = (iBaseMissionCost * GC.getGameSpeedInfo(GC.getGameINLINE().getGameSpeedType()).getHurryConscriptAngerPercent()) / 100;
}
}

5. Support city revolt

Mission Cost = iCost

Note: iCost is normally defined as 500

Spoiler :

else if (kMission.getCityRevoltCounter() > 0)
{
FAssert(NULL != pCity);
// Cannot make a city revolt if it's already revolting
if (NULL != pCity && pCity->getOccupationTimer() == 0)
{
iMissionCost = iBaseMissionCost;
}
}

6. Influence civics

Mission Cost = iCost + (iSwitchCivicCostFactor * iAnarchyPercent (from CIV4GameSpeedInfo.xml) / 10000

Note: iCost is normally defined as 0 and iSwitchCivicCostFactor as 60000

Spoiler :

else if (kMission.getSwitchCivicCostFactor() > 0)
{
// Switch Civics
CivicTypes eCivic = (CivicTypes)iExtraData;

if (NO_CIVIC == eCivic)
{
for (int iCivic = 0; iCivic < GC.getNumCivicInfos(); ++iCivic)
{
if (canForceCivics(eTargetPlayer, (CivicTypes)iCivic))
{
eCivic = (CivicTypes)iCivic;
break;
}
}
}

if (NO_CIVIC != eCivic)
{
if (canForceCivics(eTargetPlayer, eCivic))
{
iMissionCost = iBaseMissionCost + (kMission.getSwitchCivicCostFactor() * GC.getGameSpeedInfo(GC.getGameINLINE().getGameSpeedType()).getAnarchyPercent()) / 10000;
}
}
}

7. Influence religion

Mission Cost = iCost + (iSwitchReligionCostFactor* iAnarchyPercent (from CIV4GameSpeedInfo.xml) / 10000

Note: iCost is normally defined as 0 and iSwitchReligionCostFactor as 60000

Spoiler :

else if (kMission.getSwitchReligionCostFactor() > 0)
{
// Switch Religions
ReligionTypes eReligion = (ReligionTypes)iExtraData;

if (NO_RELIGION == eReligion)
{
for (int iReligion = 0; iReligion < GC.getNumReligionInfos(); ++iReligion)
{
if (canForceReligion(eTargetPlayer, (ReligionTypes)iReligion))
{
eReligion = (ReligionTypes)iReligion;
break;
}
}
}

if (NO_RELIGION != eReligion)
{
if (canForceReligion(eTargetPlayer, eReligion))
{
iMissionCost = iBaseMissionCost + (kMission.getSwitchReligionCostFactor() * GC.getGameSpeedInfo(GC.getGameINLINE().getGameSpeedType()).getAnarchyPercent()) / 10000;
}
}
}

8. Destroy Improvement

Mission Cost = iCost * iBuildPercent (from CIV4GameSpeedInfo.xml) * 0.01

Note: iCost is normally defined as 75

Spoiler :

else if (kMission.isDestroyImprovement())
{
if (NULL != pPlot && !pPlot->isCity())
{
if (pPlot->getImprovementType() != NO_IMPROVEMENT || pPlot->getRouteType() != NO_ROUTE)
{
iMissionCost = (iBaseMissionCost * GC.getGameSpeedInfo(GC.getGameINLINE().getGameSpeedType()).getBuildPercent()) / 100;
}
}
}

 

Mission Cost Modifier

1. We start off with the coefficient equal to 100%
2. We add ESPIONAGE_CITY_POP_EACH_MOD * (CityPop - 1)
3. We add ESPIONAGE_CITY_TRADE_ROUTE_MOD if the city has trade routes with us
4. We add ESPIONAGE_CITY_RELIGION_STATE_MOD if the city has our state religion (and the enemy DOESN'T) but we don't have holy city, and ESPIONAGE_CITY_HOLY_CITY_MOD if we have the founding location
5. We multiply by 1 - (YourCultureInTheCity * ESPIONAGE_CULTURE_MULTIPLIER_MOD) / max(1,OwnersCulture + YourCulture)
6. We add the distance modifier
7. We subtract ESPIONAGE_EACH_TURN_UNIT_COST_DECREASE * NumOfStationaryTurns (atm capped at 50)
8. We add (ESPIONAGE_SPENDING_MULTIPLIER * (2 * targetPoints + ourPoints) / max(1,targetPoints + 2 * ourPoints)
9. If the enemy has an active counterespionage mission against us we add 100%

Then we round the value down cutting off all further decimal places.
max(x,y) means the greater of x and y
min(x,y) means the lesser of x and y

NOTES:

Default defines:

ESPIONAGE_CITY_POP_EACH_MOD = 0
ESPIONAGE_CITY_TRADE_ROUTE_MOD = -20
ESPIONAGE_CITY_RELIGION_STATE_MOD = -15
ESPIONAGE_CITY_HOLY_CITY_MOD = -25
ESPIONAGE_CULTURE_MULTIPLIER_MOD = 50
ESPIONAGE_SPENDING_MULTIPLIER = 100
ESPIONAGE_EACH_TURN_UNIT_COST_DECREASE = 10

Spoiler :

CvEspionageMissionInfo& kMission = GC.getEspionageMissionInfo(eMission);
int iModifier = 100;

CvCity* pCity = NULL;
if (NULL != pPlot)
{
pCity = pPlot->getPlotCity();
}

if (NO_PLAYER == eTargetPlayer)
{
eTargetPlayer = getID();
}

if (pCity != NULL && kMission.isTargetsCity())
{
// City Population
iModifier *= 100 + (GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_CITY_POP_EACH_MOD") * (pCity->getPopulation() - 1));
iModifier /= 100;

// Trade Route
if (pCity->isTradeRoute(getID()))
{
iModifier *= 100 + GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_CITY_TRADE_ROUTE_MOD");
iModifier /= 100;
}

ReligionTypes eReligion = getStateReligion();
if (NO_RELIGION != eReligion)
{
int iReligionModifier = 0;

// City has Your State Religion
if (pCity->isHasReligion(eReligion))
{
if (GET_PLAYER(eTargetPlayer).getStateReligion() != eReligion)
{
iReligionModifier += GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_CITY_RELIGION_STATE_MOD");
}

if (hasHolyCity(eReligion))
{
iReligionModifier += GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_CITY_HOLY_CITY_MOD");;
}
}

iModifier *= 100 + iReligionModifier;
iModifier /= 100;

}

// City's culture affects cost
iModifier *= 100 - (pCity->getCultureTimes100(getID()) * GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_CULTURE_MULTIPLIER_MOD")) / max(1, pCity->getCultureTimes100(eTargetPlayer) + pCity->getCultureTimes100(getID()));
iModifier /= 100;

iModifier *= 100 + pCity->getEspionageDefenseModifier();
iModifier /= 100;
}

// Distance mod
if (pPlot != NULL)
{
int iDistance = GC.getMap().maxPlotDistance();

CvCity* pOurCapital = getCapitalCity();
if (NULL != pOurCapital)
{
if (kMission.isSelectPlot() || kMission.isTargetsCity())
{
iDistance = plotDistance(pOurCapital->getX_INLINE(), pOurCapital->getY_INLINE(), pPlot->getX_INLINE(), pPlot->getY_INLINE());
}
else
{
CvCity* pTheirCapital = GET_PLAYER(eTargetPlayer).getCapitalCity();
if (NULL != pTheirCapital)
{
iDistance = plotDistance(pOurCapital->getX_INLINE(), pOurCapital->getY_INLINE(), pTheirCapital->getX_INLINE(), pTheirCapital->getY_INLINE());
}
}
}

iModifier *= (iDistance + GC.getMapINLINE().maxPlotDistance()) * GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_DISTANCE_MULTIPLIER_MOD") / GC.getMapINLINE().maxPlotDistance();
iModifier /= 100;
}

// Spy presence mission cost alteration
if (NULL != pSpyUnit)
{
iModifier *= 100 - (pSpyUnit->getFortifyTurns() * GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_EACH_TURN_UNIT_COST_DECREASE"));
iModifier /= 100;
}

// My points VS. Your points to mod cost
int iTargetPoints = GET_TEAM(GET_PLAYER(eTargetPlayer).getTeam()).getEspionagePointsEver();
int iOurPoints = GET_TEAM(getTeam()).getEspionagePointsEver();
iModifier *= (GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_SPENDING_MULTIPLIER") * (2 * iTargetPoints + iOurPoints)) / max(1, iTargetPoints + 2 * iOurPoints);
iModifier /= 100;

// Counterespionage Mission Mod
CvTeam& kTargetTeam = GET_TEAM(GET_PLAYER(eTargetPlayer).getTeam());
if (kTargetTeam.getCounterespionageModAgainstTeam(getTeam()) > 0)
{
iModifier *= kTargetTeam.getCounterespionageModAgainstTeam(getTeam());
iModifier /= 100;
}

return iModifier;

 

City Infiltration Mission

The thing is extremely simple and is CONSTANT for all civilizations on any given map. It only depends on speed.

PointsGenerated = iEspionagePoints * iUnitGreatWorkPercent * 0.01

iEspionagePoints from CIV4UnitInfos.xml is 3000 by default
iUnitGreatWorkPercent is from CIV4GameSpeedInfo.xml

This yields us following results for game speeds:

Quick: 0.67 * 3000 = 2010
Normal: 1.0 * 3000 = 3000
Epic: 1.5 * 3000 = 4500
Marathon: 3.0 * 3000 = 9000

 

Steal Tech vs Research

This is exactly related to tech stealing costs, so I'll make a comparison.

Before we start, I must say that while research (at a healthy rate) is possible both by cottages and specialists, espionage can't have unlimited spies assigned and as such is forced to be generated by cottages.

It also wouldn't hurt the guide if I posted a list of buildings enhancing both (Multiplier buildings):

Note: UB are not taken into account

1.Comparison of multplier buildings

Summary: Science Wins

Science:

• Academy (+50%) - Can only be built by a Great Scientist
• Monasteries (+10% each) (Meditation) - Requires religion, so I'll count only one per city
• Laboratory (+25%) (Superconductors)
• Library (+25%) (Writing)
• Observatory (+25%) (Astronomy)
• University (+25%) (Education)
• Oxford University (+100%) (Education) - Requires 3 Universities, National Wonder

Sums up to 260%, but with all religions can be made 300%, 2.6 per 1 is not bad.

Espionage:

• Castle (25%) (Engineering)
• Intelligence Agency (+50%) (Communism)
• Scotland Yard (+100%) - Can only be built by a great spy
• Jail (+50%) (Constitution)

Sums up to 225%, still not so bad even when compared to science's 260%.

Given these values, we can make a simple simulation, here shown results for numbers 1 - 30.

Spoiler :

Commerce: 1,Espionage: 2,Science: 2
Commerce: 2,Espionage: 4,Science: 5
Commerce: 3,Espionage: 6,Science: 7
Commerce: 4,Espionage: 9,Science: 10
Commerce: 5,Espionage: 11,Science: 13
Commerce: 6,Espionage: 13,Science: 15
Commerce: 7,Espionage: 15,Science: 18
Commerce: 8,Espionage: 18,Science: 20
Commerce: 9,Espionage: 20,Science: 23
Commerce: 10,Espionage: 22,Science: 26
Commerce: 11,Espionage: 24,Science: 28
Commerce: 12,Espionage: 27,Science: 31
Commerce: 13,Espionage: 29,Science: 33
Commerce: 14,Espionage: 31,Science: 36
Commerce: 15,Espionage: 33,Science: 39
Commerce: 16,Espionage: 36,Science: 41
Commerce: 17,Espionage: 38,Science: 44
Commerce: 18,Espionage: 40,Science: 46
Commerce: 19,Espionage: 42,Science: 49
Commerce: 20,Espionage: 45,Science: 52
Commerce: 21,Espionage: 47,Science: 54
Commerce: 22,Espionage: 49,Science: 57
Commerce: 23,Espionage: 51,Science: 59
Commerce: 24,Espionage: 54,Science: 62
Commerce: 25,Espionage: 56,Science: 65
Commerce: 26,Espionage: 58,Science: 67
Commerce: 27,Espionage: 60,Science: 70
Commerce: 28,Espionage: 63,Science: 72
Commerce: 29,Espionage: 65,Science: 75
Commerce: 30,Espionage: 67,Science: 78

This can easily lead to a conclusion that SCE is more powerful as it generates more from than ECE .
I, however, want to make sure it's as optimal as it seems.

2. Comparison of usage


Science:

While bonuses that apply to research seem quite straightforward (according to this thread.

These are (+30% * numberOfPlayersThatKnowTheTech/numbersOfPlayersWhoStartedTheMap), so max 30%, and +20% per each additional prerequisite met (max 40%). This is multiplicative with beakers, so it adds a coefficient of 1.7 (note that this is the VERY BEST possible one) in front of raw .

This means that the minimal time of completion is:

t = baseTechCost / (4.42 * baseCommerce)

This is a total of 442% boost, this is huge.
They don't apply to base tech cost, and so are not beneficial for EE.

Espionage:

We also assume the very best possible circumstances, still they are much easier to encounter than the science ones.

I'll assume a near city, with 20% distance penalty.
We have trade routes with it, it has our state religion we founded, our spy's been standing there for 5 turns. I don't consider the espionage spending bonus, however.

100% + 20% - 20% - 25% - 50% = 25%
25% = 1/4

Therefore, we get 1/1/4 percentage bonus, which is equal to 400%.

The time needed to generate the points therefore is

t = baseTechCost / (9 * baseCommerce)

Seems good? Hell yeah!

The time is 2.0362 times shorter than if we wanted to research it manually.

3.Example and conclusion

Say we want to research (or steal) advanced flight. Our city (either research or espionage) produces 30 raw per turn. The numbers are of course not realistic but I want to show the concept.

researchTime = 5000 / (4.42 * 30) = 37.70, which in civ terms is 38 turns
espionageTime = 5000 / (9 * 30) = 18.51 => 19 turns

Our gain by stealing the tech is immense. We also have to remember that the expionage points can get +25% civic boost (nationhood), while research only +10% (free religion).

This however is not as great as it seems (slightly less ). It is very problematic for techs you have to be the first to research in order to get additional benefits (religious techs,physics,economics,liberalism,fission,...) as tech can only be stolen when it's arleady complete and partial progress can't be acquired with espionage economy. It also yields problems with techs out of AI's research path. Additionally, a super science city can easily be transformed from a specialist economy to cottage one (well, 50 turns), while the espionage one has to start cottaged.

It is, however synergistic with intensive tech brokering. And last, but not least, there is deficit espionage, which is more optimal than the deficit research, as average science boost per a building is 37.14%, while average espionage booster is as much as 56.25%. Unfortunately, the very first EE building (except courthouse which I don't take in account as it's not a multiplier) comes in the medieval era.

I hope that this analysis has provided you enough insight in espionage vs research that you at least try to play using it and post your results.

 

Reserved for further use

 

i can't read code so i don't know how to show you where it is, but i know it's there somewhere. you get -25 for having the holy city of your state religion if the religion is present in the target's city no matter what his state religion is. but the -15 (ESPIONAGE_CITY_RELIGION_STATE_MOD) applies only if your state religion is not his state religion.

sometimes if they change to my SR that's enough for me to lose "investigate city" everywhere, wah. if i have cristo, i change to FR, swap them to that, and then swap back to my SR so i can watch them again .

thanks for the list

 

Which is of course correct, as

Code:

ReligionTypes eReligion = getStateReligion();
if (NO_RELIGION != eReligion)
{
int iReligionModifier = 0;

// City has Your State Religion
if (pCity->isHasReligion(eReligion))
{
if (GET_PLAYER(eTargetPlayer).getStateReligion() != eReligion)
{
iReligionModifier += GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_CITY_RELIGION_STATE_MOD ");
}

iReligionModifier += GC.getDefineINT("ESPIONAGE_CITY_RELIGION_STATE_MOD "); which is our bonus, only applies what enemy's state religion != (not equal to) our state religion, however the city has to have our state religion spread inside. Thanks for bringing it to attention.

 

Thank you so much for this article.

 

Bump, new analysis added.

 

One more thing favors SCE - tech stealing mission can fail!

 

I have a question about the spread culture mission. What are its effects?
It says in the game that I spread 5% culture. However after succesfully completing the mission in one of my enemys cities, nothing has visibly changed. The culture percentages remain the same. Is this mission broken, or am I doing something wrong here?

 

Yes true, but as far as I can say (that is without code analasys), it seems to methat a failed mission daes not cost EP, just the hammer to build the spy.

I will be verry happy if somebody could confirm this.

 

@Wilhelmus:

It says +5 afaik, not 5% .

@Kaliméro:

Idd, failed mission doesn't cost you EPs.

 

I am just learning the espionage system, but when experimenting with spread culture option I noticed that it was something like +27 and it said something like 5% my Greek population was added to his Russian population.

My cultural border was starting to wrap around his city and I was trying to start a riot so he would give me the city for free. I guess I experimented too much and he declared war on me - lol.

anyway, the big benefit was that when I captured the city during war that it only had like 3 turns of revolt instead of the normal 6 or more turns of revolt.

later in the game I tried this method again, but was unable to spread culture for some reason. Maybe because I wasn't using the Espionage regularly and my opponent probably was? or maybe some features are replaced/outdated with new techs?

Thanks for the very informative article
-=Mark=-

 

I also tried to spread culture to my neighbor city and it was something like +1000, while that city had about 900/5000. Unfortunately I spent too many points on that mission and it became not enough to Investigate it any more. But a couple of turn later I again checked that city and it was about 950/5000. So, my mission WAS succesful, my spy WASN'T caught but culture DIDN'T get spread!!! In a little bit I tried the same again, and I was spreading about +600 culture pints and again the same story...
Can anyone explain me what did I do wrong and how to fix it?
Thanks.

 

The Nationalism civic adds another 25%

 

very, very, very good article, but you have to explain to me in more detail how you get the commerce multiplier for science and espionage. For example, I understand 442% comes from 262% from buildings + 170% from tech getting cheaper, but how do you get the 900% for espionage multiplier. I just don't get the math.... Can you make that manual research vs. espionage analysis clearer and more explanatory plz, because it is the most important part of your article. You get my 5 stars now, but make that part more readable plz.

 

hmm, I got it now, buildings give 225% espionage points production, but the -75% espionage mission reduction cost is not added to 225%. It makes the 225% bonus 4 times stronger due to the reduction of the mission cost. Hence 900%. Beautiful math there... Still make that part of the article more readable =) numbers come out of nowhere...

In the early game, when most of your cities have libraries, you seem to only get 170%+25%=195% bonus to science as well or even less.

Espionage however can get -75% mission cost reduction (effectively 400% more espionage points) pretty early and it does not seem to depend much on the buildings you got...

However, espionage won't have much building multipliers until Medieval age. And even then, it is rather rare to build castles.

Still.... 195% science bonus vs. 400% in the early game.... Espionage is pretty strong then... much stronger than I expected... Courthouses also give very strong espionage points 4 per turn... Definitely gonna try some heavy warmongering, followed by hybrid espionage economy...

 

"2. Steal Tech

Mission Cost = iCost + ((100 + iBuyTechCostFactor) * TechBaseCost) / 100

Note: iCost is normally defined as 0 and iBuyTechCostFactor as 25"

Are you taking this +25% into account when adjusting for the mission cost in your examples? I don't see it being included.