I Spy...

[Lord Kid]

Quick question about espionage. I know that the highest ranked spy sitting in a CS has the best chance at rigging and flipping, but does that also apply to cities?

Recently I had something really weird happen. I was the first to reach Renaissance and so dropped my spy in Babylon. Now I know there was only 1 spy per civ at this point as no one had passed Renaissance. My spy is working on Babylon, when I get a pop up telling me Babylon stole a tech. 2 turns later my spy is killed in Babylon trying to steal a tech.

How is that possible?

 

[Dogmouth]

I don't think you need a spy stationed in your capital to kill an enemy spy.

 

[Lord Kid]

That's interesting because I've never killed a spy without having one stationed in the city. I wonder if that's the case...

 

[dac050]

Hmmm

Turn X, steal technology
Turn X+1, spend traveling back to capital
Turn X+2, get really lucky, catch and kill enemy spy coming out of University bathroom?

 

[Yzman]

You can kill a spy without another spy in the city, its just a low chance I believe.

Hence why you can build buildings to reduce the chance of a successful spy.

 

[PhilBowles]

You can kill a spy without another spy in the city, its just a low chance I believe.

Hence why you can build buildings to reduce the chance of a successful spy.

The buildings just slow the rate of tech steal, which is more important than simply killing spies, since the only value to tech stealing is to try and catch up in tech. The slower techs are stolen, the further ahead the civ you're stealing from will be.

No, I've never encountered a spy being killed without my spy being on guard. If I understand the original question, yes a spy's level determines both his chances of avoiding detection (both in surviving and in not getting a diplo modifier, since he'll count as an "unidentified" spy - in my current game my special agent has stolen three techs from Darius and he hasn't demanded I stop or shown the "Your agent was caught spying" modifier), and his chances of killing an enemy agent if he's engaged in counterintelligence.

 

[Smokeybear]

You can kill a spy without another spy in the city, its just a low chance I believe.

Hence why you can build buildings to reduce the chance of a successful spy.

Without a spy guarding a given city of mine, I have never once killed an enemy spy in that city. The odds must be pretty long indeed. Just building constab and police station has never caught a spy by themselves, for me.

 

[Syntax Error]

Somewhat related: How do spies level up? I notice that it's only through Tech Stealing or Spy Killing and building the NSA. Will your spies level up when you rig enough elections or coup enough CSes?

 

[krc]

Hmmm

Turn X, steal technology and advance a level
Turn X+1, spend traveling back to capital
Turn X+2, get really lucky, catch and kill enemy spy coming out of University bathroom?

Added the boldface -- because of the promotion, if you move the spy back home, then you have a better chance of being lucky....

 

[Peng Qi]

Quick question about espionage. I know that the highest ranked spy sitting in a CS has the best chance at rigging and flipping, but does that also apply to cities?

Recently I had something really weird happen. I was the first to reach Renaissance and so dropped my spy in Babylon. Now I know there was only 1 spy per civ at this point as no one had passed Renaissance. My spy is working on Babylon, when I get a pop up telling me Babylon stole a tech. 2 turns later my spy is killed in Babylon trying to steal a tech.

How is that possible?

Are you sure he didn't pass Renaissance? I often see the science civs rush Industrialization and then go back and pick up Ren techs.

 

[Osamu]

From Maddjinn's info, spy stealing tech will never get killed if there is no spy stationed in that city.

I think dac050 have a correct answer (only reasonable way) especially the University bathroom part

 

[Lord Kid]

Somewhat related: How do spies level up? I notice that it's only through Tech Stealing or Spy Killing and building the NSA. Will your spies level up when you rig enough elections or coup enough CSes?

I've never had a spy level up from rigging or couping. Not saying it isn't int there, but it's never happened for me.

Added the boldface -- because of the promotion, if you move the spy back home, then you have a better chance of being lucky....

That is really just unfortunate luck, but such is the way of Civ 5 I guess. My spies can be on counterintelligence for ages at level 3 and never catch a spy, but let me send in a spy to another civ and all hell breaks loose.

Are you sure he didn't pass Renaissance? I often see the science civs rush Industrialization and then go back and pick up Ren techs.

Yeah, there was no way he could have been in industrial since it was only like 7 turns after I reached Renaissance.

From Maddjinn's info, spy stealing tech will never get killed if there is no spy stationed in that city.

I think dac050 have a correct answer (only reasonable way) especially the University bathroom part

Which really sucks if he got that lucky on me. *sigh*

 

[Jethro31]

Hmmm

Turn X, steal technology
Turn X+1, spend traveling back to capital
Turn X+2, get really lucky, catch and kill enemy spy coming out of University bathroom?

I actually lucked into this before, stole a tech and moved back to capital then killed enemy spy a few rounds later.

I felt like a genius.

 

[Furycrab]

If you spy is caught or not caught is just a % chance calculated as your spy finishes. It's the same for whether or not they become aware of the spy and or aware of where the spy came from.

So the AI just moved it spy back home after they stole it and it lucked out.

I love how they kept espionage from being overbearing or silly, basically how they didn't go crazy to the point where spies single handily win wars... I just hate the RNG, and hate how it can both completely trash an AIs opinion of you, or you can make BFFs just by sharing intrigue with literally no penalty.

 

[Karmah]

Spy level up from catching ennemy spies and stealing techs. Nothing else (except intelligence agency ofc).
you need a spy to catch another spy.
Constable and its upgrade DO NOT increase chances of catching spies , it s only the level of the spies involved that do.
Constable increases the time needed to steal a tech in the city.

It can be a good idea to send your leverl 1 spies to steal a tech before sending them to a CS , they will be more efficient . Otherwise they will be useless level 1 all game long , spending time in the resort hotels of some CS.

This system has an important consecquence at renaissance , if you have enough tech to protect and decided to put your spy in defense , the first attempt to steal a tech from you will be decisive.
If the spy get caught , your spy becomes level 2 and will most probably kill the other attempt coming your way.
On the other hand , if the ennemy spy manages that first steal , he get level 2 and probably will steal quite a bunch of techs before you finally kill him.