I would like to see Espionage enhanced! It would be a great way to increase the interest level of late game, and perhaps even reel in a runaway leader.
Why not randomly select from a pool a somewhat Civ generic face to go along with their randomly selected name! The idea is to create Espionage units that are unique, that you may get attached to as you customize them towards the role you want them to play.
Espionage units would have their own Skill Tree, with 3 different branches. Realistically, all three branches could not be completed, so a player would be forced to customize his Espionage units towards a certain aim.
New Buildings, Wonders, Civics, Leader or Civ abilities could grant certain promotions automatically. Once an ability has been unlocked, the corresponding mission would become an option for that unit. Some bonuses are passive and apply to whatever city or Civ the Espionage unit is assigned to.
Units acquire experience per turn from being assigned on missions or to a city, with a boost at the end, if a mission is successful.
Here are some ideas i have thought up!
Two branches of Espionage
1. Diplomats - A visible unit that can be posted in Your Own City, another Civ's city or City State. Expelled from an opponent's City after a Casus Belli declaration of war. May be killed by opponent if a Surprise war is declared.
Base Missions - Can found an Embassy, if accepted by Civ (Not consumed)
- Increases relations between the two Civs,
- Grows a visibility network (reveals fog of war, production etc) that begins small and increases its radius and detail the longer the diplomat stays in place. Remains after he moves on for the amount of turns it took to grow.
- Increases Envoy number in a City State
- Chance to reveal a Spy who is on a mission in his city.
Skill Tree:
1. Diplomacy - Lvl1 - Double positive relations boost with assigned Civ
Lvl2 - Increase Envoy Bonus to City State assigned to (from 1 to 2)
Lvl3 - Assign to World Congress for an extra Vote point
Lvl4 - Negotiate Cease Fire - If sent to capital of Civ at war with (for 2 turns, + cooldown time)
Lvl5 - Can negotiate the release of a Captured Spy
2. Networking - Lvl1 - Reveal Fog of War, City details, at double rate
Lvl2 - Trade Negotiations (+5 gold per trade route to this Civ)
Lvl3 - Network remains permanently after Diplomat moves on, after reaching certain level
Lvl4 - Double Strategic Resource traded from assigned Civ
Lvl5 - Escape Route - Increases chance of a Spy escaping a failed mission against his Civ.
3. Intelligence - Lvl1 - Doubles chance of locating Spy in his city
Lvl2 - Gathers dossier on Civ's Espionage units & abilities, low level first, higher over time
Lvl3 - Trainer (If assigned to Espionage HQ, Boosts all diplomats experience rate)
Lvl4 - May Evict another Civ's Diplomat during Peacetime
Lvl5 - May locate a spy within 8 tiles of his location
2. Spy - The Spy is an invisible unit, obviously focused on actively damaging your opponents. They master the dark arts of stealing, killing and sabotage. They will become visible if discovered by a Diplomat or another Spy, until the completion of their mission. At this time they are highly susceptible to counter espionage! They would have one possible mission for each skill branch unlocked initially.
Base Missions - Assassination - Target a diplomat or spy.(May be wounded or killed if successful)
- Theft - Steal gold from another Civ
- Sabotage - Damage a building
Skill Tree:
1. Assassin - Lvl1 - Double chance of assassination success
- Lvl2 - Wounded victims take twice as long to return to action
- Lvl3 - May target Governors (Wound only)
- Lvl4 - Chance to instead kill other Spies who have targeted him
- Lvl5 - Triples chance of assassination success
2. Thief - Lvl1 - Doubles chance of theft success
- Lvl2 - Steal 50% more gold
- Lvl3 - May steal Great Works
- Lvl4 - May steal Technologies
- Lvl5 - May steal Nuclear weapon
3. Saboteur - Lvl1 - Double chance of sabotage success
- Lvl2 - May target Districts
- Lvl3 - May Target Bridges, Tunnels & Canals
- Lvl4 - May Rig City State elections (Remove 2 Envoys from current leader)
- Lvl5 - Plant Nuclear device
I am sure there are plenty of other good ideas about missions that wold work just as well, or far better.
To complete my idea, i think once Espionage is unlocked, there should be a slider that allows you to decide how much of your surplus money should be invested in this field. The more spent, the cheaper these units should be. Also (Like Civ IV i think), that money should be able to be focused towards whichever Civs you see as potential threats. Out spending your enemies 100 to 200 should give you a 50% boost to success rates, slow down mission times etc.
All of this could be effected with Policy cards quite easily.
Why not randomly select from a pool a somewhat Civ generic face to go along with their randomly selected name! The idea is to create Espionage units that are unique, that you may get attached to as you customize them towards the role you want them to play.
Espionage units would have their own Skill Tree, with 3 different branches. Realistically, all three branches could not be completed, so a player would be forced to customize his Espionage units towards a certain aim.
New Buildings, Wonders, Civics, Leader or Civ abilities could grant certain promotions automatically. Once an ability has been unlocked, the corresponding mission would become an option for that unit. Some bonuses are passive and apply to whatever city or Civ the Espionage unit is assigned to.
Units acquire experience per turn from being assigned on missions or to a city, with a boost at the end, if a mission is successful.
Here are some ideas i have thought up!
Two branches of Espionage
1. Diplomats - A visible unit that can be posted in Your Own City, another Civ's city or City State. Expelled from an opponent's City after a Casus Belli declaration of war. May be killed by opponent if a Surprise war is declared.
Base Missions - Can found an Embassy, if accepted by Civ (Not consumed)
- Increases relations between the two Civs,
- Grows a visibility network (reveals fog of war, production etc) that begins small and increases its radius and detail the longer the diplomat stays in place. Remains after he moves on for the amount of turns it took to grow.
- Increases Envoy number in a City State
- Chance to reveal a Spy who is on a mission in his city.
Skill Tree:
1. Diplomacy - Lvl1 - Double positive relations boost with assigned Civ
Lvl2 - Increase Envoy Bonus to City State assigned to (from 1 to 2)
Lvl3 - Assign to World Congress for an extra Vote point
Lvl4 - Negotiate Cease Fire - If sent to capital of Civ at war with (for 2 turns, + cooldown time)
Lvl5 - Can negotiate the release of a Captured Spy
2. Networking - Lvl1 - Reveal Fog of War, City details, at double rate
Lvl2 - Trade Negotiations (+5 gold per trade route to this Civ)
Lvl3 - Network remains permanently after Diplomat moves on, after reaching certain level
Lvl4 - Double Strategic Resource traded from assigned Civ
Lvl5 - Escape Route - Increases chance of a Spy escaping a failed mission against his Civ.
3. Intelligence - Lvl1 - Doubles chance of locating Spy in his city
Lvl2 - Gathers dossier on Civ's Espionage units & abilities, low level first, higher over time
Lvl3 - Trainer (If assigned to Espionage HQ, Boosts all diplomats experience rate)
Lvl4 - May Evict another Civ's Diplomat during Peacetime
Lvl5 - May locate a spy within 8 tiles of his location
2. Spy - The Spy is an invisible unit, obviously focused on actively damaging your opponents. They master the dark arts of stealing, killing and sabotage. They will become visible if discovered by a Diplomat or another Spy, until the completion of their mission. At this time they are highly susceptible to counter espionage! They would have one possible mission for each skill branch unlocked initially.
Base Missions - Assassination - Target a diplomat or spy.(May be wounded or killed if successful)
- Theft - Steal gold from another Civ
- Sabotage - Damage a building
Skill Tree:
1. Assassin - Lvl1 - Double chance of assassination success
- Lvl2 - Wounded victims take twice as long to return to action
- Lvl3 - May target Governors (Wound only)
- Lvl4 - Chance to instead kill other Spies who have targeted him
- Lvl5 - Triples chance of assassination success
2. Thief - Lvl1 - Doubles chance of theft success
- Lvl2 - Steal 50% more gold
- Lvl3 - May steal Great Works
- Lvl4 - May steal Technologies
- Lvl5 - May steal Nuclear weapon
3. Saboteur - Lvl1 - Double chance of sabotage success
- Lvl2 - May target Districts
- Lvl3 - May Target Bridges, Tunnels & Canals
- Lvl4 - May Rig City State elections (Remove 2 Envoys from current leader)
- Lvl5 - Plant Nuclear device
I am sure there are plenty of other good ideas about missions that wold work just as well, or far better.
To complete my idea, i think once Espionage is unlocked, there should be a slider that allows you to decide how much of your surplus money should be invested in this field. The more spent, the cheaper these units should be. Also (Like Civ IV i think), that money should be able to be focused towards whichever Civs you see as potential threats. Out spending your enemies 100 to 200 should give you a 50% boost to success rates, slow down mission times etc.
All of this could be effected with Policy cards quite easily.
