(Rising Tide) Affinity Covert Operations

[ShaggyCan]

They have done some games set later-in. Like I realize that when they do those they are highlighting specific things, but I don't recall them ever even mentioning covert ops even once.
I just wonder if anything has changed, if they have integrated the new parts of the game into the old.
For instance, could you affect diplomatic capitol or diplomatic standing using covert ops? (stealing incriminating documents, or getting inside information too 'steal' political capitol) or even affecting the fear/respect scores by succeeding or failing covert ops missions..

 

[Red Menace]

Well, the problem in Singleplayer is simple: No matter how good it is at staggering an enemy, if it doesn't directly benefit YOU, then you've spent your time sabotaging 1 opponent, while (up to) 6 opponents get ahead. You could have just used Siphon Science to ahead yourself.

The only situation where it would be good to sabotage an opponent is when there is one Runaway-Civ that you just can't keep up with - which... generally never happens. And if it happens, then it's doubtful that such an Operation really allows you to make up much ground, given how snowbally the whole game is.

Its still a very cool feature [even better if they had animations] and it has its uses, someone is ahead of you stealing a little bit if science isn't that valuable or you have other agents currently stealing, the AI is supposed to be "improved" [we'll see how much truth there is to that statement] and since Surveillance Webs have been nerfed you can actually use these options, Dirty bomb is especially devastating later taking a 20 city down to 10 you probably wouldn't have time to recover and if you did its probably just about over.

 

[Ryika]

Its still a very cool feature [even better if they had animations] and it has its uses, someone is ahead of you stealing a little bit if science isn't that valuable or you have other agents currently stealing the AI is supposed to be "improved" [we'll see how much truth there is to that statement] and since Surveillance Webs have been nerfed you can actually use these options, Dirty bomb is especially devastating later taking a 20 city down to 10 you probably wouldn't have time to recover and if you did its probably just about over.

Well, still the same questions. When does that ever happen? And does it actually delay the opponent in any meaningful way? The AIs strength comes from having a wide empire, as it's bad at managing improvements, so doing something to a single city is usually not really a big deal. The most effect that it has is probably that it chooses another city to build the victory wonder and is maybe 1-2 turns slower.

They're certainly "cool", but makes the fact that they're useless in 99.2% of all cases even worse. Given that they're the second-most difficult Covert Ops one could easily make it so the player gets a direct bonus on top of the current effect.

 

[Red Menace]

Well, still the same questions. When does that ever happen? And does it actually delay the opponent in any meaningful way? The AIs strength comes from having a wide empire, as it's bad at managing improvements, so doing something to a single city is usually not really a big deal. The most effect that it has is probably that it chooses another city to build the victory wonder and is maybe 1-2 turns slower.

They're certainly "cool", but makes the fact that they're useless in 99.2% of all cases even worse. Given that they're the second-most difficult Covert Ops one could easily make it so the player gets a direct bonus on top of the current effect.

well what you're saying is true for BE, I'm saying in Rising Tide they should have much more utility. of course we don't know for sure if this will be the case, we do know they at least will be accessible and if [this is a BIG if] if they manage to get the AI right this time [not likely] so its competent it would be more useful. but everything I'm saying is based on maybes. I'm not naïve I know that the chances of this happening are LOW.

I'm not arguing everything, you said is 100% true. I'm saying that it should be more useful in RT. and yes you could say the same about a lot of things but this is about affinity covert ops.

I think it would delay the AI more than just 1-2 turns after all it is very bad at managing anything and most non-capital AI cities are trash.

 

[Veras]

In the Quill play, he reached level 10 Harmony and the name of the covert operation was Colossus Strike Operation. So instead of just leashing siege worms, now Harmony leashes worms, krakens and makaras?

 

[GenEngineer]

@ Veras - that seems to be the case. It makes sense - no sense trying to call in a worm strike on an ocean city.

 

[Veras]

Yep, that's it

Spoiler :

Also there's a new operation called Propaganda Campaign to gain diplo capital.

 

[Ryika]

Yep, that's it

Spoiler :

Also there's a new operation called Propaganda Campaign to gain diplo capital.

Propaganda is probably the new Diplomatic Capital Operation.

And hey, those are some great odds there. I would totally send my agent on that mission.
I wonder if the odds would be better if the Intrigue Requirement was met.

 

[GenEngineer]

Propaganda is probably the new Diplomatic Capital Operation.

And hey, those are some great odds there. I would totally send my agent on that mission.
I wonder if the odds would be better if the Intrigue Requirement was met.

Nope. Judging from Quill's Chongsu LP, the odds stay fairly low, even with a ton of agents in the HQ. Granted, there's no way of knowing if there's a counter agent present.

 

[Veras]

Well, in Le Coeur the chances of success are pretty good

Spoiler :

 

[GenEngineer]

Well, in Le Coeur the chances of success are pretty good

Spoiler :

We were referring to the higher level stuff It is nice to see that the Diplo theft mission has decent odds - the potentially to go crazy amassing diplo points is intriguing. Does anyone know if you can get the same agreement twice from 2 different people? IE 2 copies of the 'culture for strategic resources' agreement? Cause that could get insane.

 

[Veras]

The higher ones had also decent chances, like 30% for coups. But, as I said, Le Coeur probably had lots of intrigue and no counter agents

 

[GenEngineer]

We might have different opinions on decent then - 30% is good for the value, but if the survival rate is only about 20%, it's not really safe to try it more than maybe twice.