Scotland Yard

[civcivcivciv]

can anyone explain:
Why is Scotland Yard supposed to be related to the creation of spies? (or to Communism for that matter).

 

[Eigenvector]

I can't think of a single reason. If anything the FBI would be a much more appropriate choice - considering J Edgar Hoover's legacy.

 

[Fanaza]

They should of kept it 'Intelligence Agency' and instead made Scotland Yard a world wonder with the ability to put jails in all cities on the same continent.

 

[Aramazd]

Scotland Yard is a British spy organization. I guess they didn't want this game to be so Ameri-centric and KGB probably isn't a good idea.

 

[civcivcivciv]

Scotland Yard is not, and has never been, a "British spy organization".

It is the name given to the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London i.e. the city's regular police force for the civilian public. Scotland Yard and the Metropolitan force were created by Sir Robert Peel in 1829, and this was the first modern police force.

As for the KGB, Civ 3 cheerfully had a "Secret Police HQ" national wonder, and Civ 4 happily has Mao as one of the civilization leaders.

 

[civcivcivciv]

If they had wanted a British equivalent (I dunno, because of James Bond or whatever), they could have chosen the Secret Service Bureau which originally incorporated the MI5 (domestic espionage/counter-espionage) and MI6 (overseas espionage) agencies. The Secret Service Bureau was formed in 1909.

The first US equivalent, the Office of Strategic Services (and the precursor to the CIA), was formed in 1942. (The precursor of the FBI, the Bureau of Investigation was created in 1908, but was primarly concerned with criminal investigations.)

 

[Kieran]

Scotland Yard is a British spy organization.

Scotland Yard is not a British spy organization

 

[History_Buff]

Scotland Yard is not a British spy organization

In fact, I don't think Scotland Yard is anything of signifigance anymore. It used to be the London Metropolitan Police, but they have since moved off that piece of land to a new one, appropriatly dubbed, "New Scotland Yard."

It would have been much better to just leave the spy building as "Intelligence Agency" like it was in Civ III.

I can't think of a single reason. If anything the FBI would be a much more appropriate choice - considering J Edgar Hoover's legacy.

Using the FBI would be a particularly bad choice, as the term spies usually refers to out of country operations, which the FBI does not. They are more of a federal police department, and I don't think they are even allowed to operate outside the USA, just as CIA is forbidden from operating within the USA.

 

[obsolete]

Scotland Yard goes way back, and even pre-dated Jack the Ripper. He was just one of their many top cases. While they did hire numerous spies, these were only for infiltration into suspect organizations.

 

[Daimon]

I agree, a police force has nothing to do with spies, if Firaxis wanted a British Spy Wonder I think "MI6" would be better, since they are actually an organisation which spies abroad.

 

[shahreevar]

KGB would be nice!!

 

[Eigenvector]

Using the FBI would be a particularly bad choice, as the term spies usually refers to out of country operations, which the FBI does not. They are more of a federal police department, and I don't think they are even allowed to operate outside the USA, just as CIA is forbidden from operating within the USA.

My reasons for choosing the FBI was due to their efforts at ferreting out Commies during the 50's and 60's.