SPY sabotage problem?

[Cheops]

In two separate games I have attempted to use spies to "destroy production" on wonder projects, but for some reason the action options (Destroy Production, Steal Plans, etc.) are grayed-out.

For example, I was racing to complete the Statue of Liberty, which the computer civ had only three turns to complete. I brought in a spy, then two spies, to try to sabotage the production, but it wouldn't let me do it.

If I moved a spy to another city that was creating, say, a tank, it would allow me to destroy that production, but not for the wonder!

According to the instruction booklet (p.132), wonders are not immune:

"[A spy destroying production] . . . can be quite devastating if the city is just a couple of turns from completing construction of a wonder."

What gives?

 

[deanej]

How much gold do you have? All spy actions cost money, and the more production put into something, the more it costs. (I think it's the inverse of the hurry production cost)

 

[Cheops]

In CivIII there was cost, yes, but Civ4 has much different specs for spy abilities and neither the instruction manual nor Civlopedia, so far as I have seen, say anything about there being a gold cost for spy missions. It only says that the chance of success varies depending on the number of units in the city.

 

[lost_civantares]

No, there is definitly a cost for sabatogeing production, it can get up in the thousends for almost finished SS parts and modern wonders.

 

[MrCynical]

Spy missions do cost gold in Civ 4, and the options will be greyed out if you don't have enough money to pay for them.

 

[jimbob27]

In CivIII there was cost, yes, but Civ4 has much different specs for spy abilities and neither the instruction manual nor Civlopedia, so far as I have seen, say anything about there being a gold cost for spy missions. It only says that the chance of success varies depending on the number of units in the city.

You're totally wrong.

The do cost money... usually way more than they're ever worth.

 

[lost_civantares]

It is worth it if you're racing the AI for the space ship.

 

[boneys26]

yeah the spies cost you loads not just in gold you risk being caught too so not only do you lose money but you may also lose your unit too and you get - points for "we caught your spy up to no good"