Steal Technology

[Kool Keith]

Anyone know the odds for success in stealing techs?

 

[A Revolutionary]

Is this what you want?

 

[Kool Keith]

Yes, but I don't really understand those figures.

Chance of getting away in %:
Immediate Carefully Safely
Embassy 40 55 65
Regular spy 60 75 85
Veteran spy 70 85 95

I don't understand what the differentiation between embassy, regular spy and vet spy is. Can someone elaborate?

 

[PaperBeetle]

At first, when you build an embassy with someone, your spying missions are done by the embassy. Later you get Espionage, build CIA, and can plant spies. Those spies are regulars, except under certain governments (just Communism iirc) where those spies are veterans. There is no promotion-for-successfully-spying system like there is for military units.

 

[Kool Keith]

Thanks guys.

 

[Quintillus]

Interesting article. Now I understand why my city flip efforts never did anything. Anyone know the odds for Fascisms' Elite Spies?

 

[iambenben]

sometimes stealing a tech costs more than buying it from the same civ

 

[Kool Keith]

Umm...right.

So let me get this straight. Theoretically, if I have built the intelligence agency and have a regular spy, I should have an 85% chance of success of "safely" stealing a tech. Right? Are we sure that's correct?

Because I just got caught on my first try.

 

[MAS]

yes, chance based, so you may have bad luck.

Also, if you fail at first, then its more difficult to succeed a second time, as your opponent is weary. There is a chance each turn that his weariness will go away.
But its a bad idea to continue to try again and again after you failed. Wait some turns then try again.

 

[TruePurple]

Can you steal tech with just a embassy? If so how? The option is always grayed out for me.

 

[Aceman101]

sometimes stealing a tech costs more than buying it from the same civ

Yes, But, sometimes you'd rather pay a few hundred extra gold than giving it to the AI.

 

[rysingsun]

Can you steal tech with just a embassy? If so how? The option is always grayed out for me.

You cannot do so if you are at war with that civ.

 

[Othniel]

Or if you don't have enough money.

 

[TruePurple]

Which is generally more efficient, producing gold(50 turn tech) and stealing technology or max research?

 

[MAS]

Depends on the situation.
on large maps, in high difficulty levels, the later age tech can be very expensive the research. It might be cheaper to steal.

Also, you can only research 1 tech each 4 turns, no matter what. But you can steal multiple tech in one turn if you are lucky enough.

 

[Jazzmail]

Umm...right.

So let me get this straight. Theoretically, if I have built the intelligence agency and have a regular spy, I should have an 85% chance of success of "safely" stealing a tech. Right? Are we sure that's correct?

Incorrect. You have to multiply the values in the table by 0.8. So this 85% chance not to get caught, becomes a 68% chance to actually succeed.

 

[Jazzmail]

Depends on the situation.
on large maps, in high difficulty levels, the later age tech can be very expensive the research. It might be cheaper to steal.

I'd be really interested in the math behind this.

As I understand it, the cost for stealing techs does increase with the tech rate (mapsize) and the difficulty level. It would be great to have some figures.

 

[TruePurple]

Difficulty setting doesn't multiply cost of stealing as well as cost of research?

 

[macthk]

I have been searching hi and low on how to create a spy and cause trouble. after I got espionage and built the IA, I only had the same 2 choices on the e button. investigate and steal, but none of the other stuff that they list in the description of espionage.

 

[Zibong]

You need to plant a spy in the target Civ in the same manner you opened an embassy.