With a number of espionage systems that we have considered, one area that has been ignored.....what if we returned to a much simplier system ala vanilla Civ 5? We made huge sweeping changes to the espionage system....but was that actually what people wanted? Perhaps a much simplier more fire and forget type system is more in line with the community's desire.
So to debate that, I have created a draft of a "keep it simple stupid" espionage system.
The KISS Espionage System
Number of Spies: Unchanged
CS Rigging/Coup: Unchanged
Spy Travel Time: 2 turns to foreign city, 1 turn to own cities.
Spy Setup Time: 3 turns, -1 if you are popular+ with the civ.
The Mission: Steal Tech
When a spy settles into a city, it provides surveillance. In addition, it accrues "Spy Points" (see below). The points remain even if all spies leave the civ. Once the threshold is hit for a civ, a tech steal occurs and the points reset to 0.
Spy Points
Spies produce spy points on a civ basis. Ultimately a tech steal can only happen in the capital itself, but spies in other cities can support the effort.
Spy Point Threshold and Security
At base, it takes 60 spy points to steal a tech, modified by security.
Security is now a CIV WIDE value, adding the bonuses from all of a civ's cities. The security value is the % increase in how many points are needed to steal a tech. Example: A security of 100 is 100% more points, or 120 in this case.
Security Modifiers (no lower than 0).
Intrigue
You will receive intrigue on a civ every 20 spy points accrued, also modified by security.
Spy Roles, XP, and Death
Spy Beliefs/Policies/Civs
General Updates (Civs/Policies/Buildings)
Version 1.1 Changelog
So to debate that, I have created a draft of a "keep it simple stupid" espionage system.
The KISS Espionage System
Number of Spies: Unchanged
CS Rigging/Coup: Unchanged
Spy Travel Time: 2 turns to foreign city, 1 turn to own cities.
Spy Setup Time: 3 turns, -1 if you are popular+ with the civ.
The Mission: Steal Tech
When a spy settles into a city, it provides surveillance. In addition, it accrues "Spy Points" (see below). The points remain even if all spies leave the civ. Once the threshold is hit for a civ, a tech steal occurs and the points reset to 0.
- If a counterspy is present in capital: Spy is killed (but mission completes).
- Otherwise, Spy is identified and returned to HQ
- If no tech is available for steal, no further spy points accrue. When a tech becomes available, the tech steal occurs and points begin to accrue again.
Spy Points
Spies produce spy points on a civ basis. Ultimately a tech steal can only happen in the capital itself, but spies in other cities can support the effort.
- Spy in Capital: Generates 3/4/5 points for level 1/2/3 respectively.
- Spy in Other city: Generates 1/2/3 points for level 1/2/3 respectively.
- If there is no spy in capital, points still accrue, but no tech steal occurs until a spy sets up in the capital.
Spy Point Threshold and Security
At base, it takes 60 spy points to steal a tech, modified by security.
Security is now a CIV WIDE value, adding the bonuses from all of a civ's cities. The security value is the % increase in how many points are needed to steal a tech. Example: A security of 100 is 100% more points, or 120 in this case.
Security Modifiers (no lower than 0).
- +100 (before renaissance)
- -5 per city*
- -5 per unhappy city* (stacks with per city bonus)
- -5 per puppet city* (stacks with per city bonus)
- +10 per constabulary*
- +10 per police station*
- +10 per military base*
- +5/15/30 per level 1/2/3 counterspy in a city.
- +30 for every tech you have stolen from that civ.
Intrigue
You will receive intrigue on a civ every 20 spy points accrued, also modified by security.
Spy Roles, XP, and Death
- Standard Spy: +1 XP per turn settled in city.
- CS Spy: +1 XP per turn settled in CS.
- Diplomat: +3 XP per turn settled in capital
- Otherwise unchanged.
- Counterspy: +3 XP per turn settled in city.
- XP levels: 50/100 for rank 2 and 3.
Spy Beliefs/Policies/Civs
General Updates (Civs/Policies/Buildings)
- Constabulary: +10 security (replaces spy mission duration modifier)
- Police Station: +10 security (replaces spy mission duration modifier)
- Covert Action: -1 setup time for all spies/diplomats (replaces spy mission duration reduced by 2 for spies). Spies can travel to any city in 1 turn. (CS bonuses unchanged)
- Double Agents: Counterspy security bonus is doubled (replaces spies are twice as likely to capture spies). Counterspies and spies in CS have 0 setup time (replaces spy mission duration reduced by 1, increased by 1 in foreign cities).
- Shadow Networks: -2 turns to Spy recruitment when a spy is killed. (replaces -1 spy mission duration).
- Police State: Removes the security penalty for cities and unhappy cities (replace +2 spy mission duration)
- National Intelligence Agency: -1 turn to Spy recruitment when a spy is killed. (replace 15% spy resistance, spy mission adjustments).
- Foreign Service: remove spy mission duration adjustment.
- Bletchley Park: Research labs generate +5 security (replaces spy resistance and spy mission duration modifiers).
- England: +5 security in all cities, spies start with a free rank, starts with a spy (replaces spy resistances, +10% stronger spies).
- White Tower: unchanged
- Empiricism: +20% to total security (replaces 34% spy resistance).
Version 1.1 Changelog
- Added security value for pre-reniassance (to ensure England is managed)
- Spy Beliefs/Policies/Civs section filled out.
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