Tricks for Planting Spies

[Beard Rinker]

When planting a spy, it seems planting the first one always works but planting one in any other civilization gets caught. Furthermore, each time they get caught there is a risk of starting a war.

In my experience, if you have no spies in any civilization, planting a spy will always succeed.

To successfully plant a spy in a second civilization, wait until the target civilization is in anarchy and then plant it. Typically, other civilizations will change governments a few turns after the start or end of a war. Even religious civilization must spend one turn in anarchy. The military advisor screen will show the current type of government used by the AI.

Failing this, attempting to plant a spy every couple of turns will eventually succeed but will also negatively effect your relations with that civilization. As long as the civilization is not furious or annoyed there is little risk of starting a war.

Waiting for the AI to be in anarchy may also work for other spying actions such as stealing technology or using propaganda. However, failed spying actions will result in the spy be exposed and removed from that AI and it will be more difficult to plant another one.

Once a spy is in place you can view the numbers and types of units in the military advisor screen for free. You can also monitor the progress of the AI’s spaceship and conduct a variety of espionage missions.

Planting a spy is done as follows:
- Build the intelligence agency.
- In the city containing the intelligence agency, click on the pentagon shaped icon located next to the city name.

Performing spylike things is done as follows:
- Click on the E on the right hand side of the status screen.

Keyboard shortcuts are:
E = Espionage
Shift E = Use embassy or Spy


Edit: Added tips posted by others.

 

[foodguy]

What is the advantage of having more than one spy in a civilization? does it reduce the cost of propaganda? of investigating cities or troop movements?

 

[Beard Rinker]

Originally posted by foodguy
What is the advantage of having more than one spy in a civilization? does it reduce the cost of propaganda? of investigating cities or troop movements?

I mean planting a spy in a second civilization. I don't think you can have more than one spy per civilization.

 

[zzcczz]

That makes sense. My wife rarely gets a spy planted successfully, while I almost always get one in. The difference? I do it after I start a war (so now I know why this works --> Anarchy).

 

[Ouchgeddon]

2 Q's:

How do you tell when Anarchy is in effect for another civ?

And where is the icon or whatever that lets you perform spy missions! Clicky clicky clicky nope not that one, arg!

 

[Bamspeedy]

I am usually successful in planting spies, without checking to see if the other civ is in anarchy. The trick that seems to work for me is: if they are polite or cautious, then you shouldn't have any worries about starting a war if they catch your spy. It seems wars only starts if the AI is furious with you before the spy mission, and sometimes when they are annoyed. Never try more than once per turn on the same civ! Wait a turn or two between attempts. I always plant spies whenever possible, because who your allies are now, might be your enemies in the future. The key is to have them there, so they can be used whenever you would happen to need them.

How do you tell when Anarchy is in effect for another civ?

If you investigate a city using your embassy (not available when your at war with that civ), at the top of the city view screen it shows what government they currently have.

Edit: Another indication of anarchy is when you notice many of their cities in civil disorder.

And where is the icon or whatever that lets you perform spy missions! Clicky clicky clicky nope not that one, arg!

The city that built your intelligence agency, should have an icon next to the city name, shaped like a pentagon. Click on that. Shift-E also works, I believe.

 

[Ouchgeddon]

>>>The city that built your intelligence agency, should have an icon next to the city name, shaped like a pentagon. Click on that. Shift-E also works, I believe.<<<

I know the icon bit, but it gives me option to plant a spy. How do I get him to do spylike things?

And how to access embassy once you've put it in another civ?

Thanks for helping this espionage newbie!

 

[Bamspeedy]

I don't have a game handy that is that far into the game to check.....but according to the instruction manual:

Keyboard shortcuts are:

E = Espionage
Shift E = Use embassy or Spy

Try those and I hope that helps you out.

 

[Thoth]

Originally posted by Bamspeedy

If you investigate a city using your embassy (not available when your at war with that civ), at the top of the city view screen it shows what government they currently have.

Edit: Another indication of anarchy is when you notice many of their cities in civil disorder.

The easiest way to check on the governments of your neighbours is through your military advisor. On the right hand side of the screen it displays foreign militaries and their government type. It's not excatly an intuitive place to find this information (I'd have thought the Foreign advisor would have made more sense).

 

[CD Light]

To conduct espionage, simply right-click on your city that has the Intelligence Agency and click "Conduct Espionage". At least I think it's the city with the Agency; it could be your capital. But whichever one it is, this technique DOES work, don't worry.

 

[Marzipan]

I was able to successfully plant two spies in my last game. One was with India, who I had good relations with, the other was in Aztecistan, where Montezuma was furious with me for razing his cities after his botched attempt to invade me.

I didn't realize that when you have a spy, your military advisor tells you how many of each type of unit the other country has without having to do an espionage mission, although not where it is. This makes spies worth it, even if you never do any espionage.

 

[brianboru]

Originally posted by Marzipan
I didn't realize that when you have a spy, your military advisor tells you how many of each type of unit the other country has without having to do an espionage mission, although not where it is. This makes spies worth it, even if you never do any espionage.

Thanks. I have never tried spies since espionage seems to be impossible / expensive. Is there anything else spies can do. What is the advantage of having a spy planted in an enemy civ?

 

[Marzipan]

A spy will also keep you updated on the status of the civ's space shuttle construction without having to do espionage.

 

[Beard Rinker]

The first post in this thread has been updated with more tips and tips posted by others.

 

[Beard Rinker]

whoops wrong thread.

 

[Zouave]

Originally posted by Marzipan
. . .
I didn't realize that when you have a spy, your military advisor tells you how many of each type of unit the other country has without having to do an espionage mission, although not where it is. This makes spies worth it, even if you never do any espionage.

That BARELY makes it worth it - but only if you already lowered the costs for the Espionage advance, and Intelligence Agency, in the Editor.

But overall, everything realted to Espionage is NOT cost effective. No dice. Not worth it.

I much prefer Civ II style espionage.

 

[Beam]

Originally posted by Zouave


That BARELY makes it worth it - but only if you already lowered the costs for the Espionage advance, and Intelligence Agency, in the Editor.

But overall, everything realted to Espionage is NOT cost effective. No dice. Not worth it.

I much prefer Civ II style espionage.

Are there any posts Zouave where you do not use the word "Editor"? It seems to be your solution for everything isn't it? btw, espionage is much less of an option compared with Civ 2, but what the heck? There are other ways to play a good game!

 

[graeme]

Another tip, I think, is to only plant spys while under a communist government. I believe spying has better odds under that form. This is easy for religous civs since it only costs one turn of anarchy.

 

[Marzipan]

Communist spies are "veteran". So are the spies in my new martial law government type that I'm pimping.

Zouave - You would prefer to find out that another civ has ICBM's when they hit you with one?

 

[cegman]

Originally posted by Marzipan
Communist spies are "veteran". So are the spies in my new martial law government type that I'm pimping.

Zouave - You would prefer to find out that another civ has ICBM's when they hit you with one?

Nah Zouave probally turned off the ability for the ai to make ICBM's