Using the spy!.

[Ezekyel]

Have u ever use the spy ???, I sometimes investigate other civs cities, but after building the Central Intelligence , i dont know what of the options is the best, what do u think??? Is there a good use for them??? And i found all the options quite expensive too, to waste my money on them.

 

[Bamspeedy]

1. Sabotage production is only good for if they are building wonders, and you know they will beat to that wonder. Or if they are building the Apollo Program, I suppose.
2. Some people say it's cheaper to just buy a tech, rather than try and steal it. I'll occasionally use this one, if it is too expensive to buy, or I don't want to aid the AI with cash/luxuries.
3. Revealing troop locations is nice (only if you will attack in the next couple of turns), otherwise I use my military advisor to get an idea of how many troops, and what kinds they have.
4. Expose enemy mole (spy), is only needed if you strongly suspect a rival has a spy in your civ, and you are really getting tired of the AI secretly stealing techs from you. I never use this one.

Keep in mind, if your spy fails, it will probably start a war, so only attempt these if you are ready for war, or the civ poses no threat. I plant spies in all civs more just for the fact that I have them, I really don't use them much at all.

 

[Benjamin Miller]

I use spying a fair bit, but then again, I have quartered the cost of espionage using the editor, espionage is actually quite useful now (I tried cutting it in half, but it was still too expensive.) I suspect the computer of stealing quite a few of my techs, but anytime I expose enemy spy, I start a war ...

 

[LaRo]

In my current game, I used spy 4 times to steal techs and the game isn't finish... I achieved everytime!

Ai want 4000 gp for techs as electronics, ecology, etc...

It cost 1400 gp for try a steal and the cash doesn't go to the Ai.

So, I think spy are very important in the modern era and it is cheaper than researching the tech by myself.

Propaganda never worked. Waste of cash.

I never tried sabotage. But if I am losing the spacerace, I just have to sabotate the production in the capital of the other civ?

 

[Badluck]

stealing unit plan can be unsefull if you plan on killing the civ in one turn *using a right of passage* and Steal plan you know how many troop in each citi so you can send a good number of unit at each citi.

 

[D. Boon's Ghost]

That's funny. The only thing I have ever been able to pull off was uncovering the enemy mole. I always seem to blow the operation, no matter who it is against.
It seems that I get the most use out of spying when I 'intentionally' fail, just to get the AI to declare war.

 

[Park Ranger]

Originally posted by D. Boon's Ghost
That's funny. The only thing I have ever been able to pull off was uncovering the enemy mole. I always seem to blow the operation, no matter who it is against.
It seems that I get the most use out of spying when I 'intentionally' fail, just to get the AI to declare war.

Now that you mention it, that's pretty much the most useful thing they did for me, too. But i was really trying to get the propaganda going.

In one instance, I sabotaged the temple production in a city that was ideally suited to flip. Sabotged worked, spy was caught, AI did NOT declare war, and next turn the city flipped to me.(probably a coincidence...)

 

[Goat_Guy]

Has anyone ever reverted a city to them?? Ive tried dozens of times (using saved game), just to see if its possible...i still havent gotten even the furthest away, size 1 city

 

[cameramano]

BamSpeedy mentioned the military advisior. What do you need to have intelligence on enemy armies? Mine won't desplay for any other civ.

 

[Talar]

I never use espionage. It seems pointless in civ3, but I don't care much about it. Espionage was overpowered in civ2.

 

[donsig]

I never seem to get past the plant spy phase. I get caught trying to plant a spy, the AI declares war and I'm never ready the war...

 

[Bamspeedy]

BamSpeedy mentioned the military advisior. What do you need to have intelligence on enemy armies? Mine won't desplay for any other civ.

Once you have the intelligence agency and plant spies in other civs, your military advisor will give you more detailed information on what troops the civs have where you have the spies in.

 

[Ezekyel]

Today i was trying to get the AI declare war on me by failing on my espionage attemps,,, but i couldnt get it ,,,, does anyone know the best way to get the war declare?? I cant get does Zulus attack me, I asked them for tributes, i sabotaged them , and tried to revealed there spie too,,, but they wont attack me.

 

[Bamspeedy]

Today i was trying to get the AI declare war on me by failing on my espionage attemps,,, but i couldnt get it ,,,, does anyone know the best way to get the war declare?? I cant get does Zulus attack me, I asked them for tributes, i sabotaged them , and tried to revealed there spie too,,, but they wont attack me.

What was their attitude towards you? If they are polite or cautious they seem to downplay the fact that you tried to plant a spy (ignoring your attempt). But if they are furious at you they will almost always declare war. Demand one of their cities as tribute, keep doing this until they become furious with you, then fail at your espionage and war will start.