Will Espionage advance over time?

[nokmirt]

We have been told that espionage begins at the outset of the Renaissance era. Will spies develop and become more advanced as time goes on? For instance, when we are first able to use spies will their options be more limited? Of course it is true the technology is not there at the beginning.

I just figured discussing espionage a bit will pass the time. Perhaps we can look a little bit into how spies developed over time. I do not want to make this a history thread though, just a thread to gather information about spying and how it changed and evolved. This may help people like me that do not know a bunch about it to learn more, that's all.

With discussion options wearing thin before release, I just figured this would be an interesting topic.

One more thing, is England getting an extra spy, James Bond or 007? I hope they do, but have it unlock more closer to the modern era.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

England's spy is very in question because it was mentioned that "the extra spy has been removed" which very likely refers to England.

As far as I know, ther'es not that much to do with Spies anyways, even from looking at the achievements, Spies seem to be only being able to Initiate a Coup and Rig elections in City States, and Steal Technologies and Spy on other civs.

They advance by staying and doing their thing, so they move up the ranks the longer they stay alive as long as they keep doing something.

 

[nokmirt]

I wonder if spies will have any influence catching rival spies, spying against their home civ? It makes sense to me to have your spies have a chance of catching rival spies, who are looking to find useful info about you to tell their superiors.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I wonder if spies will have any influence catching rival spies, spying against their home civ? It makes sense to me to have your spies have a chance of catching rival spies, who are looking to find useful info about you to tell their superiors.

Oh yea, that as well as being able to plant spies in your own cities for counter-intelligence.

 

[nokmirt]

Oh yea, that as well as being able to plant spies in your own cities for counter-intelligence.

I like that part. Espionage has always fascinated me, but I have not been able to find out much about how spies worked during the Renaissance. I am guessing they bribed contacts and gathered information. They would have to set up inside a rival's territory and be able to speak the language fluently, and live in that area without drawing attention to themselves. Bribery, threatening, and extortion must have been the order of the day. There must have been assassinations and murders. Some people are used for a single purpose and have to be dispatched, because they know or learned too much. As a spy you have to learn how to cover your tracks, otherwise you end up dead.

I have been watching the show 'The Borgias', it is interesting how they use subterfuge and murder, to learn what they need to know about rivals and threats from outside as well as internal influences. The Borgia Pope and his sons are very dirty players, who will stop at nothing to keep their power. Game of Thrones is another show lately that has quite a bit of intrigue.