covert ops.
 

I think it would be great if you could steal resources from other empires.

I would be great if an enemy empire could finance your maintenance costs.

If you could steal 5% of an empires production, you be a king. Until they discover it and declare war on your arse!!!

Re: covert ops.
 

Er, you can steal resources. I believe it's called something like 'Bribe Transports', is fairly cheap for an intel op, and can steal 10k of each resource. And yes, like any intel op, it makes 'em unhappy with you if you're suspected...

5%? Heh. You might not be able to bribe that many transports. ;-)

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

Re: covert ops.
 

There is an intel mission called Trade Disruption or somesuch that the AI once used against me to great effect. At the time, I had a 20% trade treaty with another empire that was bringing in...oh, I forget now but it was probably at least 20,000 minerals per turn. Talk about ouch!