Why espionage is to powerful

spacefan · #1 April 29th, 2001, 07:43 PM

I'm in the middle of playing a rather lengthy game, large galaxy, lots of enemies, there's 9 left right now. Anyway, I've been getting zapped by enemy intel operations, left and right, so I've been building up my intel facilites, but this latest one that happened to me, doesn't make much sense.

I have Alpha Fleet, in a nebulae system, in the fleet is a ship Jaguar 1, my only minesweeper in the fleet. So an enemy manages to cause that crew to mutiny, and vanish, because we are in a nebulae.

First of all, how did he find my ship if I'm in a nebulae, second of all, if my ship was just there, I doubt other ships lose track of what happens with their fleet ships even in a nebulae.

How in the world, does a widely hated empire incite the members of a crew in a nebulae to break off and join their empire, and manage to completely escape scott free.

Basically they are going to get a huge amount of techs if they analyze that ship, because I have 188 tech levels and the next best has around 58.

I think intel operations need to be more difficult, and have a chance to be foiled, behind just standard counterespionage
I doubt a captain is just going to decide on a whim to join the hated Phong Confederation if he's been fighting them for years

I'm just glad they didn't take a main fighting ship.

Deathstalker · #2 April 29th, 2001, 08:01 PM

yeah, intel can be annoying. I usually just turn it off myself, unless I am playing aginst the Darloks. Don't worry about the other race analyzing your ship. The computer dosn't seem smart enough to do this......yet. I've seen the CueCappa or Borg capture tonnes of stuff, and just use it, never analyze it.

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"The Empress took your name away," said Chance.
Owen smiled coldly. "It wasn't hers to take. I'm a Deathstalker until I die. And we never forget a slight or an enemy." -Owen Deathstalker.

Marty Ward · #3 April 29th, 2001, 10:54 PM

Plus they won't get all your techs just one level of any they can analyize. I think there is a small chance that you don't get every tech also.

Aussie Gamer · #4 April 29th, 2001, 11:26 PM

Got to love the intel, you can do so much to your enemies <and friends>, such as getting them to declare war on each other.

I even starting to get a handle on the counter-intel projects.

But you must have a lot of points to wage this war, as offense and defense take a lot of points to conduct.

Noble713 · #5 April 30th, 2001, 04:39 AM

Is there a race ability that makes you immune to Intel, but also prevents you from using it?

I've never understood how a race like the Borg or the Arachnids from Starfire could possibly infiltrate ANY empire. Some races stick out like a sore thumb!

quote:

A security guard is doing his regular rounds of the Pentagon. He hears a noise in one of the rooms, and goes to investigate. He pulls out his flashlight and gun, and creeps into the room. Inside the lights are dim, but he makes out the shape of a giant black starfish, at least 2 meters tall, bent over a computer. He looks at the screen, and sees that the creature is attaching classified ship designs to an email. The security guard decides to confront it.

"Ahem. Um, are you supposed to be here?"

The starfish tensed for second, then its eye stalks turned to focus on the intruder. Without saying anything, it reached for an ID badge on its leg and handed it to the guard. It read:

General Arach Nid
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

"Sorry to interrupt you General Nid," the guard said. "Carry on." He backed out of the room and continued his rounds.

Aussie Gamer · #6 April 30th, 2001, 07:49 AM

To use Esp on another race you don't have to send over your people you just buy of the others guys people to do the dirty work for you.
Remember that you have got trade links to the other nation, even if you aren't trading with them yet.
The chance for a covert agent to cross the border and set up a cell.
That sort of thing.

jc173 · #7 April 30th, 2001, 08:49 AM

Good point about using the other empire's guys to conduct espionage. There's also the possibility of using a third-party races malcontents or more mercenary elements as intermediaries.

Q · #8 April 30th, 2001, 05:35 PM

Noble 713 I would like a racial trait that gives immunity to intelligence operations. Call it "absolute loyalty" or something like that. But until now it's not available and it can be only created by MM because it needs a change in the hard coded area.

Taqwus · #9 April 30th, 2001, 06:51 PM

Be glad it wasn't a star destroyer. One of the reasons I've never built one is the slight risk that a really, really lucky intel op would commandeer it before it reached its target. That would be a rough way to lose your home system... and given the resources it takes to build one (and therefore the probable power of the empire) it's not a tradeoff I like.

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

nerfman · #10 April 30th, 2001, 07:01 PM

Darth Vader - "What is it Admiral Piet?"

Adm. Piet - "Um, sir, we have a little problem."

Vader - "What is it!? I'll have you know I have an appointment to discuss our long term IT infrastructure needs with emperor in ten minutes!"

Adm. Piet - "Well, you know that Death Star thingly, you know, that little pet project of our beloved emperor."

Vader - "Yes"

Adm. Piet - "Well we can't seem to find the keys, you don't have them on you by chance?"

Vader - "Arghhhhh!!"

Adm. Piet - Choke, ghasp, weeze, slump

Meanwhile on the bridge of the death star

Han Solo - "Man this baby really handles like a beauty. Hey Leah, go make us some drinks and slip into something more comforatble. I'll be up as soon as I set the course for Coruscant (sp?). I sure hope you like your Imperial capitals well done."

STAR WARS W/ CREW INSURRECTION