Intelligence ops

[Slick]

Yes, in the default game, the target gets the Messages following:

"Num Target Messages := 1"

in Intelprojects.txt

The exception is that on the Communications Mimic, only the "Target" gets the message, not the "Other" empire. The "Other" empire just gets a message about the broken treaty, but he doesn't know that it was from an intel project.


Now it is an entirely different issue if the Target empire knows who the attacker was. If the attack was successful, the attacker is only identified if the target message has the [%SourceEmpireName] identifier in it. Projects that are stopped by your CI are just indicated as "One of our intelligence projects against the [%SourceEmpireName] was defeated by counter-intelligence defenses." but it doesn't say what the exact attack (or number of points) was.

Slick.

[Asmala]

I was quite unclear. As you guessed I meant when the target empire knows who was behind the op. It seems the target gets the info about attacker every time a project fails, so it's not wise to check if your ally has CI on not.

[AMF]

Here's a related question: does an intel project (say food contamination) get a negative to its chance of success if the target is "any planet" - as compared to setting a known target?

thanks,

Alarik

[Slick]

Originally posted by alarikf:
Here's a related question: does an intel project (say food contamination) get a negative to its chance of success if the target is "any planet" - as compared to setting a known target?

thanks,

Alarik

Nope. Use of "any" or specific has no influence on the success of the attack. These just allow you to direct your attack(s) as you choose.

Slick.

[Cyrien]

That isn't always true. The "any" technology will quite often fail as it tries to steal a technology you already have. While a specific tech theft will generally work out better since you probably chose a tech they have that you don't. But if you don't then it still fails because you have the tech...

Interestinly enough this doesn't seem to affect Empire Star Chart thefts as it only steals charts to systems you don't already have a chart for and once you have all the charts they do it will always fail.

Wonder why a similiar system can't be worked out for the "any" tech theft based on the enemies known techs compared to yours.

PS: Towards the end of the game I love taking apart enemy empires with intel. 4 or 6 food contaminations and anarchy Groups a turn can be quite devestating to an enemy.

[ December 10, 2003, 15:20: Message edited by: Cyrien ]

[Roanon]

Originally posted by Cyrien:
Towards the end of the game I love taking apart enemy empires with intel. 4 or 6 food contaminations and anarchy Groups a turn can be quite devestating to an enemy.

Only if playing vs. dumb AI or a vastly inferior enemy. As Counterintel requires only one third of the points to defend, you need about 4 times, if not more, the number of intel points than your enemy to do something effective. With 4 times the resources, I can crush an enemy even without intel .

I think Intel only can accelerate the inevitable downfall of an inferior enemy. Doesn't matter if at the end of the game or in the middle Therefore, usually a waste of resources, unless you have too many mineral-poor planets and already maxxed research.

[Cyrien]

Of course you could just crush them... but it is so much more fun to sit safe in your systems crushing anything they throw at you while slowly shredding their empire from within.

Note: I have found that most people stop developing intel after 100k to 200k intel points per turn. So with a simple 400k to 600k(this with -50% to intel points in race bonuses) I can regularly break down their defenses. With four fully developed level 3 counter programs stored up in the back I can focus on attacking and breaking down the enemy while they will be forced to do nothing but defend. Even the few attacks they might try to get through are easily blocked.

Intel is far too often undervalued. Never underestimate the ability to grab and analyze enemy ships pretty early in the game with a strong intel system. With such a system research doesn't have to be upto par with everyone else. You research what you need and take the common areas from others. And self destruct devices can't stop intel ship takeover.

Also while breaking through built up intel defense can take awhile, once it is broken down it is easy to keep it down.