Intelligence Opps

[General Hawkwing]

Should intel ops. be an automatic success? Should it be as easy to subvert a jubiliant homeworld as it is to subvert an angry fringe of the empire planet? An experienced flagship drew or a novice mining ship?
Still SE4 intel ops. is an improvement over current games available.

[Taqwus]

One bit that bothers me about the current intel system is that it's effectively infinite range/speed. That is, as soon as one of your people is within the same system as another -- it doesn't matter if it's a suicidal recon probe that hasn't the fuel to move another step, let alone return -- you can unleash the full force of your intelligence points upon them.

Towards the end of my psy/time game, I was generating 200+k intel points/turn, which meant that the turn I found the Last race (a neutral who'd been well out of the way, and utterly oblivious to the wars elsewhere), I could subvert two of his planets, or four of his ships -- 100% guaranteed as they had no counterintel. This, despite the fact that I really hadn't had the time to infiltrate them, or even to study the basics about their society, and that even if they'd been warlike and demolished my probe ship, and zealously guarded all warp points, my spies could still get through.

It would seem at least that the amount of contact between races should matter a bit, although I really do not know how that should be modeled. But having a delay (distance-based? That is, say, minimum distance in terms of edges on the known subgraph of the galaxy?), at least for the first op, makes sense. And some of the operations perhaps should be limited by how much IP you can put into them per turn, ala construction limits, so that you just don't start subverting planets instantly. A nightmare in a multi might be a Darlok-type race sending out non-returning probes w/ supply storage up the wazoo, who then starts to steal/subvert without fear of retal anytime soon (at least, by somebody who cares about getting his ships back)...

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

[Jubala]

What about a prerequisite covert operation called "establish spy network" or something that has to be succesfully completed before any other op could be performed? And when counter intel foils one of your ops there's a slight chance they unravel whole or parts of your spy network based on how long it's been in place, number of succesful ops (maybe), and level of network. You know, 4 disgruntled teenagers planting bombs at the mining facility that wouldn't hire them or a fullfledged network with cells that don't know of each other and very deep undercover spymaster or something. You get the picture. The difficulty of establishing such a network would depend on level of network being established, amount of contact between races (treaties, mutual systems, wars (smugglers?), level of trade etc), race attitude (Xenophobes and such), population happines levels and so on.

So establishing a spy network at your intersettled 25+ year partner will be a piece of cake but establishing one with the aggressive Xenophobes you just met and are hellbent on wiping you off the galaxy will be tough as nails.

I also think different kinds of intel ops should generate different kinds of responses. Collecting information shouldn't generate to severe a response, like shaking a finger and saying naughty boy and not raise AI anger too much if at all. I mean, everybody does it in RL. But inciting a revolt should make the targets very angry and the response should be on the level of Shaking The Big Stick under your nose and demanding reparations Or Else.

Makes sense?

[Psitticine]

I like those ideas! I think another consideration should be how physically different the alien race is from your own. If you are rock dwelling oxygen breathers, it should be harder to infiltrate methane breathing gas giant dwellers than it would be a race just like yours.

[Taqwus]

Yeah. Building networks, perhaps with level 1,2,3 etc (successive levels raising perhaps both the ops you can try, and how fast you can do them). Counter-intel could lower the level or remove it entirely.

I was surprised in that psy/time game, when I subverted two planets and there was *no* response. Then the other two went, and the hapless neutral was left with a few ships and zero planets -- and still no apparent hostility. Interesting, considering that the culprit should have been a bit obvious (as you can't, say, incite rebellion on a third-party's behalf. That might be too evil.)


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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

[Psitticine]

It's a stretch but maybe they're, in some cases at least, not supposed to realize the rebellian was incited from outside as opposed to springing up from purely internal forces.