Most useful Intelligence Projects

[rdouglass]

I use intel a lot. I almost always have at least 1 of every Counter-intel levels I can going all the time in repeat mode. If I'm at war with 2 empires, 2 of each, etc.

I personally love the PPP - It works about 98% of the time for me. The only downfall it seems that if you PPP too much, the planets start rioting instantly - at least thats what happens to me. At least the enemy can't use it!!! I have brought Mega Evil Empires to their knees using this!!!!!!

I also use Crew Insurrection a lot. It gets me a lot of techs I don't regularly research. Like colony types, propulsion, beam weapons, and resupply (I use stellar harnessing instead of resupply). The only downfall is getting them to a Ship Yard to analyze. If too far to get 'em to a SY, I get a perverse satisfaction wasting unprotected colonies with their own ships deep inside their territory untill their out of supplies and an AI sends a fleet for 'em.

I also have used the one that steals the resources (I'm at work and can't remember the name) with limited sucess. It seems to steal a certain percentage of an empires resources. Usually doesn't benifit me directly, but they don't have the points to use.

[This message has been edited by rdouglass (edited 05 January 2001).]

[Tampa_Gamer]

I like and use intel a lot too (spoiled by IG2 in this respect). I really enjoy stealing resources when I'm short on minerals. Unfortunately, I wish the AI did not have such a draconian approach to the selection of their intel projects. I posted a possible solution in my bugs/wish list thread and forwarded it on to MM.

[SunDevil]

bump

[Sinapus]

I used Crew Insurrection for the first time and came to like it. I got the ships back to my territory since I already had cloaked ships with solar collectors in the target empire's systems and basically made a fleet to bring them back.

I was moderately surprised at the results. I ended up with a few of their most advanced dreadnoughts. Got about 5 levels of High Energy Discharge weapons after I got enough back for analysis.

What was I doing with cloaked ships in their systems? Oh, a large satellite, a long-range scanner III, Hyper-optics III and cloaking device III makes a nice picket.

Are nebula systems supposed to keep ships from being detected? I strung one system with a few sats equipped as above and they found ships quite easily. Oh well. Maybe it's some types of storms that do that.


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--
"What do -you- want?" "I'd like to live -just- long enough
to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a
pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors
come with too high a price. I would look up into your lifeless
eyes and wave like this..." *waggle* "...can you and your
associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?"

[Tomgs]

I can't remember for sure but I thought that with level 2 detection you can see into nebulas. But without detectors you will not see an enemy ship in that system.

[Taqwus]

Intel choice depends on taste.

- In general:
Tech theft.

Playing in mondo-huge games, I tend to spend time researching atmospheric plants, research, propulsion, stellar harnessing and so forth while enemies research shields, PPBs, etc. So I steal to fill in the gaps.

- Economic warfare:
Economic disruption /
Resource procurement /
Industrial sabotage

combined w/ biological warfare (colonies will be rioting while they die off) and independent raiding ships. Possibly with space-port smartbombs if you've got 'em. If you wipe out their production base, they won't be able to increase or even maintain a fleet, which makes them easy prey.

- Military:
Crew insurrection and engine bombs. In my experience (PL1, haven't had a chance for PL2 -- been away) it's VERY reliable, even when you target specific ships. That means that if somebody's sending a fleet towards your territory, you can snarf the biggest, meanest ships in the fleet (which will happen at the end of your turn... before the fleet moves against you) and use them to trash the other half. AFAICT, PPP is much less reliable, but when it works (targetting homeworlds) it can be quite nasty, indeed.

Engine bombs are cheap, and a stranded ship is usually worth *less* than nothing to an enemy since it's costing maintenance.

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night