How stealth really work ?

[Vynd]

I could be wrong but I think that a "Scout" is just a stealthy unit that most nations are capable of building. I don't think it is inherently any better at revealing informaiton about enemy provinces than any other stealthy unit, like say, a Vanjarl, or a Friar. Spies, on the other hand, have a distinct special ability.

I've never tried to figure it out exactly, but my impression has been that spies are no better than scouts at determining how many regular units are in their province. (They're both reasonably good at it.) But I've had spies detect stealthy units, which I don't think I have seen scouts do. And unlike scouts, spies display the full stats for the province that they are in, including revealed magic sites.

[ May 14, 2004, 16:30: Message edited by: Vynd ]

[Kristoffer O]

All sneaking units give reports on the province they enter. Scouts are not particulary good at this, but spies are. They give you more accurate info on numbers, more info on commanders and specials, and reveal sites. They are also less likely to be detected (not by being spies, but because they have a higher stealth value than most scouts).

[LintMan]

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
All sneaking units give reports on the province they enter. Scouts are not particulary good at this, but spies are. They give you more accurate info on numbers, more info on commanders and specials, and reveal sites. They are also less likely to be detected (not by being spies, but because they have a higher stealth value than most scouts).

Are Friars supposed to be worse than scouts at giving information? I recall from my Marignon game that it seemed I was getting almost no province information from the friars I had preaching in enemy territory.

[Pocus]

I'm under the impression that the base number of patrolling units get a penalty equal to the stealth value of the sneaking unit.

The formula could be :

chance to get caught:

# of patrolling units + # of sneaking units - sneaking value of worse sneaking unit - 10

-10 because we know that the chance only trigger for 10 units and more.

IMO the formula is more complex anyway

[ May 15, 2004, 06:31: Message edited by: Pocus ]

[Chris Byler]

So the only benefit of scouts compared to other stealthy units is that they're cheap?

Is there a way to tell what units (that aren't named "Spy") have the spy ability? IIRC Bards have it too, but who else? Is there an icon for it now, or do you just have to sneak them into enemy territory and see if they get the Incite Unrest order?

[PvK]

I think it says "spy" in the description text, but there is no icon yet.

PvK

Originally posted by Pocus:
# of patrolling units + # of sneaking units - sneaking value of worse sneaking unit - 10

According to the manual, p.11, provincial defense "is less efficient than a patrolling commander with even a small army". So PD could have a penalty too...

Cheers