2 Questions about BtS

[Simplicity]

I had a couple of rather strange questions about the BtS expansion that I hoped someone could answer.

1) Are spies in any way affected by spies from the other side? For example, if I leave a spy in Rome, will that make it harder to perform espionage in Rome? Are enemy spies more likely to be caught? What about if I leave a spy on an improvement?

2) Do naval blockades block your *own* trade routes? If they do not, then there could be big advantages to setting up some peacetime blockades early in the game...

[Nugog]

1) I believe so.

2) Unsure

[Simplicity]

I'm looking for some amount of certainty on the spies thing... I don't want to waste hammers building stuff if it isn't going to do anything.

[Robert]

2) Do naval blockades block your *own* trade routes? If they do not, then there could be big advantages to setting up some peacetime blockades early in the game...

No, naval blockades do not block your own trade routes.

[Standup]

Are spies in any way affected by spies from the other side? For example, if I leave a spy in Rome, will that make it harder to perform espionage in Rome? Are enemy spies more likely to be caught? What about if I leave a spy on an improvement?

Well spies can only be seen by other spies although the manual doesn't state what the range is. The manual also refers to the 'kill spy' mission without elaborating but I'd assume (always risky) than you need a friendly spy to bump off an enemy one.

[Simplicity]

So I can just put blockading ships right at my coastal borders (before Astronomy) and I'll be the only one able to trade through my territory? Sweet!

[Nugog]

Ships blockade 3 squares around them - so that may work - but trade will then try and find a land/river route.

[Alexander I]

Originally posted by CyberShy

2) Do naval blockades block your *own* trade routes? If they do not, then there could be big advantages to setting up some peacetime blockades early in the game...

No, naval blockades do not block your own trade routes.

Yeah, that would suck. Naval blockades only block others' trade.