Three out of four AI's are spending *all* their Espionage on me. None on each other.

[Cort Haus]

So I'm getting dogpiled by pesky spies, trashing my towns and buildings. I'm thwarting loads, but they keep on coming. It's a bit tedious, tbh. I haven't done any active missions against anyone. Each city is getting CH, Jail and Security Thingy and a resident spy unit (usually before anything more interesting) and I'm diverting commerce to espionage.

I'm on just as good terms with all the dogpilers as they are with each other. Numerically far higher in fact, with all the generous trades and ceding to their demands (despite my power being twice as strong), but they only need the smallest of +ve modifiers with each other to be pleased / friendly. I could just eventually go to war and **** the ****ers, but I'd rather not because it takes me for ever.

Does having multiple spies 'defending' in each city help? It's the small, young, cities without the security bureau that are getting trashed.

It's impossible to compete because I have to spread my espionage among three of them, but they can focus it all on me. The more I spend, the more they seem to spend in reply and it's dragging the game into a dull, drawn-out espionage-race. Maybe some players like this. I can't say it's much fun.

[Jaybe]

Single spies OR a security bureau is all that will help. Add to that counter-espionage missions vs. those pesky civs.

I often find that if I have a strong lead in score & military, AI civs will try to counter the best (and most annoying) way they can: via espionage missions (gives you something to do during your turns, aside from declaring war on them ).

Alternatives: close your borders (increases espionage costs); distract them by getting them to war upon each other; tolerate the hassle; become so irritated by it that you blow your top and USE your military; become so irritated by it that you blow your top and quit the game (remember to RESIGN so that it's recorded as a loss -- you DID "blow it" after all).

[Cort Haus]

What does counter-espionage do? I can see I'm going to have to practically shut down half of my economy to keep up against the dogpile.

There should be a diplomatic option : "Stop sending spies or I kick your ****ing head in!"

[Boracks]

Counter espionage greatly adds to the cost of enemy missions (+200% IIRC).

[SpencerH]

Although there are others that will disagree, I find the espionage component of BtS to be annoying. As a result, I turned off espionage using REV-DCM. It probably nerfs some civs a little but I just got SO tired of constant irritating attacks. I can see civs stealing, or trying to steal, stuff but constant terrorist attacks is just too much.

[rah]

That used to annoy me, but while this is occuring the odds are they're using their espionage slider which takes away from their science slider so it's easier to out tech them so when it's time for a thumping, it's easier.
The only espionage I'll use is counter missions, this will slow them down considerably and while they're waiting for it to end you usually catch a boat load of their spies due to the eleveated level.

[rah]

I do wish there was a automate worker setting of repair sabotage. If it's a resource automate will work, but simple improvement won't be.

[wodan11]

Another alternative: (and I'm not saying this is the case, but I've a sneaking suspicion since you didn't mention it)... don't be the tech or score leader.

[Cort Haus]

REV-DCM?

Yeah, the terrorism stuff should be treated as an act of war. Can I turn espionage off in BTS?

[Cort Haus]

Another alternative: (and I'm not saying this is the case, but I've a sneaking suspicion since you didn't mention it)... don't be the tech or score leader.

Makes for a crap game. But then again, I'm increasingly of the opinion that BTS is a crap game.

[rah]

REV-DCM?

Yeah, the terrorism stuff should be treated as an act of war. Can I turn espionage off in BTS?

Yes in the custom game options. It does change other things that I can't remember because I've never turned it off. I think I've shut everything else off at some point. I still play with no vassals and no tech trading.

[Boracks]

Turning espionage off increases the culture thresholds since espionage points then go to culture (again, IIRC).

[SpencerH]

REV-DCM?

Yeah, the terrorism stuff should be treated as an act of war. Can I turn espionage off in BTS?

Rev-dcm is a mod I play nowadays that has some good and bad points.

I didnt know espionage could be turned off in BtS.

[wodan11]

When you turn it off, it changes all espionage to culture. In some versions of BtS and some mods that does funky stuff, I've read (such as wacky things to culture victories). I think the most recent BetterAI fixes it pretty much. I never turn it off so I didn't pay that much attention to the reports.

[Dis]

I do wish there was a automate worker setting of repair sabotage. If it's a resource automate will work, but simple improvement won't be.

yeah occasionally I miss the improvement destroyed messages. And as you said, that means they are devoting significant resources to espionage and not science. It's annoying to have to redirect workers, however. Civ3 had this fatal flaw if I recall correctly, but in their case it was because of pollution.

I never had it as bad as the OP, however. Sometimes I'll bump my espionage to 10%, but usually i don't like to. And just use workers to clean things up. Losing a city improvement sucks though.