New Discoveries in an Old Game

[Norselord]

Sometimes you can play a game for years and not know something basic.

Here are some of my experiences.

- Not settling the first great spy, using her to put an espionage bomb on an AI and stealing techs (last game: fishing, sailing, archery, iron working, metal casting)
- using a spy to explore. If a barbarian warrior is on a goodie hut, a spy can loot it without having to fight) Normally all the land is explored by the time alphabet rolls around, but if you play on maps like Tectonics/Lakes there is plenty of room.

Please share yours.

[Theben]

You can use Great Spies to scout and loot also. With their 2 movement they're ideal, can be gained before Alpha (with G Wall), and don't get caught in enemy lands. They should have commando though, for scouting civs you don't have open borders agreements with, IMO.

[rah]

Didn't know they could loot. I guess it makes sense, but I never really thought about it.

[Norselord]

another recent discovery:

when i am SPI, switching from Bureacracy to nationhood every 5-15 turns, for 'free' recruited military units in every city but the capitol. When combined with organized religion, it improves the infrastructure and military in parallel. Allowing for a good religion economy with a nice army.

For an added bonus: make sure you are running hereditary rule.

[wodan11]

Spies can also pillage water resources when on board a sub or caravel.

[Ming]

Spies can also pillage water resources when on board a sub or caravel.

I didn't know that... thaniks

[Norselord]

Spies can also pillage water resources when on board a sub or caravel.

Wow, that is huge!

Did NOT know that...thanks! That is friggin evil...

I think my caravels will no longer be exploring emptily. I assume the spy ends up back in the capital after the mission, so 2 spies per caravel is a good idea? Also, I assume that the likelihood of success increases with # of turns the caravel/sub/carack stays on the resource?

I know I am always loving on the espionage, and the more I learn, the less I understand why people play with espionage off.

I would like persons to post about things that they did not discover in the game until several years into it. Would prefer if this thread does not devolve into a spy thread...we can make a new thread for all the cool things about spying later

[Theben]

Good luck getting 2 spies on one caravel...

[Norselord]

Good luck getting 2 spies on one caravel...

heheheh

How 'bout a Carack?

[rah]

Couldn't you just pillage using the Carack so you wouldn't need a spy?

[Norselord]

Couldn't you just pillage using the Carack so you wouldn't need a spy?

That would tend to initiate a war, wouldn't it?

A Carack can move across borders without open borders. Pillaging with the spy won't start a war (unless she gets busted, ofcourse)

[rah]

I always seem to get busted.

[wodan11]

Wow, that is huge!

Did NOT know that...thanks! That is friggin evil...

My pleasure.

I assume the spy ends up back in the capital after the mission

Yup