I hate spies.

[Carch]

Is there a decent counter to spies? The AI likes to bring a couple along with every attack group, and in the middle of battle a few of my units always defect. Is there ANY reasonable counter to this?

[albiedamned]

Yes - the scout line (scout/explorer/commando/special forces).

[Imp]

It's pretty damn satisfying to see that wench get taken out.

[dearmad]

Oh yes. In fact I still cheer. She's my pref. target to generals in battles for my commando, though that makes NO tactical sense whatsoever; it's an emotional thing. In MP the general would get it, but not in SP.

[Inverse Icarus]

yes. one of my biggest mistakes my first MP game out.

BRING SCOUTS WITH YOUR ARMIES.

[tesloid]

We all hate spies. Just like we hated monks. And hijackers.
And Yuris...

I wish they would stop putting units in these games that can steal
other units!

[KenR7A]

I dont understand how they can bribe from afar. Am I not getting their method right? Theyre giving them money, or are they showing the wealth they COULD have if they joined their side?

Its just annoying when youre trying to take out a fort and the spies get you from BEHIND the fort!

[Daveman]

I've gotten very annoyed at them too. Even if you have scouts to reveal the spies, it takes a bit of micromanaging to deal with them. Counter-intelligence works great, but you still need to click on the spy which can be difficult if she's in a swirling mass of troops and flying arrows.

Regular units don't seem to like attacking spies either. I usually have to order them to attack an exposed spy rather than keep firing on whatever enemy units are nearby. I wish they'd make spies a priority target as it doesn't take that much firepower to take them out, and the danger they pose is pretty great.

The whole unit stealing bit just annoys me in general. I'd rather see bribery act as a temporary radius (much like Force March) of intense attrition... bleeding off enemy units.

[Sarxis]

I love using spies! And sabotage.

Nasty, nasty, NASTY business.


In a recent MP game, one of my opponents built around 230 military units and I ~200; I managed to bribe 18 of his.

The extra intel helps too.

[hoeleng]

ususally i have a support unit in battle consisting of 1 general, 2 supply wagons and 1 scout. ususally mapped to a hot key so i can detect those spies or enemy ambush

[Andrew_Jay]

I hate them too, and only use them myself for exploring and greating informers. The bribery is too much micromanaging for me, I only do it when I'm bored and the opportunity presents itself.
Once I made an enemy general an informer and watched as he, and his army of about 40+ units, drove into a clearing and stopped in one big clump after having defeated the invasion force I had sent to his continent . . . needless to say he helped a LOT when I wanted to aim my nuke . . . the best part was that the general was the ONLY unit who survived, giving me a nice view of the carnage

[ded_man_walkin]

I Wuv spies! One time i was playing a dude, And i used the spy's informwer to find his troops, which were stacked in one place-And then! I nuked out the 100 soldiers that he had! That was the funniest thing! i have never seen so much carnage since aoe's deathmatch! The other time i bribed like 29 units with one spy! spies are amzing! They really rock, and they are also good against enemy spies. Theyre also good strategically, to see the weak points of your enemy, and the economy raiding points. (as for the AoE's priests, yeah i hate them to) I ou oooo iou o wololo wololo

[ded_man_walkin]

Lol! just like andrew Jay!

[Gravity Happens]

OMG i HATE spies they got tiresome after the first time i ever encountered them. I like to counter them with fire lances or flamethrowers so i can watch those *%#^es BURN!!! And they run so goshdarned FAST!! theyre faster than tanks its not humanly possible.

[Carch]

Faster than tanks ... they must be BIONIC SPIES!!!