Hi, I was bored so I started thinking that content I would like to see in Endless Legend in future.

And there are many things that could be added, but something that would make me special illusion is a system of espionage / sabotage, I think this system could

work because:



Give more things to do in the mid / late game.

An active way to confront your rivals without resorting to war.

One way to enhance currently less powerful resources, such as watchtowers and influence points

It is a new mechanic that brings greater depth / customization options for the player.



The centerpiece of this system is based on a new special and limited unit, the spy*(It's just a name to explain the concept) The spy will move around the map and which will perform all actions of espionage / sabotage, etc.



Note: All concepts, quantities, skills, costs, etc probably are unbalanced. Only serve as an example of the system.



Explanation of the unit

• The spy is a special unit, similar to a hero, but without combat capability in battle.
• This unit is invisible to the enemy, can only be detected for 2 reasons, another spy, and watchtowers in a range of tiles around him, which we call "true vision". ("true vision" =/= vision)
  
  (this range will vary according to the technologies, level, accessories etc)
• It has a variety of skills that cost a lot of influence to be used, such as:
  
  Sabotage of the resource extractors, can attack heroes and many more, can attack a trade route (He can see the routes in range of "True vision")
• It has a good capacity for movement and vision (5 movement, 4 vision from base stats), Bonus +1* movement in your territory Penalty -2* in enemy territory, (*For balance: If detected is exposed to being ambushed)
• The system of success or failure of skills is based on% base hit (+Various Bonus -Enemy debuffs)
• To get a spy you have to research a technology in the era 2, at first you can only have one, but at eras 3 and 4 your maximum capacity is expanded (1 per era). Once investigated you can produce or buy.
• If you are in range of "true vision", you can´t perform any action (except attack another solo spy), and being visible is vulnerable to attacks.
• Can move through closed borders and attack friends and allies if you research certain technologies.
• Consumes a lot of dust per turn if not in garrison. (scale according to level)
• Can be eliminated by another spy or a hero, if he is removed you recover past few turns as heroes (But I think it might give an interesting dimension if death were permanent, Protect your favorite spies!)
• The heroes have a great ability to remove spy (90% of base), but they dont have rank of "True vision" need help from another spy or towers to detect.
• Can be assigned to cities or armies for counterintelligence work as heroes. But not have the ability to "fast Transfer" and has a cooldown to leave city / Army.
• It has levels and a skill tree as heroes and also can be equipped only with accessories (2), gets experience from different ways.
• Espionage can spoil relations. Open new diplomatic requests relating for example: "Ultimatum" if you keep spying we will declare war.
  
  

Skills

Passive:

• "True Vision": Ability to detect invisible spy in a range of 3 to around him (True Vision is not the same as normal vision) (Only works when the spy is not assigned to a city or army.)
• Counterintelligence in the region: If you assign to a city get a bonus of -10% to success and +1% critical failure all attempts to sabotage towards the city, extractors, trade routes / villages of that region. But the city does not get "true vision". Also the cost of maintenance is reduced drastically. The enemy needs more influence to use skills in the region.
• Counterintelligence in the army. If you assign the spy to an army, you gain -30% success opportunity for the enemy spy to sabotage attempts in that army / hero and +3 Critical failure. But the army does not get "true vision". Also the cost of maintenance is reduced drastically.
  
  

Active:



1*Can return as a hero.

2*-25% in enemy territory.

3*+5% in enemy territory.

• Using a skill always gives experience (even when faults, critique failure it's the only exception, obviously)
• All active skills can be used at any time without unlock, although at first will probably ineffective and need levels and accessories to have good chances of success.
• You only can perform an action per turn, you cannot move that turn after performing an action even if you have movement points.
  
  

General representation of the system in the world map







Levels and Skill tree

Levels

• The spy can level up as heroes. Level improvements are (per level):
  
  Active skill:
  
  +1% success rate of each active skill
  
  +0.2% success rate of critical hit rate for each active skill
  
  -0.2% critique Failure rate for each active skill
  
  Personal Defense:
  
  -1% Success rate for the enemies that attack you. (Spies / Heroes)
  
  +0.2% Critical failure rate for enemies that attack you (Spies / Heroes)
  
  Counterintelligence (Assigned to cities / armies):
  
  -0.5% success rate for enemy skills in region/army.
  
  -0.1% succes rate of critical hit for enemy skills in region/army.
  
  +0.1% critical failure rate for enemy skills in region/army.
  
  Maintenance and costs:
  
  + Dust needed for maintenace
  
  + Influence needed for active skills
  
  And you can spend a point in the skill tree
  
  
  
  
• How to get the experience:
  
  Over time. (+)
  
  With accessories. (++)
  
  Using active skills (+++)
  
  Protecting cities. (+)
  
  Protecting armies. (+)
  
  With special buildings (++)
  
  
  
  Skill tree
  
  
  
  (The numbers only serve to identify)
  
  
  
  Some examples:
  
  
  
  1. More vision.(2 levels) (Not "True Vision")
  
  +1 vision
  
  +1 vision
  
  
  
  2.Destroy minor faction villages.(3 levels)
  
  +5% success rate +5% critical hit success rate -1 % critical failure + cost of influence
  
  +5% success rate +5% critical hit success rate -1 % critical failure + cost of influence
  
  +10% success rate +10% critical hit success rate -2 % critical failure + cost of influence
  
  
  
  3.Protect city. (When the spy is assigned to a city) (3 levels)
  
  -5% success rate for enemy skills in region.-1% succes rate of critical hit for enemy skills in region.+1% critical failure rate for enemy skills in region.
  
  -5% success rate for enemy skills in region.-1% succes rate of critical hit for enemy skills in region.+1% critical failure rate for enemy skills in region.
  
  -10% success rate for enemy skills in region.-2% succes rate of critical hit for enemy skills in region.+2% critical failure rate for enemy skills in region.
  
  ...
  
  
  
  8.Increases the area of "True vision" of the spy.(2 levels)
  
  +1 "True vision"
  
  +1 "True vision"
  
  ...
  
  
  
  10. Undetectable. (1 level)
  
  Reduce by 1 the range to which the enemy spies and towers are able to detect it. (Example: Level 3 towers could only see with "True vision" 1 tile away)
  
  

New buildings (I'm getting tired of writing so try to be brief from now.)

3 New buildings

• Defensive building 1.
  
  At Era III.
  
  Reduces the chance of success of enemy skills in the region
  
  Gives experience for the spy when he is in the city
  
  Requires resources for obtain and Dust maintenance.
• Defensive building 2.
  
  At Era IV
  
  Reduces the chance of success of enemy skills in the region
  
  Gives more experience for the spy when he is in the city
  
  Requires resources for obtain and Dust maintenance.
  
  The enemy needs more influence to use skills in the region.
  
  If you build one in every city you can build a unique building
• Unique building (Ony by empire)
  
  You get a new spy
  
  Gives much more experience for the spy when he is in the city
  
  Requires resources for obtain and Dust maintenance.
  
  The enemy needs much more influence to use skills in the region. (Probably is not profitable attack this region)
  
  

Tecnologies

6 new tecnologies (1 only event)

• ERA II:
  
  Technology 1. Unlock the spy.
• ERA III: (You unlock another spy at this era if you investigated the Tecnology 1)
  
  Technology 2. Defensive Bulding 1. Now you can use the spy against empires in peace.
  
  Technology 3. Tier 1 accesories.
• ERA IV: (You unlock another spy at this era if you investigated the Tecnology 1)
  
  Technology 4. Densive Building 2, Unique Building. Now you can use the spy against allied empires.
  
  Technology 5. Tier 2 accesories.
• BY EVENT:
  
  Technology 6.Tier 3 accesories.
  
  

Accesories

• Are unlocked with technologies and require resources to be built, provide different types of bonus:
• +Exp per turn
• - Cost maintenance
• - Influence for skills

Hello Maverik,

Thanks for this huge input, we would indeed like to see this kind of gameplay element in the future!

Some great ideas here, and I'm glad to hear that espionage systems are being seriously considered for future expansions.



Personally, I have a hard time deciding whether I'd prefer a unit-based system like this, or a global system like Civilization 4. Perhaps a mixture would work as well, with the actions that have a local effect (inciting revolt, sabotaging extractors and armies, etc) being performed by units, while more general actions are available through a global menu (gaining information on their current research goals and resource stockpiles, slandering their reputation with other empires, etc.)

http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2012/07/30/three-moves-ahead-episode-179-spy-games/ - here's relevant podcast with something to think about on the matter.



TLDR: Espionage is usually only good on paper.

ilitarist wrote:
TLDR: Espionage is usually only good on paper.

That's not what I got from that podcast at all, just that Civ 4's and R.U.S.E.'s implementation were full of good ideas that weren't executed well.



I agree with them that moving Spy units around the map is not that interesting.

Well there are some nice ideas. And didn´t Amplitude wanted to design a fraction which was about stealth?

Whoa Maverik, now this is what I call an idea!!





11/10



Will read again.

Honestly the only appeal I see in this is a better way to respond to The Cultists and overwhelming Roving Clan mercenary armies.

Spy sappin mah structures! D:



Though it have a potential to increase dem hates like the market ban, it's great idea

Open new diplomatic requests relating for example: "Ultimatum" if you keep spying we will declare war.

THIS. THIS deserves it's own topic. We need THIS in game. I do believe THIS would greatly improve the fun gained through diplomatic victory.





Also I got an ideas of the spy:

Era 1: (unlocks new item) Spy Sapper:

- only for heroes

- seriously reduces combat skills

- allows to sabotage the structures

- when equipped, the hero can become the spy (a third role, like governor on city or leader on army)

(like nine-tailed-cat said, dunno about the system: new unit or global?)

- (unit-like) how about setting an ambush? hidden in territory...

- (globalish) affecting others' trade routes seems ok to this (would cost influence), no?



(very loose idea, not sabotage-thingy, but somewhat fits the job?...)

era 2: Trap setting

- allows for spy to set a trap, which deals damage and immobilises enemies caught in it