How to prevent intel network from decaying while on an operation?

[Cheshire Kate]

I've tried "putting the network to sleep" first, but then as soon as I start an operation with the spies that were there, the intel network strength starts decaying again. The network decays so fast that they always get reduced to 0% by the time an operation is finished. Is there no way to maintain an intel network while on an operation?

[drewbstar]

Putting a network to sleep maintains it with decreased risk. It needs an active agent the whole time.

Your options include getting more spies and not much else.

[Khoryace]

if you only have 2 agents and do a 2 agents mission, then yes it's normal. You need an illusive gentlemen to get to 3 spies.

[Imhotep]

Originally posted by Khoryace:

if you only have 2 agents and do a 2 agents mission, then yes it's normal. You need an illusive gentlemen to get to 3 spies.

Is four spies the maximum?

- one for establishing an intelligence agency
- one after purchasing five agency upgrades
- one from hiring an Illusive Gentleman advisor
- one from becoming Spy Master of a large faction

[drewbstar]

Originally posted by Imhotep:

Originally posted by Khoryace:

if you only have 2 agents and do a 2 agents mission, then yes it's normal. You need an illusive gentlemen to get to 3 spies.

Is four spies the maximum?

- one for establishing an intelligence agency
- one after purchasing five agency upgrades
- one from hiring an Illusive Gentleman advisor
- one from becoming Spy Master of a large faction

It's 10.
You get additional spies based on the number of of faction members and the amount of factories they have.

[Khoryace]

you can get multiple spies from being spie master, depends on the size of the faction.

[drewbstar]

For the full math...
https://hoi4.paradoxwikis.com/Intelligence_agency

Spy Master status provides you with an additional spy for every two independent nations and high autonomy puppets (Dominion, Satellite, Imperial Subject, Supervised State) in your faction and is also dependent on the other nations’ industry. From 0 - 10 factories the nation will contribute 0 spies, for 10 - 49 factories the nation will contribute 1/4 of a spy, for 50+ factories the nation will contribute 1/2 of a spy, i.e. when Germany is a Spy Master for the Axis and it puppets Slovakia, it will not receive an additional operative. When Italy joins the Axis, because it has more than 50 factories, Germany will gain 1/2 of a spy and give you an additional operative. If Romania becomes a satellite and it has 10 - 49 factories, Germany will only get a 1/4 of a spy.

Allies get a ton because they're the Allies, lol.

So, if you're the USSR, you could puppet Finland and Turkey... or Iran, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and get extra spies. You can also invite Sinkiang and Spain to your faction. You also get a free one because SMERSH.

Otherwise, just build up your faction and your faction members. Germany's strong contenders include Italy, Hungary/Romania, and all the optional puppet states. A very large part of LaR was trying to shift away from the DIRECT RULE FROM (X) aspect of the gameplay with increased requirements for occupying non-core land and the increased benefits of puppets/allies.

[Imhotep]

Originally posted by drewbstar:

It's 10.
You get additional spies based on the number of of faction members and the amount of factories they have.

Okay, thanks.

[Cheshire Kate]

It feels wrong to me that unless you're the spymaster of a large faction, there is no way to do operations without sacrificing the intel networks you just spent so long building up.

[mark.r.hendrickson]

It’s the nature of spy craft. Using the intel you gain is expensive.

[Cheshire Kate]

Also, what exactly is the point of the Quiet Intel Network mission if an agent still needs to be there in order to maintain the network?

[drewbstar]

Originally posted by Cheshire Kate:

Also, what exactly is the point of the Quiet Intel Network mission if an agent still needs to be there in order to maintain the network?

Less likely to be detected and captured.

[Mikey]

Originally posted by Cheshire Kate:

Also, what exactly is the point of the Quiet Intel Network mission if an agent still needs to be there in order to maintain the network?

Think of it in these terms
While building up a network your agent is basically standing on a corner of a street handing out fliers to anyone that wants one. Risk of being noticed and being captured is present
When set to a quiet network your agent only interacts with it's established network, everything is safe and little to no risk of talking to the wrong person however the network doesn't grow