Spying?

[Etxxu]

Hi!!

I don't know how to get spies or any of that... I have read about of post taking about, but I can't see the mechanics in-game...

I read thinks like:
"through spies"
"Once you obtained any spy"
"infiltrate Lu Bu's army"

But in what menú I can't find spies and how do you manage them? I can't find the mechanics...

Thank you so much!

[Fedup]

As a Spying noob, I can give you some advice:
- Stay away from factions that are spy-focused!
- You unlock (sometimes you start) with "spy positions". Once you have that unlocked, click the big eye in the top left menu. It is near the money symbol
- There you would see a big list of things to do.

First, you must employ a spy. That can be someone from your faction that you send out, a new candidate or, if you're lucky, someone unhappy with his faction that is willing to spy for you for a lot of money.
You pick a spy and you pick a target faction.


From what I understand and I may be wrong: There are two things: Cover and Network. Cover is gained quickly, network is gained more slowly. There are a bunch of things that I don't know that affect that speed, including who you pick to spy.

First, your spy must infiltrate the target faction. If you got a turncoat, then he's already in a position of power! Awesome!!!
If not, then the spy nicely sits there trying to get hired.
NOTE: That's how the AI does it too! If you see a nice candidate that happens to be from a faction you are at war with, that guy is probably a spy! Just in case, I never hire people that were working for Cao Cao before showing up in my court, even when I am allied with him. Yuan Shu is also suspect. All in all, I suspect faction leaders that were shrewd and treasonous in the Romance of Three Kingdoms. For example, in the RotK (perhaps in history too, not sure) Cao Cao sent spies to Lu Bu when he was allied with Liu Bei. So... nope, no people from Cao Cao in the game.

There are options where you can try to increase the chances of your spy being hired, for a cost of cover and network.


So... at some point, either a turncoat or a new hire, is in the enemy faction! Awesome!
Now, depending on WHAT they do there, court nobles, generals on the field or administrators, you have a bunch of options. All of them cost network, cover or both.
You can have an entire army of the enemy evaporate on the spot, ON THE SPOT if you have a general there. You can have the spy try to ASSASSINATE the faction leader or faction heir! Personally, I never got a spy loyal enough (or in the right position) to do that. But I saw someone that had Lu Bu kill Dong Zhuo.

And again: This can happen to you. So... try to keep your people above 35-40.

[Etxxu]

Originally posted by Fedup:

As a Spying noob, I can give you some advice:
- Stay away from factions that are spy-focused!
- You unlock (sometimes you start) with "spy positions". Once you have that unlocked, click the big eye in the top left menu. It is near the money symbol
- There you would see a big list of things to do.

First, you must employ a spy. That can be someone from your faction that you send out, a new candidate or, if you're lucky, someone unhappy with his faction that is willing to spy for you for a lot of money.
You pick a spy and you pick a target faction.


From what I understand and I may be wrong: There are two things: Cover and Network. Cover is gained quickly, network is gained more slowly. There are a bunch of things that I don't know that affect that speed, including who you pick to spy.

First, your spy must infiltrate the target faction. If you got a turncoat, then he's already in a position of power! Awesome!!!
If not, then the spy nicely sits there trying to get hired.
NOTE: That's how the AI does it too! If you see a nice candidate that happens to be from a faction you are at war with, that guy is probably a spy! Just in case, I never hire people that were working for Cao Cao before showing up in my court, even when I am allied with him. Yuan Shu is also suspect. All in all, I suspect faction leaders that were shrewd and treasonous in the Romance of Three Kingdoms. For example, in the RotK (perhaps in history too, not sure) Cao Cao sent spies to Lu Bu when he was allied with Liu Bei. So... nope, no people from Cao Cao in the game.

There are options where you can try to increase the chances of your spy being hired, for a cost of cover and network.


So... at some point, either a turncoat or a new hire, is in the enemy faction! Awesome!
Now, depending on WHAT they do there, court nobles, generals on the field or administrators, you have a bunch of options. All of them cost network, cover or both.
You can have an entire army of the enemy evaporate on the spot, ON THE SPOT if you have a general there. You can have the spy try to ASSASSINATE the faction leader or faction heir! Personally, I never got a spy loyal enough (or in the right position) to do that. But I saw someone that had Lu Bu kill Dong Zhuo.

And again: This can happen to you. So... try to keep your people above 35-40.

How do you unlock the spy position?

How do you know who from other faction is willing to spy?

Thank you so much! A great Great info!!

[Fedup]

Depending on the faction, you may start with one unlocked. Or you can "buy" one slot when you raise the faction to second marquis.

You know who you can hire from other factions because you see a nice list of people that you know and that are willing to spy. :)
Also, when there is a turncoat available and you have free spy positions, you get a "note" in the eye icon.

There is a lot more on how you get people to be willing to spy for you. But I am not sure and I don't want to give you false info. I am learning the ropes too, myself.
But here is what happened now. As in, the previous turn:

A big army was heading towards one poorly defended settlement of mine, stopping a short distance from it. My spy was inside that big army.
I had the option (I didn't use it but I had it) to simply have the turncoat general "come out" as a traitor in battle and lead his retinue to SUPPORT my defenders. Thus, Instead of me having 3 heroes and 6 units and the enemy having 3 heroes and 18 units, I could have slapped the AI with 3+1 heroes and 6+6 units versus his now 2 heroes and 12 units!

I didn't need to do that, as I brought other reinforcements and slapped that army silly without exposing my spy. But I could have melted that army even with my low forces.
Or, if I had more "cover" than I did at the time, perhaps I could simply turn the army completely to my side.

Last but not least, my spy is also an administrator. While I use his cover and network to hit Lu Bu's satisfaction to send him to my waiting hands... I could build it up and then one nice day press the button and the entire commandery my guy commands would come to me.

NOTE: Again the enemy can also do that... Which means that I am very careful to keep my husband-administrator happy and loyal so that I won't lose the cash-and-food cow of my budding Empire. I have one entire commandery and a couple of settlements here and there. If that guy betrays me, I am toast.

[Etxxu]

Originally posted by Fedup:

Depending on the faction, you may start with one unlocked. Or you can "buy" one slot when you raise the faction to second marquis.

You know who you can hire from other factions because you see a nice list of people that you know and that are willing to spy. :)
Also, when there is a turncoat available and you have free spy positions, you get a "note" in the eye icon.

There is a lot more on how you get people to be willing to spy for you. But I am not sure and I don't want to give you false info. I am learning the ropes too, myself.
But here is what happened now. As in, the previous turn:

A big army was heading towards one poorly defended settlement of mine, stopping a short distance from it. My spy was inside that big army.
I had the option (I didn't use it but I had it) to simply have the turncoat general "come out" as a traitor in battle and lead his retinue to SUPPORT my defenders. Thus, Instead of me having 3 heroes and 6 units and the enemy having 3 heroes and 18 units, I could have slapped the AI with 3+1 heroes and 6+6 units versus his now 2 heroes and 12 units!

I didn't need to do that, as I brought other reinforcements and slapped that army silly without exposing my spy. But I could have melted that army even with my low forces.
Or, if I had more "cover" than I did at the time, perhaps I could simply turn the army completely to my side.

Last but not least, my spy is also an administrator. While I use his cover and network to hit Lu Bu's satisfaction to send him to my waiting hands... I could build it up and then one nice day press the button and the entire commandery my guy commands would come to me.

NOTE: Again the enemy can also do that... Which means that I am very careful to keep my husband-administrator happy and loyal so that I won't lose the cash-and-food cow of my budding Empire. I have one entire commandery and a couple of settlements here and there. If that guy betrays me, I am toast.

When you improve your kingdoms? Then nothing hahaha
I am already one of the three kingdoms...

In the next game then hahaha
But... Great info, it's amazing... Next game I will try playing with spies

Thanks!!