Spying Question: Stealing Techs

from GalCiv2 Forums

 

I am not sure how stealing techs works.  I have great spy%.  I spied on several powers until I have reached Advanced knowledge on some races and High Espionage levels on one other.  After I reached Advanced, I withdraw my active spies since the game says I don't need to do anything else.  Rarely do I get any techs.  Once I got it from the High race, but one of the Advanced races I got nothing from. 

Does it depend on how many agents they have counterspying?

If I continue to put agents on their planets (even after Advanced knowledge) will it help me steal techs?

Thanks!

6,603 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think the problem is that the chance of stealing a tech is extremely low. It's so low that it's really surprising when it happens.

I played a game a few days ago where I was messing around. I had basically won the game already and left the final AI with a couple planets. I plastered every single tile with a spy. I had more than a dozen spies and I didn't steal any tech. I had a bunch of spies on both planets until they finally culture flipped. The AI was far ahead of me in the tech tree, so that wasn't the issue.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!
I am not sure how stealing techs works.
End of quote

In DL you spend ~2500 BC per race to get to advanced espionage, and then you just wait for these rare moments when the tech will arrive. In DA you need 5 spy/weeks to get the first level of espionage, unknown for next three levels (I never bothered counting). While you have at least one spy active on another race, it has a very slim chance to steal a tech. I don't know if after reaching advanced level there's possible to steal a tech even without active spies.

I have great spy%.
End of quote

In DL great spying bonus is helpfull. It decreases the costs of spying. In DA it just helps you to spend MORE on spying == you get a spy faster. Since each spy costs significantly more to train, and the 20th spy costs as much as a fully armed huge ship, is spying beyond the first level IMO silly. Keep just some spies for defenses, and invest the saved money into something more usefull.

BR, Iztok
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I just played a TA game as the Krynn and I have to say, tech stealing doesn't seem to be so useless.

With the super projects, I got my espionage up to 95% - dump a load of spies (about 15) on your next enemy and watch their production and economy grind to a halt. And over the course of maybe 10 turns I received two or three technologies.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I tried a similar approach with the TA Krynn and only got 2 relatively useless techs for a huge investment. Maybe it's a difficulty level thing? Or just random variation?
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It seems definitely harder in DA/TA to get techs via spying since you must keep the spies on the planet even after hitting Advanced. I think the flavor text about no more espionage spending is needed is a remnant from DL.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If I have enough credits to dump a load of spies on an AI, that probably means my economy is so good that I practically won the game already. Otherwise, I'd rather spend the credits on military/infrastructure that will definitely help me win.