Several things do seem to be quietly "changed" and espionage is definitely one of them. I remember in DA if you placed 3 spies for just a week or 2 you would achieve "Low" level spy status on a race. Now I have to do it at 2 or 3 times that amount to reach the first level.
As it is in TOTA, especially with the tighter econ. I tend to only make spies when I need them to counteract a spy on one of my tiles.
