So, the current Espionage system is better than nothing, but still leaves something to be desired. Specifically, the Operations are a bit of a dud compared to the fantasy promised. While the player doesn’t have to worry about unknown operations cfrom other empires crippling them with no notice or defense, the system proves to have little proactive value to help a player other than simply giving them information.
In particular, a few operations stand out as being functionally useless - namely Arm Privateers and Sabotage starbases. At present, its hard to imagine how either of these operations would be of ANY use other than simple roleplaying services.
In order to improve the operations aspect, Operations need to have more oomph and power. HOWEVER, increasing the power of operations without any other changes will simply create the original problem - namely creating scenarios where players are randomly crippled without any way to defend themselves.
I hold that stronger operations are needed to make the system worth using, but to do so, there needs to be more options for agency for the player to defend themselves.
For this, I have a solution that consists of three parts: Targeted Counter Intelligence Operations; Security Jobs, and Asset Timers
A note on all of these suggestions is that, as far as I’m aware, require no new systems to be developed, and should only be extensions of current systems, nor should they require any new UI developments.
Counter Intelligence Operations
So, the first part is the biggest, namely counter-intelligence operations. In order to allow operations to be more disruptive, there needs to be a way for empires to exercise some agency in their own risk. However, it can JUST be a measure of resources, because then the problem of (the biggest empire always wins) is still in effect.
In order to solve this, I looked to fleet combat. One of the core aspects of fleet combat is the rock/paper/scissors dynamic of weapon systems. A fleet with a smaller, but more tuned fleet has a chance to beat a fleet that might (on paper) be stronger, but has tactical weaknesses. I aimed to introduce this same system in Operations.
The result is 4 special operations that serve as direct/indirect counters. Each of these operations works by being of one of the four types (subterfuge, manipulation, sabotage, provocation). In addition to some neat secondary effects, the core effect of each of these operations is to create a large defense against ONE type of operation.
The other aspect of these operations is that they are two stages to activate, and create a buffer that lasts for a period of time, similar to sleeper cells. IMPORTANTLY - these operations finish faster than offensive operations, and last for a few years - which allows you to set a ‘defensive strategy’ and then launch an offensive one that strategically has a chance to succeed.
There is also an important modification to the Gather Intel Operation. A bonus feature should include the information about a) If the target empire has a spy network in your empire and b) If so, what operation (if any) are they current running (based on date of start). Since Gather Intel gives you a bonus based on the asset used, you could also get a bonus if their current operation type matches the specialty of the asset used.
The idea with these special operations is that you can now have a bit of a cat-and-mouse game where once you establish your defense, guessing at your opponents likely operation type (and countering it). You then wager you own gamble, and hope that your operation slips past their defense. The CI operation allows you to get a better read as to their current status, but it does eat up your infiltration, and takes time/resources - so that leaves less to run other operations.
Security Jobs
Given this updated offense/defense system then - network infiltration becomes a lot more valuable - as you now have to balance defending your empire with the correct defensive operation and then infiltrate your opponent quickly enough to launch your own operation before they defend.
In order to provide an additional layer of defense, I would add ‘Security Officer’ Jobs on Precincts, as well as a few other buildings. These jobs would not impact your Encryption/Codebreaking levels, BUT instead would modify the infiltration speed for opposing empires. The idea being here that, if an empire wishes to maximize their defense against operations, they need to slow down infiltrating networks - and so these security officers are able to scan potential threats.
Ideally, these jobs would be more efficient the smaller your empire is (either planets, pops, etc) - effectively giving smaller empires a greater degree of espionage defense IF they make the investment. The cost of that defense, being jobs, may or may not be ideal for slowing down potential threats.
Asset Degradation
The last update is a small one, but likely useful. Simply put - Intelligence Assets should gain a timer, (hidden or visible), much like leaders - and they expire after a certain time period. This would help to make operations like “acquire assets” more valuable later in the game as you need to keep up a pool of useful assets as other retire, die, or otherwise become out of date.
A subtle note here also is that this aspect helps favor smaller empires as well. Since smaller empires can infiltrate larger empires more quickly, it becomes easier for smaller empires to build and maintain asset pools, and thus give them an additional leg up against an empire that might otherwise overpower them.
Vigilance
Last additional option I might add is the idea of Vigilance. The idea is that each time you are subjected to an opposed operation, you gain an ‘Encryption 'Bonus' that dissipates gradually over time. The larger the opposing empire, the greater the initial bonus as well.
List of Additional Operations
Given these alterations, I would finally suggest then a bounty of additional operations, in order to create a wide enough pool of options for any potential clandestine empire. Below is a list of all my options that I might add, in one form or another.
Anyways, that was a bug of a suggestion I had to get out my head. Its in the ether now - hope it leads to interesting discussion. If a PDX Dev wants to come by, even if only to tell me my idea is dumb, I would still be happy it got seen.
In particular, a few operations stand out as being functionally useless - namely Arm Privateers and Sabotage starbases. At present, its hard to imagine how either of these operations would be of ANY use other than simple roleplaying services.
In order to improve the operations aspect, Operations need to have more oomph and power. HOWEVER, increasing the power of operations without any other changes will simply create the original problem - namely creating scenarios where players are randomly crippled without any way to defend themselves.
I hold that stronger operations are needed to make the system worth using, but to do so, there needs to be more options for agency for the player to defend themselves.
For this, I have a solution that consists of three parts: Targeted Counter Intelligence Operations; Security Jobs, and Asset Timers
A note on all of these suggestions is that, as far as I’m aware, require no new systems to be developed, and should only be extensions of current systems, nor should they require any new UI developments.
Counter Intelligence Operations
So, the first part is the biggest, namely counter-intelligence operations. In order to allow operations to be more disruptive, there needs to be a way for empires to exercise some agency in their own risk. However, it can JUST be a measure of resources, because then the problem of (the biggest empire always wins) is still in effect.
In order to solve this, I looked to fleet combat. One of the core aspects of fleet combat is the rock/paper/scissors dynamic of weapon systems. A fleet with a smaller, but more tuned fleet has a chance to beat a fleet that might (on paper) be stronger, but has tactical weaknesses. I aimed to introduce this same system in Operations.
The result is 4 special operations that serve as direct/indirect counters. Each of these operations works by being of one of the four types (subterfuge, manipulation, sabotage, provocation). In addition to some neat secondary effects, the core effect of each of these operations is to create a large defense against ONE type of operation.
The other aspect of these operations is that they are two stages to activate, and create a buffer that lasts for a period of time, similar to sleeper cells. IMPORTANTLY - these operations finish faster than offensive operations, and last for a few years - which allows you to set a ‘defensive strategy’ and then launch an offensive one that strategically has a chance to succeed.
There is also an important modification to the Gather Intel Operation. A bonus feature should include the information about a) If the target empire has a spy network in your empire and b) If so, what operation (if any) are they current running (based on date of start). Since Gather Intel gives you a bonus based on the asset used, you could also get a bonus if their current operation type matches the specialty of the asset used.
The idea with these special operations is that you can now have a bit of a cat-and-mouse game where once you establish your defense, guessing at your opponents likely operation type (and countering it). You then wager you own gamble, and hope that your operation slips past their defense. The CI operation allows you to get a better read as to their current status, but it does eat up your infiltration, and takes time/resources - so that leaves less to run other operations.
Security Jobs
Given this updated offense/defense system then - network infiltration becomes a lot more valuable - as you now have to balance defending your empire with the correct defensive operation and then infiltrate your opponent quickly enough to launch your own operation before they defend.
In order to provide an additional layer of defense, I would add ‘Security Officer’ Jobs on Precincts, as well as a few other buildings. These jobs would not impact your Encryption/Codebreaking levels, BUT instead would modify the infiltration speed for opposing empires. The idea being here that, if an empire wishes to maximize their defense against operations, they need to slow down infiltrating networks - and so these security officers are able to scan potential threats.
Ideally, these jobs would be more efficient the smaller your empire is (either planets, pops, etc) - effectively giving smaller empires a greater degree of espionage defense IF they make the investment. The cost of that defense, being jobs, may or may not be ideal for slowing down potential threats.
Asset Degradation
The last update is a small one, but likely useful. Simply put - Intelligence Assets should gain a timer, (hidden or visible), much like leaders - and they expire after a certain time period. This would help to make operations like “acquire assets” more valuable later in the game as you need to keep up a pool of useful assets as other retire, die, or otherwise become out of date.
A subtle note here also is that this aspect helps favor smaller empires as well. Since smaller empires can infiltrate larger empires more quickly, it becomes easier for smaller empires to build and maintain asset pools, and thus give them an additional leg up against an empire that might otherwise overpower them.
Vigilance
Last additional option I might add is the idea of Vigilance. The idea is that each time you are subjected to an opposed operation, you gain an ‘Encryption 'Bonus' that dissipates gradually over time. The larger the opposing empire, the greater the initial bonus as well.
List of Additional Operations
Given these alterations, I would finally suggest then a bounty of additional operations, in order to create a wide enough pool of options for any potential clandestine empire. Below is a list of all my options that I might add, in one form or another.
| Operation | Type | Intel Category | Requirements | Notes | |
| Disinformation | Defense | Manipulation | Diplomacy | Gain +5 Counterintelligence Bonus against Provocation operations from target empire. Additionally, Reduce target's Intel on your empire by 10. Can double Bonus if you sacrifice an asset. You can only have one Counter Intelligence bonus at a time. | |
| Coerce Legislation | Manipulation | Diplomacy | Target has proposed a resolution in the galactic community | The target withdraws a resolution they have in the galactic community or cannot suggest any until after the next session. Bonus if Attache. | |
| Bureaucratic Blackmail | Manipulation | Diplomacy | Target empire is in the galactic community | The target empire becomes in Breach of Galactic Law for X years | |
| War Propaganda | Manipulation | Diplomacy | Target must be at War | Increase War Exhaustion of target empire | |
| Subvert Trade | Manipulation | Economy | Increase the target empires Market Fee by X% for Y Years. (Bonus Options: Additional penalties for a random type of good on the market). | ||
| Fund Dissidents | Manipulation | Economy | Increase Ethics attraction of your governing ethics by X% in target colony for Y years. (Bonus: lower threshold for minority faction to form). | ||
| Splinter Group | Defense | Provocation | Economy | Gain +5 Counterintelligence bonus against Subterfuge operations from target empire. Additionally, you increase the maximum network cap for your spy networks by 10. You can sacrifice an agent to double these effects. You can only have one Counterintelligence operation active at a time. | |
| Foment Rebellion | Provocation | Diplomacy | Reduce a vassals loyalty by X; (Bonus: Secure a promise of secret fealty) | ||
| Disrupt Government | Provocation | Government | "Assassinate Ruler", Target empire's ruler dies. Empire gains a random event: National Humiliation -- Penalty to Happiness, Unity, and Influence Generation; National Resurgence: Bonus to Unity and Influence Generation; Gain - CB against attacker (If discovered). | ||
| False Flag | Provocation | Military | Gives a random rival (or fallen empire) a temporary negative malus against the target, and a causes belli to declare war (CB includes a massive influence and unity bonus - similar to Ruler Assassination). Bonus to hide if you have an Agitator | ||
| Provoke Leviathan | Provocation | Military | Target Leviathan must be 'mobile' | Cause a leviathan in a system to move X random systems (if able to move). | |
| Wetwork | Defense | Sabotage | Military | Gain a +5 Counterintelligence bonus against Manipulation operations from target empire. Additionally, you have an X% chance of removing an asset from the target empire for the duration. You can double this bonus if you sacrifice an Asset. You can only have one Counterintelligence operation active at a time. | |
| Target Painting | Sabotage | Military | Increase Bombardment damage on planet by 50%, Reduces collateral damage by same amount. | ||
| Sabotage Star base | Sabotage | Military | Starbase has fire rate, tracking, and regeneration reduced by 40 - 75%% for 3-5 years. A random module is also destroyed. Detection ability is also disabled. If Starbase is just an outpost, it is destroyed. | ||
| Disable FTL Inhibitor | Sabotage | Technology | System FTL Inhibitor is deactivated for 3-12 months. | ||
| Disable Gateway Network | Sabotage | Technology | Target must have at least 1 gateway | Disable an empire's gateway in one system for 3-12 months. Bonus: If Hacker, can gain control of gate way for limited time. | |
| Deactivate Megastructure | Sabotage | Technology | Target must have a megastructure, must have intel on system. | Disable a target empire's mega-structure (except Ringworld) for 1-5 years: Bonus: Scientist - Increase success chance. | |
| Contract Buyout | Subterfuge | Economy | Target empire must have a Mercenary contract | End a Mercenary contract target empire has open, lock out for 3 years. Must pay a fee to the mercenary company. Bonus: Junior Officer can gain control of mercenary fleet. | |
| Corrupt Relic | Subterfuge | Technology | Target must have a relic | Reset cooldown on a random relic in target empire. Bonus if Scientist | |
| Counter Surveillance | Defense | Subterfuge | Government | Gain a +5 counterintelligence bonus against Sabotage operations from target empire. Additionally, you reduce the chance of rogue agents or failure events when conducting operations. You can only have one Counterintelligence operation active at a time. | |
| Siphon Funds | Subterfuge | Economy | Steal X amount of trade income from target empire. Bonus: Hacker - Steal strategic resources |
Anyways, that was a bug of a suggestion I had to get out my head. Its in the ether now - hope it leads to interesting discussion. If a PDX Dev wants to come by, even if only to tell me my idea is dumb, I would still be happy it got seen.
- 2
- 1
- 1
