- How can I spy on other players or barbarians?
Go to the world map and click on the image of the city you want to spy on. This will open up a menu with various options, one of them is "Spy":
A click on the Spy icon brings up a window with an overview of all units stationed in your city. Select spies and type the amount of spies you wish to send:
And press the "Send troops" button to start the espionage mission.
- What is important for a successful espionage mission?
There are several factors that define the outcome of each espionage mission:
1) The espionage levels difference of two players
Generally, the higher the level of this technology, the better: players with a high level of espionage have better chances to receive an espionage report about their opponents.
2) The amount of spies being sent on an espionage mission
By sending more spies, you can try to make up for an espionage levels difference between you and your opponent. The higher the difference, the more spies you'll need to send. However, if you send too many spies, they can easily be detected and intercepted by your opponent. And on the contrary: if you send not enough spies, you may not be able to receive a detailed espionage report. Keeping this in mind, try to find the balance between the amount of spies to be sent and the espionage level of the opponent.
3) Troops in the target city: the more troops are stationed in the target city, the more likely it is that your spies can be intercepted.
- What are the factors that determine how much information I can receive about my opponent?
The amount of information obtained and visible in the espionage report depends on:
1) the espionage levels difference of both players and
2) the amount of spies sent. Note that the higher the espionage level of the opponent, the more spies must be sent so that you can receive a detailed espionage report.
- I've received an espionage report, but it does not contain any information. Why?
It means that though the espionage attempt per se has been successful, the mission success only implies that you spies have not been intercepted in the opponent's city. The fact that you didn't succeed in obtaining information means the opponent's espionage level was higher than yours, or that you didn't send enough spies.
- If I spy on another player, will they always be informed about an espionage attempt?
Yes, your opponent will always receive a notification about an attempt. Should it come to a battle between your spies and the defense in the opponent's city, both players will also receive a battle report.
- I sent spies on an espionage mission, how do I learn about its outcome?
If the espionage attempt has been successful, you'll receive an espionage report in your in-game mail box. Additionally, you'll receive a notification about the outcome of the espionage mission:
Your opponent would in this case receive the following notification:
If the espionage attempt has not been successful, i.e. if your spies have been intercepted in the opponent's city, a battle between your spies and that city's defense will occur, in which case you would receive a battle report instead of an espionage report, and the following notification:
Your opponent (the defender) would be notified about it as well and would receive the following notification:
- I tried to spy on another player, but my spies were detected and a battle occurred. Would I receive an espionage report just the same?
If your spies win the battle, or if "Draw" comes out, then you'll receive an espionage report. If your spies lose the battle, you won't receive any espionage report.
