Spies.

[stormbringer3]

I'm slowly learning the aspects of this game. However, the proper use of spies eludes me. If I leave them on counter intelligence they never develop any skills and in one game I had two spies on that mission and things still were blown up quite often. If I use them they'll develope skills but their average life span is three missions using upper 80s-low 90s mission sucess projections.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

[spiralaxis]

Short version: 1.9.5.5 made some changes to espionage that improved counter-espionage.

Thing is, the espionage success chance you see does not take counter-espionage into account.

More info in this war room thread.

[stormbringer3]

Thanks.

[Fishers of Men]

When a new spy is recruited to my empire, I check his potential areas for espionage(which are "?" in the beginning). I will send him on a sabotage mission with a success rating of 90% or higher. When the mission is completed, I will be able to see all his actual rating levels. I then know what type of missions he will be the most capable of. Their rating can improve after each successful mission. Even those spies at home on counterespionage missions can improve if they stop an enemy mission. I only attempt missions of 90% or above success potential. Any spy with high negative traits, I dismiss. But most spies have some useful purpose.

[Vardis]

If the espionage success percentage doesn't take into account counter-espionage, what causes the percentage to be different for the same agent stealing the same tech from the same type of empire? Excluding pirates and the guardians, I've seen percentages varying from 51% to 90% for the same research target for different empires.

[feelotraveller]

Some races have inherent bonuses to spy missions.

[radwyn]

Offence missions are death sentences now since the new patch I hope this is mitigated a bit soon.

[Vardis]

Yes, but that's not what I'm seeing. Perhaps it's good or bad traits for scientists (foreign spy/patriot) and/or leaders with counter-espionage bonuses? I guess I can test that myself.

[feelotraveller]

Could be. Let us know what you find out. [:)]

[Blackstork]

If you want to try yourself with Spies play Ketarov or Paratis (from Extended mod)
Both are very good and give you real show how Spying working.

[Keston]

ORIGINAL: Blackstork

If you want to try yourself with Spies play Ketarov or Paratis (from Extended mod)
Both are very good and give you real show how Spying working.

Intractability and the likelihood of an empire on the other side taking them over led me to discover the other alternative of steamrolling them (though their capital orbitals were tougher than expected once their scattered ships arrived, so it took reinforcements. That gets the spies bonus.