How to train a spy or religion agent?

[Cebei]

I know how to train assasins, but how do you guys train the spies or religious dudes? Adding stars I mean.

[desdichado]

cebei,

Do you mean increasing their valour?

Spies get extra stars for I think:

sucessfully
1. revealing a secret vice of generals
2. trying your own generals for treason
3. catching an enemy assain or spy (not sure about this one but think its right).

Religious dudes get for negotiating alliances same as for emissaries. Not sure what else?

[Cebei]

Yes you got me corectly, I meant increasing valor.

I was just wondering, you train an assasin by first sending him to unimportant targets and then gradually increase the next target in order to get a Hitman. Does the same way of training apply for assasins and priest/alims?

[MrWhipple]

Yesh Just pick on the defensless no-star and one-star emmisarries and chicks. When you attack you will know the odds of pulling it off and then just decline if the odds are not in your favor. Also create your agents in provences that give a bonus or amp up your buildings to add valor. The first couple of kills are the hardest, usually 50% or so, so build twice as many agents as you think you may need. I like to keep my newbies at home and wait for forigeners to drop in, then jump on them. If you do attack into a forigen provence, be sure to check (if you can) for towers and other security.

[Jacque Schtrapp]

The quickest way to get valor for a spy is to use him to instigate a rebellion in another faction's province. Unfortunately, that is also the most likely way a spy will end up dead. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif

I tend to use mine to try units for treason. Just go through a stack and look for the unit with the lowest loyalty and drop the spy on that unit. The unit will be tried for treason in the next turn. Just be careful because if the treason charges don't stick you will end up fomenting rebellion instead of preventing it. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Doug-Thompson]

Ah, yet another excuse to brag about the advantages of playing a Muslim faction. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

Being gay, having an affair or being an atheist doesn't seem to bother Islamic states. I've never had a revolt after one of those traits has been revealed, and I certainly don't have to worry about Inquisitions. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Piety suffers, which weakens Jihads, but I haven't seen any other problems.

However, the bad effects may be masked by my preference for keeping loyalty levels very high.

I'm going to try dropping a spy on any Muslim leader who develops a "preference for young boys," "secret adultery" or "secret atheist," or whatever, I should suffer no bad effects and my spies will gain stars.

If I'm wrong about this, and "sin" does cause problems in Muslim factions, I'd rather hear about it sooner than later.

[desdichado]

Doug-Thompson,

nice idea but you can't do it to your own generals - you'll end up trying them for treason. Do that a few times and you are guaranteed to have some bad effects - civil war anyone? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Suppiluliumas]

Also, spies will gain valor quickly by infiltrating enemy castles and the like. Just let the seige carry on untill you have a good chance of success. I have gained multiple stars at the same time from this.

[Doug-Thompson]

Quote[/b] (desdichado @ Nov. 17 2003,19:45)]Doug-Thompson,

nice idea but you can't do it to your own generals - you'll end up trying them for treason. Do that a few times and you are guaranteed to have some bad effects - civil war anyone? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Drat. Once again, a beautiful theorty is killed by ugly facts. Thanks, desdichado

[Doug-Thompson]

Quote[/b] (Suppiluliumas @ Nov. 17 2003,21:56)]Also, spies will gain valor quickly by infiltrating enemy castles and the like. Just let the seige carry on untill you have a good chance of success. I have gained multiple stars at the same time from this.
That works, although your chances are much better in the Viking era than in the regular game -- smaller, simpler forts with smaller garrions in the Viking Age, I suppose.

[Cebei]

How do you instigate a rebellion with a spy? Where do you drag and drop the spy?

[desdichado]

Cebei,

Just pile them into an enemy province and wait. It used to work better before the patch apparently - I have never been able to pull it off although used in conjunction with lots of bishops to change the faith I think I got close once. At very least enemy has to lower tax rate or move in more trops to garrison to pump loyalty back up.

Some consider this tactic a bit cheesy and I don't try it anymore myself. Hardly use spies at all, mostly just for catching other agents.