Spies!

[Avicenna]

Of course, you could do what gardibolt suggested, but the 200 denarii per turn upkeep for an assassin who is just going to sit there growing old waiting for spies is not my idea of money well spent.

[Kralizec]

You should use spies for that. They're cheaper, and help just as much if not more then assasins. Stationing agents (even diplomats) also works wonders against city bribing.

On the subject of agents, does anybody know if the AI actually used their assasins? I have seen AI assasins occasionally, but now that I think of it I have never, ever got a message that an enemy assasin has sabotaged building X or killed person Y.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I've had one Brutii diplomat whose career was ended abruptly by an Egyptian assassin. This is, however, the only instance in dozens of hours of play. Assassins are late-game creatures for me -- its hard to justify the expense until you've got A) good income and B) someone who can with traits etc. build them for half cost or so (Diplomats for 90d!).

[Kralizec]

I've had one Brutii diplomat whose career was ended abruptly by an Egyptian assassin. This is, however, the only instance in dozens of hours of play. Assassins are late-game creatures for me -- its hard to justify the expense until you've got A) good income and B) someone who can with traits etc. build them for half cost or so (Diplomats for 90d!).

Recruitment costs are a one time fee. The real costs in SP campaigns are their upkeep, recruitment costs are marginal.

I usually have 4-5 assasins at any given time, have them kill low level diplomats and if I encounter them, spies and other assasins- generally I only accept with a >80% chance of succes. If necessary I even target captains even though that won't really hurt the enemy. Anything that can pump up their experience.

After a while, they can even take on low-quality family members. That's when they become really useful.

[Severous]

I prefer to use spies and assasins offensively.

Spies lower the enemy city public order %. An assassin then destroys the temple lowering pulic order significantly. Julii espionage made Carthage became rebel. Carthage crippled itself in its fight to regain that city.

I suppose your preference depends on how aggressively you play. If you sit back and let the enemy factions become advanced then counter spies will become more important for you.

[Kralizec]

I do that too, but in my experience it's extremely hard to make a settlement turn rebel. 9 out of 10 times they just riot and won't rebel, unless the settlement has previously belonged to another faction.

[gardibolt]

Even rioting is good though since it reduces the number of troops garrisoning the city, making its eventual seizure easier.

[Ciaran]

On the subject of agents, does anybody know if the AI actually used their assasins? I have seen AI assasins occasionally, but now that I think of it I have never, ever got a message that an enemy assasin has sabotaged building X or killed person Y.

Yes, they do use them. In my last game (with Scipii) Thracian assasins wiped out the Macedons, who happened to be my protectorate. And sometimes one of your family members "tragically dies" as opposed to "dies of natural courses" or "falls in battle", a good indication he´s been assasinated.

[gardibolt]

Of course, you could do what gardibolt suggested, but the 200 denarii per turn upkeep for an assassin who is just going to sit there growing old waiting for spies is not my idea of money well spent.

Of course, you keep him in practice by killing diplomats and family members who wander into your territory too.

[Upxl]

I also believe the amount of men garrisoned in you’re city makes it harder for a spy to infiltrate