Quote Originally Posted by sbroadbent
Spies and assassins can be incredibly useful in economic warfare.
To raise a counterpoint, I don't use assassins at all and use spies next to not at all (just as counters to enemy spies) and have no trouble expanding and winning.

I don't doubt agents can help, but if you want to win they should be used to help execute (not distract you from) the basic TW strategy:

1) Muster army
2) Attack enemy city
3) Repeat