Quote Originally Posted by macsen rufus View Post
Yes, this.

I never use border forts - spies valour up and can be used elsewhere. You'll always find one of your provinces that enemy agents love to pass through, use this to train some super spies or assassins.
Spies aren't that fast to obtain at the initial stage of the campaign. And there are other needs to spend your money on at the outset. So in my game spies appear after 50 or 70 years of campaigning. In view of this I have border forts in my provinces until I get spies.