[bearclaw]

I don't know if this would be too advanced or not (in terms of micromanagment) but what if Intel was removed from the research queue entirely. Instead, you would have an Intel screen, similar to the research screen. On it would be various Intel projects and/or training and/or agents. Intel points would be spent like research points. Various options would only become possible when you're agents were in position.

Each level of each Intel Project would increase your chance of success for instance. Before something like a Ship Bomb could be planted, you would have to use Intel points to get an agent in position on an enemy planet. The more agents on enemy planets, the higher the chance of success as you would have agents more likely to encounter the target ship.

Something like Crew Insurrection would require X agents in ship N crew manafest before you could even attempt it. PPP would require X(planet size) agents and perhaps some other planet specific projects to succeed before being attempted.

Don't know if I explained this very well. I hope I did because I think this would over come a lot of the comments about Cre Insurrections and PPP's being too easy. It would become a process instead. It would also seperate Intel from Research. So better Intel facilites or Training facilites would be a factor of Intel points rather than Research points. As would skill in certain Intel Projects. You could have an empire who's focus has been on Ship Bombs to the point that they are experts at it but suck at gathering Intel. It would also add another dimention to what empires could interact for. The Ship Bomb expert could be hired out to bomb for others for instance.

Intel points would have to be generated from the very beginning of the game rather than the way they are now, though, which makes more sense to me. Our planet may not have many Intel Facilities but I'm sure there are some that would qualify.

Wow. That turned out longer than I planned