Counter-Intel: Let's finally lay this to rest... (and other intel Q's)

Krsqk · #1 April 5th, 2002, 02:26 AM

I apologize in advance for the length of this post. At least, I apologize to my fellow dial-up Users.

Let's finally get to the bottom of this counter-intel mystery. Obviously, higher levels are better because they have a higher storage capacity. However, the perennial question about varying effectiveness of each level of CI still remains with us.

Digging into the IntelProjects.txt file (Gold), I found the following entries:
Now, does the effect amount actually affect the CI operation? Or is it just there to help the AI decide which one to use?

In addition, does the Effect Amount actually affect operations like Ship-Lose Movement, Crew Insurrection, Ship-Cargo Damage, Ship-Orders Change, Ship-Concentrations, Ship-Construction Info, Ship Blueprints, Planet-Population Rebel, Planet-Cargo Damage, Planet-Facility Damage, Planet-Info, Planet-Locations, Research-Steal, Research-Delete Project, Intel-Delete Project, Politics-Disrupt Trade, Politics-Intercept Messages, Politics-Fake Messages, Politics-Treaty Info, Politics-Prevent Messages, System-Info, Empire-Info, Unit Designs-Steal, and Tech Level-Info? (Those are all of the projects that have an Effect Amount of 1.)

*Checks air tank to see how long before he runs out of breath*

While I'm at it, does anyone know what Politics-Disrupt Trade does? Or why you would use Economic Disruption instead of Resource Procurement. ED throws away 10000 of each resource of the target, and costs 20000 pts. RP takes 10000 of each resource from the target and gives them to you--and costs 5000 pts less than ED.

*Air tank running dangerously low*

Anyone have any clues to these questions? Has anyone even tested the IntelProjects file? Or do I just need to do some testing of my own?

PvK · #2 April 5th, 2002, 03:31 AM

I think effect amount is a multiplier that determines how much the project counts for when conflicting with enemy missions (counter-intel versus mission).

If I'm correct, it would not affect the actual result of a successful mission.

Trade disruption resets the trade rate between the target nations (the % that builds up from 0 to 20% by 1 % per turn) to zero.

I'm not sure about the steal resources mission, but a smaller mission is easier to block, and it might always reveal who did it, while the disruption one might not say who did it. I haven't checked, though.

PvK

capnq · #3 April 5th, 2002, 11:30 PM

quote:
I think effect amount is a multiplier that determines how much the project counts for when conflicting with enemy missions (counter-intel versus mission).

No, the counterintel bonus is set by this line in Settings.txt:

Intelligence Defense Modifier Percent := 120

I think Effect Amount does exactly what it says. Ship Bomb does 80 points of damage, Engine Damage affects 1 ship, Fuel Leak drains 1000 supplies; etc.

Suicide Junkie · #4 April 5th, 2002, 11:42 PM

We need a sequence of ship bomb operations with successively larger bombs.

By the mid game, 80 points of damage dosen't even scratch most ships...

Bman · #5 April 6th, 2002, 12:52 AM

does the ship bomb bypass armor?

quote:
Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
We need a sequence of ship bomb operations with successively larger bombs.

By the mid game, 80 points of damage dosen't even scratch most ships...

Baron Munchausen · #6 April 6th, 2002, 02:07 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Bman:
does the ship bomb bypass armor?

No, which is kinda odd. Or maybe not. I guess you can assume that a space-walker sneaks up & puts a bomb on the exterior of the ship?

I would have thought that it would skip armor, though. There is 'Cargo Bomb' that does skip armor but I think it has no effect on ships without cargo space.

Baron Munchausen · #7 April 6th, 2002, 02:08 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
We need a sequence of ship bomb operations with successively larger bombs.

By the mid game, 80 points of damage dosen't even scratch most ships...

Yeah, it should be affected by the level of explosives technology you have researched.

[ 06 April 2002: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]

Puke · #8 April 6th, 2002, 02:10 AM

quote:
Originally posted by capnq:
I think Effect Amount does exactly what it says. Ship Bomb does 80 points of damage, Engine Damage affects 1 ship, Fuel Leak drains 1000 supplies; etc.

does this mean that a CI3 project only stops 3 attacks, regardless of the size?

capnq · #9 April 6th, 2002, 10:20 PM

quote:
does this mean that a CI3 project only stops 3 attacks, regardless of the size?

Hmm, good point. That might mean one CI3 can only stop 3 attacks in the same turn; that could explain some of the things that have been reported in older threads that tried to sort out how intel actually worked.

tesco samoa · #10 April 6th, 2002, 10:32 PM

CI works like this.

You have 200000 CI points built up.

You are investing 100000 in CI this turn

So your total is

320000 CI points ( 200k stored, 100k invest 20k bonus)

Many computer players attack you

player 2 spends 40k
player 3 spends 60k
player 4 spends 100k

At the end of the turn you will have 120k stored up

Next turn

Spend 100k on CI.

So now you have 240k of CI

The other players attack you the same way again

AT the end of this turn you will have 40k of CI

Next turn you you do not spend any intel

The computer attacks again with the same amounts

You will stop the first 40k and the rest will attack you.

I think the jobs are qued up by player and then intel job.