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Unlike previous games in the series, Espionage has been folded into the Diplomacy mechanic in Civilization 7. There’s no longer any need to produce spies, or dedicate resources to Espionage actions outside of spending your Influence to enact subterfuge, and defend yourself against enemies.
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Whether you’re new to Civilization 7 or new to the franchise as a whole, Espionage is an important skill to master if you’re planning on securing victory after 500 or so turns. This guide has everything you need to know to make you an expert spymaster. Here’s a breakdown of how Espionage works in Civilization 7.
What Is Espionage?
Espionage is an excellent ability for sabotaging your enemies and even defending yourself against attack on the world stage.
You can’t immediately begin committing acts of Espionage though right off the bat. To begin using this ability, you’ll need to meet a few prerequisites first.
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Prerequisite |
Details |
|---|---|
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Research Tech & Civics |
Each Espionage action in Civilization 7 requires a certain research to be completed either in your Tech Tree or Civics Tree. Other Espionage actions are unlocked through your Attribute Tree by clicking on your leader profile. |
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Meet Opposing Civs |
To enact Espionage, you’ll need to know another Civ and begin diplomatic relations with them. Send out Scouts to find and meet other Civs. |
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Garner Influence |
Espionage costs Influence, and if you don’t have any Influence in the bank, you won’t be able to use any Espionage actions. Spend time constructing buildings and gathering other Influence resources that can earn you more Influence on the world stage. |
How Does Espionage Work?
As mentioned above, Espionage actions are actions you can implement by spending Influence. Follow the below steps to begin an Espionage Action.
- Click The Leader Portrait Of Target Civ – Head to the top right corner of your screen and select the Leader Portrait for the civ you’re trying to spy on.
- Scroll Down Through The Diplomacy Menu – You’ll see the Diplomacy Menu on the left-hand side of your screen. Scroll down to the bottom to select the Espionage action you’d like to begin.
- Select Espionage Action – For more details on how each Espionage action works, hover your mouse or reticle over the action. The Influence cost is displayed on the right of the action.
Remember, not all Espionage actions are available right at the start. Keep your science and cultural output high so that you can research specific tech and civics that’ll unlock more actions.
Once you’ve made your selection, the Espionage action will remain in effect for a number of turns, displayed in the top right corner of your Diplomacy Menu.
If you forget what Espionage actions you have in effect, hover your mouse or reticle over each action in the top-right hand corner of the Diplomacy Menu for each leader.
What Does Espionage Do?
Here are examples of Espionage actions you can take over the course of your campaign, along with the Age you can unlock them in.
There are two other things you need to know to fully understand Espionage in Civilization 7.
- Espionage Takes Time – The Influence cost of an Espionage Action is the cost broken down by turns. If the action ends up taking longer due to Counterspying or other abilities, the Influence cost may go up.
- Your Spies May Be Revealed – There’s a percentage chance listed next to each Espionage Action detailing your chance of success, and the chance that your Spy may be revealed. If your Spy is revealed, your relationship with the target civ will suffer.
What Is Espionage Good For?
As you can see from the above table, Espionage has a lot of practical uses across any campaign. Here are just a few ways you should try to prioritize using Espionage.
- Slowing Down Enemy Civs – If another Civ is closer to completing a certain Legacy Path than you are, use Espionage to slow them down so you can get the upper hand.
- Supporting War Efforts – Espionage can turn the tide of battle on its head, so make sure to check when you can use subterfuge to quell the enemy’s military units.
- Advancing Tech And Civic Trees – If you’re trailing behind in science or culture, use Espionage to even the playing field.
Even if you choose not to use Espionage to further your progression, you should be Counterspying pretty regularly to prevent enemies from getting an advantage on you.
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