Proposal for a new kind of hotseat game:No spies

[Empedocles]

Hi guys, I wanted to propose that the next hotseat game follow one simple rule to make it more interesting:

SPIES MUST NOT OPEN THE GATES

I believe that in hotseat mode the spies are completely overpowered. Even if in history lots of cities were taken by the use of “spies” it adds nothing to gameplay. The idea will be that you can train spies if you want to take a look at enemy territory, but you can’t use spies to open the gates.

If we follow this rule we will win some kind of strategical flavour to the game since now you have to wait at least a turn to build siege equipment (although you should be able to carry your own catapults); in this turn your army will be completely exposed to the movements of the opponent.

The main problem here will be the use of forts to block certain river passages. I also believe that this kind of behaviour should be prohibited since it’s completely illogical that a full army can’t pass near a fort guarded by a single peasant unit. Forts shouldn’t be used at all.

Since this rule is difficult to control in the wars between the player and an AI faction I believe we should limit it to human vs human wars.

What do you think of this idea?

Be warned that I am not applying for gamemaster of this proposal. I have no interests of being a GM in mind at the moment.

Best regards

[Phase]

Wouldn't it be rather hard to enforce?

[Empedocles]

apart from the fact that we are honourable players we can always check the status of your cities at the start of the turn.

Let's say you conquer a city that was mine. That city was not under siege the previous turn so you:
a)assaulted with catapults (I can see that with a spy)
b)bought it with money. hardly the case.
c) used spies. bad boy!

if a player uses cities to open gates it will imnediatle been banned from the hotseat.

regards

[Nightbringer]

it would definatly make it very hard to take cities, but that is as it should be

[Thermal]

it wouldnt be a problem emp, simply go to export_descr_buildings, go to the tavern section and delete the spy entries, back it up beforehand obviously, so you can restore it easily

[Empedocles]

and that will be changed for every player?

mmmm.....

[spanish_emperor]

yeah that would be good but i would prefer a mod which enhances the AI so i have more confidence...something like xeryxs

[Thermal]

and that will be changed for every player?

mmmm.....

pretty sure it would work, but as always back up the file to be on the safe side

[Kaizer Merlox]

I'm sorry, but i really don't see a point to this. You can easily defend against spies by using counter spies. Throw a spy in your frontier settlements, and it will HARSHLY remove the % of gaining in, and if they do, their chances of opening the gate, I just kinda sense some one is lazy and does not want to throw spies in their settlements to protect.

Also spies do help against assassination attempts as well, I will always carry one with my general's army at all times in late hotseat games.

[Thermal]

its a nice idea, but mayb another element to, to make it stand out a bit, like merlox's does