This mod removes the Spy ability to Steal Food when deployed in a foreign Province.
To compensate, I've made small increases to the amount of Food awarded to the lowest Imperium levels so as to not screw over small factions who might rely on that practically guaranteed +2 Food in the early game.
Because I always found it unimmersive and kind of "cheating" to help feed an entire region through a smuggling network rather than investing into proper infrastructure, not to mention how annoying it is to suddenly go from +8 to -4 Food because a few enemy factions decided to deploy their high ranked Spies in your Province. I generally dislike the influence of Agent abilities in TW and I might incorporate this mod into a larger Agent nerf/rework submod for DEI in the future.
Also note that the active Target Settlement ability Steal Food is still available, this mod only removes passive food stealing on deployment in a Province.
Finally, big shoutout to the DEI team for creating such a fantastic mod and especially to Jake Armitage for answering my modding questions!
I've hated the increased impact of Agents ever since Shogun 2, I have bitter memories of Otomo Agents destroying entire provinces through cultural conversion, assassination and bribes. I have a vision for an Agent overhaul I'll try to develop as I learn more about db editing, but as of now I'm not sure everything on my to-do list is possible.
OVERALL VISION:
- Agents should primarily be a defensive support tool providing positive bonuses rather than going abroad to harass in enemy Provinces.
- Agents enjoy decent protection from hostile actions in your owned Provinces but are generally susceptible in foreign Provinces.
- Deploying an Agent will cost money but deployment will start paying off with time.
- Some Agent Deployment in foreign Provinces will offer positive effects to the foreign faction.*
TO-DO LIST PER AGENT:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
CHAMPIONS:
- Champions work as army trainers and entertainers.
- Army training works as in vanilla DEI.
- Deployment in both owned and foreign Provinces provides a small amount of cultural conversion to the Agent's culture, income and public order from entertainment, and a small bonus to Diplomatic Relations.*
- Highly limited or removed offensive capabilities.
Comment: Champions represent a small band of war veterans who either serve as military trainers and advisors, or entertainers acting as PR agents for your faction.
DIGNITARIES:
- Increases Detection and lowers chance for all enemy Agent actions when deployed. [Done!]
- Moderate base protection which increases with Authority.
- Highly susceptible to assassination/bribe/prosecution in foreign Provinces.
- Very strong against foreign Agents in owned Provinces.
- Can be deployed in Neutral or Allied territory, offering the same bonuses as it would to your own, plus it increases Diplomatic Relations with the faction, starting off small but increasing exponentially the longer you are deployed there.*
Comment: Dignitaries should represent the Provincial state apparatus, from tax collectors to judiciary. Their passives work like in "vanilla" DEI, emphasizing public order cultural conversion and tax collection, but are also the main tool for getting rid of foreign Agents in owned territory to simulate prosecution. They can also be deployed in Neutral or Allied Provinces to strengthen them and improve Diplomatic Relations.
SPIES:
- Remove "steal food" on deployment [Done!]
- Have limited sight walking around, greatly expanded (double?) on deployment.
- Deployment costs small amount of upkeep.
- Be harder to detect.
- Be highly susceptible to assassination/bribe/prosecution if detected.
- Have very weak or no offensive capabilities.
- Siphon income which starts off small but increases the longer the Spy is deployed to simulate stealing, smuggling and other forms of organized crime. Possibly increase Empire Maintenance.
Comment: The Spy should represent an entire clandestine network that discretely infiltrates foreign provinces with the goal to remain undetected for as long as possible. Possibly different skill branches into either intelligence or organized crime. Deploying them at home works as in vanilla DEI and can be necessary to detect high level enemy Spies if your Dignitary is outmatched.
*I'm not sure if this works with the AI, if it recognizes the changed effect so that it doesn't unintentionally help enemies. If that doesn't work all the positive deployment options will be scrapped.
Thanks! I've almost finished a complete rework of the Spy skills, I'll probably create a WIP thread for the mod as I need some feedback especially on late-game balance and AI stuff. Most of my campaigns are <150 turns so late late game is uncharted territory for me...
[SUBMOD] No Shoplifting for DEI
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