Spying

The various factions of Star Traders are in intense competition to gain the upper hand over their rival factions. As in any battle, knowledge is one of the greatest weapons any side might wield, so the Princes cultivate networks of spies who will furnish them with the information they need to overcome their peers. Spies may operate at the direct behest of a contact to complete a mission or they may spy independently for profit and to generate intel records that can be sold to contacts for profit and reputation. In Star Traders, spying is primarily done through electronic surveillance and encrypted message interception. Electronics is one of the key skills of spy operative.

Strategy
Like other operations, becoming a great Spy will require a dedicated build. Increasing ship Navigation and especially Electronics Skill Pools should be a key priority. Spies will also need to invest in Talents that will help them determine the results of the card game. Most of these are provided by Spy and E-tech crew members. In the early game, it is best to Spy often, checking the hand that is dealt at nearly every system visited and only playing those hands that give a reasonable chance of desirable outcomes. As a Captain's crew and ship develop, they will be able to engage in more extended spying activities over the planet of their choice.

The Card Game
Spying is done in orbit of a system, by using the "Spy" operation button near the center of the interface. Spying can be done in orbit of any urban zone with a Government Rating of 4 or higher. The results of spying are determined by a card game. The Captain will draw 5 cards which are determined by risk and reward factors. He or she may then have the opportunity to modify their draw through the use of crew talents which allow them to redraw, remove or improve a card. Then one card will randomly be selected from the remaining cards providing either a negative, positive or neutral result. All spying actions consume time and fuel.

Government Rating Spice Rating Navigation Skill Pool Electronics Skill Pool Captain's Wisdom Captain's Resilience