Counterintelligence is a new Strategy Mode that will release with the Warbeasts expansion.
Counterintelligence will require the player to select a nation leader, soldier type, religion and ruling approach, and to make use of their military, economy, spies and alliances to either defeat every nation or own the most territory after 10 years (every turn is 1 month). Over the course of a Counterintelligence game, the player will need to invade and conquer enemy territories, defend their borders, create a strong economy for themselves, use spies to infiltrate and sabotage enemy territories, get married and have a child (if able), and ultimately, kill the leaders of the opposing nations (which can include killing them through direct combat, sending spies to assassinate them, poisoning the wine at a dinner you invite them to, or killing them at their wedding).
The specifics mentioned for the rules here are a bit light, but as there is still a lot of balancing and testing to be done at this point still, I intend to add more specific details for the mechanics on release in the form of a guide (similar to what was done for Naval Conquest and Prison Break).
For now, the specifics of characters, nation powers, soldiers, religions and ruling approaches will be shown here to give a better idea of what can be done in Counterintelligence's current context. Please note that over the course of testing and balancing that what is below may be changed by whatever degree of change is required on release of the Warbeasts expansion.
Cherry
Field Passive -- Operating on Foreign Lands
When Cherry is in battle, she and her soldiers deal 10% more damage and suffer 8% less damage for every territory that separates her from one of her own castles (maxes out at 10 territories away for 100% more damage dealt and 80% less damage received). When the invasion formula applies, Cherry and her soldiers gain 15% more offense/defense for each territory that separates her from one of her own castles if she is present for the invasion in the territory (also maxes out at 10 territories). If Cherry has no castle, the max of 10 is applied.
World Passive -- Commander
Soldiers cost 25% less to hire.
Marriage Passive -- Career Focus
If Cherry and her husband do not have a child, Cherry, her husband and all of their soldiers deal double damage and take half damage when accompanying Cherry or her husband. When the invasion formula applies, Cherry, her husband and their soldiers gain 150% more offense/defense when Cherry is married and does not have a child.
Knight
Field Passive -- Bandit Raid
When Knight invades a territory, he and his soldiers deal 50% more damage and take 50% less damage. When the invasion formula applies, Knight and his soldiers gain 100% more offense in the invasion formula when invading a territory if Knight is present for the invasion.
World Passive -- True Believer
Religious ceremonies performed by Knight are boosted in the following ways:
Theite - Crime rate is reduced by 50% rather than 25% and soldier defense/soldier invasion defense when defending a territory becomes 50% less damage/100% more invasion defense rather than 25%/50%.
Pantheon - Farm/mine production is boosted by 80% for 4 turns rather than 50% for 3 months.
Centumvirate - Negative effects are removed for 8 months rather than 5, and resource gains from capturing demanded territories are boosted by 100% rather than 50%.
Marriage Passive -- Spread The Word
Religious ceremonies performed by Knight are also boosted in the following ways:
Theite - Lowers Crime Rate in all cities by 75% (as opposed to 50%) and soldier defense/soldier invasion defense when defending a territory becomes 75% less damage/150% more invasion defense rather than 50%/100%.
Pantheon - Boosts farm/mine production for the next 6 months by 100% (rather than 4 months for 80%).
Centumvirate - Negative effects are removed for 12 months rather than 8, and resource gains for capturing demanded territories are 150% greater.
Alberto
Field Passive -- Soldier's Duty
When Alberto or his soldiers defend a territory, he and his soldiers deal 50% more damage and take 50% less damage. When the invasion formula applies, Alberto and/or his soldiers gain 100% more defense in the invasion formula when defending a territory.
World Passive -- Nonbeliever
Alberto has the option of choosing to shut down religious functions for the next 6 months rather than perform a religious ceremony, which removes the religious advantages/disadvantages and boosts month-end Mez gains from Towns by 200% for the next 6 months that religious functions are shut down for. Performing a Religious Ceremony ends the shutdown of religious functions.
Marriage Passive -- Always Arguing
When Alberto and his wife have spent between 5 and 8 months apart from each other in different territories, Alberto, his wife and all of their soldiers deal double damage and take half damage when accompanying Alberto or his wife. When the invasion formula applies, Alberto, his wife and their soldiers gain 150% more offense/defense if Alberto and his wife have been apart in different territories for 5 to 8 months.
Tara
Field Passive -- Salt of the Earth
When Tara is fighting at a Farm, she and her soldiers deal 50% more damage and receive 50% less damage. When the invasion formula applies, if Tara is present for the invasion and the contested territory is a Farm, Tara and her soldiers gain 100% more offense/defense. Gain 500 Food if a battle using Tara is won on a Farm.
World Passive -- Irrigation Expert
All farms in Tara's territories produce 25% more food and food decreases on month end are reduced from 25 Food per territory to 20 Food per territory. When Tara obtains horses from a Farm, she can keep them for 12 months rather than 6 months.
Marriage Passive -- Unnecessarily Loud
When Tara and her husband both stay the night with each other in the castle, the well-rested bonus for spending the night with a spouse is boosted from 3 turns extra to 9 turns extra, gains 1 additional movement on the world map, and the damage bonus is boosted from 50% to 100% (100% to 200% for Castle Level 5) for both Tara and her husband.
Pound
Field Passive -- Scrap Diver
When Pound is fighting in a Mine, he and his soldiers deal 50% more damage and receive 50% less damage. When the invasion formula applies, if Pound is present for the invasion and the contested territory is a Mine, Pound and his soldiers gain 100% more offense/defense. Gain 100 of the mine's mineral type if a battle using Pound is won at a Mine.
World Passive -- Metallurgist
Pound uses 20% less Limestone for Fortification levels, 20% less Magnetite for Blacksmithing levels, and 20% less Obsidian to double damage for 1 month. Corundum is 25% more effective in the Alliance Formula.
Marriage Passive -- Unifier
This ability is always active on Pound. Pound cannot get married or spend the night with a companion, but every territory that an Alliance member at 25% or higher Alliance Level has boosts Pound's Town/Farm/Mine income by 5% per territory. If Pound stays the night at a castle for the well-rested bonus, he stops Castle Morale from dropping and crime rate from rising on month end for (Number of Alliance Territories at 25% or higher Alliance Level) turns (even as a Tyrant) if there is no Food shortage (Spies weakening Castles/Towns will still affect Morale/Crime Rate).
Cook
Field Passive -- Usurper
When Cook is fighting in a Castle, he and his soldiers deal 50% more damage and receive 50% less damage. When the invasion formula applies, if Cook is present for the invasion and the contested territory is a Castle, Cook and his soldiers gain 100% more offense/defense. On victory in a castle, Castle Morale becomes 100%, Crime Rate in all of Cook's Towns drops to 0%, and he gains 3000 Mez, 1500 Food and 300 of each mineral type. This can only be done per once specific castle (losing and re-capturing the same castle will not regain these benefits) and only if Cook is present for the battle.
World Passive -- Shadow Network
If Cook's Scouts can see his Spies, his Towns/Farms/Mines produce 10% more for each of his own Spies that that Scout sees (each individual Scout will add to this when checking for the same Spies).
Marriage Passive -- Heir To The Throne
Damage formula and invasion formula boosts are boosted to 50% per child's age in years (as opposed to 25%) and all Towns/Farms/Mines produce at base 50% more per child's age in years (as opposed to 25%).
Claire
Field Passive -- Shadow Games
If Claire is fighting in a territory that has one of her Spies, Claire deals 3x damage for that battle. When the invasion formula applies, Claire gains 100% offense/defense in a contested territory that has a Spy from her nation in it (this bonus does not apply to her soldiers).
World Passive -- Cloak and Dagger
Claire's Spies kill 1 extra soldier each when assassinating soldiers and double the effects of weakening territory (2x morale loss in Castles, 2x Crime Rate rises in Towns, 2x more food/resource prevention in Farms and Mines). Claire's Spies also count as double for attempts at assassinating leaders and disrupting weddings and determining whose Spies count for the assassination/wedding kill.
Marriage Passive -- Private Getaway
When Claire and her husband fight on the same team in a territory with no allied soldiers on it or accompanying them, both Claire and her husband inflict 4x damage and take 75% less damage. When the invasion formula applies, Claire and her husband gain 400% more offense/defense.
Jimmy
Field Passive -- Converse with the World
When Jimmy triggers Stampede or Landslide, those abilities deal double damage that fight.
World Passive -- Secret Rituals
If Jimmy performs a Religious Ceremony at a castle, he can perform an additional Religious Ceremony later on the world map on any territory (this still requires a month to be used up). Jimmy will need to return to a Castle and perform another Religious Ceremony there to recharge the additional future ceremony.
Marriage Passive -- Casual Approach
Jimmy boosts the world passive of his wife:
Cherry - Soldiers cost 50% less to hire (instead of 25%)
Tara - All of Tara's farms produce 50% more food (instead of 25%)
Claire - Claire's Spies kill 1 extra soldier and weaken territory/disrupt wedding by 3x instead of 2x
Caesara - When territory is acquired, Castle Morale increases 20% and Crime Rate decreases 20%
Allisara - Allisara gets 1 extra Alliance Action per month and 2% more Alliance Level gains
Brooks
Field Passive -- Watchman
If Brooks is fighting in a territory that one of his Scouts can see, Brooks deals 3x damage for that battle. When the invasion formula applies, Brooks gains 100% offense/defense in a contested territory that a Scout from his nation can see (this bonus does not apply to his soldiers).
World Passive -- Sniper Sight
Brooks' Scouts can see a distance of 1 extra territory away.
Marriage Passive -- Castle Doctrine
If Brooks and his wife have a child, battles in the Castle with the child and any of their territories up to 3 regions away from the castle have the soldiers deal double damage and take 50% less damage in all combat. When the invasion formula applies, soldiers belonging to Brooks' nation gain 150% more offense/defense if they are in a territory up to 3 regions away from the castle Brooks' child is in.
Caesara
Field Passive -- Street Patrol
When Caesara is fighting in a Town, she and her soldiers deal 50% more damage and receive 50% less damage. When the invasion formula applies, if Caesara is present for the invasion and the contested territory is a Town, Caesara and her soldiers gain 100% more offense/defense. When lowering Crime Rate across cities from fighting bandits in Town, Caesara lowers it an extra 25% for all of her Towns.
World Passive -- Empire's Advocate
When a new territory is acquired, Castle Morale increases by 10% and Crime Rate drops by 10% in all Towns (stacks per territory acquired, such as gaining multiple territories through marriage or killing an enemy leader). If the captured territory is a Town, the Crime Rate drop also applies to the newly captured Town.
Marriage Passive -- Insatiable
If Caesara and her husband spend 3 months in a row in the castle sleeping together, Caesara and her husband inflict 4x damage and take 75% less damage for the next 12 months. When the invasion formula applies, the buff from this passive gives Caesara and her husband 400% more offense/defense.
Allisara
Field Passive -- Psychic Powers
Allisara will always detect any Spies in range that she encounters regardless of enemy Spy Level, and the range for detecting Spies in the field is doubled. Spies caught with Allisara in the party suffer 4x damage for the whole fight. Allisara gains 100 Mez, 50 Food and 10 of each mineral for each spy killed if Allisara is in the party against Spies. Allisara can detect Spies on the World Map even if their actions are not "Weaken Territory" or "Assassinate Soldiers". "Ambush Nation Leader" attempts from Spies against an AI Allisara will always fail.
World Passive -- Always Knows What To Say
Allisara gets 1 extra Alliance Action per month and all gains to Alliance Levels with other nations is boosted by an additional 3%.
Marriage Passive -- In Perfect Sync
Allisara gains her husband's field passive and boosts that field passive for the both of them:
Knight - When invading a territory, Knight/Allisara and their soldiers deal 100% more damage (instead of 50%)
Alberto - When defending a territory, Alberto/Allisara and their soldiers deal 100% more damage (instead of 50%)
Cook - When fighting in a Castle, Cook/Allisara/soldiers' damage is 100% and their Usurper gains are 50% higher
Jimmy - Jimmy and Allisara's Stampede and Landslide will deal 3x damage rather than 2x
Brooks - If fighting in a territory that their nation's Scout can see, Brooks/Allisara deals 5x damage for that battle
Nation Powers
Castles
Castle Morale's monthly decreases are 1% less per level and activities that stay the night boosts Castle Morale by 5% more per level.
At level 5, being well-rested allows for 2 additional movement rather than 1, and the damage boost for being well-rested is 100% rather than 50%.
At level 10, Ruling Approach is enhanced. Imperialism gains 8% per territory instead of 5%, Mercantile gains 150% free rather than 100%, and Tyrant gains 2.5x HP/Attack and 250% invasion formula instead of 2x and 150% respectively.
Towns
Towns earn 10% more Mez per level.
At level 5, the longer an individual town stays at or under 50% Crime Rate under the player's control, the more Mez it earns by a multiplier of (1 + (0.1 x Number of Months at or under 50% Crime Rate, excluding current month)).
At level 10, Crime Rate's raises per month are 1% rather than 4% (5% rather than 8% during a food shortage) and when capturing a town, are 10% rather than 40%.
Farms
Farms produce 10% more Food per level.
At level 5, the Stampede ability can be used to call 4 horses to trample enemies (can only be done on a Farm or if the nation leader in combat currently has a horse with them, can only be used in battles where the player invades or is invaded, 10 second cooldown).
At level 10, Stampede deals 3x damage.
Mines
Mines produce 10% more minerals per level.
At level 5, the Landslide ability can be used to add 4 boulders that can be hit into enemies (can only be done on a Mine or if a Mineral has been set for Landslide on the World Map, can only be used in battles where the player invades or is invaded, once per battle).
At level 10, Landslide deals 3x damage.
Soldiers
Soldiers gain 10% more HP and Attack stats per level and 15% more offense/defense per level in the invasion formula.
At level 5, defending soldiers gain 3x HP/invasion defense instead of 2x when defending a territory (higher level enemy Scouts can remove this if they can see the defending territory when their nation invades).
At level 10, defending soldiers gain 4x HP/invasion defense instead of 3x when defending a territory.
Scouts
If the Scouts level is greater than the opposition's Soldiers level, the opposition's Soldiers do not get their "defending territory" bonus if the Scout can see the territory. Scouts cost 5% less per level.
At level 5, Scouts can see 1 additional territory away (3 over the default 2).
At level 10, Scouts can see 2 additional territories away (4 over the default 2).
Spies
If the Spies level is greater than the opposition's Castles/Towns/Farms/Mines level (whichever territory the Spy is in), the Spy's presence will not be known unless they are weakening territory/assassinating Soldiers. Spies cost 5% less per level.
At level 5, Spies take only 2 months to be recalled instead of 3 months.
At level 10, Spies take only 1 month to be recalled instead of 3 months.
Negotiation
Each level in Negotiation adds more weight in the nation leader's favour in the Alliance Formula.
At level 5, correspondence boosts Alliance level with that nation by 7% instead of 3%, trade deals with scarcity boosts by 13% instead of 7%, and having a nice dinner with a nation's leader by 20% instead of 10%.
At level 10, the nation gets 1 extra Alliance Action per month and Alliance drops from poisoning leaders are 25% rather than 50%.
Soldier Types
Force Fighters
When in standard combat, Force Fighters gain 5% more HP and Attack for each Force Fighter in the current territory and/or currently accompanying the player character. When the invasion formula applies, Force Fighters gain 8% per Force Fighter in the current territory and/or currently accompanying the AI nation leader towards offense if invading and towards defense if defending.
Sky Corps
When in standard combat, Sky Corps gain 50% more HP and Attack when fighting in any Farm or Mine, and the Stampede and Landslide abilities from their nation leaders are doubled in power. When the invasion formula applies, Sky Corps gain 50% more offense/defense in the invasion formula if the contested territory is a Farm or Mine. This value is boosted to 80% with Farm/Mine Level 5 in the appropriate territory type, and that condition is boosted to 100% if Farm/Mine Level 10.
Peacekeepers
When in standard combat, Peacekeepers gain 2x HP and 2x Attack when fighting in any Town. When the invasion formula applies, Peacekeepers gain 150% more offense/defense in the invasion formula if the contested territory is a Town. Peacekeepers stationed in a Town also reduce that Town's monthly Crime Rate gains by 3%.
Pael Army
Pael Army gain 25% more HP and Attack for each additional territory the opposition has over the Pael Army nation's territory count. When the invasion formula applies, Pael Army gain 40% more offense/defense for each additional territory the opposition has over the Pael Army nation's territory count in the invasion formula when invading a nation or defending against another nation's invasion.
Dissental Soldiers
Dissental Soldiers gain different abilities and 75% offense/defense in the invasion formula if their origin matches the current territory type (can be changed when entering own castle):
Merik - HP/Attack + 50% at a Farm and gain 25 Food per surviving Soldier on victory
Lensia - HP/Attack + 50% at a Castle and 4 ally Spiders are added if a Dissental Soldier is in that battle
Alster - HP/Attack + 50% at a Mine and gain 5 minerals of that Mine per surviving soldier on victory
Renald - HP/Attack + 50% at a Town and gain the Scorchedarm ability
Aeldanact Guards
Aeldanact Guards gain 2x HP and 2x Attack in standard combat when defending a territory. When the invasion formula applies, Aeldanact Guards gain 150% defense when defending a territory.
Xystedon Berserkers
Xystedon Berserkers gain 2x HP and 2x Attack in standard combat when invading a territory. When the invasion formula applies, Xystedon Berserkers gain 150% offense when invading a territory.
Galatelt Warrior Priests
When in standard combat, Galatelt Warrior Priests gain 2x HP and 2x Attack if a religious ceremony was performed in the last 5 months. When the invasion formula applies, Galatelt Warrior Priests gain 150% offense/defense in a contested territory if a religious ceremony was performed in the last 5 months.
Religions
Theite
Capturing a territory from a non-Theite nation (not through marriage) will boost Castle Morale by 10% and drop Crime Rate in all that nation's cities by 10%, but the party leader staying the night with a non-spouse companion drops Castle Morale by 60% and Crime Rate in all Towns rise by 10% if they have no spouse. If married and either the nation leader or their spouse spends the night with a non-spouse companion, Castle Morale will instead drop 80% and Crime Rates across all Towns will rise by 25%.
Pantheon
Farms and Mines produce 25% more. Pantheon Priests will randomly visit Farms and Mines by their nation leader, and if the Farm/Mine that the Priest is visiting is captured by another nation, Castle Morale will drop by 50% and Crime Rate will rise in all cities by 50%. The AI of other nations will also factor the presence of a Pantheon Priest on a territory in their calculations as to what territory to invade (or to better defend if their religion is Pantheon).
Centumvirate
The Centumvirate will demand the capture of a territory with a Town, Farm or Mine. Successfully capturing the demanded territory (only through direct takeover, not killing a nation leader or through marriage) raises Castle Morale by 50% and reduces the Crime Rates of all Towns owned by that nation by 50%. If a Town was demanded to be captured, a demanded Town will add 2000 Mez, a demanded Farm will add 1000 Food, and a demanded Mine will add 200 of that Mine's mineral. If another nation captures the Centumvirate nation's territory of the demanded type, that nation will lose the above morale/Crime Rate/resources rather than gain it.
Ruling Approaches
Imperialist
Towns, Farms and Mines produce 5% more per territory owned by the nation.
Mercantile
Gain 100% more from trade deals with other nations (the actual amount given or taken in trade deals does not change per nation -- those with this ruling approach gain the free 100% resources out of nowhere).
Tyrant
When accompanying a nation's leader, their soldiers gain 2x HP and 2x Attack. When the invasion formula applies, soldiers gain 150% more offense/defense if their nation's leader is with them. Every month, Crime Rate rises an additional 10% in all Towns and Castle Morale drops an additional 10%.