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Spy
IconSpy
AlliedSpyInGame
A spy waiting at a rendezvous point
Faction AlliedLogoThumb Allied Nations
Unit Type Infiltrator
Designation Support
Tier 2
Production Building Boot Camp
Secondary Ability Bribe
AbilitySpy
Converts enemy units
Cost $1000
Production Time 0:10
Heroic Upgrade N/A
Dev. Status RA3 Original Unit
Country of Origin  GreatBritainthumb United Kingdom
Trained at  Classified
Key Features  » Italian-made Tuxedo
 » Frogman Suit with Oxygen Rebreather
 » Compact Disguise Kit
 » Pouch of Salmon Jerky
 » Cocktail Shaker

"Getting the job done sometimes requires sophistication."

- Spy Motto

Tactical Analysis

SpyArt

"Gentlemen"

  • Hidden in plain sight: Intense training and years of experience allows Allied spies to impersonate any friendly or enemy infantry, granting them access to the most heavily guarded enemy bases. Enemy commanders suspicious of disguised spy activity must issue a force-attack order against the suspect, who will appear as one of their own forces and therefore is not automatically designated as a threat.
  • Sabotage!: Spies are trained to disrupt enemy logistics and infrastructure from behind the lines. Whether disrupting a base's power supply, stealing resources from an enemy refinery, or disabling the enemy's high-tech units and production, spies have the ability to dramatically affect the tide of a battle.
  • Money, money, money, money: It is standard operating procedure for spies to carry large sums of cash for bribing enemy troops. The spy's innate knowledge of human psychology, coupled with a surplus of foreign currency, makes a persuasive combination that even the most powerful enemy units have difficulty resisting. In practice, spies may cause large numbers of enemy forces to suddenly turn on their former commanders.
  • Don't feed the animals: If discovered, spies are extremely vulnerable. They are trained to operate without any conventional weapons and their only defence is to avoid detection. In addition, modern armies have specially-trained units that can detect spies even when disguised. Some of these, such as attack dogs and Soviet war bears, are also trained to deal with Spies in an efficient, if somewhat messy, fashion.

An Interview with a Spy

Hiding in Plain Sight, pt.2

Brian McMann

Rozzer, issue 147

I first met Gordon Hughes near the Hamburg docks in a dark, smoke-filled tavern; the kind of place often frequented by gruff old mariners in search of nothing more than solitude and a mostly-clean glass of thick ale. I was the obvious outsider, my colourful parka a stark contrast to the sea of heavy, dark outerwear and matching faces of the men that periodically shot surly, suspicious glances my way from across the tops of their quickly-draining mugs. Hughes, however, looked as if he had been sailing the North Sea his entire life. He chuckled to himself as he adjusted his watchcap, revealing a wash of salt and pepper hair. "You'd have never made it in my line of work. You're a fish out of water here," he said with a thick Prussian accent.

Hughes is a retired spy. He has spent over 30 years undercover stealing the deepest, darkest secrets of the Soviets and, more recently, the Empire of the Rising Sun. A master of disguise, he will only consent to be interviewed at the place and time of his choosing, under a false name and an altered appearance. He is in complete control of the situation.

Now we sit outside of a small cafe in Phuket, Thailand to continue our interview. He orders coffee and a pastry, his accent French now. When I comment on his white linen suit and European looks, he points out that being inconspicuous does not always mean blending in.

GH: "It's a matter of expectations. It's important to appear to be what people expect to see. The people here expect to see wealthy Europeans. And the occasional journalist."

BM: "Sounds expensive."

GH: "Well, I wasn't trying to [catch a] peek at girls in the locker room; I was trying to get hold of the most guarded secrets in the world. For that, a few francs can be very persuasive."

BM: "What sort of technology did you use? Any special gadgets or transportation?"

GH: "Most of that is just fantasy. No, no, I used my brain. The most important aspect to successful espionage is basic human psychology, how to manipulate perceptions and make people see what you want them to see. For some, the ability to read people is a natural talent--it then becomes a matter of training yourself to react appropriately, to lead the mark to whichever logical conclusion you desire. People are actually very easy to manipulate. Animals ... well, they're a different story."

I wanted to pursue this further, and better-understand Hughes' ontological distinction between humans and "animals", but the expression on Hughes's face dissuaded me. Then it passed, and he was once again the urbane expatriate Frenchman.

BM: "What would have happened if you had been captured?"

GH: "...We were of course issued poison for such an eventuality, but I never knew if I would use it or not until I heard stories about those who didn't.

(He takes a drink before continuing).

If I were captured now, I wouldn't hesitate."

BM: "Of course, there would be no reason to capture you now, would there?"

GH: "Of course not."

BM: "But then, why do you carry on with the disguises?"

The smell of expensive perfume fills my nostrils and I am suddenly aware of a stunning blonde woman standing directly behind me. "You must excuse me, my date has arrived," Hughes says as he rises to leave. He dons his fedora and tips the brim in my direction before taking her arm.

"Au revoir, Monsieur McMann."

"Da svedanya," she says with a smile.

A warm breeze, pregnant with the briny aroma of the nearby ocean, wafts over the cafe, and then they are gone.

Post-War Operational History

File:Allied Spy.jpg

Typical movie-esque image of a Spy.

Hiding in Plain Sight, pt.7

Brian McMann

Rozzer, issue 212

Hughes arranged for another interview in Casablanca, and I was not one to deny his request. Soon I was in the old city, which rose from the sea like the desert outside, with dunes of minarets and domes rising from the sand, rudely interrupted by modern antennas and power lines. I checked my watch as I sat outside a busy coffee shop, nodding a greeting to the now-familiar white haired man.

"Salve, vir McMann. Volo lingua latina?" he spoke in a clipped accent I couldn't quite identify. He was toying with me now."

BM: "What do you have to say about these reports I've heard that you need a Defense Bureau to operate now? Is it true?"

GH: "Indeed. What I said in Phuket about using our minds is true, but first we need to fill it. Back when it was just the Soviet Union, it was easy enough; the Commies aren't too complex. But now with the Chinese, Italians, and those cheeky Americans acting up, things are now different."

BM: "What exactly do you do at the Bureau, then?"

GH: "We do our legwork there. We're better able to operate when we've researched schematics, satellite photos, and even the evening news. Much easier to do it there than the bunks and field rations of the Barracks."

BM: "Makes sense, I suppose."

GH: "Plus, the Defense Bureau is the only place one can find a good mixed drink."

BM: "What's this I hear about Defense Bureau's having rooms full of gadgets and specialized vehicles for Spies to use?"

GH: "What? Preposterous! This interview is over!"

Ignoring my protests, Hughes grabbed the nearest microphone and began calling the Adhan. Smirking, he tossed his cigarette holder at me and wrapped himself in a white robe. I instinctively caught the smouldering cigarette, and as soon as I looked up, Hughes had disappeared into the crowd heading towards the nearest mosque.

Just the Stats

Spy
Amphibious, Blending In(Infantry), Detector(80)
Infiltrator
Cost 1000
Build Time 0:10
Health 60
Speed 50
Armour Type Infantry
AlliedLogo
AlliedLogo
Allied Nations Peacekeeping Divisions

Italics designate Paradox-Exclusive units and structures.

Infantry Attack DogPeacekeeperJavelin SoldierHeavy DefenderEngineerSpyRiflemanRiot AgentRocketeerTanyaPathfinderRocket Pathfinder
Vehicles MCVProspectorRiptide ACVMultigunner IFVArmoured Response VehiclePavlov Handler TankGuardian TankIcarus Mobile AAAHorizon Artillery TankMirage TankAthena CannonAssault StrikerStewart TankValkyrie Self-Propelled Gun
Experimental Vehicles Particle ExpellerFusion TorchtankBarkhausen ProjectorPlanck CompressorRosen Bridging TankPion Isospin ArrayHiggs MASS TankAres Mobile Solar CannonBohr Wavefunction Adjuster
Aircraft Apollo FighterVindicatorCardinal Transport CopterNightingale CarryallCryocopterLongbow LiberatorCentury Bomber
Heavy Aircraft Pulsar Drone MissileMesofortress GunshipAchilles Superiority FighterHeisenberg Assault CopterQuasar DroneFalcon Command Helicopter
Watercraft DolphinHydrofoilSwan Amphibious PlaneAssault LanderAssault DestroyerSubhunter FrigateAlert IcebreakerAircraft Carrier
Structures Construction YardPower PlantBoot CampOre RefineryArmour FacilityAirbaseStrategic Air CommandSeaportDefence BureauAeronautics ComplexExperimental WorkshopCommand HubChronosphereProton Collider
Defences BarricadeSecurity GateReductMultigunner TurretSpectrum TowerGAP TowerSingularity TowerCryo TowerGrand Collider
Protocols Allied Protocols
Surveillance Sweep/Air Recon SweepChemical MortarsSurgical StrikeAirborne AttackBlitzkrieg!Cryo SatDisinformationGPS LockTime BombChrono SwapWire-Guided Missile StrikeMicrowave BurstGOOP StrikeClockstopShrink VortexChrono Rift
Lore Units Cryo LegionnaireFuture Tank X-1Harbinger GunshipPacifier FAVGrand Cannon
Technologies Spectrum TechnologyCryotechnologyGravametricsChronotechnologyTheoretical TechnologyAutoFix "Zakmes" DroneAllied Small Arms and Equipment
Detailed Information Allied Battle TanksAllied Motor PoolAllied Air ForceAllied NavyAllied Cryo Prison KeepersAllied CharactersAllied Supranational BodiesMembers of the Allied NationsAllied Military-Industrial ComplexMilitary Organisation of the Allied NationsThe World of TomorrowAnalysis of the Allied Nations Peacekeeper Divisions
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