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For other spies. |
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Continuing its tradition of employing subterfuge to harass the grand plans of the Soviet Union, the Allies deployed Spies to turn the tide of battle in favour of their employers.
Description[]
Spy bribing a tank
| “ | Come on, fight for the winning team! - Spy ordered to bribe |
” |
Spies are units dedicated to battlefield espionage and general undercover operations. They carry a makeup kit at all times that contains the uniforms, props, and other materials of virtually every infantry unit in the entire world, even those of the Allies, presumably in case a rogue commander attempts to defect from the Allied cause.
Spies are taught how to don their disguise using the makeup kit in only a moment's notice, as infiltrating an enemy base behind enemy lines is a tricky business that requires ticktock precision. Additionally, each spy is taught several hacking techniques necessary to conduct operations within the enemy base. These include shutting down production lines, wiring cash back to the commander, disabling the power grid, and even shutting down the radar of the base and rerouting the feed back to the commander to view.
More recently, spies have been granted access to large "discretionary" bank accounts by the Allies, and are therefore able to bribe enemy units into committing treason (even Apocalypse tanks and King Onis are susceptible to bribery). When garrisoned in a multigunner turret or an IFV, they will use sniper rifles. It must be noted however that spies cannot use sniper rifles when garrisoned in buildings or in the field (possibly to avoid losing their disguise to enemy forces). Bribing enemies will also cause the Spy to lose its disguise, so be cautious when using this ability.
But like the previous generations before them, the spy will not be able to fool War Bears, Burst Drones and Dogs when in sight range. They can also swim. A note to Commanders facing (rogue) spies, if you see your Conscripts, Imperial Warriors, Peacekeepers, or any other non-amphibious infantry swimming, do not assume that your heavily armored Peacekeepers or (admittedly properly clad for swimming) Archer Maidens are cleaning themselves the old fashioned way. Assume they are spies and send Attack Dogs, War Bears, or Burst Drones alongside combat capable units (such as a Yari) to confirm and kill the spies before they get too close to your base.
Abilities[]
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Bribe | At the cost of $1000 credits, the player can use the spy's Bribe ability to convert all nearby enemy ground units to their cause. Will not work on commandos, heroic units and some other units such as certain naval units. |
History[]
Ever since the Second World War the Allied Forces deployed Spies to reconnoiter behind enemy lines and relay information back to their Allied masters. This was part of Allied military doctrine to rely on guerilla warfare and strike at the Soviets' weakest points. Spies were trained by Britain and as such, became renowned for the victories the Allies made over the Soviets even up to the War of the Three Powers.
Spies were notably deployed to infiltrate Soviet (and later Imperial) strongholds and sabotage their power supply. Spies were used during the operation The Shark and the Lure to lure the attacking Soviet navy into a trap alongside Agent Tanya and were instrumental in uncovering a Soviet plot in Havana during The Great Bear Trap.
Below is a short account of a spy's life behind enemy lines.
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 colorful 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.
Notes from the Field[]
Spy ready to swim
| “ | Hello? I'm ready for the rescue team. - Spy |
” |
Battlefield reconnaissance has revealed at least these facts about the Spy:
• In disguise -- 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, effectively ignored by all base defenses. 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 bases 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 defense 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.
Infiltration Effects[]
- Production facility: Temporarily disables production
- Power structure: Temporarily reduces power to zero, slowing down production and disabling all base defenses and super weapons
- Ore refinery: Steal up to 2000 credits, cannot steal more than what the enemy owns
- Construction Yard and expansion structure: Temporarily disables enemy radar and reveals what the enemy can see
- Technology structure: Temporarily disables all tier 3 units, causes tier 3 aircraft (i.e. Kirov Airships) to crash
- Super Weapon: Resets timer
Assessment[]
Pros[]
- Can disguise himself as an enemy infantry unit to sneak into the enemy base.
- Can bribe enemy units for a fee of $1000
- Can swim
- Can steal enemy resources and from them if a refinery is infiltrated
- Can temporary sabotage enemy power supply if a power plant/reactor/super reactor/instant generator is infiltrated
- Can infiltrate and temporary disable any form of enemy Production facilities
- Can reset enemy Superweapon's timer if it is infiltrated
- If a Construction Yard or outpost is infiltrated, the victims radar will go off-line for quite a while, and reveal a large amount of shroud nearby.
- If a battle lab, nanotech mainframe or defense bureau is infiltrated certain high tech units will go off-line(I.E. Kirovs or Harbingers go crashing down).
- Can deploy a powerful sniper rifle when stationed within a multigunner IFV (Although not as powerful as Natasha's since it can't shoot through multiple targets)
Cons[]
- Expensive ($1000)
- Slow-moving
- Requires heightened clearance (Tier 2)
- War bears and rogue Attack dogs can detect and kill them easily.
- If detected by enemy commander, he/she can use any unit to kill the Spy. (If an Imperial commander detects a Spy with a Burst Drone he can use other unit to kill him, since Burst drones can't attack infantry) Bears and Dogs attack spies without giving an order to them.
- These spies can't steal technology or veterancy like their Red Alert 2 counterparts
Quotes[]
Upon exiting the Boot Camp[]
- Ready to infiltrate!
Selected[]
- Spy ready!
- Agent here.
- What news, my friend?
- Good day, sir.
- Disguised ready!
- Commander?
- Mission, sir?
- Give me a plan!
- Have a disguise in mind?
Selected while disguised[]
- Under cover!
- Like my new look?
- Watch out for scouts!
- I don't like bears.
- Quickly now, before I'm spotted.
- How's the disguise holding up?
Moving[]
- Of course sir.
- For King and Country!
- Yes sir.
- On my way.
- Operation under way.
- Yes, I copy.
- Indeed.
- Yes commander.
- Is it clear?
- Remember - I'm unarmed.
- Cheers.
- On it, like a bonnet!
Moving to land[]
- I trust the coast is clear?
- Ahh, a day at the beach.
- Have my towel ready?
Moving to water[]
- Ahh, refreshing!
- Wet suit ready.
- Will my hair get wet?
- Yes, I could go for a dip.
Garrisoning Structure[]
- I'll meet you in the lobby,
- Luxury suite, if you don't mind?
- Top floor, please!?
When infiltrate[]
- I'll make myself at home!
- Hmm, don't mind if I do!
- I'll have a look around!
- Stand by for infiltration.
- You like that one aye?
- I'll see what I can do!
- Let's see what they've got!
- A good plan, I might add!.
When bribing[]
- Come on, fight for the winning team!
- Every man has his price!
- We pay handsomely!
Under fire[]
- Ahh, what happened to the plan?
- Where's my escape route?
- Hello? I'm ready for the rescue team!
- I've been spotted!
- They found me out!
- It's a trap!
- I'm unarmed!
- Could use some evac!
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
Spy can gain veterancy by pick up veterancy crates or being trained after occupying Veteran Academies.
The spy seems to be based of James Bond, due to the unmistakable British accent. The change from black to blonde hair from RA2 to RA3 maybe a reference to actor Daniel Craig taking the role.
