With the La Résistance DLC, players unlock the ability to run their own intelligence agencies. Otherwise, you should focus on a branch depending on your playstyle. If you only need upgrades to acquire more operatives, you should only focus on the cheapest available upgrades. These upgrades are pricey, so you need to prioritize which ones you desire. Intelligence is a generic branch that will provide passive boosts to your agency. Similarly, investing in operations will improve their success. The operative training branch will increase the success chance of any missions you choose to participate in. Upgrades are divided into five branches, Cryptology, Defense, Intelligence, Operations, and Operative Training.Ĭryptology and defense are pretty similar branches, providing bonuses to various counter espionage efforts.
Unlocking the full potential of your intelligence agency will require a significant investment from your civilian industry, as well as a time investment of 30 days. Cryptology strength determines how well you can defend your own ciphers, while your decryption power represents how well you can break other ciphers.Ĭracking enemy ciphers will reward you with a variety of bonuses, including naval invasion speed, air detection, and planning speed. Cryptology consists of your cryptology strength and decryption power. Similar to real life, decrypting enemy communications can be an invaluable asset to your war effort. If captured you will have the opportunity to perform a rescue operation to save them from the enemy. While performing tasks, there is a chance of operatives being killed or captured. After your first operative, you can earn new ones by upgrading your agency five times. They function similar to commanders, with their own portraits and traits to earn.
The people that carry out your missions and operations are the operatives of your intelligence agency. Through operations you can gather specific intel on different armies, seize temporary control of enemy industry, and create diversions to distract the enemy.īefore you can do any of those though, you will have to recruit operatives into your spy network. Unlike missions, operations perform specific tasks that accomplish a unique goal. All missions are general assignments and lack specificity. They can also influence trace and enforce diplomatic pressure, making missions a valuable activity to be performed. There are a variety of missions available to your agency, from performing counter-espionage to constructing spy networks in other countries.
Meanwhile operations are complex activities that are more difficult and very impactful. Missions are simpler, require less of a time investment, and usually static boosts. These are actions that you can perform around the world utilizing your intelligence agencies. In order to start using your intelligence agency, you will have to invest some civilian factories for 30 days to create it. These agencies simulate the extensive espionage that existed during World War II, with a variety of options available to players who choose to use them. With the La Résistance DLC, Paradox introduced intelligence agencies in Hearts of Iron IV.