Advancing in OGame can be accomplished through getting points by spending resources. One important way to gain resources besides your own mine production is by stealing them from other players. You can get those resources by attacking other planets; see the next chapter <<Raids>>. One important thing you must check before sending the attack is to see what has your opponent in terms of resources, defense and ships. You will consider going on with the attack only if resources are worth the effort and if the defense and ships can be defeated by your attacking fleet. The only way to see what is there is by spying the target.

To use this feature, you need the Espionage Technology. This research is available after you get Research Lab level 3. The first benefit you get from researching Espionage Technology is that you can get more information about incoming fleets – in the first instance you will only see that a fleet moves towards your planet. You see the total number of the ships with level 2, the present types of ships with level 4 and with level 8 you see exactly how many ships of which kind are approaching you. This information is enormously important to react to incoming attack in the right way.

After you have researched Espionage technology to level 2 you will also be able to build your own espionage probes. Their ability to give detailed reports depends of your technology level. The higher the Espionage technology level compared to your opponent, the more information you can get in report: an espionage report is complete only when you are able to see technology levels.

==How to spy?==









The fastest method is to spy from galaxy view: move your mouse over the planet you want to spy and a tool-tip with action options will pop up, select espionage and the probes are instantly launched. You can set the desired number of spy probes from Options > General, see <<Account settings>>. Another way to spy from galaxy view is to click on the planet or the spy symbol from the right side of your screen (under “Action”). Alternatively you can also send Probes with the mission Espionage to the desired coordinates by using the fleet menu; this is a way to manually change number of probes in case you want to have the detailed espionage report without modifying your preferred settings from options. Some of premium features can help you spy by adding more slots, direct link or even 2 levels on your Espionage research (check <<Premium features>>).

Quoted from "Reward"
After you have used your probes for the first time to spy on another player, you receive two more probes as a gift from the Tutorial.

==Which information can I gather?==



If you spy on an enemy, you will get an espionage report, in which information is grouped into a total of 5 blocks. First of all there are the resources - the amount of the present resources, as well as the energy production, which will be reported in every case; then information about the fleet, defensive structures and as well as buildings and researches. To gather complete information than just about the resources, you have to heighten your espionage, either by researching a higher espionage technology than the enemy, or by sending more probes at the same time. You can calculate easily how many probes you have to send to gather the designated information:

Quoted from "Formula"

Resources = 1 probe
Fleet = (difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 2
Defense = (difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 3
Buildings = (difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 5
Research = (difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 7

If your own Espionage Technology is 3 levels higher than the technology of the enemy, 1 probe will suffice to gather all information. After you see all designated information in your espionage report you can then determine if it is a profitable target and if so, dispatch your fleet.

==What is counter-espionage?==

At the end of your espionage report, there will always be the value of counter-espionage, which is between 0% and 100%. This value specifies the chance of your probes being detected and destroyed by the enemy. The higher the chance the more likely it is that your probes will be detected and engage in battle with the defender's ships present at the planet. The counter-espionage does not affect the espionage report, which will be delivered even if the Probes are destroyed.

The exact formula, on how to calculate that value is still unknown so far, because it is obvious that the coincidence plays a major role (with the same combination, there are often very different values), so it is not very important. As a matter of fact, three different elements have an effect on the counter-espionage: The number of Espionage Probes, the Espionage Technology difference between you and your opponent and the number of ships on the planet. If there is no fleet on the spied planet, the Probes will return in every case. The more ships, the higher the chance that they can be shot down. On the other hand, if your espionage technology is much lower, just a few cargoes and solar satellites can kill your Probes. If your probes are detected, there will automatically be a fight on the planet. The probes usually will not survive the first round, because they are lightly armored and unarmed, and that is why you will not get a combat report.

==What do I have to consider?==

Always spy before attacking, make sure you have all the necessary information about ships and defense on the planet.
The opposing player gets a message that you spied him – some of the players are not amused that you are interested in their planet. It is a risk you will have to take, if you are willing to raid. Probing is a key aspect of raiding, and raiding, as you will see in next chapter is even more important to advance in game. So keep in mind that sometimes it will not be wise to probe players that are much higher ranked than you in military score, as you won't probably be able to crash them, but you'll also make then notice you having some fleet they will like to crash. Look carefully who you probe, most of the times you will only get profit from players ranked lower than you (in military score). Keep in mind that probing sloppy players might alarm them and they will probably cease to be so sloppy, so it is a good habit, that when you are not willing to study a certain target, you just probe players without signs of activity <<Activity>>.

Also, if you're under the noob protection system (up to 50k points in old universe or up to 500k points in new universe), spying much stronger players (marked with red in galaxy view) will result in losing noob protection for a week by becoming an Outlaw. All players can attack you in this interval. Honor point system and tactical retreat will continue to work see <<Game details>>>.

As you already have noticed for sure, OGame is about collecting as mush resources as you can, to invest them in buildings and structures – therefore in points. Besides the mine production, which is easy to reach, you can get resources also by raids, which means, attacks on other players, which will be explained in the next chapter Raids. But not any player is a worthwhile target, and not anybody can just be attacked. The espionage provides an opportunity to check how much resources, ships and defensive structures are on your neighbours’ planets.


What are the requirements ?
To use this feature, you need the espionage technology. First of all, a research, which is available very early (requirements: research lab level 3). The first benefit you get from researching espionage technology is that you can get more information about incoming fleets – in the first instance you will only see that a fleet moves towards your planet. You see the total number of the ships with level 2, the present types of ships with level 4 and with level 8 you see exactly how much ships of which kind are approaching you. This information is enormously important to react to an attack in the right way and to defend your resources ideally.

But the research is also important for the espionage, as the name suggests. You need level two to build espionage probes, and the rate of the level has an effect on the information which you get by spying an enemy and whether your probes survive the flight or not.

How to spy?
If you have espionage probes, you will have the opportunity to spy on an enemy. The fastest method is to click on the espionage symbol next to the according planet. Upon that action, probes head to that planet automatically ( the quantity can be changed under Options > General, see Account settings) and gather information. Alternatively you also can send some probes with the mission espionage to the according coordinates by using the fleet menu, so you also can change the number of espionage probes manually.
Tutorial Reward:
After you have used your probes for the first time to spy on another player, you receive two more probes as a gift from the Tutorial.

Which information can I gather?
If you spy on an enemy, you will get all available information with an espionage report, which is grouped into a total of 5 blocks. First of all there are the resources - the amount of the present resources, as well as the energy production, which will be reported in every case; then information about the fleet, defensive structures and as well as buildings and researches. To gather more information than just about the resources, you have to heighten your espionage, either by researching a higher espionage technology than the enemy, or by sending more probes at the same time. You can calculate easily how many probes you have to send to gather the designated information:
Formula:
Resources = 1 probe
Fleet = (difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 2
Defense = (difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 3
Buildings = (difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 5
Research = (difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 7


If the own espionage technology is three levels higher than the technology of the enemy, one probe will suffice to gather all information. After you see all designated information in your espionage report, you can balance, if it is a profitable target and if so, dispatch your fleet.
What is counter-espionage ?

If you get an espionage report, then at the end there will always be the value of counter-espionage, which is between 0 % and 100 %. This value specifies the chance of detecting and destroying your probes by an enemy, who you spy on. The higher the chance, the more likely it is that your probes will be detected and engage in battle with the defender's ships and defences present at the planet. The counter-espionage does not affect the espionage report, which will be delivered even if the probes are detected and destroyed.

The exact formula, on how to calculate that value is still unknown so far, because it is obvious that the coincidence plays a major role (with the same combination, there are often very different values), so it is not very important. As a matter of fact, three different elements have an effect on the counter-espionage: The number of espionage probes, the difference between your own and the enemies’ espionage technology, as well as the number of ships on the planet. If there is no fleet on the spied colony, the probes will return in every case; the more ships the higher is the chance that they can be shot down. If your espionage technology is a lot higher than your enemy's, than there is a higher chance you will save your probes. On the other hand, if it is much lower, only a few cargoes and satellites can detect your probes. It is also very risky to send a huge number of espionage probes, because they can be detected easily and that means of course more loss. Because of that you should only fly with more than 2 or 4 probes only if the target is of great value. If your probes are detected, there will automatically be a fight against the units on the planet. The probes usually will not survive the first round, because they are lightly armoured and unarmed, that is why you will not get a combat report.
What do I have to consider ?

The opposing player gets a message that you spied him – most of the players are not amused that you are interested in their planet. So you should only spy on a player, for who you are a match. Let sleeping dogs lie, because it is no use to provoke a campaign of vengeance.

As you already have noticed for sure, OGame is about collecting as mush resources as you can, to invest them in buildings and structures – therefore in points. Besides the mine production, which is easy to reach, you can get resources also by raids, which means, attacks on other players, which will be explained in the next chapter <<Raids>>. But not any player is a worthwhile target, and not anybody can just be attacked. The espionage provides an opportunity to check how much resources, ships and defensive structures are on your neighbours’ planets.

To use this feature, you need the espionage technology. First of all, a research, which is available very early (requirements: research lab level 3). The first benefit you get from researching espionage technology is that you can get more information about incoming fleets – in the first instance you will only see that a fleet moves towards your planet. You see the total number of the ships with level 2, the present types of ships with level 4 and with level 8 you see exactly how much ships of which kind are approaching you. This information is enormously important to react to an attack in the right way and to defend your resources ideally.

But the research is also important for the espionage, as the name suggests. You need level two to build espionage probes, and the rate of the level has an effect on the information which you get by spying an enemy and whether your probes survive the flight or not.

==How to spy?==
If you have espionage probes, you will have the opportunity to spy on an enemy. The fastest method is to click on the espionage symbol next to the according planet. Upon that action, probes head to that planet automatically ( the quantity can be changed under Options > General, see <<Account settings>>) and gather information. Alternatively you also can send some probes with the mission espionage to the according coordinates by using the fleet menu, so you also can change the number of espionage probes manually.

Reward wrote:

After you have used your probes for the first time to spy on another player, you receive two more probes as a gift from the Tutorial.

==Which information can I gather?==
If you spy on an enemy, you will get all available information with an espionage report, which is grouped into a total of 5 blocks. First of all there are the resources - the amount of the present resources, as well as the energy production, which will be reported in every case; then information about the fleet, defensive structures and as well as buildings and researches. To gather more information than just about the resources, you have to heighten your espionage, either by researching a higher espionage technology than the enemy, or by sending more probes at the same time. You can calculate easily how many probes you have to send to gather the designated information:

Formula wrote:

Resources=1 probe
Fleet=(difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 2
Defense=(difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 3
Buildings=(difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 5
Research=(difference of the espionage technology level) ^ 2 + 7

If the own espionage technology is three levels higher than the technology of the enemy, one probe will suffice to gather all information. After you see all designated information in your espionage report, you can balance, if it is a profitable target and if so, dispatch your fleet.

==What is counter-espionage ?==
If you get an espionage report, then at the end there will always be the value of counter-espionage, which is between 0 % and 100 %. This value specifies the chance of detecting and destroying your probes by an enemy, who you spy on. The higher the chance, the more likely it is that your probes will be detected and engage in battle with the defender's ships and defences present at the planet. The counter-espionage does not affect the espionage report, which will be delivered even if the probes are detected and destroyed.

The exact formula, on how to calculate that value is still unknown so far, because it is obvious that the coincidence plays a major role (with the same combination, there are often very different values), so it is not very important. As a matter of fact, three different elements have an effect on the counter-espionage: The number of espionage probes, the difference between your own and the enemies’ espionage technology, as well as the number of ships on the planet. If there is no fleet on the spied colony, the probes will return in
every case; the more ships the higher is the chance that they can be shot down. If your espionage technology is a lot higher than your enemy's, than there is a higher chance you will save your probes. On the other hand, if it is much lower, only a few cargoes and satellites can detect your probes. It is also very risky to send a huge number of espionage probes, because they can be detected easily and that means of course more loss. Because of that you should only fly with more than 2 or 4 probes only if the target is of great value. If your probes are detected, there will automatically be a fight against the units on the planet. The probes usually will not survive the first round, because they are lightly armoured and unarmed, that is why you will not get a combat report.

==What do I have to consider ?==
The opposing player gets a message that you spied him – most of the players are not amused that you are interested in their planet. So you should only spy on a player, for who you are a match. Let sleeping dogs lie, because it is no use to provoke a campaign of vengeance.
Also, if you're under the noob protection system (up to 50k points in old unis/up to 500k points in new unis) and you spy an enemy labeled in red as strong, you'll lost your protection for 7 days. That means you'll be labeled in violet as Outlaw and attackable for all the players in your universe.

Important wrote:

An "Outlaw" player is rated by the normal criteria for honourable and dishonourable fights. So honour points can be received or lost depending on own strength. The fleet of an outlawed player can also retreat.

If the own espionage technology is three levels higher than the technology of the enemy, one probe will suffice to gather all information. After you see all designated information in your espionage report, you can balance, if it is a profitable target and if so, dispatch your fleet.

If your own espionage technology is three levels higher than the technology of the enemy, one probe will suffice to gather all information. After you see all designated information in your espionage report you can then determine if it is a profitable target and if so, dispatch your fleet.


The exact formula, on how to calculate that value is still unknown so far, because it is obvious that the coincidence plays a major role (with the same combination, there are often very different values), so it is not very important. As a matter of fact, three different elements have an effect on the counter-espionage: The number of espionage probes, the difference between your own and the enemies’ espionage technology, as well as the number of ships on the planet. If there is no fleet on the spied colony, the probes will return in
every case; the more ships the higher is the chance that they can be shot down. If your espionage technology is a lot higher than your enemy's, than there is a higher chance you will save your probes. On the other hand, if it is much lower, only a few cargoes and satellites can detect your probes. It is also very risky to send a huge number of espionage probes, because they can be detected easily and that means of course more loss. Because of that you should only fly with more than 2 or 4 probes only if the target is of great value. If your probes are detected, there will automatically be a fight against the units on the planet. The probes usually will not survive the first round, because they are lightly armoured and unarmed, that is why you will not get a combat report.



The exact formula, on how to calculate that value is still unknown so far, because it is obvious that the coincidence plays a major role (with the same combination, there are often very different values), so it is not very important. As a matter of fact, three different elements have an effect on the counter-espionage: The number of espionage probes, the difference between your own and the enemies’ espionage technology, as well as the number of ships on the planet.If there is no fleet on the spied colony, the probes will return in every case, the more ships the higher the chance that they can be shot down.On the other hand, if it is much lower, only a few cargoes and satellites can detect your probes. It is also very risky to send a huge number of espionage probes, because they can be detected easily and that means of course more loss. Because of that you should only fly with no more than 2 or 4 probes only if the target is of great value. If your probes are detected, there will automatically be a fight against the them on the planet. The probes usually will not survive the first round, because they are lightly armoured and unarmed, and that is why you will not get a combat report.



==What do I have to consider ?==
The opposing player gets a message that you spied him – most of the players are not amused that you are interested in their planet. So you should only spy on a player, for who you are a match. Let sleeping dogs lie, because it is no use to provoke a campaign of vengeance.
Also, if you're under the noob protection system (up to 50k points in old unis/up to 500k points in new unis) and you spy an enemy labeled in red asstrong, you'll lost your protection for 7 days. That means you'll be labeled in violet as Outlaw and attackable for all the players in your universe.


==What do I have to consider ?==
The opposing player gets a message that you spied him – most of the players are not amused that you are interested in their planet. So you should only spy on a player, for who you are a match. Let sleeping dogs lie, because it is no use to provoke a campaign of vengeance.
Also, if you're under the noob protection system (up to 50k points in old unis/up to 500k points in new unis) and you spy an enemy labeled in red as stronger, you will lose your protection for 7 days. That means you'll be labeled in violet as Outlaw and attack-able for all the players in your universe.

Template & Wiki updated.

Thanks Marlboroman :beer: