Espionage & Spy System Guide

Espionage in Civ VII is the shadow game: spies steal tech, sabotage districts, and gather the intelligence that prevents nasty surprises. Used well, a small spy network punches far above its cost. This guide covers where to place spies and what to task them with.

Recruiting spies

Spies are earned through civics and buildings, so plan for them before you need them.

• Unlock the civic that grants your first spy reasonably early.
• Build the spy-producing building in a safe core city.
• Level spies by keeping them alive on successful missions.
• Do not throw a low-level spy into a high-defenses target.

Best mission targets

Not every mission is worth the risk. Prioritize the ones that change the game.

• Steal a tech from the science leader to catch up fast.
• Sabotage a rival's space project to delay their win.
• Recruit partisans in a war zone to bleed an enemy.
• Gather intelligence to see troop movements before they attack.

Managing spy leveling

A leveled spy survives harder targets and succeeds more often, so protect your veterans.

• Start spies on low-risk missions to build levels safely.
• Promote for reduced capture chance and faster training.
• Retreat a spy before a failed mission ends in capture.

Espionage in wartime

War is when spies shine, turning stealth into frontline advantage.

• Sabotage district defenses right before your army attacks.
• Steal war plans to know where the enemy is weak.
• Support partisans behind enemy lines to open a second front.

Quick reference: spy placement

One spy on your own key project for defense, one on the science leader for tech, and one in a war zone for sabotage. That minimal network covers defense, catch-up, and offense without spreading your spies so thin they all get caught.

Defending against enemy spies

Just as you send spies, rivals send theirs. A passive target loses projects to invisible sabotage, so build counter-intelligence into your plan.

• Station a counter-spy on your capital and key wonder cities.
• Raise district defense with the right policy cards.
• Watch for the "spy captured" alert as proof of attempted theft.
• Spread your projects across cities so one spy cannot end you.

Spy economy and leveling

Spies are a renewable resource if managed. Treat leveling them as an investment with compounding returns.

• Keep successful spies alive; a dead spy wastes all its XP.
• Promote for faster training so you field more agents.
• Rotate spies off dangerous targets after a big score.
• Use low-risk missions to rebuild a spy after a capture.

Spies and the victory screen

Target your espionage at whatever rival is closest to beating you, because slowing the leader is worth more than any single tech you steal for yourself.

• Sabotage the science leader's space project if you are behind.
• Steal from the culture leader to narrow the tourism gap.
• Disrupt the economic leader's trade if they pull ahead.
• Keep one defensive spy home regardless of the offense plan.

Choosing your first mission

Your opening spy mission sets the tone. Pick the lowest-risk, highest-information task so the spy levels up before facing real danger.

• Start with gathering intel in a neutral city to learn the map.
• Move to tech theft only once the spy has a level or two.
• Avoid sabotage early; capture chance is highest then.
• Let a veteran take the dangerous rival-capital jobs.

Above all, treat espionage as a quiet multiplier: a few well-placed spies change the game more than a whole army of soldiers you never had to train or feed.