Well...What about forgetting about "damage" for some of these low-end options? What about better scouts?
Just some examples:
"You sneak into the tent while the Marshal is out, and discover that he has Infantry Charge and Fortification Defense orders issued to his command staff"
"You observe the maneuvers of Sir Rhennthyl's troop and determine that his soldiers are marching in a box, keeping to the front, and appear braced to fight to the end"
"Carefully watching, you see that the enemy has around twenty banners, five siege engines, five caravans, and thirty healers"
"You listen in on the work of the civil servants, and discover that Lantzas is subject to a fourteen percent tax rate, has more than sufficient estates supporting authority, not quite enough supporting production, has around fifty bushels of food in its granaries, has around a hundred gold in its tax offices, and fifty troops in its recruitment centers"
That is stuff that can be low risk, and perhaps most importantly is not a ban worthy offense. So you can train up on information gathering, and even if you get caught, they can't ban you for asking a few questions (yes, I'm aware that in the real world you could, but for game purposes this seems like the kind of thing that wouldn't be bannable).
I play my infiltrators as spies more than assassins/saboteurs so I really like this idea.
A few other options I think might add to the game without interfering with balance:
1. expands normal scout reports with the economic info usually given to Traders;
2. spread rumours (damage to honour and/or prestige of specific characters, or reduce region control/morale);
3. cheat in duels (boost based on subterfuge skill with risk of imprisonment/ban);
4. bribe troops (undermining their morale and/or cohesion, costs gold, risk of imprisonment);
5. sabotage troops (causing equipment damage or assassinating captains);
6. steal from army/guild/religion treasuries and assassinate temple guards (risk of imprisonment);
7. determine membership of guilds/religions/armies;
8. incite banditry (undermine realm region control and food/commodity production, costs gold);
9. can recruit the same way a hero does (but costs gold);
A. change chance of success for infil actions when commanding a unit.
These would all be much more in keeping with the idea of infiltrators as spymasters and mos
I can also see potential for a new "irregulars" unit mode (possibly mandatory for infiltrators, like police for diplomats) which might include some or all of the following features:
a. improves chances of evading combat;
b. boosts travel speed;
c. always counts as dug in when stationary;
d. greatly improved melee in skirmish formation;
e. reduced melee in line/box/wedge formations;
f. defensive CS boost in battle based on region terrain;
g. improved mobility and fewer casualties when retreating;
h. boost to morale/cohesion for looting and battlefield foraging;
i. reduced honour from battles but higher prestige;
j. lower chance of the character being captured.
Aside from giving infiltrators a distinct battlefield role irregulars would open up interesting new tactical possibilities, especially with advanced battlefield deployments such as Delay & Wound.
