Thief Ops Advice Needed

[Psychic]

So, it's been a long time since I played a thief here, but I'm planning one (AT) for this new age (if it ever starts)

My main query is about thief ops, and working out how many thieves I should be sending for any given op.

I know if I send too much, I don't gain any effectiveness/gains, just have more casualties, what how do I work out 'too much'?

For SoMs, I know that only a few (<10) thieves are needed, but what about the rest? Is there any up to date(ish) tool/calculator that may help? I know Angel has some figures, but from what I've seen the figures don't make a great deal of sense at times.

Any pointers?

[Ishandra]

I believe alliancerankings.com has an up to date one. Assuming nothing changes this age.


The easiest way I find is send around 20% of your thieves, then up it to 30% or so, if gains are better keep upping til they stop increasing.

If gains arent better, lower your thieves sent by a few % each time and keep opping.



You use a little more stealth this way but its pretty safe and doesnt rely on you having a CB of them first.

[_greenie]

IIRC its ~1 theif/6 defspecs for NS

[Isamith]

I have played thieve quit some ages now. I used to send about 50% of my thieves for the best result. With 50% you wont lose to much thieves per op, and the duration/damnage of the thieve op is pretty good.

Also for the SoMs I would suggest to send 50% of ure thieves. Much ppl will say dont do that, you will loze to much thieves if you fail. But I say it is worth it cause ure SoM will be much more accurate than with less thieves (tried it out with a friend ingame)

Hope this will help you.

[_greenie]

I have played thieve quit some ages now. I used to send about 50% of my thieves for the best result. With 50% you wont lose to much thieves per op, and the duration/damnage of the thieve op is pretty good.

Also for the SoMs I would suggest to send 50% of ure thieves. Much ppl will say dont do that, you will loze to much thieves if you fail. But I say it is worth it cause ure SoM will be much more accurate than with less thieves (tried it out with a friend ingame)

Hope this will help you.

considering that 2x 8 theive SoM's give you exact def (3 at worst normally)
i dont see any point

[Bleed Black]

How does one properly utilize theivery OPs anyway?
I think theivery is a crucial key to the game and I want to be very very good at it.

So, yeah Id FREAKIN LOVE if someone could explain the aspects of theivery, how to properly use them, given scenarios, strategies, how often one should train them, how many TDs one should have...

[_greenie]

How does one properly utilize theivery OPs anyway?
I think theivery is a crucial key to the game and I want to be very very good at it.

So, yeah Id FREAKIN LOVE if someone could explain the aspects of theivery, how to properly use them, given scenarios, strategies, how often one should train them, how many TDs one should have...

enough TD's so that you can cover losses (~15% usuaully)
and NS is almost always op of choice, unless honor whoring, than prop

[Psychic]

How are the figures calculated (roughly)?
Is it my TPA, against their TPA?
Is it the the TPA based on what I send against their TPA?
Does my size (acres) against the target size matter?

When people say send 20%, or 50%, is it actually just based on the % amount of my thieves send, or is that just a random figure to start with for people to get a 'feel' from?

I don't really want to know the 'real' formula, just a general idea of the important factors.

[Isamith]

I used between 25% and 30% TD during war, (get less losses)

Get 4 TPA raw. Train every thieve back you loze (if possible imedately) (get ure thievery sci do the rest)

Sabotage Wizards - If you have strong mages as enemie it can be usefull if you op that person with more than 1 thieve.
Rob the Granaries - obviously
Rob the Vaults - obviously
Rob the Towers - obviously
Kidnapping - very handy if you loze much population and want to get some back. Or to lower somebody's peasantry (only if more thieves do that op on same person)
Arson - Not quit worth it
Greater Arson
Unfriendly Only - Rogues Only - More of a handy op (special if you want to reduce some buildings of the enemies (forts or so) )
Night Strike - Most powerfull op you can do as thieve
Incite Riots - Very handy to have on all the enemy kd's provs
Steal Horses - Not worth it
Bribe Thieves - Not worth it (you attack other thieves and will loze much thieves ureself)
Bribe Generals - Might be handy for heavy attackers.
Free Prisoners - Not worth it
Assassinate Wizards - can be handy against mages. (more thieves at one target)
Propaganda - Honor op, do not use unless you are a honor junk.

What more do you want to know?

[Bleed Black]

Well Isamith thats a very good guideline BUT about how much % of theives are needed to be sent for each of those to become successful?

Cause literally I sent all my theives on every theif op cause wouldnt that make sense that the more the merrier? This is why Im a nub =]

[Isamith]

@ Psychic:

It is based basicly all on NW. If you're nw is for example 100k and you attack a guy that is 50k than ure profit is little. If you attack a guy of 150K ure profit is quit some. If you take bigger than 150k ure profit is worse again. So lets say that 75k till 150k is a good range.

We name 20% or 50% cause it is depending on the size of your prov howmuch thieves you have for a certain tpa. Since 2000 thieves can be 50% for 1 prov but can be 20% for a other prov.

Is this what you wanted to know?

[Isamith]

@ Bleed Blank:

I used to send 50% of my thieves for the best result. If you send more you have more lozes. If you send less ure ops are less effective.

[Bleed Black]

Alright thanks mate.

Bleed Black*

[Isamith]

You're welcome!

[Psychic]

I guess to simplify my request...

What actually defines whether or not I'll succeed?
(my tpa against his? the tpa of what I send/use for the op against his tpa? Just sending more thieves than he has?)

How can I work out the optimal amount of thieves to send to get the best gains?
(is it based on how much resources he has? Is it just a % of what I have irrespective of the target? Is it a % of the targets number of thieves?)