A Weather Satellite image of the midwest
A Weather Satellite image of the midwest
If you want to know what is happening on the other side of the world, outside of the range of your own reconnaissance planes, your best bet is to launch a spy satellite. Several types are available, and each can be put into one of two orbital paths.
Satellite Types:
WSAT: Weather Satellite
Cost: 3/1
These simple satellites are basically a camera in a box, and not a very good camera at that. Able to give only the vaguest information about enemy troop movements, these satellites are, however, cheap and deniable. After all, they are "just weather satellites". Oh, heck, you get weather reports too.
ELINT: Electronic Intelligence Satellites
Cost: 4/1
These are basically just radio receivers in the sky. They give you the ability to eavesdrop on enemy communications, but most of those are encoded. However, you can often tell a lot from just the general level of enemy radio activity, which often increases right before an invasion, and if your spies can get their hands on enemy codes, you might get to literally "read the FBI's mail". Weather has no effect on these satellites.
RORSAT: Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellites
Cost: 5/1
These are radar sets in the sky, which scan the seas of the world looking for enemy fleets. They can scan large areas of ocean and identify fleet movements and give an accurate count of ships, but can only tell ships apart by size, not nationality. Since they use radar, these satellites are not affected by weather.
PRSAT: Photographic Reconnaissance Satellites
Cost: 6/1
These give the most accurate and specific information on enemy troop and ship movements, but only while they are overhead, and anyone with a telescope can track their movements. Moving fleets can easily avoid being spotted, or change direction while under satellite observation to give false information.
Orbital Paths:
Where a Satellite is in orbit determines what it can see. You can't just hang a satellite over a given spot on the earth's surface and move it about with impunity, you have to define an orbit and leave it there. There are two allowable orbital paths:
Geostationary Orbit
Geostationary Orbit:
A Satellite in Geostationary orbit has an orbital period of 24 hours, keeping it constantly over the same spot on the Earth's surface. However, this only works at the equator, and satellites in this orbit can only see targets within 45 degrees of latitude from the equator, and within 45 degrees of longitude of the spot they are hovering over. Within that area, however, you can see almost anything as long as the weather is clear, and you can't hide from a satellite that is always in the same place.
Polar Orbit
Polar Orbit:
A Satellite in Polar Orbit passes eventually over every spot on the Earth's surface. However, since their orbits are predictable, ships and planes can easily maneuver to avoid being seen, and the low orbits used make the viewing area much smaller than that of Geostationary Orbits. Stationary targets like troops dug in on a border will be seen more easily than moving targets like fleets.
NOTE: Just because you have a Photorecon Satellite in Polar Orbit, don't expect to see everyone's unit locations every turn. Weather can interfere with many satellites, and turning the satellite to point the camera at different locations uses fuel, which is not in unlimited supply on a fairly small satellite. Also, the moderators don't have time to write detailed Recon Reports about everyone for everyone. If you designate an area to look at, you will probably see what is there if it is within the view of one of your satellites, but don't overuse your satellites or they may run out of fuel. Moderator discretion is a big factor in what information you will get, so try and stay on the moderators' good side.
