Operation Espionage: A Game of Spies The Revised Edition is a tabletop role-playing game where the players take on the persona of spies who find themselves deep within the web of intrigue. Based in the modern day with a slightly altered history, the game uses a unique Roll versus Roll mechanic that puts the fate of the agent characters completely into the luck of the dice rolls.
Agents, the in-game persona of the player, are created from a list of skills. Each of those skills have a value that represents a dice pool—a number of twelve-sided dice. When a skill is used, whether for a task like computer hacking or stealth or for combat, both aggressive and defensive, the player rolls the dice pool looking for a level-based target. The number of dice above that target count as successes. The Spymaster, the game master in the Game of Spies, uses a skill in the same way to counter the player attempt. Whichever side has the most successes wins the confrontation or the skill attempt failed. This Roll versus Roll mechanic removes the need for difficulty checks that other tabletop games target in lieu of a truly luck of the dice situation that can even keep the Spymaster on the edge of their seat.
This new revised edition offers those familiar with the game some streamlined features, especially in agent character creation and enemy creation. This streamlined changes help the game flow better though play by removing some of the tedious agency affiliations that are now more open for the players at the table to fully create.
This is the Agent Handbook—the Operation Espionage: A Game of Spies The Revised Edition core rulebook offering the information for the Players and the Spymaster to play the Game of Spies.
Included in the book is information to create new agents, how to use the Roll versus Roll mechanic, information for the Spymaster to run a Manhunt including unique mechanics and villain minions, and an Introductory Manhunt so the agent team can enter the action immediately. Agent Dossiers and other record keeping sheets are also included in the book, as well as in separate files to be downloaded for convenience.
- from the publisher's blurb