VBAM Games Forums

on p. 39 just after the MFP formula:

After the mission is complete, all Intel that
was used offensively is lost. Defenders maintain
the Intel they used in defense for that system.

In light of that rule offensive intelligence operations seem excessively expensive. Especially Counter-Intel operations don't seem to be worthwhile since at best you spend a single Intel Point yourself and eliminate one enemy Intel Point. In most cases you would need to spend many Intel Points to have a decent chance of killing off a single enemy Intel Point.

Or is it implied that Offensive Intel Points are only lost if the mission fails?

The rules on intel seem less clear than the rest of the rules to be honest.

Defensive Intel aren't lost until they do something. Offensive Intel are lost when you use them, win or lose. As to price, it really helps that distance greatly increases the cost of having a possible success in Off Intel mission, so you can front-load your empire with most def intel along the border. Also, offensive intel is limited in quantity based on the system used to launch the mission. Additionally, it takes a lot less def intel to be reasonably sure you can identify the source of a mission, than it does to block the mission entirely. If you set up your def intel efficiently it is usually true that it costs more to launch the mission than it does to defend against it and deal with the consequences, and you will usually know who launched the attack. This is especially important in campaigns that use NPE rules (which most do).

This means that Intel missions are usually used in support of a specific military effort. And yes, it also means that intel missions aren't as common as one might expect.

To greatly increase the use of intel missions, lower their price, lower or eliminate the limit on quantity based on system size, and/or modify the effectiveness of each point used.

I hope I am right about the details - it's been a while since I played.