Misdirection and Sleight of Hand

[Anopheles]

I've always thought misdirection is something missing from game design.

 

What do I mean?

 

Most of the time we get information about a ship before we see it in space.    I'd like some of that information to be false.

 

This can be for good reasons, such as giving your fat slow trader the transponder of a battleship or for nefarious reasons, such as fake distress calls.

 

Of course, their should be counter technology available.    False Flag signalling should be expensive, highly illegal and 'a shoot on sight'.    Counter technology should be an expensive, heavy, luxury that is also difficult to get hold of.  Otherwise, what's the point?