How brutal are you?

[Hamburglar]

I was just wondering here how people like to look at the feature of prisoners and executions in here.

Basically, what's your policy with prisoners and why?

Originally, I was pretty nice with prisoners. My policy involving rebels was to let them free if I invaded them or they revolted after a few years (they're just defending their country). But, if they rebelled against me in my home I would execute every last one of them.

With troops, I took it on a case by case basis and if it was a country I liked then I'd usually let them go but if it was a hated enemy that betrayed me I would slaughter them.



But that all changed....

I began to like being a despot. All taxes on Very High all the time as long as revolts won't happen. With my enemies, I will ALWAYS execute them no matter what. Rebels, neutrals, enemy troops, all get the axe. I love the sound of it. I love seeing a few ragtag survivors being all thats left of the enemy army. I love my Kings and generals building up vices. All of them turn into Blood Lovers VERY quickly and I love it. My favorite generals all eventually become butchers. I like being a scourge across the land and utterly wiping out the enemy. But I always let one prisoner live. I slaughter them all and capture one last guy during the rout and let him be ransomed back home to tell the tale. Hopefully he'll pick up the Tortured vice. Hahaha.


But enough about me. I want to know what other people do with their prisoners (rebels and troops).

I never really saw the point of letting enemy generals be ransomed back, even though they pick up bad vices. Because a 6 star general with some bad vices is still a far better commander than a 0 star general. I like to obliterate the enemy's entire force of generals and leave them with impudent little inexperienced fools to lead their men.

But... how about you guys?

[MonkeyMan]

In a battle I tend to kill 1000+ prisoners whenever a general captures that many the first time (+2 dread) and kill all the rebels after battle the first time I get the chance (+1 dread). After both of these I'll let them all live out the battle and just kill reberl leaders afterwards. If I know a faction has no money left for ransoms I'll just kill everyone. No one ever leaves without paying a price http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Nowake]

why? it is so easy to push them to bancrupcy sometimes http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Drucius]

Since I like having the cash, I never excecute prisoners on the battlefield (If I don't get the ransom money, they get excecuted anyway). With rebels I always let them all go free as you will eventually get the 'occasional mercy' virtue which grants +10% happiness in all provinces. Which is jolly handy if you're taxing at 'very high' everywhere.

[TheViking]

before i killed all prisoners, but now i only kill them if i get lots of peasants, urbans and units like that, if i get many of elite units i let them go back to the ai so it can have a bigger chance defeating me later.

and also if i get rid of the ai´s bad unit it will replace it with better ones.

[Rocket_Boy]

Quote[/b] ]In a battle I tend to kill 1000+ prisoners whenever a general captures that many the first time (+2 dread) and kill all the rebels after battle the first time I get the chance (+1 dread).

I hear that, most of my top generals have the butcher vice, it rocks http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[el_slapper]

Funny thing, the french version is not between mercy & slaughter, but between mercy & slavery... I wonder who decided we were not adult enough to enjoy a good bloodbath Morons http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[The_Emperor]

I rule fairly but wisely, I allow for ransom when Royalty is captured (especially really poor commanders).

Good enemy generals (and large numbers of captives) always get put to the Sword, to save them comming back for more with the Captured vice making his army harder to rout the next time.

Mostly Rebels often get released by me, but I do have my vengeful flashes where I execute more than just the ringleaders.

[Cazbol]

Every rebel is released. Always
All captured troops are ransomed back. Always.
I tell myself it's my morals.

In my Byzantine campaign I made an exception against the Mongols, since they can't raise new troops and therefore really need to be able to buy back their captured comrades. Back then I didn't know what horrible morale reducing vices my 8 star general would get. He finished the job though, and killed every single Mongol. Later he betrayed me and founded his own little state in Livonia.

From now on I'll even ransom back the Mongols, let them run out of money and have them killed without getting vices.

[The_Emperor]

Yeah Morale reducing penalties are really bad... Although you would think it should be the other way around.

If an army is run by a tyrant general who butchers men, surely his own troops would fight just a bit harder in battle through fear of his wrath being brought down upon them

Just a thought.

[Aelwyn]

I always execute battlefield prisoners every time. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif When theres a rebellion I usually let everyone go though. The only difference with this is, I noticed if you execute everyone rebellions seem to keep happening, but if you let everyone go thenthey don't really happen. Is this true? Is there a difference?

[Reynald]

My own take on it as to slay the unbelievers... usually during during the crusades into the holy sites., but to release the mis-guided christian forces who opposed \you (obviously led by ungodly kings http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif )... It sort of was a medieval version of good cop bad cop were the eatern generals were blood-soaked villains and the western ones were merciful ...
oh and as for the french version of the game with the mercy /slavery option instead of slaughter.... does anyone know if its possible to mod this into the game to give a 3 fold option of mercy/slavery or slaughter.... would make the game that bit mre 'historical' as a great deal of captured prisoners in the crusad lands especially were indeed sold into slave markets of the east (muslim and christian alike)...
Also is there any way of modding to allow you after battle to execute the non-nobles captured whilst ransoming back the nobles.... as this would also be much more realistic of actual events back in them bloody times http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[lancer63]

I used to bathe myself in the blood of my enemies, but since that atracts too many flies and drives away the chicks, I've started to let some go. Rebels I never execute, and have noticed that a captured high star enemy general can be of more damage to his own faction than mine. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Oaty]

As far as rebels go I release them all on there first attempt and a second attempt I kill or enslave the ring leader and if they make a third attempt it becomes a no mercy deal.

As far as factions go if I'm losing I execute them but if I'm winning I let them have a chance to be ransomed back. Even if I am holding on to there king and I'm losing I execute him and all prisoners because I don't want them to be given back for free

[Hamburglar]

Are you sure its the French version and not just playing as Muslims?

I seem to remember instead of execution as the Muslims you enslave them all. Don't know why though.


I just love having generals with massive dread ratings. The lowest the morale penalty gets is -3 and thats really not a big deal.

[|OCS|Virus]

it depends on how many and whos they are, and who's army they are. i also take into account what kind of units they have, if its mostly just peaseants then i wont slay them i'll usualy put them up for ransom, but if it is something dangerous like 1000 byzinian heavy infintry then i'll slay em' but usualy im leaniant.

[Prince Lom]

I slaughter prisoners if I'm fighting a rich enemy who'd just ransom them back all the time. The only exception would be if I caught their king or some princes, in which case I'd take the cash.

[YunDog]

heres some previous numbers to add to yours

http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin....&t=3724 (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=7&t=3724)

and another

http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin....&t=7573 (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=15&t=7573)

enjoy

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[karmastray]

Quote[/b] (Hamburglar @ Aug. 18 2003,18:11)]Are you sure its the French version and not just playing as Muslims?

I seem to remember instead of execution as the Muslims you enslave them all. Don't know why though.
Ahh, well you see we Muslims are far more enlightened then you barbaric Latins. Plus, it's good to get a little hard labor out of you POWs rather then just putting them to death. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Reynald]

Just a thought , but wonder what vlad the impalers dread rating would have been, and oh them vices he would have http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif

[Revenant69]

Ahhhh the old Prisoner dilemma lol......

Well it all depends. If my ally backstabs me - i slaughter every last soldier. If its rebels i usually just kill hte ringleaders, unless they have persistantly rebelled (but honestly i NEVER have trouble with rebellions, well rarely).

If i fight technologically superior army (ie Faction reappearance), i usually slaughter the prisoners.... no point of letting them go to fight another day.

If i started the war, and its a small number of prisoners (less than 2-300) i usualy release them.

In case of Mongols - they ALL DIE... i just love the sound that the button makes http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

If someone can tell me where or how to post the pictures, i will put up some pics from the recent Mongol battle http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Hamburglar]

Vlad would be cool in the game. I do remember one German general starts out with 9 dread and the Butcher vice.


A general of my army isn't priveleged enough to marry one of my daughters until he is both a butcher and a blood lover.


My favorite general was 9 stars and 9 dread. He had:

Blood Lover
Butcher
Murderous Temper
Secret Killer
Scars

and get this...

Charismatic Leader.

I guess the people just loved that bloody bastard.



But...


Does anybody here decide to let prisoners live because they feel bad about killing them off?

[Revenant69]

Sorry i just missed a ceatain bit of info, and when i read it i was astonished....


Quote[/b] ]The lowest the morale penalty gets is -3 and thats really not a big deal

Hamburglar how can you say that? Morale is everything in this game. The slaughter starts when the enemy turns its tail and runs.... Have yuo fought some high morale troops with 7-8 star generals with mmorale bonuses on hard? Those troops are next to impossible to break.

Sorry i dont mean to rant on you (plz 4give me), but i just wanted to state my opinion on morale.

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[el_slapper]

Commentaire[/b] (Hamburglar @ Aout 19 2003,00:11)]Are you sure its the French version and not just playing as Muslims?

I seem to remember instead of execution as the Muslims you enslave them all. Don't know why though.


I just love having generals with massive dread ratings. The lowest the morale penalty gets is -3 and thats really not a big deal.
Yes, it was with muslims. I hadn't played since months, then tried the Turks. Maybe is it the reason.....

On the other hand, -3 morale might hurt. Depends of your units's valor...

[gamble]

I read some opinions about this in this forum, and basically I disagree with some of them. (hurrah for the human intelect). http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif With prisoners I always kill them. And when they are rebels... Well I don´t even hesitate I think if they are revolting against me they deserve death. hehehehe. The gain in Vices for the generals who do this is pretty useful on the dread issue. Anyway just expressing my point of view. Respect for all the Medieval players out there and play 'till your fingers bleed

[Rocket_Boy]

As far as I'm aware Vlad Tepes (the impaler), does indeed appear in the game at some point, perhaps as a rebel in a certain province. If anyone knows, post it plz.

[Reynald]

Hamburglar hi ... u know why he was charasmatic ..lets face it he was sort of like a blood-soaked butcher...but he did it all with manners and a smile http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

[Revenant69]

Quote[/b] ]As far as I'm aware Vlad Tepes (the impaler), does indeed appear in the game at some point, perhaps as a rebel in a certain province

Really?????? If he does appear then i want him in my army..... NOW lol. I'd thanks whoever can clarify this i.e. which faction, under what circumstances etc.

[Gregoshi]

Welcome to the Org gamble. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif Fear not, we can all disagree (some more than others http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif ) at times, but that is what can make for interesting dialogue. As long as everyone remains civil and focuses on the discussion and not the individuals, we can debate 'til the cows come home.

On the topic at hand, I take each case individually. Sometimes, the kill vs ransom decision is a logical one on my part, while other times it is just a gut reaction.

[Reynald]

Vlad definately does appear as his name appears in the text.files... as for how and were im pretty sure it will be in Wallachia ( historically from what i can recall he rose to prominence when the Hungarians and Turks were in dispute over the region ( as far as i recall the Turks actually helped his rise to ruling the region) so i expect he would appear in some form of loyalist or civilian revolt ( sometimes around the 1443 mark was when vlad dracul regained his throne) .
anyone wanting to no more about later hungarian 1300 + history give us a shout and i can drop in a real nice link from a guy who knows his stuff

[Fortebraccio]

I like to play fairly tolerant and chivalric Kings. I never execute rebels, as a display of christian mercy is often the best way to gain their loyalty. My policy regarding POW is pretty much the same, unless I desperately need to reduce the enemy's amount of troops while fighting with a relatively small force over an overcrowded front.

[Hamburglar]

Quote[/b] (Revenant69 @ Aug. 19 2003,01:46)]Sorry i just missed a ceatain bit of info, and when i read it i was astonished....


Quote[/b] ]The lowest the morale penalty gets is -3 and thats really not a big deal

Hamburglar how can you say that? Morale is everything in this game. The slaughter starts when the enemy turns its tail and runs.... Have yuo fought some high morale troops with 7-8 star generals with mmorale bonuses on hard? Those troops are next to impossible to break.

Sorry i dont mean to rant on you (plz 4give me), but i just wanted to state my opinion on morale.

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif
Well I make sure to try not to let the AI get ANY experienced troops by massacring every single one that falls into my hands.

I think the benefit of being able to unabashedly slaughter thousands and thousands of troops with a general and never having to fight them again more than makes up for the loss of 3 morale. And even though everything hinges on morale, 3 really is an itty bitty number if you look at all the morale modifiers. Plus I build religious buildings in every province so it essentially negates any morale effect.

[Simovek]

Well, when I first started I killed them all without question because I liked the sound. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif


But now, I let most of them go. If I am going to lose the battle I kill all of them. If I capture nobles I let them go most of the time.

[Marshal Murat]

What I do is that at the end of the battle I slaughter all the enemy, I chase them, grab up as many as possible, then I slaughter them.

[Pitt_Slayer]

i always kill royels (to destory faction) then pickoff the rebel states one by one http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[BDC]

Only kill if it is an overwhelmingly powerful foe. Otherwise the money is nice and you can simply capture them and randsom them back again for a nice return. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Tiwaz]

Damn computer... Hi I'm the guy that joined at one point during spring and who has computer that refuses to cooperate.

Anyways, back to topic... Kill, kill, KILL

That's my policy. I really don't want to go through trouble of defeating same guys over and over again, I much rather bleed their armies.

And specially all monarchs... If you have drop of royal blood in you you are about to receive gift of rain of arrows or any other death I can give.

[Quokka]

Depends on what sort of troops they are. If I capture hundreds of peasants and other fodder they can go back. If I capture Varangian Guards and Janissary Heavy Infantry they get killed. If I am losing they get killed. Faction leader, or Prince they get killed. Rebels I usually let go to help the loyalty of the province, unless they are loyalists from the old rulers then they get killed. I also slaughter anyone from a faction that sneak attacks after breaking an alliance.

[GanstaJ7878]

Well i do know that during the crusades, especialy when saladin ruled during the third, few executions were done to christians while as soon as the Latins entered jeruselum in 1099, they killed every jew and muslim Meanwhile, when saladin recaptured Acre, he let the prisoners buy their way out failry cheap, let every widow of a captured or killed soildier bring her whole family and leave, let 500 armanians leave just because they were armanians, anyone with proff of just being a tourist could leave, and he let another 2,000 poor people go for good measure, as well as letting bishops sell prized gold artifacts in the temples to but more prisoners their freedom. in the end, insted of 20,000 prisoners, he had 4,000 which weren't executed but did minor slavary. In conclusion, it is definant that muslims followed the koran deeply which stated that none shall die by your sword without need. That is the most likly reason of the enslave them all buttons

[bighairyman]

the mongol kings leaves no prisoners. i kill everybody, friends, enemies, rebels, the pope, muslims, latins, byzantines, russians, and fellow mongols. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pissed.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pissed.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pissed.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[Miltiades]

Rebels I tend to let go. The rebellion is my own fault for not looking after the people properly.

Other factions I play by ear. If the faction is weaker than me, or if I'm feeling generous I ransom them for the cash. If the faction is stronger or about equal I often execute them if I catch a high number. Don't really want my enemies getting 1000+ battle hardened troops back to use against me. Shame you cant permanently imprison them cause I would prefer that to mass murder but thats the way it is.

[TheSilverKnight]

You don't want to know how brutal I am. I'm more of like an absolute monarchy (Louis XIV) mixed in with Saddam Hussein (depotism) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif But seriously, when revolts break out, I have strict judgement on who should be killed.