Prisoners

**Malachus** · 10-07-2004, 02:16

From what I can tell, CA didn't allow us to take prisoners this time around. Now, I personally don't mind, seeing as in MTW I always killed my prisoners.. thats what they got for challenging my authority. But, does anybody find the not being able to take prisoners a bad thing? Surely, it wouldve been cool to be able to negotiate prisoner exchanges in diplomacy.

**MiniKiller** · 10-07-2004, 02:19

Never noticed that really lol but good point. Hopefully it will be addressed in a patch. If it comes down to be needing the $$$ i might let em live.

**Medieval Assassin** · 10-07-2004, 02:31

I miss it, how they could get rid of good things I dont know, like good weather in shogun, and prisoners in MTW, why take 10 steps forward and still go 4 back?

**Aymar de Bois Mauri** · 10-07-2004, 02:58

Originally Posted by Medieval Assassin

I miss it, how they could get rid of good things I dont know, like good weather in shogun, and prisoners in MTW, why take 10 steps forward and still go 4 back?

Yeap. I very rarely killed my prisioners. Always good to have a randsom reward for a great victory. However, I think I know why RTW doesn't have it. In Medieval times, most noblemen and their armies lived a lot of the battle's randsoms, specially when enemy nobles were involved. It was customary habit. Not so in Roman times.

**Colovion** · 10-07-2004, 03:39

I ransomed all my prisoners when I needed the money - especially the Kings/Princes who would fetch a hefty sum. I really miss it. It was the first "This is missing" thing I noticed when I played the demo.

**ChaosLord** · 10-07-2004, 03:41

It really depended apon the situation for if I killed them or not, but I agree it should be added back in. If not for troops at least for generals. The AI has so few of the guys to begin with and with their suiciding they need a way to get them back.

**LittleRaven** · 10-07-2004, 18:56

Incidentally, I'm not sure that prisoners aren't still 'taken' in Rome. Remember in Medieval, if the enemy took prisoners but you won the battle you would get them back? Something similar happened last night.

I was playing as Carthage, attacking the Numidians. My hired horse mercs were stupid and routed almost instantly, but got hit by Numidian cavarly as they ran. They were killed almost to a man. (like 5 got away)

But I ended up winning the battle. Lo and behold, my mercs were back to 51 guys! Almost the whole unit was restored!

Now I know that not everyone who falls is 'dead,' and that some casualties can be recovered, but 80% of a unit seems a little extreme. So I wonder if they weren't 'taken prisoner' as per the old algorithm?

**Ulstan** · 10-07-2004, 19:14

"Ok, I admit that I'm not a historian by any stretch, but I'm currently reading about the Battle of Cannae, and it sounds like the latter is closer to what happened than the former."

I've always understood that Cannae was quite the aberration.

Still, I wouldn't necessarily expect the men to be ransomed back (at least, not family members). But it would be nice to see, maybe, 1/3 of a defeated army live to fight another day, 1/3 die on the field, and 1/3 get captured as slaves or something :)

98% kill rate of defeated armies just seems a little ahistorical.

It's a sign that I like the game that I'm complaining about these relatively minor things. ;)

**LittleRaven** · 10-07-2004, 19:20

Originally Posted by Ulstan

98% kill rate of defeated armies just seems a little ahistorical.

Ah...I think that has more to do with the rather insane rate at which routed enemies are killed then the lack a of prisoner ransoming mechanism. As other have noted, routing enemies no longer die, they freaking evaporate. I saw 80 armored hoplites reduced to 5 in what must have been 2 or 3 seconds. Nobody has a chance to make it out right now.

**Medieval Assassin** · 10-08-2004, 01:51

Well, if you want EVERYTHING totally on, then some factions should be so you cannot win with them, it would be nice to be able to make small decisiions like that, rather it happened alot of not... It happened some, theres not denying it, so I should be able to choose...

**LittleRaven** · 10-08-2004, 03:37

Originally Posted by Medieval Assassin

It happened some, theres not denying it, so I should be able to choose...

When did it happen? When was an army ransomed back? I honestly can't think of any occurances in this timeframe. (but then, I'm no historian....Calling EB folks, calling EB folks....)