Quote Originally Posted by Jagger
Ransom is definitely related to whether the nation has funds or not. Rich nations usually pay the ransom. Broke nations normally don't.
That's been my experience. I might get one or two successful ransom payments in the early phase of a war, but from the mid to late phase when I'm grinding it down to the last provinces, the faction just doesn't have any spare cash.

The downside to paid ransom is you often end up fighting the very same troops again shortly afterwards.
Yep, and it's especially nasty if I'm ransoming a captured general/family member with a high star rank, who killed a bunch of troops before I could take him down, and he'll do it again next time (unless I get lucky with a catapult hit... heh). I usually go for ransoms anyway when playing a Catholic faction, because I think it affects your standing with the Pope when you kill prisoners. And I have a hard enough time with that.