New column on Battle Report

[DrNo]

Not seen anyone mention the new column 'Men Taken' from the battle reports in the demo next to men killed.

Anyone know what this is about and what difference is between killing and taking the enemy?

...awaiting the joke responses....

I would guess men taken is prisoners that could be ransomed back to enemy.

So what determines if you capture or kill the enemy?
From my tests so far it looks like if a unit is routing then you capture rather than kill. In 96mgb's test battle my Knights chased down about 160 fleeing archers amongst others and ended the battle with only 70 kills but 170 men taken.
So this seems to be the case.

Anyone got any thoughts?

Darkmoor do you have the answers?

[Dark Phoenix]

Well I guess that is for when you capture generals in the actual game, probably not in the demo.

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"DP is correct" - Shiro

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We may have years, we may have hours,
but sooner or later, we push up flowers

[Darkmoor_Dragon]

During a battle you can capture members of the opposition... you can either kill them "then and there" (thereby enhancing your own dread rating [i think it may also affect enemy morale - not sure on that]) or keep them until the battle's end when you can ransom them.

Yeah you tend to capture far more when they are either running or routing - Knights tend to like capturing other knights also (although that may have been my imagination)

[This message has been edited by Darkmoor_Dragon (edited 06-21-2002).]

[DrNo]

'you can either kill them "then and there" (thereby enhancing your own dread rating [i think it may also affect enemy morale - not sure on that]) or keep them until the battle's end when you can ransom them.'

Is there a toggle during battles of wether to take prisoners or not?

Also if your dread rating is high does the enemy tend to fight to the death rather than surrendering?

It would seem to me that a soldier would surrender if he considers is position on the battlefield as hopeless, i.e. surrounded or already fleeing, but if he expects to be killed anyway then he would fight on.
High dread could also lead to enemy fleeing more readily however and very low dread to enemy surrendering easier.

[Vanya]

Vanya will plunder geishas from conquered tribes.

[Darkmoor_Dragon]

Quote Originally posted by DrNo:
'you can either kill them "then and there" (thereby enhancing your own dread rating [i think it may also affect enemy morale - not sure on that]) or keep them until the battle's end when you can ransom them.'

Is there a toggle during battles of wether to take prisoners or not?

Also if your dread rating is high does the enemy tend to fight to the death rather than surrendering?

It would seem to me that a soldier would surrender if he considers is position on the battlefield as hopeless, i.e. surrounded or already fleeing, but if he expects to be killed anyway then he would fight on.
High dread could also lead to enemy fleeing more readily however and very low dread to enemy surrendering easier.

[/QUOTE]

As you capture troops their is a counter that appears on screen denoting how many you have - at any point you can click on this which executes all those you have at that point. You automatically take prisoners in battle though (no switch to not do so).

High Dread does a few things: It can cow a population into submission, lower the morale of enemy troops or even make them run away, cow your own troops into behaving themselves.

There are then also the "Vices & Virtues" which can gow ith or against Dread - including things like Scars, Cowardice, Compassion, Murderer, "Always kills prisoners" - that sort of thing.
Enemeis with nowhere to run to (no escape province, no castle, defending a castle etc) DO fight harder - indeed this will display on the battle tooltip as something like "Ready to fight to the death as nowhere to retreat to" (or similar)

[Hirosito]

i like the new variation in those kind of messages.

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Hirosito Mori

Gentile or Jew
O you who turn the wheel and look to windward,
Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you.

[DrNo]

Darkmoor, thanks for further info it's all sounding well thought out by the developers.

I guess if you have prisoners but lose the battle the prisoners revert back to enemy.

So this will raise some interesting tatical choices of wether to kill prisoners if the battle is looking bad. This will apply mainly to larger battles where you may have routed a few units of enemy and captured alot of men, only to find yourself beaten by rest of enemy or even reinforcements.

[Wavesword]

Historically the noble prisoners would be ransomed for large amounts of cash, always a prime concern for the monarch who doesn't have a regular source of income. The command to kill all the prisoners was a real last resort measure.