What to do with captured cities?

[wallece1]

Okay, simple question: Once you have captured a city what do YOU usualy do with them.

-Occupy
-Sack
-Exterminate (This is what I usually do.)

[MrVamp117]

Depends. If it's a different religion then I always exterminate. But if it's the same religion as my faction I usually always just occupy.

[dr_guerra]

I almost always sack it.

[Viking Prince]

In the beginning, I try to occupy. The lost population will delay wall upgrades. Later, I still try to be chivalrous.

Sacking becomes more common, but I do not sack to get cash and keep rolling forward. I do not like the idea of creating a cinder out of Europe. The religion difference is better solved by bringing a squad of priest in prior to the invasion. The unrest is usually more a problem if the distance to my capital is greater.

I have not had to exterminate yet. I am certain I will have my Carthage eventually though!

[Zadig]

I always sack, then I rebuild the economy and agriculture, which I always find is best, in general, cities that have been sacked are much more happy under your rule, even when they become huge cities whereas the cities that I occupy generally tend to be more rebellious.
And I would say that you also get more money in the long term from sacked cities, however I'm not so sure about that.

[REDrake]

If I conquer a city during a crusade (and is not crusade's target), I almost always exterminate it. I am not going to be able to hold it anyway, unless I have some non-crusading reserve armies nearby. Otherwise, depends on my leader and my economy. Sacking is good for economy, occupy is good for my generals if I want them more chivalrous.

[Groenepuntmuts]

I usually occupy, but after finally finishing the reqonquista, ( how do you spell that?) I'm currently on a revenge campaign through north-africa, and I'm executing and exterminating every single moorish bastard I come accross. I let the cities rebel and the moors can have them back, but they won't bother me for some time after this is over! muawhahahaha!

[Cmdr_Sdxo]

If it belongs to a much hated faction I exterminate. Usually I occupy, though because I roleplay a merciful ruler more than an evil one.

[Duke4747]

I have been sacking the cities in Europe mostly because of the money... but sometimes it depends on the generals. If i have a chivalrous general, of course i will occupy. If i have a general 3 or more Dread... i exterminate lol. I seem to be a little bit more mean when using a captain too lol.

[skullman86]

Occupy-if I want to be a good guy (98% of the time)

Sack-if I am knee deep in debt, like -1000 or more.If my debt isn't past that mark then I can usually cut costs or raise taxes somewhere else and wont bother robbing/killing the people of the settlement

Exterminate-if it's a different religion and the population is far too large to control or if it has a ridiculously high squalor rate when I cap it.Enemy factions that I have a grudge against get exterminated as well.

[The Rights 2]

it really does depend on the time of the capture.

lets say youe ecomany is going down the hole because you launched a crusade to early, then this is the time to sack. so you have more money to help build yourself up with.

if the city is worth less than 10,000 sacked don't do it.

and if you do not intend to keep the city exterminate and distroy all the building leaving it for dead

[Samir]

I conquer the "homelands" of the faction I play with, occupying the few rebel strongholds around and after that usually dont show much mercy with anyone outside those areas, except for higher developed castles

retaking a ruined city will weaken my enemy and if he does not take it back I have a much easier time holding it

[Wheelchair]

Theres like 1000 threads like this one, I suggest using the Search button and finding threads that are similar.

Anyway, Its very good to sack a city, occupying it is bad when its a different religion. Exterminate if you see the public order is yellow, blue, or red when the screen comes up that asks you what you want to do.

[blaunrated]

It really depends on how fast you want stuff producing out of that city. You have to remember that when you sack it you destroy a lot of the building in the city and you will have to rebuild them which can cost you that money you just got from sacking it. Of coarse if you need the extra cash to upgrade a big city and your like me and like to gain money every turn, sack away like I usually do. Also I agree with these guys that you should exterminate a city if it's of different religion and/or the public opinion or whatever is in blue or red, you should be able to handle yellow by having low taxes for a few turns.

[Magno]

It depends on how high the population is, different religion, and culture; as well as my relationship with said faction.

[HighLord z0b]

I usually save the game when that screen comes up and then occupy and look at the city, then you can weigh up your options and reload. If there is a high amount of unrest then sack, unless it's very close to it's next upgrade population in which case I'll occupy and build the next upgrade. It really depends on the city/castle, however I generally occupy castles and sack cities.

[Grimmy]

I cheat. By cheat I mean I peek. By peek I mean once the fight is over and my troops are in the settlement and the option to occupy/sack/exterminate comes up...

I move my screen view to the side far enough to see the settlement.

If it's green I occupy.
If it's yellow, I sack.
If it's red, I kill em all.

[Viking Prince]

I cheat. By cheat I mean I peek. By peek I mean once the fight is over and my troops are in the settlement and the option to occupy/sack/exterminate comes up...

I move my screen view to the side far enough to see the settlement.

If it's green I occupy.
If it's yellow, I sack.
If it's red, I kill em all.

Perhaps adjusting the taxes or if you had more than one stack -- combine into the settlement. Also, I have never had a problem with castle populations -- sometimes a conversion can also work. Always depends on the situation though.

[Logik]

I exterminate them. Kill them all

[Tantive]

I occupy it most of the time if I want it to be a viable part of my empire. I sack it if I need a quick buck, exterminate it ...if there is no other choice. (or make a dread general more dreaded)