Ransom

**~~Exarch~~** · June 15, 2008, 01:54 AM

what's the most $$$ you've earned/had to shell out from a ransom?
in one of my venice campaigns i captured the egyptian sultan and ransomed him for ~10,000 florins.
naturally, the gyppos couldnt cough up the dough, so i cut the sultan's throat myself

for me, i had to pay a ransom of ~1000 florins for one of my full stack armies that'd been defeated

share ur pillaging stories here!!!

**roy34543** · June 15, 2008, 02:05 AM

Ive managed to random a leader and large army for about 14k at the start of the crusades campaign. I believe ive had like 16k ransom available, but the enemy was too poor to take it . So heads had to roll.
I thnik the maximum i ever paid for a random was 7k.

**Wheem** · June 15, 2008, 02:17 AM

I captured the Portuguese King and Prince in the same battle once, when playing the French. I only caught a small number of soldiers along with them, but the total ransom was over 19,000.

I released the prisoners (like I usually do), but the King ended up dead anyway, since he was governing the castle that I took as a result of the battle (the Prince attacked me with a relief army while I was sieging). Personally, I think family members should be allowed to withdraw if released, even if they're in the city and lose it as a result of the battle. I usually figure they just become exiled or commit suicide as a result of the same

**eggthief** · June 15, 2008, 05:58 AM

I agree with that, releasing is just not worth the +1 chivalry right now.

**REDrake** · June 15, 2008, 06:18 AM

I always execute mongols. No ransom for them.

**sirfiggin** · June 15, 2008, 03:47 PM

Here's the thing, after the battle of Poitiers in 1356, King Jean II of France was captured, but he wasn't released until 1360! When he was he was exchanged for 3 million crowns, so obviously he helduntil France could raise the money Really, when ransoming prisoners, the option should be given to keep them in a castle somewhere in your kingdom, this would not only ensure that chivalry is observed to some degree by the AI, but it will allow a major source of income can be secured by selling the enemy back there own soldiers and generals, while they can be reclaimed by taking the prison/castle.

**dr_guerra** · June 15, 2008, 04:13 PM

Mine was about 41k. Faction leader, heir, one family member and three entire stacks of quality units.

I executed them all.

**Ex Tenebris Lux** · June 16, 2008, 02:30 AM

Originally Posted by dr_guerra

Mine was about 41k. Faction leader, heir, one family member and three entire stacks of quality units.

I executed them all.

That's what I like to see!!!

**eisenkopf** · June 16, 2008, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by dr_guerra

Mine was about 41k. Faction leader, heir, one family member and three entire stacks of quality units.

I executed them all.

I'd call that "worst practice". For 41k, I'd let Genghis Khan himself walk away to live with the shame of defeat...

**eggthief** · June 16, 2008, 05:27 AM

Originally Posted by eisenkopf

I'd call that "worst practice". For 41k, I'd let Genghis Khan himself walk away to live with the shame of defeat...

and let him come back with 10 stacks all commanded by 10 star generals.

**eisenkopf** · June 16, 2008, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by eggthief

and let him come back with 10 stacks all commanded by 10 star generals.

and beat them again with the army built from the ransom.

**eggthief** · June 16, 2008, 06:32 AM

theres no way in hell that any AI faction can afford a 41k ransom, in these cases its either gonna be a slaughtering trough ransom or execution or its gonna be a release trough.... well release.

**eisenkopf** · June 16, 2008, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by eggthief

theres no way in hell that any AI faction can afford a 41k ransom, in these cases its either gonna be a slaughtering trough ransom or execution or its gonna be a release trough.... well release.

well, we'll never find out, because he executed them

i'd agree with you, that simply releasing such a large and valuable bunch of prisoners is _very_ stu.. er, chivalrous.

but i remember games where the ai could have afforded such a ransom. sometimes the ai factions get ridiculously rich, well in their 100,000s, and might pay that much for the faction leader. Unfortunately, I never was able to take their leader prisoner. which brings me to a question:

does anyone know of a way to increase the chance of capturing (instead of killing) the enemy's generals? i find it very difficult, because they usually stand their ground until they're 6 feet under...

**eggthief** · June 16, 2008, 07:13 AM

well use any morale lowering trick Id say and dont face them in settlements since its rather easy for them to regain morale there.

**dr_guerra** · June 16, 2008, 11:16 AM

I had 760,000 florins at the time. So 41k was small peanuts.

After I executed them, their entire civilization went rebel.

**eggthief** · June 16, 2008, 11:29 AM

ah well rebels are easier targets.

**~~Exarch~~** · June 16, 2008, 06:23 PM

LOL

me dead
20k?!
41k?!!

and u guys released/executed?!
my oh my, i coulda found a lotta uses with 20k or 40k!

**Timur_the_Lame** · June 16, 2008, 07:02 PM

i never release or ransom, KILL EM ALL!

**eisenkopf** · June 17, 2008, 01:41 AM

okay, with 760k in the coffins i might have considered simple slaughter myself. although i never understood what the point in playing is once you can buy the whole world instead of conquering it.

Originally Posted by PortugalRules

i never release or ransom, KILL EM ALL!

duh...

**silma** · June 17, 2008, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by PortugalRules

i never release or ransom, KILL EM ALL!

Hehe

well I never execute prisoners without a reason, say if nearing an already heavily garrisoned settlement and I don't want them (usually 400+) coming back and eager to get revenge on my weary troops

I always ask for ransom. If they don't pay... well, that's their fault