Execute, Release or Ransom?

[Rumpadum]

I always execute my prisoners; I didn't sacrifice hundreds of my men to then give the enemy back theirs. I like to think it makes me more feared (though I don't know if it adds any traits in particular?)

Anyway, I'd like to know if I'm alone or not in this!

[xxxMoRaVexxx]

Release if you want to have a chance to have chivalry point increase, execute to have dread (and knowing that the enemy army is all but exterminated is a bonus). While ransom is all for the money, but I think this choice has a very small chance to increase your chivalry AND generals are the only worthwhile ransom hostages, but a little bit of money could help you early game if you're real poor at that point.

[Double A]

I usually ransom. AI rarely pays, so I don't have to take the reputation drop, and I normally have enough rep so I don't have to release prisoners. I completely disregard any chiv/dread bonuses because I can easily get it from other sources that don't screw me over in one way or the other (having more enemies to fight or losing global standing).

Release if you want to have a chance to have chivalry point increase, execute to have dread (and knowing that the enemy army is all but exterminated is a bonus). While ransom is all for the money, but I think this choice has a very small chance to increase your chivalry AND generals are the only worthwhile ransom hostages, but a little bit of money could help you early game if you're real poor at that point.

No, it's straight up neutral.

[ChivalrousKiller]

I never execute my prisoners. When I have a general who I'd like to get more chivalry (quite often actually), I choose release. Otherwise, it's always ransom.

[Fireright]

I execute the rascals every time. Enemies with the outright cheek to try and kill my guys deserve to bite the dust


God Bless the Med 1 execution sounds.......never bettered

[Avatar]

God Bless the Med 1 execution sounds.......never bettered

More specifically, God Bless the Med 1 spammable mid-battle execute button. Hours of fun to be had by launching cavalry into a mass of peasants and clicking away.

[Fireright]

More specifically, God Bless the Med 1 spammable mid-battle execute button. Hours of fun to be had by launching cavalry into a mass of peasants and clicking away.

Even the execution button looked mean and nasty. Meanest looking button with top-notch throat slitting execution sounds dripping in blood. God Bless the pair of em.

[ccgr1121]

Executing lowers reputation in diplomacy too, while releasing increases it. I do any of them depending on circumstance.

[Willowran]

ransom all the way. excecuting will rarely do anything for you (dread ) as far as your conquest is concerned, and releasing does as little (chivalry ). i mean, you could make thousands of gold for returning less then a full unit of soldiers. worse case scenario, they say no, in which case they don't get them back.

so you won't increase either dread () or chivalry (). there are other ways of doing both, that .

i once made 6 thousand gold for returning around 50 mixed soldiers to the teutonic knights. that is definitely worth it.

[=Bright=]

full unit of soldiers. worse case scenario, they say no, in which case they don't get them back.

That "worse case" scenario occurs to me in 90% of the times I offer my enemy his troops.

--
If I already have a general with a few dread points (like 2 or 3) and he's fighting against either Muslims or Orthodox Christians I usually execute all prisoners, exterminate minor settlements and sack bigger settlements. Trust me, it can be a lotta fun in battles when you have a general with high dread and the enemy routs in fear after a short fight.

[Willowran]

That "worse case" scenario occurs to me in 90% of the times I offer my enemy his troops.

--
If I already have a general with a few dread points (like 2 or 3) and he's fighting against either Muslims or Orthodox Christians I usually execute all prisoners, exterminate minor settlements and sack bigger settlements. Trust me, it can be a lotta fun in battles when you have a general with high dread and the enemy routs in fear after a short fight.

and by the worst case scenario (which yes, does happen more often/almost all the time) then you kill them all and nothing happens. nothing detrimental. nothing to worry about.

as for increasing dread (), just sack any settlement you capture, or exterminate the populace. works like a charm. of course, agents will increase your dread most quickly, but agents are not for everyone

I almost always ransom. Either I make money by returning troops I can beat again, or the enemy loses troops without my rep being touched.

yeah

[=Bright=]

as for increasing dread (), just sack any settlement you capture, or exterminate the populace. works like a charm. of course, agents will increase your dread most quickly, but agents are not for everyone

Using assassins only increases the Faction Leader's dread IIRC.

[Willowran]

Using assassins only increases the Faction Leader's dread IIRC.

true. you're definitely right. what is iirc?

but then again if you've a terribly feared faction leader it increases the chances of his future bloodline to get dread (fathers traits and all that). and there is always the sacking of settlements. i do it every time i capture a settlement (it makes you the most short-term money). i think i have only ever occupied a settlement in once campaigning (i wanted to try out this chivalry () thing), and both other options gain you dread.

and i have no proof or any idea whether i am righ tor not, but i think a dreaded faction leader might increase the chances of any of your royal familly getting dread. it certainly controlled the dread rating of your faction faction as a whole

[Shasqua]

I almost always ransom. Either I make money by returning troops I can beat again, or the enemy loses troops without my rep being touched.

[Aeratus]

I think if the enemy doesn't accept the ransom, it's the equivalent of executing and your reputation goes down a little.

[Ishan]

I think if the enemy doesn't accept the ransom, it's the equivalent of executing and your reputation goes down a little.

Ransom doesn't affects your global reputation whatever is the outcome. It only affects the said general doing it, Ransom Chivalry etc traits are there for it.

CA might have done this because in the medieval era Ransom wasn't considered as a dreadful act in Europe.

[Space Wolves]

Ransom if i'm desperate for florins never usually am

Execute if my faction is dragged into an unprovoked war with another aggressor faction

Release if i'm the aggressor.

I'm such a nice guy

[Ishan]

Yup my mistake, sorry, it is:
Training them also makes your faction leader dreadful. No it doesn't, it only makes the general recruiting\training them if present in the settlement dread.

[Veliky Kaiser Theos]

I'm fairly sure that the use of espionage does make faction leaders obtain dread traits. Or maybe that's just with Stainless Steel.

[tudor93]

I'm fairly sure that the use of espionage does make faction leaders obtain dread traits.

well yeah, that's like what all of us said