A PC will be captured instead of killed if the number rolled for death is exactly what is needed, if the number is higher then they still die (for example, the death roll is 11 and an 11 is rolled, they are captured - on a 12 they still die).
Upon capture, PCs lose all their horses (if any) and (1D6x10)% of any loot they may have taken in the course of the current campaign season. (They are taken to have dispatched the remainder to their Paris Bankers).
Capture by the enemy leads to several possibilities. Captives will be held prisoner for a maximum of 3 months after which they die as a result of poor prison conditions or are released (50% chance). They have a 1 in 6 chance of contracting a serious illness per month.
Friends may offer a ransom of captive's SLx100£ from the month after capture, but only once each month for each prisoner. There is a 50% chance a ransom will be accepted (otherwise no money is spent) with the prisoner returning to Paris at the end of that month. Each subsequent attempt to pay the ransom increases by 50% of the original amount.
Aside from waiting to see what happens, there are two other ways to get free: escape or rescue.
Prisoners may not communicate with other characters (this can not be enforced but it breaks the spirit of the game) though they can with people they are held captive with.
An escape attempt takes a week, plus travel to and from the place of incarceration (see Escape table). People held captive together may choose to make a group escape attempt, though they must all order this for it to happen. Seriously ill people may not attempt escape on their own though they can be part of a group. The modifier for people with a STR of 15+ can apply up to twice if their are 2 such people in a group. Rank modifiers apply as higher ranks are guarded more closely; a group takes the least favourable rank modifier of all participants (only once). Everyone in a group shares the same fate. If successful they return to Paris at the end of the month.
Example: A Pvt, Major and Lt Col from the same army are captured. They decide to wait out the first month and see if their ransoms are offered, but they are not! In this month the Major becomes seriously ill. They decide to mount a group escape attempt in their 2nd month of captivity. The Pvt and the Lt Col both have a STR of 15+. Total modifier for the group is -2: -1 (group), -2 (2 with high STR), 0 (rank mod for Lt Col) and +1 (Major's illness). If they had tried to escape individually, the Major would be unable as ill, the Pvt would have a -2 mod (rank and STR), and the Lt Col would have a -1 mod (STR). So in this case the Pvt has nothing to lose by teaming up with the others, and on the plus side has the opportunity to tell his daring escape tale over and over, and might gain the eternal gratitude of the Major.
A rescue attempt may be mounted by one or more PCs acting as a group. Such an attempt takes a week plus travelling time and during that time support costs for self and horses must be paid. A group gains a -1 mod if they number 3 or more; anyone having an MA of 6+ in the group gives a -1 mod (only once) and STR and rank mods apply as for escapes. There is an additional -1 mod if the prisoners had planned their own escape that month. The outcome is taken from the Rescue table and is independent for each rescuer and prisoner: there are no mods to the death roll and an exact roll leads to 'Dicing with Death' as usual. If captured, rescuers are kept together and with any prisoners that didn't escape (daft foreigners never learn!). If the mission is a success (at least one prisoner makes it back to Paris) all rescuers get an automatic MID.
*Automatic MID for rescuers if a prisoner survives
A Player who doesn't wish his character to be captured can chose to die in captivity and roll a new character.
The mechanics above are also used where rescuing ladies who have been abducted in order to force them to marry against their will is concerned, with the following differences:
- The rescue attempt takes only a week (plus travel to and from the province in which she is being held).
- The lady is always assumed to have planned her own escape also
- The Modifier for highest MA is also used on the death rolls rolled for each individual taking part. E.g. if a character rolls a death roll of 10 but there is a character of MA 6 in the party, then this is reduced to 9.