RAF PoWs in Cappie hands after the Fortress I & II

[Colt Ward]

AFAIK the RAF never attempted to recover any prisoners of war from worlds taken over by the Capellans (or any other faction) after the Fortress went up, even if they were conducting probing raids. 

The RAF were certainly not in a position to try to recover the latest prisoners after the Wall just covered Terra- such as the survivors of the 14th Principes 2BN trying to defend Hall- with the Wolves imminent.

But what about other powers?

Could/would Nikol try to get the PoWs from Danai for the Augustine Alliance- would Daoshen or Danai even let them go peaceably?  What about Julian Davion sending covert ops supported by the Dawn Guard to recover prospective veteran recruits?  Would the Highlanders & Hanson's Roughriders try it?


Or perhaps a merc headhunter/handler putting together a rescue op for rich families who might have lost sons or daughters when RAF prisoners were captured?  This person might have had to buy a prisoner list . . . say for Stalag 17, they would then have to find/fundraise among the families for such a mission . . .

[VensersRevenge]

Based on my reading of Shattered Fortress, I don't think you would have very long to recover POWs from the Capellans. But if you could, the FedSuns in particular would be a logical choice to do it. They are anti-Capellan, unlike Nikol's friendship with Danai, so Republic POWS would be more comfortable, have a long history of alliance with the Republic, and the Dawn Guards as an already existing regiment to add them to or base it on. As an extra bonus, Julian fought for the Republic, while Erik helped break it up. So they would likely be more pro-Julian forces for the inevitable power struggle.

[Colt Ward]

Mirror's my own thoughts though Danai/Nikol could palm it off as their own troops sent off to die- give them to Nikol in exchange for the promise they would be on the Wolf Empire border and used as shock troops in that offensive.  Daoshen gets rid of undesirables, Nikol gets some veteran troops, and the former RAF are promised after 365 days in combat against the Wolf Clan (who conquered Terra, THEY killed your Republic my friend) they can retire to the Augustine Alliance.  With Augustine being culturally similar to where they came from it would appeal . . . but then again, how many infantry & tankers would survive 365 total days of actual combat against the Wolves?

But yeah, reinforcements for the Dawn Guard with a shared culture and the opportunity to serve in one of the last places espousing the ideals of the Republic would probably net you quite a few recruits from the PoWs.

Daoshen's regime was more into killing RotS civil servants and officers IIRC.

[BrianDavion]

I think you're more likely to see the RAF prisoners simply be asked to pay a ransom and make a promise not to take up arms against the capcon

[Colt Ward]

I think you're more likely to see the RAF prisoners simply be asked to pay a ransom and make a promise not to take up arms against the capcon

Except it does not fall in with what Shattered Fortress says or the Shrapnel story about some being liberated from a single CapCon POW work camp.

[Metallgewitter]

Not sure if RAF troopers actually would want to relocate to the Augustine Alliance. You know the TRAITORS who weakened the Republic at one of it's lowest points and even initiated a short civil war? Even with the blackout I assume that the events that happened right after Victor's death have become public knowledge.

Then again we have seen Ariana Zou throwing in their lot with the League simply to kill more Wolves so there is that. And one major point would be if the Capellans even let RAF troops live long after they surrendered. Daoshen isn't one to pull punches unlike Danai. And Danai only did mop up operations after Terra fell if I have the timeline correctl. From what I know is that the raids were meant to sow chaos and get new intel but also to reconnect with left behind forces and get stragglers home (I think that was mentioned in FM3145 but I would have to check on that)

[Colt Ward]

Not saying they want to, but the choice would be between a slow death in POW work camps and freedom of a sort with the ability to retire.  I mean it would be a pretty dark event for BT but things have been trending that way for a while.

[Metallgewitter]

Fair point. Though I think that serving the League in general might be a good perspective given the mixed population of the Republic. The League is in a way the same (though more concentrated cultures exist there)

[Spirit Cat Refugee]

Pretty sure in Shattered Fortress it was mentioned the Capellans were straight up executing all RAF POWs.

[Colt Ward]

Major execution I remember was Dracs lining up Republic officials in a courtyard.  But a few examples did exist of the Cappies, Shrapnel & other sources tell us they were trying & putting former Republic officials in work camps.

[Lone-Wolf]

I think the POW question comes up every now and then but it is never resolved.

Remember the BBondsmen question when the Clans invaded?
Short "Oh, my god!" and that was it.

There was never a real attempt by the rulers - as far as I remember - to get them back, libertae them etc.
They were forgotten.

I know this now comes across as very evil, but if you are the ruler of 100+ planets, would you start a war over 100 POWs meaning millins of deaths and maybe loosing one or more planets? Starship Troopers anybody?

[Church14]

DD references POW exchanges as being typical and reasonable to expect. Just not necessarily at regular intervals. I’m guessing it’s one of those hidden things in the setting. If it isn’t a setting VIP and something extraordinary isn’t called out, then they probably get returned in exchange for enemy POWs.

IIRC Daoshen was ordering POWs murdered, so… that would fall under “something extraordinary.”

[Templar87]

I think the POW question comes up every now and then but it is never resolved.

Remember the BBondsmen question when the Clans invaded?
Short "Oh, my god!" and that was it.

There was never a real attempt by the rulers - as far as I remember - to get them back, libertae them etc.
They were forgotten.

The AFFC launched at least one such rescue mission, with two of the Deneb Light Cavalry RCTs hitting Sudeten for the purposes of POW rescue. So, it certainly did happen.

[Stormlion1]

Daoshen probably ordered High Ranking POW's executed as well as troops with certain skillsets like mechwarriors executed as they would never be released into general population as Servitors. Only those that might not be a threat would escape the noose as it were. Killing all the POW's would quickly become known to other states and cause the threat of Capellans not to recieve fair treatment to be a future issue.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Even just executing high ranking POWs would be enough to backfire and convince all their neighbors not to accept any surrenders.

[Minemech]

 The Confederation has an abysmal reputation for its valuation of human life. This reputation did not arise from baseless rumors. Whether you are fighting for the FWLM, or AFFS, you do not expect humanity from a Capellan. To them you are the evil chaos that the Chancellor, as the Capellan state incarnate, is opposing.