Taking prisoners in a SHTF situation

[rancher]

Wow...

Are you really saying you would take in people who tried to kill or hurt you and force them to work? You must have a lot of guards in your group there.... Where are you going to house this work force. Got enough extra food as well?

Then on top of it...let them go with all that knowledge of your interior infrastructures and layout?

Just to return.... knowing how to get to you?

Why not put you and your guards to work instead?

The last thing we want or will allow is any outsider getting a look at our operation from inside. We build and prep now so if the day comes we need it we are not making a bunch of noise and activity which will only attract more attention to us....

Just a different point of view ;-)

[leadslinger]

prisoners

wow you really think that I would go looking for prisoners or take prisoners just to take. NO there will be hard labor jobs to be done like well digging and latrine holes, farming tasks, wall building. things of that nature. there will be people trying to take what we have and there punishment will be hard labor until the tasks are done. then you can release or deport the subjects. just like our government should do to illeagle border crossers. let them buid the wall and dig the trenches.

[Skyowl's Wife]

Now that's one to wrap your head around. And yes, I do believe this man would use someone for that, and not be too concerned over doing it.

He may be the one to survive the SHTF time, but lordy, I hope we aren't THAT far gone. Ever see/read The Postman?

Kinda hokey movie, but some of the premises looked pretty realistic. Like the "warlord". And the groups of more pacifistic people paying tribute. And the women subject to "selection".

*sigh*

[shadowwalker]

A very good friend of mine has also had war experiences and been a mercenary. I was talking to him about that, he looked me in the eye and said "I only got a few words about that, hoss. MY FOOD or to feed my dogs".
Now that's one to wrap your head around. And yes, I do believe this man would use someone for that, and not be too concerned over doing it.

[TAZDEVIL]

Don't beleive I will be taking any either... to many if's in that situtation... besides I'm not stock piling food to feed the enemy.

[rancher]

Issue has been settled...

Maybe not for you but for us and our group...no prisoners. If the terrible was to happen and we all fell back here as planned then life would be in a very dangerous times. We certainly would not exit our perimeters to go looking for trouble, mainly to recon the remote area around us looking for signs of being probed.

If we had someone break into our perimeter which is and would be clearly marked they would be observed. If armed and sneaking in they would be rubbed out. If lost we would warn them in such a way to leave and never return.

We would never give any hand out and simply act as if we were starving. Better yet we have every intention to make all efforts towards appearing to just be a deserted ranch in the country.

Rule #1 Never cross our barb wire perimeter.
Rule #2 If you do you will not live to recross in again.

[forever_frost]

I can say that I'd not take prisoners. They would be a drain on very finite resources, food, water, medical.

[methusaleh]

Wow I never knew the thread would take off like this, thanks for all your input!

After reading your responses and discussing things with people, I do have to arrive at the conclusion that any threat needs to be eliminated, period, for many reasons.

When I posted originally, my mind was wandering to my days as an MP and our prisoner policies. In TSHTF situation, given all factors imaginable, prisoners are just not feasible even for the short-term.

[Big_Saw]

Prisoners would only be a burdan on your supplies and time. BUT a good worker to do a costruction project might save your back. then send it packing

Hmmm....slavery....it does get sh*t done......look at the pyramids......good point....

[leadslinger]

Prisoners would only be a burdan on your supplies and time. BUT a good worker to do a costruction project might save your back. then send it packing

[Big_Saw]

Howdy, Scafool,

What you say is correct as far as conquerors go. However, I do not seek to conquer anyone, but only to live the life of a free, sovereign, self-reliant individual. Basically, I preach and practice "live-and-let-live" and I expect and insist others do the same.

Since criminals and tyrants have everything to gain from free individuals and free individuals have nothing to gain from criminals and tyrants, I am of the no-quarter-no-mercy "take no prisoners" and "don't be taken prisoner" schools of thought.

Life, Liberty, and Property are all of a single piece. The criminal or tyrant who seeks to take my property and my freedom had might as well be coming to take my life, so when that criminal or tyrant does so, I will respond as if my life is threatened.

As usual, TUO, all-inclusive, concise, and well-put....

[TheUnboundOne]

Howdy, Scafool,

What you say is correct as far as conquerors go. However, I do not seek to conquer anyone, but only to live the life of a free, sovereign, self-reliant individual. Basically, I preach and practice "live-and-let-live" and I expect and insist others do the same.

Since criminals and tyrants have everything to gain from free individuals and free individuals have nothing to gain from criminals and tyrants, I am of the no-quarter-no-mercy "take no prisoners" and "don't be taken prisoner" schools of thought.

Life, Liberty, and Property are all of a single piece. The criminal or tyrant who seeks to take my property and my freedom had might as well be coming to take my life, so when that criminal or tyrant does so, I will respond as if my life is threatened.

[TheLastMountainMan]

Sorry, I made a mistake, I ment to say, I'm NOT going to run a prison.

[waitnc]

Taking Prisoners

Of course there are many routes to go here people. Any one's route should be dependent upon your position. Meaning, your man power to devote to prisoners. Your food and water supplies, More important, what does your recon intel tell you...Is there a larger force moving about? Are they pilaging everyone and thing they come across? If you make contact they may decieve you into thinking all is good. Then turn on you. Your location is of the highest classifaction to you and yours safety in a lawless situation. I personally will interogate and then relieve them of the burden of living. Letting the law of my out post paramount not the law of a collapsed society.
With all this said, I make these statements on the basis the persons taken as temporary prisoners are armed and have been hostile. Poor soles lost or displaced are ot on the list to be relieved. Infact I will be looking for people with skills or abilities.

[scafool]

I am treating this question as a hypothetical case. I don't expect there to be any prisoner taking by amateur warriors in any scenario I can imagine actually happening.
The reason is because I doubt if the ones talking about what to do with prisoners would likely never get the chance to take one.

So, are you talking about going on a raid to take prisoners or taking prisoners if they surrender to you in a fight they started?

If it is people who surrender in a fight you really have a choice between taking prisoners or deciding to become a cold blooded murderer.
That is really all there is to it.

I would say that if you are in any way able to take prisoners then you have to be part of a superior force. That seems obvious. If your force was inferior they would win and you would be the prisoners, if you were lucky and they were not a bunch of cut throat blackguards.
If they were the "No prisoners" type of gentlemen then you would just be dead in battle or executed afterwards.

If they surrendered and you execute them than you have become one of the lowest classes of criminal.

With prisoners as hostages you might be able to negotiate peace. Nobody wants to lose personnel.

If you murder the other people's relatives then any chances to negotiate are gone.
You would be locked into a war of extermination.
A small force that might have taken their lumps and decided to stop their attack and make a truce now become ready to wait you out and pick you off to slowly avenge their murdered dead.

If you are the ones under siege while they enjoy mobility then the odds are on their side.
If they are the ones under siege and they know you are going to kill them no matter what, then they will fight to the death. Even if you win many more of you will die trying to achieve your objective.
So I say take prisoners and treat them very well. If you have more than one, then send one back to start negotiations.
Once they know you are not going to kill or torture them they are less likely to face death before surrender.

By the way, you should be aware that the army of Imperial Rome was about 1/3 made up by foreign warriors that the Romans had defeated in battle, and offered the choice of being sold as slaves or enlisting.
Even Atilla the Hun took prisoners, but only if they surrendered before the battle started.
If they did that, then Atilla made them into citizens and their warriors fought for him in his front line in his next battle.