One of the issues is how banishment are handled. It's actually one of those few things in the game where the turn junkies get the upper hand.
If the banishment option for infiltrators captured in low risk operations was tweaked so that the time the option appears is random(say, at some point during a 3-4 turn time frame, not tied to turn changes) you'd maybe get a chance or two to try and escape. Why random? Well, maybe it takes more time to actually investigate a low risk case and determine what actually happened and whether it's appropriate to banish the noble suspected of it.
I dunno...I think that might cause more problems than it's worth.
What I'd really prefer to do is remove the click-war aspect altogether.
OK, here's a somewhat crazy, chocolate-fueled idea for rebalancing prison, bans, and executions:
- Within the first 2 days of prison, the Judge has the ability to rescind ransom. That is, state that he'll no longer accept any ransom for this prisoner, and he'll have to stay the entire time. This gives the Judge as much of an honour/prestige hit as executing the prisoner.
- If the Judge does not rescind the ransom, he cannot steal gold or execute (or ban? not sure) a prisoner on the third day, unless the prisoner has explicitly acknowledged the ransom and declined to pay it at that time. (Prisoners on the third day will be given only a pair of links, Pay Ransom or Decline Ransom, and an explanation that they'll still be able to pay the ransom on subsequent days.)
- If the Judge does rescind the ransom, the prisoner will have significantly increased chances of escape, including an increased chance of escape at execution.
- If the Judge's honour is too low, the "rescind ransom" option will no longer be available (or possibly will cause him to instantly lose his position), as the act will simply be seen as too low for him to be able to retain his Judgeship after doing it.
- When there is no Judge, the escape chances will also be increased.
This puts a significant, but double-edged power in the Judge's hands, and makes honour really matter for a Judge. However, if the Judge chooses not to employ this power, the prisoner has a guarantee that he will be able to pay the ransom on the third day without threat of execution—assuming he has enough money.
What do you think? Does this seem balanced, from both sides?
