Why is capturing prisoners all or nothing?

[Zoomun]

While my army was away my enemies captured my capital. From that one siege they managed to capture 30 of the 36 total members of my dynasty. The only ones who weren't captured were my character and my heir. We were away leading our armies at the time. They captured all eight of my children, six of my seven siblings, 13 of my nieces and nephews and all of our spouses. I just can't understand how they would manage to capture just about every single major member of my family at once. I think capturing the entire royal family should be harder than capturing a single tribal holding. Am I the only one who thinks this? Is there a reason I just can't understand? I only want to find out why my entire family gets captured from one single siege.

 

[Fitzjacob]

You're lucky it wasn't a peasant revolt that caught them!

But yeah, I'd like a bit more transparency as to how the game decides if courtiers are captured or not. It's not strange in the slightest if every one is captured if there are no escape routes and no distractions and the holding is lost. But why doesn't this happen every time? What determines whether the castle inhabitants can escape or not? If your entire demesne is occupied and you haven't been captured, just where are you hiding?

 

[Rags17]

My Iron Rule #1 - never let your capital get captured !