Pax Autocratica Capture & Convert Enemies Into Workers

Direct answer

Capturing takes four steps: weaken a target on the expedition, take it down with a capture round, carry it back on the ship, and convert it in a prison.

The official Steam description is blunt about it: capture enemies and convert them into true believers. The only two variables you actually control are how much health the target has left and how many capture rounds you brought.

The real bottleneck is usually back at base. Without prison space and conversion throughput, every extra captive is just cargo you cannot use.

Before you leave

• Capture rounds. Player guides craft them at the weapon research or gun centre. One expedition can turn up several targets worth taking, so bring more than you think you need.
• Prison space. With no free cell the captive waits in your inventory instead of disappearing, but conversion cannot start. Check for a free cell before you leave.
• Squad and sustain. Capture needs damage control, not burst damage: low enough to drop them, not high enough to kill them. The August 25, 2026 update raised the activation priority of Revive Core so it triggers before Second Chance items, which cuts the risk of losing a whole expedition’s captives to a wipe.
• Cargo space. Captives take up expedition storage. Filling the hold with materials first squeezes out the capture slots.

Steps on the expedition

1. Pick a target worth keeping. Enemies with better gear, class or stats than your current soldiers come first.
2. Drop their health low before committing. Player testing puts the reliable band around a quarter to three quarters of their health. The game shows a Capture Rate that changes with target and round type, so read that number instead of guessing.
3. Fire the capture round, drop the target and load them aboard.
4. Stop once you have enough. Save the remaining rounds for a better target next time.

Back at base

1. Move them into the prison. A captive needs a cell before conversion starts. If cells are full, expand first or finish processing the prisoners you already have.
2. Read the resistance values. The prison interface tracks resistance through values such as Willpower and Convictions. Until those drop, you are feeding a prisoner who occupies a bed.
3. Apply a prison action each day. Player guides use actions such as Indoctrination and Electroshock, and these cannot be spammed; they advance day by day.
4. Assign them only after conversion. A converted captive can join the workforce or the squad directly.
5. How to confirm success. The person shows up in the assignable roster and can take a job. Sitting quietly in a cell is not completion.

Common failure points

• Capturing too many. Five captives are not five workers. If conversion lags, the extra prisoners are sunk cost.
• Spending rounds on basic enemies. Capture rounds are limited, so keep them for high-value targets.
• Detaining without interrogating. Passive detention stretches conversion out for a long time. A prison is only useful when you act in it.
• Ignoring the follow-up cost. Converted workers still need wages and food. Confirm the colony can afford them before you capture anyone.

How the 2026 updates changed captures

• August 25, 2026 (AG-25): Infested Nest battles now provide more Core Fragment chests, one cramped boss spawn was removed, and the enemy spawn interval when the ship appears was lengthened. All three raise survival odds in the high-pressure captures that matter.
• September 11, 2026 (ST-11): Enemy leader affixes that did not suit narrow combat areas were removed from Infested Nest battles, and soldier collision was optimised. Allies block your movement less and enemies are harder to push through, which makes close-range captures more consistent.

What is still unknown

• The developer has never published capture probability formulas, capture round consumption or prison conversion timings. Every range and quantity on this page comes from player testing.
• The prison unlock point, cell cap and upgrade effects are not in the official notes. The only safe claim is that you need a prison with a free cell.
• Whether a converted captive keeps its original class, gear or skills is inconsistent in community reports. Test it in the current build instead of assuming it works.
• This page covers capture and conversion only. Day-to-day people management is in the loyalty and fear guide.

FAQ

Can I kill the target by hitting too hard?

Yes. Capture needs low health, not zero. Chip the health down with lower-damage options, then check the Capture Rate the game shows before firing.

What if I capture someone before building a prison?

The captive waits in your inventory rather than vanishing. Build or upgrade prison space as soon as you are back, then start conversion.

Can a converted captive start working immediately?

Yes, they can be assigned to the workforce or the squad. Keep wages and food in reserve, or you have just moved the problem from the prison to the canteen.

Sources

• Steam store page (capture enemies and convert them into true believers): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1067360/Pax_Autocratica/?l=english, checked 2026-09-20
• Official game site (prison, indoctrination, execution wording): https://www.paxautocratica.com/
• Official maintenance notes AG-25 (2026-08-25, Infested Nest changes and Revive Core priority): https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1067360
• Official maintenance notes ST-11 (2026-09-11, Infested Nest affixes and collision): https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1067360
• Player gameplay walkthroughs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7SSkzG_wU8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bLbeU7EOSs

Related pages

• Loyalty and fear guide
• Base management guide