The Goblin Article on the wiki appears to be sorely lacking in useful information. If there is a thread for this explicit purpose, please link to it, otherwise let's see general/specific questions involving goblins here. Whether it be killing/capturing/torturing/utilizing, questions/ideas can go here.
Examples: How to most effectively handle 1 to X sieges at once. The slowest way to kill a single goblin at a time, preferably automated. The most effective way to harvest Goblin Bones for ammo and crafts. Nuances of capturing and transporting goblin invaders vs thieves. The requirements for a world to allow a Goblin Adventurer in Vanilla mode. Goblin Housing/Cell Designs. And so on.
So if you have any questions, that in any way possible involve goblins(or could involve goblins) ask away. Try to be as clear as possible with the question as well as your answer. Also, unless otherwise noted, let's assume everyone is talking about in 31.25. It's fine to mention a previous version example of something, but make sure you mention it's from a previous version.
Onto the meat. Personally I prefer to capture as many invaders as possible. If I can, I cage all of the thieves along with them. All into one cage. Law Givers are always given their own cage, because I like to hang onto them for special whims and tortures. Today, I was informed of the chain situation where deconstructing a chain with a creature attached will leave a chain around their neck, equipped. People are already curious to see if that provides any protection whatsoever. The next question would be, if it proves to offer protection, if material and quality matter for protection. Less gameplay important, what would be the most reliable and fastest way to collar all of my goblin prisoners? It needs to be scalable and typically process 50+ goblins consecutively.
For now, my only idea is to have a hallway around 4 spaces deep with a chain at the end of the hall, a cage trap at the entrance, and a lever outside the door. From here, I will chain a naked goblin to the far end of the room, and when the civilian inevitably has to run in fear, the goblin will be stuck. I will then have another/same dwarf pull the lever that deconstructs the chain. The Goblin will then run directly into the cage trap with a shiny new collar(law giver's getting nice studded artifact collars) and ready to be transported again. I'm thinking this can't be done with thieves at all since just getting them from cage to cage is an insane pain*. Any ideas for a better system?
*From what I've seen, once they escape once, and run into another cage trap, they will become docile atleast until the person dragging them gets them into their cage. The result of this is the thief escapes the initial transport, fears the handler, runs into another cage trap, retreived by handler(without the cage), and another dwarf takes the empty cage from the trap and re-arms it. During this period, the handler can safely move the Thief.
So, ask a question, give an answer, or provide avenues for further Goblin Study. Let's go!