The redcaps get transformed as well. It is the people that are memnbers of the order that get transformed, and redcaps are members of the order. It leaves covenfolk with the useful toys, mostly, and random people that come out and find the stuff left there by the redcaps. I can see exapansionist grogs from an autumn covenant controlling a territory pretty fast under the guidance of a shrewd autocrat.
Xavi
I can't find anything in the rules saying he has only one chance.
Because they might be next on the list ? If the Volkov don't like the Order, they must hate the Church, which has a long history of persecuting Pagans.
I'd assume it's a little like making a good impression - you really can't keep rolling Charm over and over again until you succeed. The one test is an abstraction determining whether the Bjornaer can shake the effect off or not. Again, that's how we've always played it. Now that you are mentioning it, however, I'm wondering how it's supposed to work.
You can acquire Temporary Sympathy Traits through Aura manipulation!
AFAIK, somewhere in RAW there´s something that says or implies that Bjornaer can keep trying.
I think it´s come up in some thread in the forum.
My question is; how would the church even know the Volkov did it? How would the Hermetics know?
Edited to add: I like this idea too, I think it would be a very interesting "non-traditional" Saga.
Hmm, if anyone could give me a pointer, I'd be greatful. I tried looking, but apparently I'm not very good at it.
I can't find it either. Only that a Bjornaer can change shape in one full round, which implies he can change shape every round (certainly the rules never say that there is a limit); and changing shape, or attempting to is how the Bjornaer tries to shake off the effect of a shapeshifting spell.
It's an interesting situation and searching exceptions in the rules seems worthless because it ruins the fun. The magi must lose their mind, too, otherwise they could shapechange back to humans and it would be another story.
Another surprise might be if after some decades the spell expires and surviving vermins turn back to magi. 
Only those who had longevity rituals, vitality and luck, say half or third of them.
I assume 20% has an apprentice. The ratio of 1/8 seems too low.
It would be interesting how the apprentices handle the situation in different covenants. Some are too young but others are adults and capable to act.
One question. Why would the Volkov PC destroy the order then just leave its assets to be plundered by others? No one kills a dragon then just wanders off without taking at least the best items from its treasury.
Even if they don't want/need the books, spells, items and what not, they would want to remove them from circulation to prevent the rebuilding of the Order.
Because they don't know the place of the covenants beyond the Novgorod tribunal.
And many of them will be killed in those by magical traps.
Or because they just nuked the bastards, and hell be with them. Not everybody is as greedy as the player characters. From the POV of the volkhov he got rid of the problem. Now life can go on as usual 
Cheers,
Xavi
Salvete,
In such a scenario two questions come into my mind:
Widewitt
p.s. is mali a correct english word?
Nope, don't recognize "mali", other than in the context of the country in Africa. That said, I guess it depends if the spell inflicts the mind of a vermin on the magi as well.
Ok, that seems reasonable, plus as per the post bevore they don't know where to look. Some V magi might come looking and eventually the wizardmarched magi will find out. The church might even send a delegation to nab or more likely burn the pagan writings. That gives a band of apprentices a decent headstart and a bit of an edge to offset heir relative weakness. High risk, high speed race for Durenmar then figure out how to get in past the traps, ideally leaving them in place for the next group to stumble into.
For the first few seasons, everyone will suffer equally from the powerful aegis left behind from the last casting, but if the apprentices find and learn the spell and come up with some vis they can cast it again themselves. Could lead to a siege situation. Very interesting.
English doesn't recognize "malus" as the opposite of "bonus," no. I typically use "penalty" instead. 
But we knew whatcha meant. 
And that will be their downfall! 
Seems like at least one hedgie would come looking for a book on parma magica...
Well, the Parma is the order's biggest secret, in that the hedgies don't know what it is: They know magi of the order have MR. But how? No one knows it's something as simple as the parma.
IIRC, this is featured in the story seed for Viaea, in Rival Magic.