Editing Make your own weapons

{{Quality|Exceptional|18:57, 23 August 2014 (UTC)}}

{{av}}

{{Main|Starting build}}

'''Making your own weapons''' on [[embark]] can save embark points and kick-start your [[metal industry]]. It can also serve as a minimalist embark and add an early-game challenge for advanced players. Just keep in mind, that you'll need time to forge your axes and picks, potentially leaving your [[wood cutter]] and [[miner]] standing around waiting. Also, you'll probably have other concerns during your first year; choose wisely.

Nevertheless, making your own weapons is quite easy and the embark savings can be quite considerable, allowing you to concentrate points on other skills or supplies, or even an early steel-equipped military. Occasionally, a [[civilization]] may not have access to an iron anvil but, curiously, has access to a steel one which costs 300 points; any savings are much harder to obtain with such a large expenditure up-front. Copper is the cheapest material for creating mining [[pick]] axes and wood-cutting battle axes. However, [[Bronze]] is a better material for creating [[military]] grade weapons and armor if your [[civilization]] has access to it.
__ToC__

: '''Note''' - All the below instructions include ''"disassemble the furnace".'' This is a hold-over from the [[Playstyle challenge#Minimalist.2FSurvivalist build|minimalist challenge]], and <u>only</u> necessary if you need to recover that one building material to then build your smelter or forge. If your embark layout can afford a couple of [[fire-safe]] stones (or a starting pick to mine the same), keep the furnace intact for later and go about your business without worrying about deconstructing anything too soon.

== Crude copper supplies ==
The basic item selection in "Prepare for the journey carefully" comes with two [[copper]] [[pick]]s (44 points each), two copper [[battle axe]]s (68 points each), and an iron anvil (100 points). Since copper ores (except [[tetrahedrite]]) cost 6 points each, and bituminous coal* costs 3 points each (and you already have an anvil included), you can carry the supplies necessary to create '''four''' copper items for less than a third of the cost of '''one''' copper battle axe: 
* 1 copper ore ([[native copper]] or [[malachite]]):  6 points
* 1 [[wood]] (for [[charcoal]] to smelt the coal): 3 points
* 1 [[bituminous coal]]* (for 9 fuel to create weapons): 3 points
* 2 fire-safe stone: 6 points 
* Total points:  18*
* Metal produced: 4 copper bars

: (* If your civilization has no bituminous coal, [[lignite]] can work as well. It costs the same per bar but only makes a net +4 fuel each, so will cost more overall.) 

Once embarked, you must build a [[wood furnace]] to make a bar of charcoal. Once done, disassemble the furnace, then build a [[smelter]] and process your bituminous coal (or lignite) into coke ([[fuel]]). Smelt the copper ore into 4 copper bars, then build a [[metalsmith's forge]]... and start creating copper equipment. Battle axes and picks cost 1 bar each so you can create 2 of each from a single stone of ore. If you plan to bring more than one unit of copper ore, consider upgrading to bronze instead. 

Note: if your embark has trees, you can avoid spending points on fuel or wood. Deconstruct your wagon to yield 3 logs, process the wood to [[charcoal]], and use that to forge a battle axe. Use the axe to harvest more wood as necessary for fuel. This process requires more effort and takes a little longer, but it saves a few more points.

Note: [[Ash]] counts as a "fire-safe bar" and can be used to construct the [[smelter]] and [[metalsmith's forge]].

== Better bronze supplies ==
For a minimal increase in costs, you can upgrade to noticeebly better [[bronze]] equipment. An additional 6 points will provide up to '''eight''' bronze items:
* 1 copper ore (native copper or malachite):  6 points
* 1 [[cassiterite]]:  6 points
* 1 [[wood]] (for [[charcoal]] to smelt the coal): 3 points
* 1 [[bituminous coal]]* (for 9 fuel):  3 points
* 2 fire-safe stone: 6 points
* Total points:  24*
* Metal produced: 8 bronze bars

: (* If your civilization has no bituminous coal, [[lignite]] can work as well. It costs the same per bar but only makes a net +4 fuel each, so will cost more overall.)

Build a wood furnace, make a bar of charcoal, then disassemble the furnace. Build a smelter and process your bituminous coal (or lignite) to coke ([[fuel]]). Smelt the ore into 8 bronze bars. Build a forge, and start creating bronze equipment.

== Superior steel supplies ==
Unfortunately, iron ores will cost you 24 points each, and steel-making requires an equal investment in flux stone, so if you're hoping to go directly for [[steel]] equipment you'll need:
* 1 [[iron]] ore (any type):  24 points
* 4 [[flux]] (any type):  24 points
* 1 [[wood]] (for [[charcoal]] to smelt the coal): 3 points
* 2 [[bituminous coal]]* (for 17 fuel):  6 points
* 2 fire-safe stone: 6 points
* Total points:  63*
* Metal produced: 4 steel bars

: (* As before, if your civilization has no bituminous coal, [[lignite]] can work. It costs the same per bar but only makes a net +4 fuel each, so will cost more overall for the same amount of fuel, which is more noticeable in the case of steel production.)

Build a wood furnace, make a bar of charcoal, then disassemble the furnace. Build a smelter and process your bituminous coal or lignite to coke (fuel). Smelt the iron ore into 4 iron bars. Smelt two iron bars into pig iron. Smelt the pig iron into steel. Build a forge and start creating steel equipment.

== Minimalist challenge ==

For the hardcore survivalist dwarves only.  

Start out with ''only''
:* 1 [[iron]] [[anvil]] 
:* 1 [[copper]] [[ore]].

And figure it out from there. Real dwarves won't even need to peek.

{{Spoil small|
* Deconstruct the initial wagon for the 3 wood it provides.
* Build a wood furnace with the copper nugget.
* Make 1 ash and 2 charcoal from the wood.
* Deconstruct the wood furnace.
* Build a smelter with the ash ''(a fire-safe "bar")''.
* Smelt the copper ore into 4 copper bars.
* Deconstruct the smelter.
* Build a metalsmith's forge with the anvil and (fire safe) ash bar.
* Forge a copper battle axe.
* Chop down a tree (you should get more than a couple logs)
* Build a wood furnace with a copper bar.
* Make 1 charcoal.
* Forge a copper pick.
You currently have:
:* 1 axe
:* 1 pick
:* a forge (made with the anvil and ash bar)
:* a wood furnace (made with a copper bar)
:* 1 spare copper bar (plus another tied up in the wood furnace)
:* & a pile of logs
... proceed as normal. (A crossbow and bolts might be a good idea, but ymmv.)
|Step-by-step}}

{{Category|Guides}}
{{Category|Weapons}}