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Editing v0.31:Military design

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==Training==
 
==Training==
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Training [[soldier]]s WAS fairly easy, in good cases taking around a season for legendary [[wrestling]], and similar for a [[weapon]] skill.
 +
 +
[[dodger|Dodging]] may take longer, so starting training early, at least with some of your first [[migrant]]s (if not with your starting seven) is recommended if you want to go the military route.
 +
 
One of the important parts of a military is to have dwarves with high physical [[attribute]]s, and that requires training them up.  See [[cross-training]] for suggestions on various attribute training plans.
 
One of the important parts of a military is to have dwarves with high physical [[attribute]]s, and that requires training them up.  See [[cross-training]] for suggestions on various attribute training plans.
  
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Put a [[weapon rack]] on the surface near your entrance and make it a training room by designating it as a barracks. Training dwarves will be in position if there's trouble. This also helps prevent [[cave adaptation]] in your military. You can use an [[archery target]] or [[armor stand]] this way, too.
 
Put a [[weapon rack]] on the surface near your entrance and make it a training room by designating it as a barracks. Training dwarves will be in position if there's trouble. This also helps prevent [[cave adaptation]] in your military. You can use an [[archery target]] or [[armor stand]] this way, too.
  
===Archery training / Marksdwarf training===
+
===Archery training / Marksdwarf training==
 
A couple tips/troubleshooting for training your ranged military (feel free to add!):
 
A couple tips/troubleshooting for training your ranged military (feel free to add!):
* If you use archery targets, make sure you have one for each dwarf in the squad and assign each target to the squad.
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- If you use archery targets, make sure you have one for each dwarf in the squad and assign each target to the squad.
* If you use live captured targets, you dwarves are most likely to shoot if they have no path to the target.
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- If you use live captured targets, you dwarves are most likely to shoot if they have no path to the target.
* Force your dwarves to stand next to fortifications (touching them). You can use burrows or walls for this.
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- Force your dwarves to stand next to fortifications (touching them). You can use burrows or walls for this.
* Every marksdwarf needs a quiver.
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- Every marksdwarf needs a quiver.
* Make plenty of ammunition and assign 100-200 bolts per dwarf to each squad, instead of the default 200 or so per squad.
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- Make plenty of ammunition and assign 100-200 bolts per dwarf to each squad, instead of the default 200 or so per squad.
* Don't have any arrows or bows in your fort.
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- Don't have any arrows or bows in your fort.
  
 
===Basic military training Setup===
 
===Basic military training Setup===
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You will need:  
 
You will need:  
  
* 10 sets of bone/leather armour, or any cheap but reasonably effective armour you can get your hands on... it does not have to be anything pretty... suggestions on armour can be found further below
+
<br />
* 10 melee weapons, axes work great and make these dwarves additionally useful as cave woodcutters later on, spears only work for military and hammers if you plan to draft the survivors as future marks-dwarves. If you can try to mix axes spears and hammers though... crossbows or any ranged weapon + ammo takes too long to set up for it to be useful and most importantly, DO NOT USE TRAINING WEAPONS!  
+
- 10 sets of bone/leather armour, or any cheap but reasonably effective armour you can get your hands on... it does not have to be anything pretty... suggestions on armour can be found further below
* 10 expendable dwarves... really important is to have as close to 10 as possible (+10 is overkill, 9 or 8 works, 5 or 3 does not...) their stats do not matter other than you do not want to use your best dwarves for this, use peasants/cheesemakers that have no or only 1 or 2 friends, become ill quickly, heal slow or are weak and flimsy.
+
<br />
* 1 bed or other "barracks" building (armor stands, weapon racks etc etc all work)
+
- 10 melee weapons, axes work great and make these dwarves additionally useful as cave woodcutters later on, spears only work for military and hammers if you plan to draft the survivors as future marks-dwarves. If you can try to mix axes spears and hammers though... crossbows or any ranged weapon + ammo takes too long to set up for it to be useful and most importantly, DO NOT USE TRAINING WEAPONS!  
 +
<br />
 +
- 10 expendable dwarves... really important is to have as close to 10 as possible (+10 is overkill, 9 or 8 works, 5 or 3 does not...) their stats do not matter other than you do not want to use your best dwarves for this, use peasants/cheesemakers that have no or only 1 or 2 friends, become ill quickly, heal slow or are weak and flimsy.
 +
<br />
 +
- 1 bed or other "barracks" building (armor stands, weapon racks etc etc all work)
 +
<br />
  
 
Lets start!
 
Lets start!
 
<br />
 
<br />
# Make a 10 man squad in the [[military|panel]], the sole purpose of this squad is to prevent an early goblin attack to cripple your military before its even trained and equipped properly. Try to pick people with as few friends as possible for this, it does not matter if they are flimsy in stats or if they are extremely susceptible to disease, we literally do not expect these dwarves to survive a decent siege.
+
'''1 A:''' Make a 10 man squad in the [[military|panel]], the sole purpose of this squad is to prevent an early goblin attack to cripple your military before its even trained and equipped properly
# Assign them the predefined "leather armour" uniform in the military panel by pressing (or make your own cheap and fast uniform, anything you have fast on hand is good, even metals if you brought it with embark, have an anvil, wood, and have enough of it). If you do not have everything for the uniform for every dwarf then stick to leather and bone, and let a dwarf or 2 be dedicated solely to crafting everything those cannon fodder dwarves need, once they trained crafting stats you can use them to craft the leather parts of the armour the "real" military squad is going to need.
+
try to pick people with as few friends as possible for this, it does not matter if they are flimsy in stats or if they are extremely susceptible to disease, we literally do not expect these dwarves to survive a decent siege.
# Once you have your 10 man "Suicide Squad", make a barracks with your barracks item (bed, armour stand weapon rack etc...) next to your entrance or next to your most busy area (preferably outside) and assign our roughnecks to it, now make them active in the squad menu so they will hang around in the barracks constantly, waiting for their chums to show up for training (and sometimes even train!)
+
<br />
 +
'''1 B:''' Assign them the predefined "leather armour" uniform in the military panel by pressing  
 +
(or make your own cheap and fast uniform, anything you have fast on hand is good, even metals if you brought it with embark, have an anvil, wood, and have enough of it)  
 +
If you do not have everything for the uniform for every dwarf then stick to leather and bone, and let a dwarf or 2 be dedicated solely to crafting everything those cannon fodder dwarves need, once they trained crafting stats you can use them to craft the leather parts of the armour the "real" military squad is going to need
 +
<br />
 +
'''1 C:''' Once you have your 10 man "Suicide Squad", make a barracks with your barracks item (bed, armour stand weapon rack etc...) next to your entrance or next to your most busy area (preferably outside) and assign our roughnecks to it, now make them active in the squad menu so they will hang around in the barracks constantly, waiting for their chums to show up for training (and sometimes even train!)
  
 
Try to have only 1 entrance in this stage, or at least only 1 "outside camp", it's easier to defend.
 
Try to have only 1 entrance in this stage, or at least only 1 "outside camp", it's easier to defend.
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'''You will need:'''  
 
'''You will need:'''  
* 6 Sets of decent armour, more info about it below
+
<br />
* 6 Weapons, preferable "something" like 2 spears, 2 axes and 2 hammers, if you 'really' want marksdwarves flip the hammers for crossbows and also craft some bolts but I advise against it for now.
+
-6 sets of decent armour, more info about it below
* Your roughneck squad from step 1
+
<br />
* 6 New dwarves with decent to good stats, basically anything goes as long as they are not susceptible to diseases, not weak or flimsy, do not tire fast or have some other military related traits handicap.
+
-6 weapons, preferable "something" like 2 spears, 2 axes and 2 hammers, if you 'really' want marksdwarves flip the hammers for crossbows and also craft some bolts but I advise against it for now.
 +
<br />
 +
-your roughneck squad from step 1
 +
<br />
 +
-6 new dwarves with decent to good stats, basically anything goes as long as they are not susceptible to diseases, not weak or flimsy, do not tire fast or have some other military related traits handicap
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
'''2A:''' Create 2 (yes, 2...) new squads, put in each squad 3 dwarves and try to make em "compatible" (don't put dwarves that are friends or hate each other together, don't put spouses together)
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give them the decent armour as a uniform
  
'''Proceed to...'''
+
Now go in the schedule panel and make it so 2 dwarves minimum train year round for both squads (in other words, 1 can break from training and can eat//drink/be useful while 2 train)
# Create 2 (yes, 2...) new squads, put 3 dwarves in each squad and try to make them "compatible" (don't put dwarves that are friends or hate each other together, don't put spouses together). Give them the decent armour as their uniform. Now go in the schedule panel and make it so 2 dwarves minimum train year round for both squads. (in other words, 1 can break from training and can eat//drink/be useful while 2 train)
+
<br />
# Now make it so your roughneck squad gets some breaks in their training, something like only half of them have to train each month, so they can be used as haulers or whatever you need dwarves for at this point... If you haven't gotten an ambush by now expect one to show up any day, defend with your roughneck squads only, keep your conscripts as last resort and preferably never counter-attack any enemy further then 20 blocks from your entrance.
+
'''2B:''' Now make it so your roughneck squad gets some breaks in their training, something like only half of them have to train each month, so they can be used as haulers or whatever you need dwarves for at this point...
 +
if you haven't gotten an ambush by now expect one to show up any day, defend with your roughneck squads only, keep your conscripts as last resort and preferably never counter-attack any enemy further then 20 blocks from your entrance
  
 
== Step 3: Standing army ==
 
== Step 3: Standing army ==
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'''You will need:'''  
 
'''You will need:'''  
  
* Your roughneck squad (if some survived)
+
<br />
* Your 2 "conscript" squads
+
- your roughneck squad (if some survived)
* 3 or so more decent armour sets
+
<br />
* 3 or so crossbows and for each crossbow 1 quiver
+
- your 2 "conscript" squads
* Minimum of 100 bone bolts or 50 metal ones and 200 wooden bolts per crossbow
+
<br />
* Flasks and backpacks for everyone
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- 3 or so more decent armour sets
* 3 Archery targets
+
<br />
'''Proceed to...'''
+
- 3 or so crossbows and for each crossbow 1 quiver
#* Once your 2 squads of 3 dwarves with decent armour show they are battle worthy (at least "competent" at their weapon and armour but more is better), take out 1 dwarf from each squad, and put them in a new 3rd squad (set the new squad up just like the other 2). Disband your roughneck squad if some survived up until now and spread them over the 3 squads evenly, make sure you are not using any seriously wounded dwarves!  
+
<br />
#* Add in 1 new dwarf in each squad, give him a crossbow and decent armour. Try to aim for at least 3 squads at this time, each holding 2 melee dwarves and 1 crossbow dwarf.  
+
- minimum of 100 bone bolts or 50 metal ones and 200 wooden bolts per crossbow
#* Make lots of wood bolts and some bone or metal bolts, metal is by far better but can still be too costly at this point, bone bolts are very easy to make and do reasonable damage but come in small stacks...
+
<br />
# Now set those marksdwarves to carry the bone or metal bolts for combat in the ammunition panel and the wooden for training, a total of 100 combat and 200 training bolts will do, be sure to make a quiver! This is also a good time to be making backpacks and flasks for each of your military dwarves.
+
- flasks and backpacks for everyone
# Make sure any squad is set so 2/3th is training while 1/3 is off duty throughout the year, keep check on your bolt supplies and any medical "incidents".
+
<br />
 +
- 3 archery targets
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
'''3A:''' once your 2 squads of 3 dwarves with decent armour show they are battle worthy (at least "competent" at their weapon and armour but more is better) .
 +
 
 +
Take out 1 dwarf from each squad, and put them in a new 3th squad (set the new squad up just like the other 2).
 +
 
 +
Disband your roughneck squad if some survived up until now and spread them over the 3 squads evenly, make sure you are not using any seriously wounded dwarves!  
 +
 
 +
Add in 1 new dwarf in each squad, give him a crossbow and decent armour.
 +
 
 +
Try to aim for at least 3 squads at this time, each holding 2 melee dwarves and 1 crossbow dwarf.
 +
 
 +
Make lots of wood bolts and some bone or metal bolts, metal is by far better but can still be too costly at this point, bone bolts are very easy to make and do reasonable damage but come in small stacks...
 +
<br />
 +
'''3B:''' Now set those marksdwarves to carry the bone or metal bolts for combat in the ammunition panel and the wooden for training, a total of 100 combat and 200 training bolts will do, be sure to make a quiver! this is also a good time to be making backpacks and flasks for each of your military dwarves.
 +
<br />
 +
'''3C:''' Make sure any squad is set so 2/3th is training while 1/3 is off duty throughout the year, keep check on your bolt supplies and any medical "incidents".
  
 
Once a squad has reached "talented" for everyone, start melting 2 squads together, but keep the basic makeup of 3 melee dwarves for every 1 marksdwarf in each squad, add in a fortress guard of weak and flimsy dwarves that wear the same armour as our roughneck squad, but also get crap wooden crossbows (so they suck at melee, they will beat people with them occasionally and you dont want your dwarves to die from them).
 
Once a squad has reached "talented" for everyone, start melting 2 squads together, but keep the basic makeup of 3 melee dwarves for every 1 marksdwarf in each squad, add in a fortress guard of weak and flimsy dwarves that wear the same armour as our roughneck squad, but also get crap wooden crossbows (so they suck at melee, they will beat people with them occasionally and you dont want your dwarves to die from them).
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  Use the "Cheap" outfits in the armor article. They are maxed out protection for their material.
 
  Use the "Cheap" outfits in the armor article. They are maxed out protection for their material.
 
  If you KNOW you have full suits of armor for the recruits, use replace clothes and exact matches. This lets you wear the full set without
 
  If you KNOW you have full suits of armor for the recruits, use replace clothes and exact matches. This lets you wear the full set without
  a XXCave Spider Silk RobeXX leaving you less protected,
+
  a XXCave Spider Silk RobeXX leaving your less protected,
  
 
Cheap "I have no metal yet" uniform:
 
Cheap "I have no metal yet" uniform:
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Embark with a Proficient Siege Engineer.  (Training takes far too long, and it's not a moodable skill.)
 
Embark with a Proficient Siege Engineer.  (Training takes far too long, and it's not a moodable skill.)
  
After the first caravan departs and your fortress begins to settle in, build your Siege Workshop near access to the topside if possible - parts are heavy, and [[clutter]] a workshop quicker than other finished goods.  Manufacture a half-dozen or a dozen (or more) of one type of siege weapon part, enough for 2-3 decent engines - higher overall quality is better, if you have the logs and time to spare.  Choice between ballista/catapult is up to you, but don't worry about building up ammo supplies - you will have some stone lying around, and one ballista arrow per engine is enough for training.  No rush, don't have to be done until your operators are actually ready to practice.
+
After the first caravan departs and your fortress begins to settle in, build your Siege Workshop near access to the topside if possible - parts are heavy, and [[clutter]] a workshop quicker than other finished goods.  Manufacture a half-dozen or a dozen (or more) of one type of siege weapon part, enough for 2-3 decent engines - higher overall quality is better, if you have the logs and time to spare.  Choice between ballista/catapult is up to you, but don't worry about building up ammo supplies - you will have some stone lying around, and one ballistae arrow per engine is enough for training.  No rush, don't have to be done until your operators are actually ready to practice.
  
If possible, build theses close to the dining hall and barracks/bedrooms - not too close (see [[noise]]), but close enough to reduce travel time.  Dig a channel (double-wide if for ballista ammo) on one side that can catch ammo, and add a wall (or drawbridge) behind that, plus a ramp or stairs down behind the engines to access the fallen ammo in the trench.  (If ballistae, take precautions against accidental friendly fire accidents.)  If the location allows the engine to be turned and used when needed, so much the better, but this is mainly for training for now.
+
If possible, build theses close to the dining hall and barracks/bedrooms - not too close (see [[noise]]), but close enough to reduce travel time.  Dig a channel (double-wide if for ballistae ammo) on one side that can catch ammo, and add a wall (or drawbridge) behind that, plus a ramp or stairs down behind the engines to access the fallen ammo in the trench.  (If ballistae, take precautions against accidental friendly fire accidents.)  If the location allows the engine to be turned and used when needed, so much the better, but this is mainly for training for now.
  
 
<pre>Side view
 
<pre>Side view
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[[Dog|War dogs]] can also be assigned to dwarves who go outside frequently, whether military or civilian.  Then when the dwarf encounters danger, the war dog runs at the danger while the dwarf runs away from it.  Unfortunately, war dogs are slower than dwarves with high [[attribute|agility]], and do not shadow the dwarf perfectly. Try to not assign more than one or two dogs to a dwarf, the loss of happiness from a assigned dog dying (Assigned War/Hunting dogs are pets) can lead to FUN. Also, dogs can't be reassigned once they are assigned, To get around this, have the dwarf you want to be guarded train the dog.  
 
[[Dog|War dogs]] can also be assigned to dwarves who go outside frequently, whether military or civilian.  Then when the dwarf encounters danger, the war dog runs at the danger while the dwarf runs away from it.  Unfortunately, war dogs are slower than dwarves with high [[attribute|agility]], and do not shadow the dwarf perfectly. Try to not assign more than one or two dogs to a dwarf, the loss of happiness from a assigned dog dying (Assigned War/Hunting dogs are pets) can lead to FUN. Also, dogs can't be reassigned once they are assigned, To get around this, have the dwarf you want to be guarded train the dog.  
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{{Category|Guides}}
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{{Category|Fortress defense| }}
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{{Category|World}}
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{{Category|Design}}
  
 
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{{Military}}
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{{Military v0.31}}
 
 
{{Category|Guides}}
 
{{Category|Fortress defense| }}
 
{{Category|Design}}
 

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