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[Wrex]

So, how do you think It would be best for me to effectively use siege engines? For refrence, here is a shot of the ground floor of my fort:



I'm guessing putting it behind the trade depot would work, but friendly fire is always a massive hazard.

[Kaiserr]

-snip-
I'm guessing putting it behind the trade depot would work, but friendly fire is too fun for me

FTFY

[wolfwood296]

pillboxes that have ballista looking in all 4 directions (gusse this would work haven't done seige enginnes yet)

[Urist Da Vinci]

IIRC Ballista bolts do blunt damage due to a bug that has been around since 0.31.xx in April 2010. Ballistas worked properly prior to that, in 40d.

[celem]

Remember that ballista operators are civilians.  Your entrance tunnel isnt massive, with ballistas behind fortifications behind the trade depot (im assuming youd put them behind the wall by the staircase north of depot) the operators will flee when the hostiles reach about halfway down the trap rows.

The exact flee distance seems to vary, but generally you want 20 tiles or so.

[Sus]

To maximize ballista effectiveness, you'll want to trap the bad guys on a narrow ledge between spiked pits and have the ballista bearing down on that. And yeah, it's important to leave enough space between the ballista operators and the bad guys. I suggest putting a ~10 tile empty corridor with fortifications in both ends in front of the ballistae. (The fortification in front of the foremost ballista prevents civilians from wandering in front of it.)

i.e.

Code: [Select]

^^^to outdoors
=###=

...10 or so empty spaces...

=   =
=   =
=###=
[Î]
 [Î]
  [Î]

= = wall
# = fortification
[Î] = ballista (facing north)

Like I said, I would have the entrance via a 3-wide road flanked with spiked pits and a retracting bridge in both ends to trap the enemy in the ballistas' field of fire. Oh, and don't forget you need a furniture stockpile set to accept siege ammo behind the ballistae, preferably right next to them.

[brainfreez]

.... or you could put your ballistia behind your main hallway , for fun experiences .

[Loud Whispers]

Dump all of the ammo onto the ballista from above using a quantum stockpile. Crew it with a legendary operator.

Aim at enemy.

[Seraphim342]

Wooden ballista bolts seem to do blunt damage, but metal ones seem to work okay.  Had a gobbo get cut in half by a steel bolt. 

Dump all of the ammo onto the ballista from above using a quantum stockpile. Crew it with a legendary operator.

Aim at enemy.

Three words:  Dwarven Gatling Gun.

[Loud Whispers]

Dump all of the ammo onto the ballista from above using a quantum stockpile. Crew it with a legendary operator.

Aim at enemy.

Three words:  Dwarven Gatling Gun.

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