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[TheStratovarian]

Hi, just really puzzled about a few things, and hoping that the folks here have the answers, or clarification I am trying to find.
The first one, is in the map setting, is there any good way to tell if i map has a high animal content before you embark? or at least what map types tend to have or sport the highest amount of game? I tend to bring in 2-3 hunters on the embark, and find that they make for great defense (saved more than a few dwarves when vultures are on the map.) And they pay for themselves a dozen times over at the first caravan for trade goods like leather and bone trinkets. I guess the next, is how to assign a quiver and a certain ammo count to marksdwarves? (I may be obtuse) I prefer them heavily given how i fortify. and without the need to worry about going to melee. Oh, are weapons used in a trap better on the same metal grade than the trap types themselves? (10 steel spears to 10 spiked whathaveyou's)

The next bits, are on forgotten beasts, (of which I am lucky if i manage a year before they start attacking the fort, so far, the worst is 5 in a year) But i wanted to ask, do they all spit? (Its all i ever get.) and can they all destroy walls? (I use the channel wall barrier, so its not one i want to test.) Is there any good way to prevent them from constantly spawning in the caves? (I have about a season before they start attacking from somewhere in the cave systems) The last on them, whats the best way to kill them without a double/triple digit body count?

Thank you for the time spent on reading this, and i hope for answers that can bring out enjoyment further of this gem.

[Shrugging Khan]

Encase the entire caverns in obsidian, enjoy your newly-found peace.

[Raging Mouse]

I don't know if there is anything influencing the density of animals at your embark site, though reasonably you could expect a lush forest to be more populated than an arid desert. It seems, however, that your choice of biomes mainly affects what kind of game you'll get.

I can't advise you on ammo counts for marksdwarves.

Regarding traps, it most likely depends. The advantage that the actual trap components have over weapons is that many of them do multiple attacks against the victim, compared to the normal weapons' single attack, or that they have very high chances of a critical hit. (This might be outdated info, in part or in full. Proceed with SCIENCE!)

As for forgotten beasts... they can have spits, breaths, etc. Best way to guard yourself against them is to not breach the cavern layers. Next best way can be debated, but a sacrificial animal underneath a section of roof rigged to collapse via lever is probably pretty high on the list.

[Sphalerite]

Here's how it seems to work, at least as far as my experiments have been able to determine:

The world map is broken up into biomes, of which there are several dozen different types.  Each individual biome also has a level of savagery (benign, neutral, savage) and alignment (good, neutral, evil).  Each biome may stretch over many embark tiles.  When you embark, you can see a list of all the biomes your embark site intersects on the embark screen.

Each creature has a list of biomes it can be found in, as well as a starting population number.  Creatures can also have [GOOD] and [EVIL] tokens, and those will restrict those creatures to appear in good or evil biomes.  Creatures with the [SAVAGE] token can only appear in biomes with high savagery.  The [BENIGN] token is a bit different, in that biomes with low savagery will only have [BENIGN] creatures, although [BENIGN] creatures can appear in biomes of any savagery level.

When the world is created a population of wandering wild animals is created for each biome according to this number.  During gameplay these creatures will randomly wander on and off your map.  When they enter they are taken from the biome population, and when they leave the map they are added back to it.  This population may breed over time, increasing the number, although that may be limited to animals with the [PET] token, such as horses and elephants.  As far as I can tell if you completely wipe out the local population of a type of animal, it never recovers.

So, if you want to maximize the number of wild animals you'll see, you want to look for biomes which the most creatures can appear in.  Forests in general are good, especially "Tropical moist broadleaf forest" which have a huge number of creatures which can appear in them.  Avoid Benign biomes (Serene/Calm/Sinister), they have far fewer creatures which can appear.  High savagery, and either good (Joyous Wilds) or evil (Terrifying) if you want to also get the creatures which specifically appear in only those biomes.  Choosing a fortress site which spans several biomes also seems to help, as you get the populations of each to draw from.

Of course, since the population of local creatures is finite, and it appears that at the moment only creatures with the [PET] tag breed, you're going to run out of wild animals to hunt eventually no matter what.

[twilightdusk]

Of course, since the population of local creatures is finite, and it appears that at the moment only creatures with the [PET] tag breed, you're going to run out of wild animals to hunt eventually no matter what.

It's possible to mod the values regarding exactly how finite the animal supply is to the point that only the longest living forts will even notice the change.

But yea, different biomes have different animals in them. It stands to reason that biomes with a larger variety will see more animals overall, though the mechanics behind how animals generate in ensures that you'll never be swarmed with too many animals at once.

[abadidea]

I think a map described as "wild" will have the most animals. Be prepared for wolves and cougars.

Forgotten beasts: no, not all of them spit, and most cannot destroy proper walls. The world generates hundreds of them so yes, they will keep coming forever. My tactic for dealing with them is to meet them in a long, one-tile-wide corridor with a squadron. This way they have no maneuverability.

[TheStratovarian]

Thank you especially for advice on dealing with the beast, and the means of biomes too. Has anyone had enough experience with catapults to say if they are a waste, a boon, or a great way to hit things out of normal reach? (i play on a 7x7 embark area usually)

[Saposhiente]

1. No forgotten beast can destroy a natural or *constructed* wall. Doors and bridges don't stop any of them (Exception: They cannot destroy things that are above them)
2. The main problem with siege weapons is that the (civillian) operators will flee if the enemy gets close. Their range is limited only by how skilled the operators are and how far they can see.

[Wiro]

You're wrong about bridges. Bridges cannot be destroyed, neither can walls, ramps or stairs. Pretty much all de b>C menu.

[Roflcopter5000]

Bridges are b 'G'.

[ISGC]

well, if they destroy the bridge, how are they going to get over the moat?
if the bridge is drawn up on a flat surface, it acts as a wall, so it cannot be destroyed.

[twilightdusk]

Thank you especially for advice on dealing with the beast, and the means of biomes too. Has anyone had enough experience with catapults to say if they are a waste, a boon, or a great way to hit things out of normal reach? (i play on a 7x7 embark area usually)

Ballista are more reliable in proper combat if used properly, but because Catapult ammo is easier to obtain/retain, and both use the same skill, it's common to use catapults for training the Siege Operator skill.

Spoiler: training room design (click to show/hide)

V = Down ramp
C = Catapult
= and | = walls
+ = floor
D = door (so you can lock the operators inside to keep them from using stone that isn't in there already)
========
|+++++V|
|+CCC+V|
D+CCC+V|
|+CCC+V|
|+++++V|
========
Face catapult to the right, set it to fire at will. Any free dwarves with the Siege Operator labor enabled will go to the catapult, load it, and fire it. The stones will bounce off the wall and fall down the ramp. Stones that fall like this will not be destroyed, meaning you do not waste any ammo. This design can obviously be implemented in any direction you please, and can be extended to allow for more catapults in the room.

[Shoku]

It seems that despite raised or lowered bridges being destruction immune there is a small window while toggling from one to the other allows them to be destroyed.
Constructed walls can also be toppled by building destroyers but only before they are actually constructed. So just the designation goes away.

Forgotten beasts and anything that destroys buildings are extremely eager to do so. So much so that you can make a diversion tunnel with numerous statues or whatever to topple and then wall them in while they are at the back end of it. If you want to actually kill them a simple design is a 1 wide tunnel full of alternating spear traps and doors to break down. It will have to stand at the door for awhile taking a beating from the spear trap (so long as you have a dwarf pulling the lever on repeat) and even very deadly FBs should fall to this after only destroying a few doors. The only real problem would be if you used a material of spear they are immune to. They would rarely if ever have bodies superior to steel so having at least one steel spear in each trap should be easy and effective enough. You should make a nice drawbridge so that your dwarves won't try to squeeze through the now heavily bloodied passage.

*Ten doors is probably plenty long but there's no harm in leaving space to expand the tunnel or even so you can wall it off when they are part way through. They would still progress to the end if you wall it off and then eventually they should walk back out taking a few more hits from the traps and then hopefully leaving shortly thereafter if they won't just bleed out.