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[geoduck]

Since I'm still having rotten luck getting a competent military going, I always set up a long row of cage traps at the entrance to my forts. Twice now with .25, I've had an unwelcome guest appear at my then-current fort. I've ordered everydwarf into the emergency burrow, and the attackers charge up to my (unlocked and pathable) front entrance and.. just hang around outside. The first was a goblin; the rest of the ambush ran inside and got caught. The second was a minotaur. Is this some new intended behavior? Are they aware the traps are there?

[Saiko Kila]

Since I'm still having rotten luck getting a competent military going, I always set up a long row of cage traps at the entrance to my forts. Twice now with .25, I've had an unwelcome guest appear at my then-current fort. I've ordered everydwarf into the emergency burrow, and the attackers charge up to my (unlocked and pathable) front entrance and.. just hang around outside. The first was a goblin; the rest of the ambush ran inside and got caught. The second was a minotaur. Is this some new intended behavior? Are they aware the traps are there?

They don't know the exact location of your traps, but they seem to expect them. I don't even have a gate, just a hole in the hillside. They can be tricked to enter, but usually they send only one or two scouts if there is a group. The same with other traps which have some sort of narrow or potentially blocked passage (stairs, doors to tower)  and I mean special constructions, not simple weapon or cage traps. I believe it to be intentional, because it is actually a wise move - you are forced to go outside. They go on rampage and kill your animals located outside though. And sometimes they try to go inside, probably led by a fearless leader. Catching the leader may be the reason the are stopped then.

To catch minotaurs, trolls and similar it is best to create bait-traps, with something destructible inside, and relatively far from your fortress. Like this for example:

Code: [Select]

#######
cc.D.cc
#######
c = cage trap
. = floor
# = wall
D = unlocked door

Such a simple trap is guaranteed to catch minotaurs, cyclops or even dragons, if it is located closer to the edge of the map than any of your more sophisticated traps.

[outofpractice]

Chain up a line of kittens in the path thru your entrance / trap zone. about 15-20 squares apart. Works everytime and helps keep the cat population down.

[FrankMcFuzz]

If they're with a small squad and hit a large group of weapon traps, they'll usually run away or scatter themselves over the traps.

Sometimes they get ballsy and charge through cage traps of a similar layout, usually if they can see a dwarf or pet they don't like the look of (Goblins don't like the look of anything)

You should have at least 3 dwarves in the military by spring of year 2, and by the time they have a real fight with ambushers, they should be competent enough to handle them without getting entirely molested.

[geoduck]

Thanks all. So no more charging into the traps and then fleeing..

[outofpractice]

If you use the cat / kitten method, make sure to put it so it can be seen but can get behind something so it doesn't get shot to pieces. ie build a 1x1 square of wall and build the restraint behind that. Gives Kitten McCat some cover so they have to close, hence see the next cat.

Also, want more sieges... get Fortress Defence II mod. You'll have all the extra friends you ever ever need. And blood... oh so much blood.

[kaenneth]

For bait, would it work to have fortified windows?

Code: [Select]

═════════
.^^^^....
.╬╬╬╬....
.▓▓▓╬...g
..c▓╬...g
.▓▓▓╬...g
.╬╬╬╬....
.^^^^....
═════════

Fortifications to block building destroyers, Windows to block bolts/arrows, but allowing sight of the kitten, which has a path to it, leading past traps...

Maybe optimize with a pressure plate/hatch combo so that if the gobbos make it past the trap the path to the kitten is invalidated...

Then refined with that plate also opening a path to a different kitten-bunker, so they end up pathung back and forth over the traps?

Code: [Select]

      outside
═══════O...O═══════
.╬..c▓╬...g.╬▓c..╬.
.╬₵▓▓▓╬...g.╬▓▓▓₵╬.
.╬*╬╬╬╬.....╬╬╬╬*╬.
.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.
═══════════════════

*'s being the pressure plates, while ^'s are weapon/cage traps. and ₵'s are hatches over pits, so when open they block the path.

[Fredd]

 Sieges work generally like this:
 The leader has a kill order, while the others behave like companions in adventure mode, or caravan guards in DF mode. If leader is captured or killed, the protect order is canceled. The followers then station back where they spawned, only attacking when a target gets in range. their building destroyer buddies(trolls, etc) all have a kill order, only difference being beside creatures, furniture things are included.
 Anything with a kill order just needs to be able to path to a target, not line of sight. Its why the traps mentioned above works for building destroyers. An interesting experiment would be to release their leader, if caged, in a cavern, and see if its followers would try to enter the fortress to join it, thus reentering your kill zone