Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[SkyRender]

I'm starting to suspect so, because two years in a row now the wagons have "bypassed [my] inaccessible site".  Despite having a HUGE swath of cleared-to-the-edge-of-the-map terrain to drive over, and no obstacles whatsoever between them and the trade depot.  As if to mock me, they keep coming to my fort from entirely different starting locations that are indeed inaccessible...but only if you're stupid enough to travel all the way over there instead of taking the very obvious cleared path.  Are restraints now considered non-wagon-friendly or something?  Are traps?  What the hell is going on?

[smjjames]

Its the traps that are considered wagon unfriendly now. Restraints are fine.

[EvilBob22]

You can always verify with "D" (shift-d) also.

[SkyRender]

The traps were indeed the issue.  Figures.  Oh well, I have a twisty passage, no invader will ever be traveling along the center lane.

[Bihlbo]

Safe caravan entrance, works every time:

Surface level (W = wall, ^ = ramp up, v = ramp down, B = the secured part of a bridge that raises, ( or ) = the part of the bridge that isn't on the ground because you raised the bridge to make it an impassable wall, _ = the unsecured part of a lowered bridge that raises, or just a bridge)

Code: [Select]

...*****...
...*   *...
...DEPOT...
...*   *...
...*****...
...........
WWWW^^^WWWW
...WWWWW...
...........
...........
...........
...........
.....W.....
...........
...........
...........
...........
...WWWWW...
...W^^^W...
...W...W...
...W...W...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
<map edge>

Surface level +1

Code: [Select]

...,,,,,...
...,   ,...
...depot...
...,   ,...
...WWWWW...
...W   W...
WWWWvvvWWWW
...WBBBW...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...WBBBW...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...WvvvW...
...W   W...
...WWWWW...
..._____...
..._____...
..._____...
..._____...
..._____...
..._____...
<map edge>

Surface level +2
(put a roof on it)

Lowdown:
Caravans have access to the depot from the map edge in only one place, and so will always show up there. Basically, make their path and close off the end of it not with walls (which cannot be built near the map edge) but with raised bridges for walls and a bridge on top for a roof. I have them going over a raised bridge so that in case of invaders coming through this passage (it's super rare, but possible) the drawbridges can be pulled (I have 2 because security should be redundant), sealing in that entrance and dropping them back to the exterior. Now, you don't have to raise this portion like I do, you can just make the bridge on the ground or subterranean. However I didn't do that because if you lower the bridge it will destroy every person and thing under it. Yeah, destroying invaders is great, but I don't want to run the risk if it being a caravan (or militia member, or guard animal, so I'd rather drop them into the exterior where they can be dealt with some other way. Make sure to pen an animal at the map edge inside the passage to see kobolds and such. I like any large animal for this - it can be a ram or cow if you want to use a grazer, just make sure to dig out the soil immediately under the surface where he's penned so trees won't grow - but otherwise something like a bear or war dog on a paved road works great. I find it's not helpful to chain them in because if they become useful (enemies) you don't want them immobile.

[SkyRender]

That's a clever solution, but I like mine better: a 5-wide path with lots of twists and turns, and traps lining the inner edge.  Wagons have no problems, Goblins become Goblin salsa.  Two birds, one stone (or to be more accurate, about a bajillion weapon traps).

[ImagoDeo]

That's a clever solution, but I like mine better: a 5-wide path with lots of twists and turns, and traps lining the inner edge.  Wagons have no problems, Goblins become Goblin salsa.  Two birds, one stone (or to be more accurate, about a bajillion weapon traps).

I'm opting for a simpler route: using the wagon-only pathing system from the wiki. Wagons can cross ramps that ground-bound critters can't. And the pack animal merchants are happy to take the alternate route (which goblins must also take) straight across all my cage traps.

I did tie one kitten to a stake in the middle of the trap tunnel to catch theives. Bloody kobolds... #*&#%*&... but all in all, I think this is the most effective security system I've ever had for a fortress and I'm very happy with it. Any theives, snatchers, or ambushes that come in the wagon path can get caught in cages, and I can ignore all other sieges pretty easily.

Oh, did I mention the best part? ...unholy vapors that cause everything outside to bleed to death about three times a season. I've lost one migrant wave to them already, along with a few dwarves who went to get a drink in the creek because of a combination of unfortunate circumstances. (Thankfully, her husband got over it when he saw what a nice dining hall we have.)

[peridot]

Safe caravan entrance, works every time:

Surface level (W = wall, ^ = ramp up, v = ramp down, B = the secured part of a bridge that raises, ( or ) = the part of the bridge that isn't on the ground because you raised the bridge to make it an impassable wall, _ = the unsecured part of a lowered bridge that raises, or just a bridge)

Code: [Select]

...*****...
...*   *...
...DEPOT...
...*   *...
...*****...
...........
WWWW^^^WWWW
...WWWWW...
...........
...........
...........
...........
.....W.....
...........
...........
...........
...........
...WWWWW...
...W^^^W...
...W...W...
...W...W...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
..(B...B)...
<map edge>

Surface level +1

Code: [Select]

...,,,,,...
...,   ,...
...depot...
...,   ,...
...WWWWW...
...W   W...
WWWWvvvWWWW
...WBBBW...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...WBBBW...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...W___W...
...WvvvW...
...W   W...
...WWWWW...
..._____...
..._____...
..._____...
..._____...
..._____...
..._____...
<map edge>

Surface level +2
(put a roof on it)

Lowdown:
Caravans have access to the depot from the map edge in only one place, and so will always show up there. Basically, make their path and close off the end of it not with walls (which cannot be built near the map edge) but with raised bridges for walls and a bridge on top for a roof. I have them going over a raised bridge so that in case of invaders coming through this passage (it's super rare, but possible) the drawbridges can be pulled (I have 2 because security should be redundant), sealing in that entrance and dropping them back to the exterior. Now, you don't have to raise this portion like I do, you can just make the bridge on the ground or subterranean. However I didn't do that because if you lower the bridge it will destroy every person and thing under it. Yeah, destroying invaders is great, but I don't want to run the risk if it being a caravan (or militia member, or guard animal, so I'd rather drop them into the exterior where they can be dealt with some other way. Make sure to pen an animal at the map edge inside the passage to see kobolds and such. I like any large animal for this - it can be a ram or cow if you want to use a grazer, just make sure to dig out the soil immediately under the surface where he's penned so trees won't grow - but otherwise something like a bear or war dog on a paved road works great. I find it's not helpful to chain them in because if they become useful (enemies) you don't want them immobile.

I built something like this - using tunnels instead of raised paths because it takes my dwarves forever to build aboveground - and I lost a caravan to "their wagons have bypassed your inaccessible depot"; when I immediately hit D it cheerfully told me the depot was accessible. Perhaps the caravan was constrained to come in a different side of the map? Anyway, for now I'm just leaving the front door open and letting the caravans get slaughtered if nasties come along at the wrong moment.

[Iamblichos]

Oh, did I mention the best part? ...unholy vapors that cause everything outside to bleed to death about three times a season. I've lost one migrant wave to them already, along with a few dwarves who went to get a drink in the creek because of a combination of unfortunate circumstances. (Thankfully, her husband got over it when he saw what a nice dining hall we have.)

This brings me joy.