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[Nyxalinth]

Just as it says on the tin.  I have maybe six pieces of flux right now, gained from a caravan.  Will be requesting moe, but since I have yet to find any, is it better to focus on iron weapons/steel armor, or steel weapons/iron armor?

[pisskop]

Id make steel weapons or steel helms, and then the rest iron.

Steel weapons are guaranteed to perform for you, but armour is only useful if you get hit, which is something some prefer to avoid.


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Whatever you do, try to get the most out of the steel by smelting the steel first, then using all the iron for its XP, so the resulting steel is better.

[GavJ]

Steel weapons are higher priority, because each person only uses 1 bar for their whole weapon needs, and many bars for armor.

After weapons, I would use any remaining steel for helms. But definitely weapons first, because even though a helm is a high profile injury / death area efficiently covered with little metal, it's still much less than 100% death rate, whereas weapons are 100% offense.

edit: this only applies to edged weapons. Hammers and maces should be copper or silver, and crossbows wood.

[Nyxalinth]

Cool thanks everyone!

I have no copper or silver either, which is amazing since usually I embark and get tons of tetrahedrite and flux, but no iron.

[Skullsploder]

Once you have a large-ish goblinite harvesting operation, you won't have anything to worry about with too little copper or silver. Also, you can order flux from the dwarven caravan. If you set all flux types to max priority when the liaison comes, you should get a good 40 stones at least, which translates to 40 steel bars, which translates to enough helmets for a decent-sized military.

[Button]

Are you against metal duplication exploits, or just unaware of them?

[pisskop]

I am against large-scale exploitation, myself.

[Prudent Viper]

Being as none of your enemies use steel weapons themselves, you don't really "need" steel armour. It gives more protection, sure, but only marginally vs anything worse than steel. Iron weapons will bounce off decent quality iron armour most of the time.
However, steel weapons increase your offensive capability by a hell of a lot. In Dwarf Fortress the best offense is the best defense against humanoids who feel pain, so this will greatly increase their survivability.

[khearn]

You could always dig deeper in hopes of finding something even better...

   Keith

[pisskop]

You could always dig deeper in hopes of finding something even better...

   Keith

A lot of people have issues with framerate or just dont want the hassle of digging deep, if it isn't in their fortress plans.  Also, some people dont like the idea of OP materials.

[slothen]

Import and melt, import and melt.  Steel anvils, steel arrows/bolts, and anything else.  Goblinite will give you copper, iron, bronze.  Import as much wood as you can as well and do tree farms or, after a few years, your caverns will be stuffed with trees.  Cut it all, melt it all.

[khearn]

Having no flux is actually worse (IMO) than having no iron ore. You can buy a pretty fair amount of iron from caravans and harvest goblinite for more iron, them melt it all down and turn it to steel if you have a good source of flux.

But elf caravans won't bring flux, and human caravans seldom will (and then only one or two stones). You can ask for more from the Mountainhome and get some, but not a lot. And the goblins never arrive carrying flux stones.

  Keith

[Kumil]

Iron maces and warhammers, and steel armors.