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[Hypcso]

It seems to me, that using a Ballista to train operators is more effective than a catapult. Why? Well, for one thing, you can train 3-4 engineers to legendary while training operators. Provided wood isn't a major issue, this is quite a boon as you'll have all the masterwork arrows and siege machinery you'll ever need. Not to mention you aren't wasting space storing ballista/catapult parts to train engineers with.

[BurnedToast]

If you are going to go to all the trouble to train a siege engineer to legendary then yeah I guess you could make ballista arrows to do it, and fire those off to train with.

Truthfully though it's not really worth it IMO... masterwork engines seem to miss all the damn time just like garbage ones, there does not seem to be much of a difference at all. Combined with the extreme overpoweredness of legendary military dwarves and traps and the difficulty in setting up siege engines in a good place and it's all just a waste of time.

[atomicoctobot]

I imagine siege engines will get more useful once we can fire at enemies on different z levels.

[Hypcso]

I use them to turn caravans into paste, i've never actually " trained " with them. All of my operators got legendary via killing elves and humans trapped between my grates.

[Khosan]

There is (or at least was, since I haven't checked this) a way to fire ballista bolts so you don't lose the ammunition once it's fired.  Just channel out the area underneath where the bolt will hit, and the bolt falls down to the hole below.

[numerobis]

The main reason I don't use ballistas is that people keep walking in front of them, and you can't stop that from happening.

[Hypcso]

With proper setup it isn't too hard to stop them. My biggest problem is siege operators with children.

[Footkerchief]

quote:Originally posted by Khosan:
<STRONG>There is (or at least was, since I haven't checked this) a way to fire ballista bolts so you don't lose the ammunition once it's fired.  Just channel out the area underneath where the bolt will hit, and the bolt falls down to the hole below.</STRONG>

Another way of doing this is just to build the ballistas/catapults above ground level.  They'll go some distance, hit an invisible wall and fall intact.

But unless you REALLY want a lot of legendary siege engineers, training on catapults is much faster.  Once they're approaching legendary, they'll be firing a shot every few seconds.  I really doubt you could keep making ballista arrows that fast -- stone is much more abundant, just create a stone stockpile right by the catapults.

[ March 27, 2008: Message edited by: Footkerchief ]

[numerobis]

quote:Originally posted by Hypcso:
<STRONG>With proper setup it isn't too hard to stop them. My biggest problem is siege operators with children.</STRONG>

Children, pets, spouses; and, afterwards, people going through to clean up ex-children, ex-pets, and ex-spouses; and, afterwards, people going through to clean up ex-cleaners; ...

Catapults you can just set on auto and no one gets hurt.

[Hypcso]

3 engineers can keep two operators fed with arrows provided you have the wood.

[numerobis]

quote:Originally posted by Hypcso:
<STRONG>3 engineers can keep two operators fed with arrows provided you have the wood.</STRONG>

1 engineer can keep n operators fed with 1 arrow each that never goes away provided you have n logs, and a channel under the entire length of the training range.  Said length can be 1, by the way.