If I ever hear ANYONE decrying the use of patrols ever again, I will virtually smack them over the head with a copper mallet adorned with spikes of cave fish bone.
Sure, it takes time for the squads to get used to their patrol route and get ready initially, but the amount of trouble they save me from all the freaks of nature wandering the rocky wasteland is a godsend. I thought patrols wouldn't work in a large map since there's too much space to cover but those rows upon rows of dead(-er) camels sure are telling a different tale.
Before the patrols:
1. Peasants would get interrupted constantly as various pets got slaughtered by the hordes of undead things as they descend upon the fortress like spermatozoa to the torn opening of a latex condom.
2. Traders would be chased off the map, tossing various trading goods onto the floor where they spawn, sending my greed-driven dwarves out in a lust-faced frenzy for the latest fashions from the mountainhome, straight into the waiting maws of the skeletal jackrabbits and zombie bighorn sheep.
After the patrols:
1. The barren rocky wastes no longer look so barren as steel-clad strongmen pile up mounds of dead(-er) things for composting.
2. Due to war dogs and spiders not getting killed by the kilogram by the undead hordes, dwarves can eat delicious dog tallow stew (with superiorly minced spider) and wear haute couture dog leather shoes as the overpopulated pets need to find another way into the great beyond.
It's a win-win situation. Patrols. Use them to save you a lot of headaches if you have a wildlife problem.
FAQ:
1. How long can I assign a military dwarf to patrol?
Apparently they can stand patrol for a very long time, up to two seasons or so I'm told. I usually rotate them every season or so. The more military dwarves you have the better.
2. Squads or no squads?
This is a tough question. The first one is easier to use, but leads to some odd complications like the follow-the-leader syndrome. The second one needs much more micromanagement, especially since you need to alternate the patrolling dwarves but has better results. Up to you which you want to do.
3. What should they wear?
Make sure your patrolling dwarves are well-trained and equipped for what they are facing. If you know there are goblin ambushes, don't send them out without proper shields and weapons. It's important that your dwarves also don't get tired after one or two kills, so train them up first.
4. What should they use?
Try to avoid weapons that get stuck or weapons that run out of ammo since they *are* on patrol and can't afford to run back to base for more ammo and are likely to face large numbers. I recommend hammers and axes for their crowd control ability.
5. Food? Water?
Skip it. The system doesn't work too well right now and your dwarves are actually more likely to run back to the fortress to refill their supplies every single time they consume it (which kinda defeats the point). Also, they get slow when they don't drink alcohol, which is BAD. Food also tends to rot inside their backpacks.
6. What about marksdwarves?
Marksdwarves must be used very differently if you want to patrol. They perform relatively poorly in close-quarters and for the most part, you'd want to avoid that as the only way currently to detect an ambusher is for something to walk into one. If possible, construct some elevated outposts with underground tunnels connecting them at important chokepoints and have your marksdwarves patrol there. They'll make pincushions of anything they see. Don't forget to put ammo stockpiles inside the outposts too.
7. Station and patrol, what's the difference?
Simple. Station means dwarves will only go there when their leader goes there, which is quite rare. Dwarves will patrol even if their leader is sleeping or doing something else.
8. Any bugs?
I've noticed one, other than the food / water one. It seems dwarves have memories of ALL their patrol routes, so if you move one dwarf with a seperate patrol route to a new group with another patrol route, it's possible he'll stay on his old patrol. To fix it, just remove him from the group and clear his old patrol with "x", then put him back in the group.
Disclaimer: Side-effects of patrols may include accidental stumbling on ambushes, death-by-arrows of your greatest champions, and cardiopulmonary disorder of the player. Patrols may not be for everyone, consult your wiki before use.
[ May 29, 2008: Message edited by: umiman ]
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Topic: Patrols (Read 760 times)