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[ProfessorSir]

Well, I've been playing dwarf fortress for a while now and I think I've finally managed to grasp melee military.  The issue is that it's completely for lack of a ranged one.

My question is, is it possible to make dwarves patrol a set route, but only on a specific alert?  I've gotten them to patrol by scheduling, but was wondering is an alert form is possible for emergencies like sieges.  Honestly I'm probably just a turkey who's overlooked something obvious, but I couldn't find anything answering this specific question. 
If it's not specifically possible like this, what's a good alternative?

I've checked all the normal junk already, e.g. armed, set to active, etc.

If it helps, this is the route I would like my marksdwarves to patrol in case of invasion, crammed in between some fortifications and an ammo dump:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

And this is the alert:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Shonai_Dweller]

Every alert has it's own schedule. Make a new alert, schedule patrols in it for every month. Turn the alert on when you need it to start up. Alerts can be activated just for specific squads as well as the general population for all-purpose evacuation.

You swap between alert schedules on the schedule screen using...I forget, secondary cursor down? Something like that. It's written on the screen someplace.

I always schedule my squads for defend burrows orders during the general civilian population evacuation alert (gotta remember to turn it on for all the squads, not just the civilians). Gives me a fairly automated siege defence (they all die fighting 'cos I'm attacked by op mod beasties without drawbridges or traps, but still...).

[Blue_Dwarf]

My question is, is it possible to make dwarves patrol a set route, but only on a specific alert?

It's possible to schedule, but making them actually do that on time is another matter entirely. You are much better off having a full-time military activity instead of alerts.

[ProfessorSir]

Ah alright, I was completely unaware alerts had separate schedules, aside from active/inactive.  That would explain my oddly lethargic archers, even on a full training schedule.

I'm away from my computer right now, but when I get there I'll try it out and report what happens.  Thank 

[Shonai_Dweller]

Yeah, is a fairly well hidden feature.

[ProfessorSir]

Well, I finally figured it out and got it working, but then I hit a snag.
I figured they would follow the patrol route to the letter, point by point.  I didn't realize it functioned like a station command rather than a track or something, so my archers had a bad habit of wandering all the way around my fortress to go stand on the wrong side of the fortifications.

Semi-success though, just had to rebuild the fortifications to accommodate this.  Either way thanks guys