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[DJ]

I think this would be a very dwarvenly thing to have. Instead of being nothing but a drain of resources, prisoners could actually do some useful work for the fortress. Of course, it would be a bit silly to use them for anything but menial labour such as mining.

To offset the benefits of chain gangs, forced labour should generate plenty of bad thoughts for the convicts. Also, you'd need guards (1 per 3 convicts sounds about right) which would tie up useful dwarves (this might not be a bad thing if the economy has kicked in and you have unemployed dwarves).

Another problem might be escaping prisoners. It should be easier to escape from a chain gang than from a jail. Caught escapees would get their sentences lengthened. Those that get away would leave the fortress for good.

So, with all of these negative aspects, why would anyone want to use chain gangs? Because they're cool. It seems like a very fitting thing in a game titled Slaves of Armok: God of Blood. And it'd be another neat thing for those of us that want to be evil overlords.

[DarkerDark]

I could see Dwarven chain gangs being employed to break up the many discarded rocks that seem to plague every fortress. Think of it as "Community Service".  

[axus]

Maybe they could be pressed into service for a diety.

[DJ]

Crushing rock is an excellent idea! Maybe we could use crushed rock to build roads, or even railroads once mining carts are in. And of course, construction of giant temples is much better when it's done with unpayed labour.

[haftan]

Sort of along the same lines how about a Legendary worker managing same skilled "groups" thereby upping their skill levels as a whole a little bit? Where the groups can be assigned like military units or gathered indapendently by the manager?

[erendor]

quote:Originally posted by DJ:
<STRONG>Of course, it would be a bit silly to use them for anything but menial labour such as mining.</STRONG>

Menial labour?  To Dwarves, a miner is one of the most respected individuals there is!  And certainly more useful than the stuck-up nobles.

But, I agree with prisoner labour.  Rock crushing or perhaps smoothing would be a good idea (since that doesn't really have that much potential for exploitation by prisoners, does it?)

[WillNZ]

quote: And certainly more useful than the stuck-up nobles.

I've got an idea! We could have chain gangs keeping records, altering prices on goods, and conducting meetings!

[Alfador]

If you want to really be evil, put them in light shell armor, with copper weapons, and put them on the front line against the goblins. Or the elves. Or the chasm people. Or the demons from the pits. Or worst of all... against the carp. But that's a bit TOO evil for me. It'd be far more humane to set the Peculiar Chamber to use as a jail.