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[timmeh]

Short of building a path of walls or channels, is there any way to guide traders to take a specific path in and out of the area?  Just got my first caravan and they decided to start on the hill with 3 Cyclopes, and path straight through them... the liason and two of the pack animals survived, but all the guards died (they managed to bruise it... and that's it... am expert hammerdwarf... bruises...)

Do they pay any attention to roads or restricted tiles?

[DarthCloakedDwarf]

Short of building a path of walls or channels, is there any way to guide traders to take a specific path in and out of the area?  Just got my first caravan and they decided to start on the hill with 3 Cyclopes, and path straight through them... the liason and two of the pack animals survived, but all the guards died (they managed to bruise it... and that's it... am expert hammerdwarf... bruises...)

Do they pay any attention to roads or restricted tiles?

Restricted tiles? No, not at all.

However, you can make it so your caravan enters from the caverns.

[Sphalerite]

Even though caravans almost never bring wagons anymore, you can still use the trick of having only a single point on the map edge where a wagon can enter and reach your trade depot from to force caravans to enter the map where you choose.

First, build your trade depot, above or below ground but preferably near a map edge.  Usually it won't matter which edge, but sometimes you will have an embark location where caravans will only enter from one side of the map.  Then dig or clear a 3 tile wide corridor to the map edge.  Either dig it underground and ramp it up to the surface near the edge, or clear out trees and boulders and build side walls to protect a 3 wide path along the surface.  Near the edge of the map things get more difficult because you can't build walls within 5 spaces of the edge of the map.  You can however build drawbridges, and raise them to form walls.

The finished safe entrance will look like this:

Code: [Select]

                        WWWWWWWWW
                        W       W
BBBBBWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW DDDDD W
+++++++++++++++++++++++++ DDDDD W
+++++++++++++++++++++++++ DDDDD W
+++++++++++++++++++++++++ DDDDD W
BBBBBWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW DDDDD W
                        W       W
                        WWWWWWWWW
where the left edge is the edge of the map, B is a raised drawbridge, + is a smooth ground, floor, road, or other surface wagons can travel over, W is wall, and D is your trade depot.  Make sure there are no other 3 tile wide paths from the map edge to your depot, and trade caravans will always spawn at the safe walled-off spot on the map edge.

Also, hammerdwarves are useless in 31.0x.  Make axedwarves instead.

[dakenho]

yes 5 axe dwarfs (two of which with any axe dwarf skill and only one with who is particular good at) can defeat an ocean titan with out injury (must of been the master work steel axes and armor)

[timmeh]

I do use axe-dwarves, but the caravan brought one elite hammer-dwarf and one elite wrestler, both of whom are useless

Unfortunately, the wall thing really isn't an option at the moment, since this is a succession fort, and I don't have the time... of well, thanks for you help guys!

[Quietust]

Instead of a wall, you could just build a statue every 3 tiles to specifically block off the wagon paths - this would have the advantage of allowing free passage for your military and the caravan guards (but also any invaders).

[timmeh]

It's not just the wagons.  I ended up using the wall thing and a less than idea position for a new depot.  Still, it should work, so long as the guards and pack animals don't path through locked doors.

[deoxy]

if you can find a small raised section of land touching the edge, you can make a great everything-proof entrance:

1) ramp/channel away the ground until all that's left is one 5x5 section one level above the surrounding ground, plus whetever else is touching the edge (and can't be channeled).

2) build a sky-bridge or underground tunnel to that chunk of land.

3) build walls/raised bridges to protect anyone coming in that way.  Also, build raised bridges on ALL tiles touching the edge except the 3 left for wagons

4) build floors over it.

Tada.  The only way for enemies to get to it is to spawn in those 3 spaces (or be FLYING building destroyers - you didn't mod in any of THOSE did you?!?  If so, see ** below) - chain some animals up right there to watch for that, and have a few defenses, just in case.

** for extra credit, don't use raised bridges... cast obsidian, instead.  Walls and floors, it can indeed be done.  Then, the ONLY way in is spawning on the 3 spaces.  Unfortunately, cast-obsidian map-edges don't spawn, but they can be used for exiting (any flooring can), so it's also a good idea to have an emergency exit in case soemthing DOES spawn in your caravan entrance.

[Hyndis]

if you can find a small raised section of land touching the edge, you can make a great everything-proof entrance:

1) ramp/channel away the ground until all that's left is one 5x5 section one level above the surrounding ground, plus whetever else is touching the edge (and can't be channeled).

2) build a sky-bridge or underground tunnel to that chunk of land.

3) build walls/raised bridges to protect anyone coming in that way.  Also, build raised bridges on ALL tiles touching the edge except the 3 left for wagons

4) build floors over it.

Tada.  The only way for enemies to get to it is to spawn in those 3 spaces (or be FLYING building destroyers - you didn't mod in any of THOSE did you?!?  If so, see ** below) - chain some animals up right there to watch for that, and have a few defenses, just in case.

** for extra credit, don't use raised bridges... cast obsidian, instead.  Walls and floors, it can indeed be done.  Then, the ONLY way in is spawning on the 3 spaces.  Unfortunately, cast-obsidian map-edges don't spawn, but they can be used for exiting (any flooring can), so it's also a good idea to have an emergency exit in case soemthing DOES spawn in your caravan entrance.

If there is only one tiny way onto the map all invaders will spawn there.

Want proof? http://mkv25.net/dfma/map-6594-snaketributes

I of course exploited this by parking my military at the only entrance to the map. No traps. Just pure dwarf power. Its all done with axes, swords, and hammers.

[timmeh]

Yes, but if there's one way into the fortress, and a separate one to the Trade Depot, the security is a non issue, so long as you can keep a raised bridge or something between the depot and the rest of the fortress.

Code: [Select]

      |^^|
      |  |
      |  |
     ++  ++
     |Trd |
     |Dpt |
     |    |
+----+bbbb+----+
|   Fortress   |
|              |
+-----^^^^-----+

b = Raised bridge tile

Obviously wrong proportions, but you get the point.