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[dwarfhoplite]

i build an armour stand where ever i want them to guard. then they train there year round.

[jasonwill2]

station dwarves... i only ever use that to gather them in one place before a fight, i have four squads topside and two downside

[Azure]

Get the best armor you can. 1 Helm, 2 Caps, 1 Breastplate, 3 Mail shirts, 1 Gauntlet, 1 Greave, 1 High Boot, 1 shield [Hood/Cloak/ other pieces optional.]
Make sure they have at least 1 rank in a civilian skill or they'll get a bad thought from deactivation. Go pump Op.

For melee dwarves:
 assign to squads in groups of 3.
 2 Active 12 months.
 Have them slap wildlife/prisoners around until ranks 5-7ish+.
 Then let them spar to legendary. Using training weapons is better but higher risk of death by gore,kick, delimbing

For ranged/Hauler reserves:
 Make a metric fuckton of bone bolts and keep em coming. You will NEVER have enough.
 Assign in squads of ~10
 Set 5 minimum
 Run around shooting at wildlife/prisoners to desired skill.
 Shooting at the assigned archery targets will keep rust off and ambushes/sieges will get you to legendary

Go to http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Defense_design#Entrance_designs and read up on the 3-bridge defense its pretty solid. Add an additional L bend on the outermost entrance with another bridge so it locks enemies out as well as making it safe to reload/unstick traps w/o getting shot.

Read up on the other design/security articles to improve your plans. A good source of marksdwarf patrols is drafting haulers, get them some ranks in marksdwarf then have them 1/2 haul 1/2 patrol. You'll chew through ammo so make sure you have a good poultry butchering program/constant cavern patrols.

[jasonwill2]

i only ever give my squads:

iron helm
iron breastplate
iron greaves
iron shield
2 iron high boots
2 iron guantlets

can you really layer 3 mail shirts?!

[hudders]

You should have your dwarves wear cloaks because, iirc, they protect the face and throat.

[jasonwill2]

that's stupid, everyone knows that a copper shield, body, helm and spear is all one needs. Just like the Spartans!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

im joking of course, because obviously the real best thing to do is send all but your favorite two squads out with nothing to get rid of unwanted dwarves =D

[Azure]

You should have your dwarves wear cloaks because, iirc, they protect the face and throat.

Whenever my hobos have cloaks/hoods worn it seems to CAUSE more shots to those areas then before. Anyone have !!Science!! on this?

i only ever give my squads:

iron helm
iron breastplate
iron greaves
iron shield
2 iron high boots
2 iron guantlets

can you really layer 3 mail shirts?!

Yes you can. Read the armor layering and permit section on the armor article. You can also add 2 caps, 6 cloaks and 6 hoods to that list if you want to max out your permit.

[Garath]

that's stupid, everyone knows that a copper shield, body, helm and spear is all one needs. Just like the Spartans!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

im joking of course, because obviously the real best thing to do is send all but your favorite two squads out with nothing to get rid of unwanted dwarves =D

and how many spartans are still alive, as you say indeed :p

for having multiple layer, disable "wear over clothes". they'll drop their normal clothes and can keep much more armor now

try letting them off duty 3 out of 12 months. To give them time off i usually give them leave shortly after an ambush or siege since i know it'll be at least a month before the next emergency. Sometimes i just trust my traps to kill invaders instead of calling on the militairy, or wait out a siege if i dont have too much junk to get rid off

[Mushroo]

Biggest rookie mistake is large squads of unskilled soldiers.

This strategy always works for me:

Embark with 1 skilled soldier/teacher
Make some wooden shields/training weapons
When the first migrant wave arrives, draft the most skilled soldier
The 2-dwarf squad trains full-time
When the next migrant wave arrives, draft the most skilled soldier
Buy some weapons/armor from the fall caravan (unless metal industry is in full swing already)
The 3-dwarf squad trains full-time all winter
When the Year 2 Spring migrants arrive, I split one of the dwarves from Squad A to be the leader of the new Squad B, then recruit enough to create 2 squads of 3.
Repeat as necessary until there are squads of 3 training year-round at all strategic points of the fortress.

Usually Squad A is legendary with 3 or 4 decent backup squads by the time of the first siege. Combined with traps, walls, drawbridges, and other defensive measures, this is plenty.

Optional: Use marksdwarves and/or hunters for crossbow support