No to make this a debate, but come on, if they run past your gate (When they can reach it without fear of injury) it at least seems like they're trying to help by drawing off attackers. That's just how I like to look at it in some cases (Not all. Some cases it is legitamate AI fail right there.)
Besides, given that it seems like dwarves have some concept of tactical thinking at times; I have in fact seen dwarves circle around to cut off a target's retreat thier own. Rare, but it happens, and Caravans have guards, so they're probably trying to put the guards in between them and the enemy. Or at least I think that's what is intended for it to look like. And I know it's not really implemented, but at least it's better than them just being stupid.
I mean which is better to look at it as:
Urist: Oh shit! Goblins! Oh crap, they're coming right for me... COG! CALL THE MILITIA! I'LL TRY TO DISTRACT THEM! - runs from the fort, hoping to give the milita time to arm and position themselves - If he dies, oh well. At leat the enemy is further away, thus taking longer to reach the fort and thus one moment of genius/idocy might save the rest of the miserable dump. Unless a kitten or something garnered the invaders' attention.
Or:
Urist: DERPDERPDERPDERPDERP -runs from safty accidently like a moron- < granted that one makes me laugh/ is waaaaaaaay funnier to picture, but still.
And for the record, you came off as a little hostile. And I probably sound like a know-it-all bitch.
Another irksome thing: Anything that flies more than 1 z-level. Ravens, thrips people, crowmen anything with wings basically.... They murder my FPS cause of thier fucktarded pathing. I've been annoyed by it enough that if they happen to be particularly.... endemic I guess is the word, I removed the flier tag and let them kerplode on the ground.
God I wish thier pathing wasn't so intensive...