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[guitarxe]

So I know that siege operators, being civilian, turn and run when they see enemies. So I was thinking what about placing Ballistas on a tower a few z-levels high? Can they aim at enemies from a few z-levels high like crossbows? And will they still run away when enemies get near?

[SpiralDimentia]

They do drop, but once they drop below the level they were fired from, they lose all lethality. i.e.; yes they drop, but they'll no longer kill.

[MonkeyHead]

They travel along 1-z level only once fired, unless the recent minecart parabolic physics has made any changes. If they hit a wall (or map edge) or somesuch along a trench, they will drop into the hole and be recoverable instead of becoming the usual broken bolt symbol. Dropping them onto things might hurt. Lpts of them in a hurled minecart has been hown to be both highly effective and hilarious.

[guitarxe]

Oh I see, that's too bad..

Are there any other ways to prevent or at least increase the time the siege operator will actually operate before carping their pants and running?

[ZeroSumHappiness]

Get them a healthcare plan that covers vision.

[MonkeyHead]

Wide trenches to keep enemies back from the ballistae bunker works well. Ballistae bolts, like arrows and crossbow bolts, will pass through vertical bars, so consider using them to create a winding path for enemies to follow in the kill zone of your ballistae. Building destroyers will smash these bars up though...

Or as suggested, blind them using a suitable syndrome, if one can be obtained from a trapped beast. Soldiers invalided out of service with blinding eye wounds on top of other spinal/nerve/limb issues are also useful

[Urist McDwarfFortress]

Only in DF is purposefully blinding the guys who are going to be firing your ballistas considered a good idea.

[iofhua]

How would you fill the minecart with magma? I don't think dwarves can scoop up magma with buckets, can they?

[King Mir]

You have to drive the minecart through magma. A pool or magma fall should both work.

[Abysium]

Im not too sure about the magmafall, i know that a waterfall does not work, and loading water is only posible by submerging the cart and having rollers below set to pull the cart out.
I assume magma is the same, just with magmasafe stuff

[Garath]

balista an catapult ammo passes throug fortifications, much safer than grates or bars.

And yes, you can create a rain of damaging stones or balista bolts. They just won't do much more than bruise and ocasionally break something, just like regular falling items. Just make sure the machines are somewhere without LOS by the time the enemy gets in range, which is easy by putting it 10 tiles back or so and 3 up. Just try not to destroy any ammo, boulders are a lot rarer now. Your siege engines will simply fire straight ahead, the ammo will hit a wall at the far end, drop through the hole you left there and land a few levels below. Make sure the hole(s) can be blocked in case of fliers

btw, is loud whispers on vacation? he's usually the first to suggest removal of the eyeballs for non-essential (non military) personnel

[MonkeyHead]

balista an catapult ammo passes throug fortifications, much safer than grates or bars.

Only if fired from right next to them. Building a maze out of fortifications would be silly if you expected the bolts to pass through 5 or 6 of them to reach thier target. Yes, protect the ballista with them, but build the winding path from bars which do not afect the projectiles motion.

[Sabreur]

balista an catapult ammo passes throug fortifications, much safer than grates or bars.

Only if fired from right next to them. Building a maze out of fortifications would be silly if you expected the bolts to pass through 5 or 6 of them to reach thier target. Yes, protect the ballista with them, but build the winding path from bars which do not afect the projectiles motion.

Incorrect. Ballista bolts can pass through fortifications at any range without trouble, unlike crossbow bolts which get blocked unless fired from directly adjacent.

[MonkeyHead]

Really? Welcome news to me.