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[Garath]

By the way, traps DON'T block wagons! Trees, doors and such do. I personally prefer to make a paved road to the edge of the map, unless there isn't much trees around.

in the newest version, traps do block wagon access last I heard. There are dozens of threads asking "do traps block wagon access now?"

[Noobazzah]

Ah okay, I guess this just doesn't include forts created before the update. Damn, my next forts will be quite different then.

[Garath]

Ah okay, I guess this just doesn't include forts created before the update. Damn, my next forts will be quite different then.

yeah. If you build new traps, they should block, or deconstruct and reconstruct traps. It doesn't take effect immediately, only for newly created traps

[Noobazzah]

This forces me to make 2 separate roads into my fort. Marksdwarves won't stop an 80-gobbo siege from advancing and destroying my main gates. Or perhaps I'll just use more complex traps, cave-ins seem to be killers. I suppose this balances the traps a bit.

[Garath]

yep. In fact, for a siege it doesn't matter, since there won't be caravans during a siege so you can simply close that road. As you said, you simply need 2 ways into a fort, and try to get one that is prefered by ambushes too

[Berlioz]

If the original poster's farms aren't being planted, then the most likely culprit is that he cooked all the plants instead of brewing them, and doesn't have any more seeds.  Cooking plants should be disabled in the z -> kitchen menu, unless you have a specific reason to allow them.  Likewise, you should consider disallowing cooking your booze (same menu).

Cooking with booze is very effective, but since drinks are more important than lavish meals you shouldn't start cooking at all until you have secured your booze stocks.
In fact cooking with booze was too effective, Toady changed it, so you cannot cook with booze alone.

[Sutremaine]

You could use the wagon-blocking behaviour to your advantage. Take a large open space and use traps to force the wagons to take a winding route through it. The goblins will take the direct route from one end to the other, running over the traps you're using to direct the caravans.

It'll take a lot more mechanisms, though not necessarily more weapons if you only arm the ^s you expect the enemies to be running over.

[Berlioz]

You could use the wagon-blocking behaviour to your advantage. Take a large open space and use traps to force the wagons to take a winding route through it. The goblins will take the direct route from one end to the other, running over the traps you're using to direct the caravans.

It'll take a lot more mechanisms, though not necessarily more weapons if you only arm the ^s you expect the enemies to be running over.

This is one of the three common ways, the other two are having a separate entrance only for caravans or combine it into one entrance with a straight path for the caravans and your dwarves while you use a drawbridge to redirect attackers into your minefield. I like the hybrid best, because it allows for short ways for caravans and dwarves while you still have to defend only one entrance.
But there are several "defense" threads already and you will find your own way.

[greycat]

yep. In fact, for a siege it doesn't matter, since there won't be caravans during a siege so you can simply close that road.

You must be luckier than I am, because while it's true that you can't get caravans during a siege, you can definitely get sieges during a caravan.  That is, the caravan shows up, and the wagons start moving toward you, and then the siege shows up moments later.

[Berlioz]

yep. In fact, for a siege it doesn't matter, since there won't be caravans during a siege so you can simply close that road.

You must be luckier than I am, because while it's true that you can't get caravans during a siege, you can definitely get sieges during a caravan.  That is, the caravan shows up, and the wagons start moving toward you, and then the siege shows up moments later.

True. Got an elven caravan torn to piece instantly when a siege spawned right beside it, nothing I could do.
Oh well, was only the stupid hippies.

Edit: Imho there should be a safety margin in spawning, seems strange that the elves don't "see" the goblins until they're right on top of them.

[greycat]

Edit: Imho there should be a safety margin in spawning, seems strange that the elves don't "see" the goblins until they're right on top of them.

I don't find that the least bit strange.

[wuphonsreach]

You could trade more bars, but you have to take some material with equal weight from the caravan.

This is a lot easier in newer versions now that traders actually bring wagons instead of only pack mules.  They now have some excess carrying capacity by default and can bring a *lot* more stuff now.  Under the old system, you'd indeed have to buy cheap-but-heavy items in order for the traders to be able to carry away your waste, er, lovely pre-worn socks.

[Garath]

yep. In fact, for a siege it doesn't matter, since there won't be caravans during a siege so you can simply close that road.

You must be luckier than I am, because while it's true that you can't get caravans during a siege, you can definitely get sieges during a caravan.  That is, the caravan shows up, and the wagons start moving toward you, and then the siege shows up moments later.

completely true, but then the question remains; So?

it usually means the caravan is lost and you can close the caravan entrance, redirecting the siege to deathtrap entrance. If the caravan is fast enough (unlikely if wagons are included), you can close it behind them and redirect the siege. I fail to see the problem.

[Noobazzah]

I started using just one entrance, that splits into two. The start of the entrance is made of retractable bridges, which doesn't preven wagons from passing. Underneath is a long fall to a pit filled with upright spears. The caravan road is blockable via a drawbridge. Later I'll make a trap-lined road to my entrance, which is also guarded by archer towers and siege engines. After that I'll add cave-in traps and such at will. I think this makes me pretty much immune to above-ground attacks (unless they're trap-avoid). Then I'll be able to focus on my main challenge, which lies deep beneath the ground.

[Mohawk_Bravo]

Well, it seems the Brewing tip fixed my farm problem. The problem now is that my consumables stock has dropped to 50 or so, and my population has risen to about that. I'm thinking it should balance out, as all farms are running and near max effeciency and I've got a few dwarves employed full time to Brew/Farm.

Quick few more technical questions though.

First, I keep hearing about a drawbridge. How exactly do I go about building one? If I place bridge pieces from the B menu, do I have to link each one to the switch or only one? How big do you guys normally do a draw bridge?

With my previously stated farm specs (8 3x3 plots), what is a suitable number of dwarves to plant and farm? I have several right now, but I feel they are trading off work a lot right now and most end up sitting around and drinking more often than farming. Could that mean they don't have enough to do? Should I expand my farms for future immigration/supplies?

I have a caged prisoner. What should I be doing with him? I'd rather get rid of him but I've used up most of my copper making weapons and trade goods, and the copper cage he is in could be rather useful for resetting my trap.

I now have a miltia with ten members, and they are all equipped with leather armor, leather helms, copper axes, and wooden shields. I should be upgrading them to iron/steel armor? I have them as a dedicated milita and they are constantly training right now, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to get them gut any thief brave enough to enter. Is there a patrol order or something so I can get rid of pesky thieves?

Lastly, with rising immigration and suitable lodgings, I'm finding a lot of unemployed dwarves with skils useless to me right now (animal dissecting, fish cleaner, glass maker). I've mostly been employing them to smooth the stone in the living section, but I still find some who are unemployed. What is a good use of immigrated and unemployed dwarves?

As always, thanks guys, you've all be extremely helpful.