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[Mohawk_Bravo]

So I'm mid siege in my latest fortress. This time I built the trade depot on the surface next to a river with walls all around, a draw bridge, and fortifications flanking either side of the bridge. I've trained a squad of crossbow wielding, leather clad dwarves from the third or forth immigration wave. I've also trained a reserve of axe dwarves to defend against anything that might breach my defenses or anyone going beserk.

So a horde of goblins attacks. I place both squadrons on the surface, one on the fortifications, and one besides the entranceway to the fort. I don't see much action, so I head down a few levels to carve out my new grand dining hall (the 5x5 dining hall was getting a little crowded with 120 or so dwarves). I come back to the surface a minute later and notice blood is all over the place. Here, one or two of my marksdwarves had begun dismembering a few of the goblins that happened by, as I could make out about four piles of goblin body parts, and one dwarves toe (not sure how that happened).

Then suddenly I get a message about a minotaur attack. Thinking I'm doomed, I ready the troops and wait at the gates. Fortunately, the goblins butchered the minotaur as he was trying to find a way around the river. My men were tired and hungry by this point, so I releaved them of duty and left the bridge up to protect my fort. I know it wasn't anything spectacular, but I'm so damn proud of my little fort lasting more than ten seconds during this siege. Only problem is I still don't understand why the dwarves won't practice at the archery ranges I built, or why the goblins are just sitting on the other side of the map waiting. Is there a reason for that?

[Corai]

If the goblins have a human in charge, they will use human tactics. Meaning they camp and wait for you.


If not, you got lucky.

[DavionFuxa]

Only problem is I still don't understand why the dwarves won't practice at the archery ranges I built...

Make sure you designate EACH Archery Target as an Archery Range, and set it so that your Dwarves have to fire from where they are standing toward the target.

[ledgekindred]

Congrats on surviving!  It's always a good feeling, especially that first one.

You don't really have to build archery targets.  Marksdwarves will train in a barracks and still learn marksdwarf skills.  I also like to assign them to be hunters for a while, they will level up their archery and ambushing skills pretty quickly.  Then recruit them.

If a goblin siege doesn't have a path into your fortress, they will just sort of hang out where they came onto your map.  If you are walled off, this could be why.  The only way to make them move is to open the gates and invite them in.  If you have a drawbridge, and can time it correctly, let a few in at a time so you don't get overrun.  Make sure to set up burrows to make sure your citizens don't go wandering around topside while you are inviting your friends in.

Good luck!

[GreatWyrmGold]

They also need to see a target. Specifically, one they can path to.

[Scott Cee]

See if you can raise the bridge when goblins are actually on it, too.
That's always fun to watch.

[Mohawk_Bravo]

I had built ten seperate hallways with targets at the end and made each one a seperate target at the end with directions to fire from the opening to towards the target.

Either way, it looks like I spoke to soon. I made a burrow encompassing my fort minus the entrance level and asigned all non-combatants to it. I then set up my squads to move to the gate area. Then I opened the gate and waited. Well apparently, my militia thought the best way to fight them was to send out one guy at a time and another one when they died (completely disregarding my orders). On top of it, when they actually organized a fight, about three or four dwarves were killed by one Goblin Lasher and the last two from the squad were knocked unconsicous. A handful of civilians decided my burrow order was just a suggestion and started wandering into the wilderness and getting picked off by goblins.

I have two marksdwarves left (not even my commander survived), and absolutely no way to mount a defense now. I feel like my military is completely useless and I'm not even sure what I was doing wrong. This is greatly discouraging, to be quite honest. The fortress will probably survive thanks to a hallway of traps and a 120 population, but I have to admit this is greatly discouraging. Thanks anyway guys .

[Splint]

Unless you have very very well trained marksdwarvesm, you need numbers to capitalize on the effectivness of the bolt. From accounts by other players who more or less don't ever train melee dwarves save as reserve troops (Real dwarves gut thier enemies up close damnit!) a horde of marksdwarves in a strategic position can destroy sieges simply by causing bleedouts from the dozens of wounds.

Alternativly use three dorf squads to train up good soldiers and then break it up to continue the process until you have x full squads of dorfs trained. Be sure to make them all use the same weapon.

As far as the ranges, they'll practice if they feel like it and they have bolts. You can go into the military screen to assign bolts to hunters and soldiers, as well as materials and what soldiers can and can't use for training and battle. If hunters are allowed to use metal bolts, you need to over produce because all bolts will be earmarked for the hunters to use otherwise. I personally assighn wood bolts to both hunters and soldiers for training. But overall it seems target practice is pretty low on the priority list.

Sorry for the longwindedness and all. Been a long day and my brain is working overtime.

[Loud Whispers]

How many soldiers did you train?

Just sounds like a case of superior goblin numbers and weaponry giving them the victory. Lashers are great humanoid incapacitators. It helps to have so many Dwarves attacking them that they don't have the chance to even make one strike.

[Mohawk_Bravo]

I have 2 squads equipped. One squad (10 Dwarves) are equipped with leather armor and crossbows. The other squad (10 Dwarves) is equipped with leather armor and axes. I've got some advice in another topic about producing more ammunition, disabling hunters and meanial tasks, and making sure they have more free time to train archery. As well someone suggested disabling their barracks so they stop training in dodging/armor/shield use and instead hit the ranges. It seemed better when I started using the "u" menu to target specific goblins and hunt them down one at a time. Of course, a tantrum spiral combined with a sudden (okay, maybe I was a little distracted) booze shortage added to the casualties. About 30 were killed during the siege before I could finish off the goblins, and then about another 30 (most experienced dwarves, of course) decided it was a good idea to go beserk. I, already tiring of stupid goblins, put in a 'kill anyone who is beserk' policy and had them execute anyone who went beserk before they could crush a baby or something.

Oh, I do have a question though, is there any way I can get my dwarves to not wander of when I give them a command to station themselves somewhere? They tend to run off as soon as they get excited and see something shiny.

[Splint]

Not a whole lot you can do. Once stationed they'll attack anything within weapon reach, though they'll return to thier position after a little chasing.

[Mohawk_Bravo]

I figured. Population is down to 43. Most dwarves are now refusing to work. Several of my important shops (craftdwarves, mason, etc) have been smashed in trantrums. Several dwarves have lost their children. There is miasma everywher. I have no way to make more coffins, so the place is haunted by tons of angry ghosts. I can't produce booze quick enough and people are slowly dying of dehydration. Finally, for some reason, everyone refuses to rebuild the bridge that was destroyed in a tantrum, leaving several dwarves outside without food or booze, slowly causing them all to go mad and trying fight ghosts until they are killed by something. Things are not going well.

[Mohawk_Bravo]

Upon writing this, I have been attacked by crocodile riding goblins. I do not expect my fort to fair well.

[Splint]

You'll laugh at this, but I actually think that's better than the attrition war against kobolds I'll be fighting soon.

Damn Corai and his mod....

[Mohawk_Bravo]

Trolls joined the attack. I have three dwarves left and a few of the babies survived (though not very many of how many there was). One is a one handed engraver. The other is a one armed brewer. Shockingly, the mayor is fine and she seems to not be that upset over the whole 'everyone outside dying and everyone inside going beserk and killing everything in site' event. I plan to continue, hopefully till someone can build a bridge or the crocodile riding goblins realize they can swim over the moat.