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[Trif]

I had the same problem, and I don't really know how to resolve it, but they started training when I set them to inactive. It's pretty strange.

[Berossus]

What happened to me was, i didnt assign the archery targets to the squad.
I set my marksdwarves to train, but they trained at the barrack, which means they leveled melee.
Once i set the "T" at the archery range, they started shooting things.

[wuphonsreach]

Currently, archery ranges won't work if the squad is set to active training.  (It's a bug.)  Your marksdwarves squads should be set to "no orders" all year-round if you want them to use the archery targets.

You can also setup a barracks for them, but they'll only do individual combat drills.

[Quietust]

Currently, archery ranges won't work if the squad is set to active training.  (It's a bug.)

Since when? It worked fine in version 0.31.25...

[doublestrafe]

I've never gotten marksdwarves to train successfully. I've completely given up on it. Instead, I have marksdwarves spend months defending burrows that contain some of the following:

• Pits full of reanimating zombies.
• Pits with bronze colossi.
• Fortifications overlooking cavern lakes full of aimlessly wandering forgotten beasts. (When they're in water, they won't path to your dwarves and flame/dust/whatever them.)

The way I figure it, targets are probably great for training dwarves to shoot things that keep completely still. Give them something real to shoot at.

[Fredd]

Try assigning them also a training barracks, same type as melee soldiers use. If I remember correctly, if they have no bolts, will go give demonstrations, if they have bolts will target practice. Lessons given by a legendary hammerer help loads in demos

[wuphonsreach]

Currently, archery ranges won't work if the squad is set to active training.  (It's a bug.)

Since when? It worked fine in version 0.31.25...

http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=6070

I've also seen reports around the forums in the past 2 months where marksdwarves in active squads will just stand around saying "going to archery practice", but never actually go and shoot.

Inactive squad's members will go shoot at the range just fine.

[Fnear]

Currently, archery ranges won't work if the squad is set to active training.  (It's a bug.)

Since when? It worked fine in version 0.31.25...

http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=6070

I've also seen reports around the forums in the past 2 months where marksdwarves in active squads will just stand around saying "going to archery practice", but never actually go and shoot.

Inactive squad's members will go shoot at the range just fine.

That has been my experience too.  Disable all other labors, put them in a squad, leave the squad inactive.  (and make sure they have crossbows, quivers, plenty of ammo, ammo assigned to the squad, targets designated for training for the squad, and range configured for firing in the correct direction).

[EvilBob22]

Ahh, that explains what I saw.  I have a melee squad set to train every other month, and the archers training on opposite months.  They would only fire at the targets while the melee squad was training.

[chris_strain]

I've only managed to get my archers to train during inactive months as well. On an upside, they train more often that way than my melee squads do when on their active training schedule.

[Cozmopolit]

I can confirm that marksdwarfs shoot at archery ranges in inactive squads (my masons, farmers, haulers) when they're bored and in the active marksdwarf squad. Sadly, it takes a couple of months (? sorry, no exact science) for new recruits to do so.

My theory was that somebody has to teach them the basics first, if they dont have any skillpoints in archery they won't use the archery range. Alas, that doesnt explain how my first marksdwarf/mason ever got his first skillpoints.

The squad seems to need barracks set for those marksdwarfs to train, and they will waste a lot of time there learning every useless fighting skill from others instead of shooting at the archery targets. So what I did was to take one legendary axedwarf off my 3-dwarf-sparring squads who is also a proficient teacher and ka-ching, he's teaching them useful stuff like dodging. I'm considering to train up marksdwarfs as hammerdwarfs first to spar-train them armor use/dodge/fighter/shield use (and make them useful when the hit somebody close with the crossbow) before changing their weapon to crossbow because archery targets train archery skills FAST if you got mountains of bolts (roughly 1-3 years from zero to legendary, again, sorry, missing exact science).

This is 34.10 on Linux btw.

[Damiac]

Do crossbows ever do any damage when they smack enemies with them?

And it it necessary to assign the marksdwarves to a barracks which contains the archery range?
I figured since the range allows assignments, I could simply assign that squad to train there, and leave it at that.  I do know you have to assign each and every target as a range, it doesn't encompass all archery targets in the room, like most rooms do.

I can also verify with an assignment of 10 minimum, my 4 troop axeman squad certainly does train, so I see no reason to put it below 10, unless I actually want some of them not to be training (Why would I do that? Have half patrol, half train?)

Also, is there any reason to set a squad to inactive, aside from the obvious reason of performing other labors? I originally thought I was getting long patrol complaints was due to a 12 month schedule, but now I see that's actually a bug, and inactivity doesn't fix it anyway.

Can anyone verify that they've successfully had marksdwarves train at the range when on a training schedule? Or does it only happen when inactive?

[misko27]

Do crossbows ever do any damage when they smack enemies with them?

And it it necessary to assign the marksdwarves to a barracks which contains the archery range?
I figured since the range allows assignments, I could simply assign that squad to train there, and leave it at that.  I do know you have to assign each and every target as a range, it doesn't encompass all archery targets in the room, like most rooms do.

I can also verify with an assignment of 10 minimum, my 4 troop axeman squad certainly does train, so I see no reason to put it below 10, unless I actually want some of them not to be training (Why would I do that? Have half patrol, half train?)

Also, is there any reason to set a squad to inactive, aside from the obvious reason of performing other labors? I originally thought I was getting long patrol complaints was due to a 12 month schedule, but now I see that's actually a bug, and inactivity doesn't fix it anyway.

Can anyone verify that they've successfully had marksdwarves train at the range when on a training schedule? Or does it only happen when inactive?

Crossbows are damaging, its just that most marksdwarves have litttle hammer experiance, and crossbows tend to be made of inferior materials,instaed of metal.

The minimium below 10 thing is required if you want them to spar. Sparring is a lot better then regular combat drills.

Quietust recently told me that you need a archery target for every dwarf you want training at one time. I Don't know this for a fact, but I've never seen 2 training on a single target before, and its Quietust, so I'd take it as true.

This is asimple bug fix that someone made that fixes the long patrol thoughts. If you get that it would help them alot.

[Cozmopolit]

And it it necessary to assign the marksdwarves to a barracks which contains the archery range?
I figured since the range allows assignments, I could simply assign that squad to train there, and leave it at that.  I do know you have to assign each and every target as a range, it doesn't encompass all archery targets in the room, like most rooms do.

In my experience, it is necessary to assign marksdwarf squads to barracks. Those can be anywhere. I let mine idle/"Individual combat drill" together with the axedwarfes around the entrance, behind the trap field. Archery range is one level up, so technically "anywhere else in the fortress".

I can also verify with an assignment of 10 minimum, my 4 troop axeman squad certainly does train, so I see no reason to put it below 10, unless I actually want some of them not to be training (Why would I do that? Have half patrol, half train?)

for example: hauler squad of 10, all hauling labors enabled, marksdwarves, leather armor. I use 3 alert leves/schedules for them:
- inactive squad is everybody go haul stuff now.
- usually I want 3 of them to train while the other 7 haul stuff. changing ratio is switching a single number depending on how many haulers I need now.
- defend burrows for wherever I need marksdwarves now.

Can anyone verify that they've successfully had marksdwarves train at the range when on a training schedule? Or does it only happen when inactive?

Let me see ... hauler/farmer/marksdwarf squad is inactive currently. Some of them are not busy so a farmer is doing archery practice on one of the 4 archery targets. Another farmer and a mason are doing "individual combat drill" at the barracks. The squad is assigned 100 bone bolts for training (about 150 on stock, only 22 of those claimed by the squad at the moment), and 150 metal bolts for combat.

22nd Galena, switching squad to training, 10 minimum. They first assemble at the barracks for some demonstrations, some gather supplies/fill waterskin...

28th Galena first active marksdwarf at the range.

4th Limestone (1 week later, 2 weeks after the switch) archery ranges are heavily used, the rest of the squad does combat demonstrations (wrestling, dodging, archery demonstration) at the barracks.

TL/DR: confirmed, it just takes a while (give it a month) of training until they really heavily use the ranges.

[stuntaneous]

I'm still confused. My marks barely touch the ranges. They're all piss poor in skills.

How exactly does the x-minimum per task work? I tend to leave it low, e.g. in a squad of five I'd leave it at maybe a minimum of two training, assuming I'll always at least have two ready to go.

To make any military guys train, I need to put them on inactive? Is that what I'm hearing? So, 'train' does nothing really?

Assigning ammo, is that figure for the squad or per individual? I have it around 250 but still get marks / hunters going for ammo frequently.

How much ammo can a quiver hold?

Did I get, marksdwarves use the hammer skill for their melee?

How do I avoid a marksdwarf preferring to melee enemies? I had one guy just belt undead with a steel crossbow instead of going back for ammo. He was great at it, sometimes one hit KO-ing, haha, but that isn't what he was supposed to be doing ಠ_ಠ

Bonus off-topic questions.. I can't seem to link stockpiles when they're on different z-levels. Is this normal? Also, any tips on taking on undead? Sometimes I get a musk ox or similar and they absolutely destroy me. Sort of on topic.. how do I get military to retreat or move when enemies are nearby? It's as if once there's an engagement, it's a fight 'till the death.