So I just chose a pretty bad place to build a fortress. I haven't even been able to dig more than two levels underground because there's just too many aquifers to deal with, and I haven't been able to pinpoint a place where there isn't one. In addition, the only stone I've struck so far- rocksalt- is ALL. TILES. AQUIFER.
Anybody can give me tips on how to dig out the stones and/or dig past the aquifers?
About digging past:
- I've already seen the double-slit method on the wiki, but haven't really understood the full extent of it. Managed to dig 2 floors, but the neverending spawning water prevents me from constructing the pump in the lower level
- I've been digging more or less all over the map, even in the mountain on the other side of my fortress (good news, the way I've dug it makes for a somewhat nifty maze. Bad news, it's still an useless floor)
- the lowest staircase I've dug is a rock (Kaolinite), so I've been thinking if I could smooth it to stop that level of the aquifer, but don't have a good idea of how to
About digging rocksalt:
- I have already smoothed off the walls in an early attempt to stop them from being aquifers. Obviously served nothing (thank you, save-scumming)
- I'm thinking of engraving the walls too, before digging them out. Would this affect the chance of getting workable stones?
- First year has been slow, and I spent most of the resources I had for trading for a female alpaca and other small useful stuff (threads, cloths, splints and crutches for the hospital, some low-grade weapons and a spare pick).
[li]Now waiting for the human caravan after raiding the elven one (hey, free wood/female giant wren/female giant thrips among other things.) Thinking of making it up next year, but would it be wasted effort?
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Other than that, I guess I should be investing in better defenses (to start with, walling off the fortress and perhaps trying some traps, although I have no ideas. Would pits covered by hatches be a good start?)