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[Tally]

blindness tends to prevent dwarfs from getting afraid, because they can't see the thing that would make them afraid. that's why it's particularly useful for siege engineers... they get afraid when they see enemies, because siege engineers are civilians, but their job essentially requires that they be in a place where sight lines to enemies are present...

so go figure. best person to line up a shot on that pesky titan or forgotten beast? (also for lining up shots against the deadly and terrifying kea). blind people.

So are there reliable ways of blinding dwarves, then? If you could blind siege operators on demand, then they could become a reliable method of defense, especially if you disconnect the enemy's pathway from the siege operator by fortifications, drawbridges, and/or pits.

[Di]

If you use blind siege operators you'll get even worse accuracy than usually.
There was some token for range of sigh though, iirc.

[MrWillsauce]

If you use blind siege operators you'll get even worse accuracy than usually.
There was some token for range of sigh though, iirc.

But siege operators with sight get scared and run away as soon as an enemy comes within range of seeing them. Blind operators don't see the beasts, so they will fire continuously without fear.

[Loud Whispers]

Blind legendary siege operators hiding behind 20 layers of fortifications sitting on a quantum stockpile of ammunition. How would one go about that?

[MrWillsauce]

Blind legendary siege operators hiding behind 20 layers of fortifications sitting on a quantum stockpile of ammunition. How would one go about that?

I don't see why you'd need twenty layers, but I could definitely make this if I wanted to.

[Loud Whispers]

Blind legendary siege operators hiding behind 20 layers of fortifications sitting on a quantum stockpile of ammunition. How would one go about that?

I don't see why you'd need twenty layers, but I could definitely make this if I wanted to.

20 layers to keep firethrowers and deadly vomiters away, 20 layers to make bolts all kill themselves in fear.

[MrWillsauce]

I see. I will definitely try this when I get back into DF again (probably when the next release drops). All one'd have to do is set up some beast traps using drawbridges, then test the beasts' syndromes until you scored a blindness inducer. After that, it's just a matter of figuring out how to afflict siegedwarves without killing them. The downside is, it relies a lot on luck. I suppose you could speed up the process by being in an evil biome and hoping for blinding blood. As for the infinite ammunition, just dig out huge dirt rooms (or flood huge stone ones) and establish tree farms with which to make ballista ammo, then dump/cart to the ballista itself for the blind bro to use. You could also infect the siegedwarves with vampirism and seal them away in pillboxes with only their ballistae, expensive statues, and ammo pile, with carts bringing more ammo (and fresh clothes, occasionally). Place these vampirism-powered perpetual turrets where you see fit. Vampire woodcutters and siege operators trapped in their respective workplaces would also aid in making the process more efficient, since the dwarves wouldn't have to leave.

[ArmokGoB]

Blind legendary siege operators hiding behind 20 layers of fortifications sitting on a quantum stockpile of ammunition. How would one go about that?

I don't see why you'd need twenty layers, but I could definitely make this if I wanted to.

20 layers to keep firethrowers and deadly vomiters away, 20 layers to make bolts all kill themselves in fear.

It's like a giant Dwarven muffler.

[WealthyRadish]

A more effective dwarven muffler could use pockets of breeding animals embedded in the fortifications, so that they can soak up arrows while reducing the necessary thickness, freeing up space for other lovely obstacles.

[Loud Whispers]

A more effective dwarven muffler could use pockets of breeding animals embedded in the fortifications, so that they can soak up arrows while reducing the necessary thickness, freeing up space for other lovely obstacles.

Needs cleaning and maintenance. Fortifications not so, or at worst, a simple run through of water to clear out syndromes (not that any Dorf would even be able to get close enough to catch them).

[WealthyRadish]

'cleaning'? 0.o

[MrWillsauce]

Also the ballista arrows would rip apart the animals. It'd be a tremendous waste of effort and resources, but don't let that discourage you. Maybe if you put some undead giant sponges in the middle...

[Loud Whispers]

'cleaning'? 0.o

You flood the grounds and all the dirt gets stuck in the walls where it's no threat to your Dwarves. It's highly sophisticated.

[Di]

If you want to fire balista at point blank set up a magma forcefield. The setup still will take up 5 or 6 tiles of space but that's shortest range you can get without blindness.
p.s. No ballista arrows won't go aflame after flying through magma.

[Raphite1]

Fortress blog is finally updated, amazingly Blind Lady Justice survived everything.

Hopefully this year I can test her a bit.