Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MadBoat]

It seems like every time a caravan shows up, goblins immediately show up afterwards, and in enough numbers to slaughter the caravan. This is leaving mountains of dead bodies and crap I don't want outside my fortress, and it's really annoying when I'm trying to attract migrants... is there an easy (read: non-military) way of protecting the caravans?

[Drazinononda]

If you can force the caravan to show up in a specific part of the map edge, then defend the path from there to the fort, it makes it much simpler. What I often do is to build a road from my fort entrance to the spot where I want the caravan to enter, then line it with alternating channels and traps. You can vary the number, type and strength of traps to adjust your FUN level, so that you don't get too bored.

[Grey_Wolf]

I saw awhile ago somebody made a Dwarven Deep Roads thing, like a whole fully functional underground trade network.

[acetech09]

Yeah. Underground tunnels work nicely. If you have a road built to the map edge, caravans will spawn there. Most times, I just send out my military to escort the caravan. Gives my soldiers a bit of excitement if gobbos do show up.

[VerdantSF]

I saw awhile ago somebody made a Dwarven Deep Roads thing, like a whole fully functional underground trade network.

Yup .

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Forcing where the caravan spawns is a great idea, but diplomats and migrants will still spawn at random points on the map.  The tunnels help keep them all safe.

[MadBoat]

If you have a road built to the map edge, caravans will spawn there.

I remember this being the case from back in the day, but I tried it in a recent failed fort, and the caravans ignored the road. I checked the route with the wagon access display, and it looked fine. I will build my roads more carefully, I guess.

But yeah, a tunnel network is doable.

[Oaktree]

Tunnel network for immigrants, liaisons, and *goblins* is actually a pretty fair idea.  Controlled access and easier to defend and detect intruders.

For the caravan I just put a 3-wide tunnel leading to a chosen edge, surface it near the edge and then wall it off using raised bridges in the zone you can't build walls.  Roof it in, pave the surface stretch, and you have a caravan-only path that can go right to the Trade Depot - and is the only valid wagon path to get there.

Occasionally a goblin snatcher or part of a goblin squad might find the "secret" entrance, so having the tunnel guarded is a necessity.

[VerdantSF]

If you do decide to do a tunnel network, familiarize yourself with Quickfort, if you haven't already.  It makes things like this a lot easier!