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[smjjames]

After accidentially vaporizing all but one squad member with an accidentially pitted dragon see facepalm thread), I'm rebuilding the marksdwarf squad and most of them have zero marksdwarf experience.

Also, when I put them on inactive some of them with experience in other combat types went into individual combat training rather than archery training.

The problem is that I just can't seem to figure out how to get them to NOT spar and supposedly the only way to get them to use the archery targets is to have a barracks over it, yet they don't really use it and I'm trying to get the 0 xp in marksdwarf guys trained in it.

Before, I was able to use dwarves that had previous marksdwarf training, not so much this time, and some are recruits. Plus they are doing completely the wrong thing or am I not understanding how marksdwarf training works?

I know it's not a problem with bolts as I have thousands of ammo.

Edit: I would do live fire training, but I have to wait until the next siege comes around.

Edit2: Looks like once they get a little bit of archery skill, they'll do the practice when inactive, but I want them to do it while on active duty and not spar and stuff.

[Sutremaine]

Don't set them to train as you'd set melee dwarves to train. They need to remain in their civilian colours to go and fire bolts at the range.

If your marksdwarves are safe behind fortifications, then there's no problem with them going out with 0XP. If your marksdwarves aren't safe behind fortifications, or there's an elite sniper about, have some dwarves with lots of skill at dodging and shield use go out first and make the snipers waste their ammunition. Armour isn't much use against vanilla bolts, but I'm wary of specifically advising against it.

[smjjames]

I leave the inactive armor as uniformed, which is just a leather armor, the crossbow, and some sort of headcovering. The thing though is that the other people in the squad with no archery xp aren't doing any practice, but apparently when they get a little bit, they will practice.

I've also been getting a bunch of equipment mismatch errors for some reason. Going to set up a separate pile for the metal bolts to see if that helps any.

By live fire training, I mean the live-fire training range, the one which I accidentially pitted a dragon into. XD

Edit: Lol, theres this black cap bolt which got set on fire by the dragon and has been on fire for months.

[Repseki]

If you set a barracks up to overlap your archery range and assign them both to your marksdwarves they should train just fine while on active duty if you have enough ammo assigned. They might not start plinking away immediately, or do a few dodge/spar sessions now and then, but that isn't really a bad thing.

Otherwise you should keep them inactive, and they should use the range just fine. If they seem reluctant to use the archery targets, make sure the area they are assigned isn't to large. I have no idea if it actually matters, but I have seen a few completely unskilled dwarves refuse to shoot the 20 or so tiles I normally set my targets up at.

Live training is always better, and much much faster, but you can set that up when you get the chance.

[Urist Mcfortwrecker]

I mod my crossbows to have bayonets, so that they arent useless in melee, so sparis a good thing for me. But for the most part, I train them by having them butcher the wildlife (and elves), as well as some cavern creatures, though be wary of dralthas and jabberers. I find that for the most part, this both supplies the fortress with adequate meat and leather, as well as preparing them for invaders.