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[Sanctume]

Natural stone that carved into smooth walls = un-climb-able.
Constructed blocks (stone, logs, metal) made into smooth walls = difficult to climb.
Stone and logs constructed into rough walls = climb-able.
Natural dirt and stone walls = climb-able.
Enemies can jump z+1 level, so enemies can jump z+1 be on the 2nd floor of the wall.

A 1 z high rough wall, with a 1 z deep dirt dry moat. 
Enemies can jump down to the dirt moat, jump up z+1 and hold onto the rough wall, proceed to climb the rough wall and be on the 2nd floor.

A mason's block, can be constructed into Fortification.  The result is 1 fortification on the z+0, but no floor on the z+1.
A mason's block, can be constructed into a Wall, then carved with Fortification.  The result is 1 fortification on the z+0, and has a floor on the z+1.


A 1 z high smooth wall made from blocks is difficult to climb.
Enemies can jump z+1 level, so even with difficult to climb smooth wall, enemies can jump z+1 and be on the 2nd floor.

A 1 z high smooth wall made from blocks is difficult to climb with a fortification on z+2.
Enemies can jump z+1 level even with difficult to climb smooth wall, enemies can garb the fortification on the z+2 and climb that to go over the wall.

Fortifications.  There are cases where the dwarf dodges successfully, but ends up going through a fortification.  Happens a lot with barracks designation including walls.

[Skullsploder]

The simplest solution is to build a lip over your fortifications, so the enemy physically can't climb over. Also there have been reports of enemies jumping up to the level of the fortifications and then clinging on, using your own fortifications against you. Apparently, making the solid section of the wall 2z high with fortifications on top stops this behaviour.

[Lightman]

Natural stone that carved into smooth walls = un-climb-able.
Constructed blocks (stone, logs, metal) made into smooth walls = difficult to climb.
Stone and logs constructed into rough walls = climb-able.
Natural dirt and stone walls = climb-able.
[...]

Hmm, that's interesting.  So, maybe it's worth it to construct blocks for defensive walls.  It seems like blocks should be as difficult as a natural, smoothed wall.

[Karnewarrior]

My walls are usually at least 2z high and lined with fortifications for rp purposes anyway. Towers can go 6z high, all block, and are likewise lined with fortifications,  as well as kill holes embedded in the wall. I also construct a moat and fill it with water.

I have not had many issues with climbing enemies. But if/when it does become a problem,  speardwarves on the walls should take care of most goblin ninjas.

I also plan to look up colonization era star forts and see how they work in df. Should be interesting.

[Chief10]

Towers can go 6z high, all block, and are likewise lined with fortifications,  as well as kill holes embedded in the wall.

What are kill holes?

[Karnewarrior]

Towers can go 6z high, all block, and are likewise lined with fortifications,  as well as kill holes embedded in the wall.

What are kill holes?

In game, they're just fortifications placed under another constructed stone wall, like a sort of window that marksdwarves can shoot through.

The real thing is what fortifications are supposed to represent.  A tiny slit in the wall,  offering maximum protection and minimal reduction in range of fire. These can actually get quite small, since medieval armies could get quite sizable, so many could be placed in the same tower or wall. Also, there could be space between a drawbridge and the portcullis/portculli, filled with these things, and any enemy who got through the drawbridge would be riddled with arrows.

[☼!!Troll Fur Sock!!☼]

I'm really happy about the whole climbing thing. While it's just as easy as building an overhang, you can always miss some details like a tree one tile to close to your walls that will let all the attackers flood in... Or break their bones trying.
I wonder how long will it take before someone makes a XVIII-century-ish fortress just to counter that.

[Lightman]

I'm really happy about the whole climbing thing. While it's just as easy as building an overhang, you can always miss some details like a tree one tile to close to your walls that will let all the attackers flood in... Or break their bones trying. [...]

Yep! It was fun to watch these crazy attackers jumping and climbing up.  They hit one of my markesdwarves who went tumbling down and crashed on the wall below.

The real thing is what fortifications are supposed to represent.  A tiny slit in the wall,  offering maximum protection and minimal reduction in range of fire. [...]

And of course, an enemy can still shoot through it.  I had a !!fun!! experience with that.

[Maul_Junior]

the most dorfish solution to climbers is obviously to have a pool of lava waiting at the top of the wall, ready to be poured down the face of the tower to burn off anyone attempting to climb.

water works too, but isn[t as dorfy.

[Max™]

See the Z to the right side here?

That is the exit chamber for a magma flood system, smoothed natural stone walls and roof, with fortifications between the chamber and the magma around the towers. Bored military dorf climbed up on the roof and down inside to take a nap...

Later he clambered around on the outside of the fortifications:

Note that the profile there is like this:
______ Fortification *spiderDorf*
Wall_________________

So he just hopped up and grabbed the fortification for some reason, then climbed around to the inside.

After which he went up the outside of my dorfwash:

The first floor of which is smoothed natural stone, top floor is olivine blocks...

Then he dropped down to sit on an elf corpse which I autodumped into the little nook there:


Oh, and he also climbed down into the fort later through what was supposed to be an unusable ramp/wagon-only entrance, so those aren't safe at all anymore, didn't catch a screenshot as I was kind of freaking out when I realized what he was doing.

[Chief10]

See the Z to the right side here?

I really like that tileset, what is it?

[Max™]

Bisasam 24x24 with some swapped tiles, though I wouldn't recommend that one, as I was just playing to see what it looked like with the anti-dyslexia numerals I made for my girlfriend, but this is the text set and this is the rocks and stuff set for twbt, naturally credit goes to Bisasam, plus some tiles I borrowed from several other spots.

[k9wazere]

Just lost my fort to a climbing zombie dwarf :/

Did not realise this new version had climbing enemies!

So, ignoring the fortifications, a 2z wall (rough or smoothe) with an overhanging floor 1 tile wide, should stop all climbing?

_ _
#
#         
~~~~~~~

Where # is a wall, _ is floor/walkable top of wall, and ~ is the ground. is Urist McBrains, the (not so) friendly neighbourhood zombie free runner.

[AzTech2064]

i would add a fortification on top of the overhanging floor, and on top floors to shut anything flying out:

Code: [Select]

___
  F
 __
 #
 #
~~~~~~~
where F is the fortification

[Sadrice]

I use a design much like that, with additional roof access, sealable with the same lever that seals the tower, though note that fortifications do no go on top of constructed floors, they replace them, like so:

Code: [Select]

___
 _F
 #
 #
~~~~~~~
It can be helpful to put a small stash of not particularly precious valuables (spare trade goods or worn clothes) in a room in the roof access, and put cage traps in the doorway.  This is a pretty good way to trap thievishly inclined birds, without your dwarves having to ever see them and feel vengeful.