I embarked on a Haunted hilltop with the civilization at war with the goblins, with a challenge in mind: I would allow only 10 cage traps (mostly to provide sparring partners), and only 10 dwarves in the military. Those 10 dwarves would be Funobtanium-clad danger-room badasses, but I would allow myself no more than 10 of them at a time: 2 axes, 2 swords, 2 spears, 2 war hammers, 2 crossbows.
Seven years in, and the fortress has been elevated to a duchy with over 18 million in created wealth. The population is almost to 200. I’ve got over 350 stockpiled adamantine wafers, even after cranking out enough armor pieces so all ten are in ≣quality≣ or better. I’ve got legendary workers in just about every skill that matters, the stockpiles are overflowing with wealth, and the military is a finely honed dismemberment machine. The duchess/mayor even likes lead and catapult parts.
The problem?
My enemies. Or specifically, the lack thereof.
I just had my first siege, an underwhelming 15 goblins. Before that, I’d had three ambush squads, and maybe 15 thieves (one of whom, somehow, managed to abscond with a baby. Still no idea how that one got through.) Megabeasts have been limited to one minotaur. This so-called “haunted” hilltop has only provided a few packs of dark gnomes instead of the zombie hordes I had been expected.
While I am heartened that the goblins have finally started to show up, there has been a lot less action in this fort than I had been hoping for.