Swordgleams spent much of Year 4 preparing for the next goblin siege after the near miss in Year 3. An outer set of archery bunkers were constructed (or more accurately, completed) to put a larger area under potential crossbow fire. Some initial walls were put up to channel attackers close to bunkers or into the marshy areas around ponds lying to the east and west of the main keep.
Further armor and weapon production got the melee units armed with steel and some even having steel breastplates over their mail. A third "rookie" marksdwarf squad was added and given piles of wooden bolts to practice with. The two veteran marksdwarf squads were shifted to metal bolts and given more time for weapon and dodge training over range time.
A trap complex was started in the caverns after a second monster appeared there.
The goblins probed the new defenses in late summer with a group of snatchers and a couple of ambush teams. They were slaughtered in the south courtyard by a combination of metal spiked ball traps and marksdwarf fire.
Autumn passed peacefully with a fresh shipment of iron ore from the Mountainhome. Between this and a selection of steel armor being available for trade the Foundry was finally able to start producing armor on a more consistent basis. Steel was reserved for melee units while the marksdwarves received bronze equipment.
The goblins arrived in late winter led by their general - a traitorous dwarf! Four squads of mounted cavalry escorted by a few units of war elk birds. A formidable number of foes.
The rookie marksdwarf squad was sent to an outer bunker via tunnel to harass the goblin crossbow squad. The two veteran squads assembled in galleries and fortifications near the south courtyard to await the goblin advance. The two most experienced melee squads were positioned near the main gate as a reserve.
The goblin attack itself was haphazard. The crossbow squad was suppressed by crossbow fire far from the courtyard as the rookie marksdwarves dropped mounts and wounded goblins. The two squads to the east got mired trying to pass through and around the ponds. This left the general's squad and the elk birds making the main assault into traps and the concentrated fire of ten marksdwarves. The general and most of his squad go down. The marksdwarves then move to an eastern archery bunker and rout the squads still hung up in the ponds. 22 goblins killed for no dwarven fortress casualties.
The goblins try again immediately in the last spring of Year 5.
Again with four squads of cavalry. This time including an elite bow goblin and supported by war giant olms and war giant cave spiders.
While the goblins are still approaching and the marksdwarves head to the bunkers a minotaur appears to join the fun. He immediately draws the attention of the giant cave spiders, is buried and webs, bitten multiple times in the head, and killed. The delay, however, allows a marksdwarf squad to start fletching the spiders and they don't make it far. The goblin assault itself doesn't go well, with another 20 goblins killed for little gain. Two marksdwarves get leg wounds due to the elite bow goblin, but are treated and recovering. The melee squads get some useful experience mopping up the stragglers in the south courtyard.
The goblinite so far is still just copper and silver. It appears that only the dwarves have iron, much less steel.
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Topic: What's going on in your fort? (Read 6195938 times)