After just over two years the elves finally show up. The extra year of training (normal, not danger room), means that my militia has had 18 months to prepare. I have one Adept Speardwarf and three Professional Speardwarves equipped with copper spears, wooden shields, and leather amor/helms/gloves/boots going up against 15 bow elves and a spear elf mounted on his pet war grizzly.
So far, one of the Pro's charged in on her own and proceeded to own two elves before the rest of the squad could get there (didn't notice she had abandoned her post to charge until she had crossed half the 15 - 20 tiles between the station point and the elves). Then the other three dwarves get into the fight, and two more elves drop pretty quickly.
A fifth bow elf just had both hands, left then right, severed by my militia commander.
In case anyone was curious, this is what happens when just after the second wave arrives you pick four random migrants with at least some prior military experience, put them in a squad of four and have them train continuously until Felsite of year 3 (started in 126, its 28 Felsite 128 now). No danger room required, just four dwarves with the same gear sparring for approximately 18 months. Oh, and none of these guys had Teacher skill when I started, but one of them was an Novice Speardwarf when she arrived.
Once the elven ambush is over I'm planning to make these four the trainers for twelve other recruits so I can increase my defenses. That moves my military strength to roughly 1 dwarf in four active duty.
[edit] The ambush has ended, with me the victor! (Of course)
Started on 27 Felsite, year 3. The dwarves engaged on 28 Felsite. The last elf still on the map died on 1 Hematite.
Four speardwarves (1 Adept, 3 Professional) in leather armor with copper spears killed all but four of the fifteen bow elves, as well as the war grizzly and the spearelf leader. My losses were limited to 2 Stray Goslings, 1 Stray Poult, 1 Stray Blue Peachick, 1 Stray Gander, 1 Stray Doe Rabbit, and 1 Stray Hen. Casualties include a number of other injured animals.
Of my dwarves, the four outside made it in unscathed when I changed the alert level, and my four militia members never took a single hit. Just goes to show, if you give them six months of training with a weapon and shield, and nothing else, they learn to avoid being hit.
- Ducim Ritholmuthkat (Mil. CDR), Professional Speardwarf, Proficient Shield User, Competent Armor User, Talented Teacher - two bow elves
- Ducim Kodormelbil, Adept Speardwarf, Competent Shield User, Competent Armor User, Adequate Teacher - one bow elf
- Sibrek Shagogdodok, Professional Speardwarf, Proficient Shield User, Competent Armor User, Proficient Teacher - four bow elves
- Avuz Eraltathur Edanthosbut Logem*, Accomplished Speardwarf, Proficient Sheild User, Competent Armor User, Proficient Teacher - four bow elves, one spear elf, one war grizzly bear
Oooh! Avuz went up to Accomplished after his last kill! She was Professional at the start and up to just before killing the last elf that didn't escape. All of them except the militia commander had zero spear skill when they started training on 8 Limestone 126. IIRC, Ritholmuthkat was a Novice Speardwarf when she started. Since they have decent Teacher skills, they should make excellent cadre for the next group of recruits.
* Avuz Eraltathur Edanthosbut Logem (Avuz Vesselscribed the Stirred Drill of Painting)