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[ragincajun]

So starting to experiment with kill rooms to train up my archers.  They've got their normal barracks and training areas with targets...but wanting to build some rooms off caverns to allow some monsters in (or place via cage traps) to allow archery practice on live targets.

Set up I've followed is similar to what I've seen work on LPs...just not working as well for me.

My basic setup is an 11x20 room with bridges sealing each end (one into the caverns and one into the fortress...
wwwwwbbwwww   w: walls; b: drawbridge; central spot is dug out/open.
w                   w
w                   w
w                   w
w                   w
wwwwwbbwwww

So the open spot, naturally, is where we will build the cages with trapped creatures (and link levers to them) as well as allowing cavern creatures inside to trap.

The floor ABOVE this floor, is a similar layout, the dugout area is identical and then I've channelled out that room so that from the top floor you can see down into the trap room.  Just above the walls I've built a wall of fortifications to fire down through into the killing room.

One last detail...Fortifications are 100% around the barrier, every wall is smoothed and then a Fortification cut in.  So no blind spots for firing purposes.  Also, the "station area" is 3 squares wide...

sssFFFFFFFsss
sssFoooooFsss
sssFoooooFsss
sssFFFFFFFsss  (s: stationing/firing areas; F: Fortifications; o: Open (channelled area) looking down into the kill room.

So there are no "blind corners to hide in, no overhangs to get under; no lips jutting out from the second floor to cut off angles of fire.  Just used it and had several dwarfs firing...but majority (2-3 rows deep in the firing area...noted examples in Bold above) were not firing at all (all had ammunition...I have 5 of 20 marksdwarfs showing 13 ammo missing on their ammo count (set up in squads>ammunition for 100 bolts) and all have quivers. 

So am I doing something wrong or just an example of dwarven....stupidity for lack of a better word at present time.

[greycat]

Also, the "station area" is 3 squares wide...

sssFFFFFFFsss
sssFoooooFsss
sssFoooooFsss
sssFFFFFFFsss  (s: stationing/firing areas; F: Fortifications; o: Open (channelled area) looking down into the kill room.

You can't fire through a fortification unless you're standing right next to it, or you have very high skill.  Giving your dwarves the possibility to station anywhere except directly adjacent to the fortification means most of 'em are going to stand too far back and won't be able to fire.

Make the stationing area one tile wide.  Build a wall behind 'em if you have to.

Code: [Select]

WsFoooo     Wall  station Fortification open open open open ...
WsFoooo
WsFoooo


[ragincajun]

Also, the "station area" is 3 squares wide...

sssFFFFFFFsss
sssFoooooFsss
sssFoooooFsss
sssFFFFFFFsss  (s: stationing/firing areas; F: Fortifications; o: Open (channelled area) looking down into the kill room.

You can't fire through a fortification unless you're standing right next to it, or you have very high skill.  Giving your dwarves the possibility to station anywhere except directly adjacent to the fortification means most of 'em are going to stand too far back and won't be able to fire.

Make the stationing area one tile wide.  Build a wall behind 'em if you have to.

Code: [Select]

WsFoooo     Wall  station Fortification open open open open ...
WsFoooo
WsFoooo


OK, thanks for the info.  So with just a 1 wide hall I guess you have to plan that out carefully and not have any other excavations nearby that they can path too when you station them?

[Dunamisdeos]

I have had success with a one-tile wide burrow as well.

I also recommend one-tile wide bridges that the crossbows will fire upon. If they dodge, they fall into a pit of fun.