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[dkcl]

Hi! Long-time lurker and player, currently first-poster.

I have a quite badass miner I'd like to join my militia. I know that Mining is considered a combat skill (despite the lack of Picklords). Does that mean a squad led by (or containing) a miner will have the dwarves train their Mining skill?

While I know actual mining will increase the skill more quickly than training, I'm worried about my axedwarves learning Mining.

Regards.

[Fleeting Frames]

Having previously asked a similar question in Q&A forum, Bumber suggests yes, they will lead mining demonstrations. Have not seen it myself, but I can see why this would be undesired, though note that dwarves on active duty are ineligible for moods.

[Luriant]

--Removed--

[dkcl]

Having previously asked a similar question in Q&A forum, Bumber suggests yes, they will lead mining demonstrations. Have not seen it myself, but I can see why this would be undesired, though note that dwarves on active duty are ineligible for moods.

Thanks a lot!

--Removed--

[Luriant]

I put something that don't related with your exact question, the bug of workers that don't use their tools as weapons.

Sorry.

[PatrikLundell]

You have to remove the miner profession from the miner before joining the militia or there will be uniform conflicts. Also, I don't see what the problem is with dorfs learning skills they won't use, apart from the time not being spent on learning something they will use. Regardless, training is so fast that time wasted on "useless" skills hardly matters.

[dkcl]

I put something that don't related with your exact question, the bug of workers that don't use their tools as weapons.

I see!

I don't see what the problem is with dorfs learning skills they won't use, apart from the time not being spent on learning something they will use.

That's exactly my concern.

Regardless, training is so fast that time wasted on "useless" skills hardly matters.

Perhaps I worry too much, but I just like to squeeze every moment as much as possible before the were-elephants arrive!

[Larix]

1. Crosstraining happens much less than people seem to think. In my experience, dwarfs will only attend weapon skill lessons if they already have experience (can be dabbling) in the skill. A speardwarf who never touched an axe will not receive axe lessons from an axedwarf in the same squad.
I've seen cross-training to the tune of maybe a skill level per year when i "contaminated" the skill pool by having dwarfs switch weapons during their career; otherwise, cross-training just doesn't happen. It's a minor issue, and if you directly issue their "for-keeps" weapon types to your recruits, it doesn't happen in the first place. Warning: once crossover experience is present, the dwarf is forever eligible for demonstration training in that skill. Demonstrations check experience/skills, not equipment.

2. Mining quite likely just isn't available for demonstrations: i've only ever had one war miner; she only has miner skill, no standard weapon skills, and she never organised mining demonstrations. There's a dwarf in the squad who immigrated as miner (and still has mining active as labour), and he's evidently never received a refresher mining lesson from the legendary war-miner, he's listed as "dabbling".

PS: Just to drive home the point that cross-training is not a concern normally: the squad with the war-miner is a massively mixed one using all dwarf-made melee weapons - axe, spear, sword, hammer, mace, pick. The only cross-skill weapon knowledge in the entire squad are the "dabbling" miner skill of the macedwarf (immigrated with and later decayed through negligence) and an "adequate (rusty)" sword skill of a speardwarf (must have touched a sword sometime; clearly hasn't seen much cross-training either, or the skill wouldn't have gone rusty). The other eight - all legendary, trained together for years - have no crossover weapon skill whatsoever.

[Daris]

I've had entire militias made up of miners and have never seen a mining demonstration.  They demonstrate everything else, but never mining.  They gain mining skill through sparring and individual combat drills only.  They do use their picks in combat, though, and are quite deadly with them.  I highly recommend picks as weapons.

[Goatmaan]

Yep, nothing says "Welcome to our fort, foul beast!!" like a *steel pick* to the head. 

   Goatmaan

 I train them in mining to +5, draft them and train to +5 military,  then discharge them back to mining, all hauling enabled. Civilian militia, anyone? Do the same with woodcutters, but reverse woodcutting/axedwarf. Throw in hunters and bam, headstart on the fight.
May be biome dependant.

[Celebrim42]

In a relate question, is it possible to set up a squad where the squad has as its uniform a pick?

If you recruit 10 miners into a squad and tell them to bring their own weapon, will they tend to prefer picks?

[Fleeting Frames]

First, yes. Second, iunno - it'd suck if any of them picked anything else, though, so I always specify picks.

[Melting Sky]

If you have miners as a major part of your military you will want to keep them on as full time soldiers due to the annoying uniform bug which could cause your core military miners to show up to battle with no weapon at all or show up massively late because they throw away their current pick to grab a new one. You want to make sure you assign them a high quality preferably steel pick as part of their uniform.

Miners are Gods of death in melee combat. They are perhaps the most deadly melee troops you can field on average.

[Foxite]

For reference, Here's the link to that bug.

[Melting Sky]

Don't let the bug put you off. Ascended miners really are amazing to watch in battle. You just want to make sure they get a full suit of some good armor and at least a little defense training before you send them out against hardened enemies. Goblins make good soft targets for newly ascended legendary miners.