Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[speciesunkn0wn]

So I reaaaaally liked ballista since I first used them (but have never since been able to have a fort go long enough that I could build more. :/), and then I used copper tipped ballista bolts. After seeing the 'crossbow bolt material' discussion thingy, it was determined that silver makes the best bolts. I think that would transfer over to ballistas, right? So depending on how long my current fortress goes, I plan to make a testing room or something to see what metal makes the best bolt tips. If anyone else wants to try a more detailed analysis than 'shoot a ballista five times at some poor sap I've burrowed to be in the path, rinse, repeat' I'd appreciate it. XD My biggest problem is probably going to be getting enough candy for some tips as well as other stuff...

[Bumber]

Silver for bolts is outdated after nerf. Sharpness is now very important for piercing armor.

[speciesunkn0wn]

Silver for bolts is outdated after nerf. Sharpness is now very important for piercing armor.

They don't do blunt damage anymore?

[Bumber]

Silver for bolts is outdated after nerf. Sharpness is now very important for piercing armor.

They don't do blunt damage anymore?

Ballista arrows were changed to edged damage in 40.15.

Also, goblins have been fixed to actually bring complete sets of armor.

I'm pretty sure the projectiles can be swatted out of the air, too. (Or at least Clowns can do it.)

[speciesunkn0wn]

Silver for bolts is outdated after nerf. Sharpness is now very important for piercing armor.

They don't do blunt damage anymore?

Ballista arrows were changed to edged damage in 40.15.

Also, goblins have been fixed to actually bring complete sets of armor.

I'm pretty sure the projectiles can be swatted out of the air, too. (Or at least Clowns can do it.)

OOOOH. Ok. Ballista arrows. Alright. Steel tips it is when I'm able to make steel. Also, armor doesn't help protect you from a metal tipped ballista. Copper lets you blow through a few gobbos.

[Melting Sky]

I recommend using dense varieties of wood to make the ballista projectiles.

[Immortal-D]

Assuming this is still going on, I have a project for you (or anyone really).  Build the arrow out of nethercap and set it on fire.

[bloop_bleep]

Hmm. Unless dwarves will load !!nethercap ballista arrow!!s, I can't think of any way to do this other than shooting it through a magmafall, if that works.

[Insert_Gnome_Here]

Dwarves aren't good at recognising that things are on fire, so it should be fine. You'll have to find a way to prevent the dwarf from dying, though.

[Immortal-D]

I imagine the best way would be to have a magma source either above or aside an already loaded ballista.  Course, this would set the ballista itself alight, in addition to the arrow.  Hmm...  the pieces are all there.  I'll come back to this in the morning.

[bloop_bleep]

You'll have to find a way to prevent the dwarf from dying, though.

Give him full steel armor?

[Staalo]

Interesting thread. I had couple ballistas firing non-stop into a room full of citizens, as a part of civilian training project I had going on in few forts.

It turns out dwarves can just bounce ballista bolts off their skins, given enough Dodge and Armor user training beforehand. That sort of put me off of ballistas and their usefulness. What good they would be against an armored goblin horde if even mere peasants and children would disregard them completely?

Now, flaming ballista bolts, that's different... hmmm...

[Insert_Gnome_Here]

were these wooden or metal tipped bolts?

[Staalo]

were these wooden or metal tipped bolts?

I think there were both wooden and copper-tipped bolts; I was trying to train my dwarves without killing them outright. Still, I was somewhat surprised to have an object with size and speed of a ballista missile just bruising skin whenever there was a hit.

[speciesunkn0wn]

were these wooden or metal tipped bolts?

I think there were both wooden and copper-tipped bolts; I was trying to train my dwarves without killing them outright. Still, I was somewhat surprised to have an object with size and speed of a ballista missile just bruising skin whenever there was a hit.

Odd. I've had copper tipped bolts smash through iron armored gobbos.