Print

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

[JRHaggs]

What are y'all doing for military management?

Once fortress population is high enough, it seems very difficult to sort dwarfs into specialized squads from basic militia training. Is there anywhere we can see dwarfs' capacities for different varieties of violence other than in their individual info pages?

I do not find myself using Dwarf Therapist for labor now, but I sure am missing it for military and livestock management.

Am I missing something obvious, or am I just a spoiled, pointy-eared, woodmonger?

[anewaname]

I use nicknames as an indexing tool for what squads the dwarfs will be assigned into. As migrants arrive, they receive a nickname indicating current weapon skills and if they are emotionally able to handle combat. Then, dwarfs go into squads based on their nickname. The nicknames aren't changed unless the dwarf is moved from the basic training squads (train without weapons) to specific-weapon squads.

[Blue_Dwarf]

I use nicknames as an indexing tool for what squads the dwarfs will be assigned into. As migrants arrive, they receive a nickname indicating current weapon skills and if they are emotionally able to handle combat. Then, dwarfs go into squads based on their nickname. The nicknames aren't changed unless the dwarf is moved from the basic training squads (train without weapons) to specific-weapon squads.

How do you filter out emotionally weak dwarves?

[el Indio]

Is there any reason you don't want to use therapist?  I've been using to assign squads, like you said it is difficult with the way info is available in-game.

[Superdorf]

I use nicknames as an indexing tool for what squads the dwarfs will be assigned into. As migrants arrive, they receive a nickname indicating current weapon skills and if they are emotionally able to handle combat. Then, dwarfs go into squads based on their nickname.

This is pretty much what I do in 47.05, except with custom professions instead of custom names. Works pretty well!

How do you filter out emotionally weak dwarves?

By reading the personality descriptions. You're looking for things like "doesn't handle stress well," "cracks easily under pressure," "is often nervous," and the like. It's a bit tiresome, but do-able.

[Blue_Dwarf]

How do you filter out emotionally weak dwarves?

By reading the personality descriptions. You're looking for things like "doesn't handle stress well," "cracks easily under pressure," "is often nervous," and the like. It's a bit tiresome, but do-able.

Hmm, my militia commander is a nervous wreck, but she can handle stress.

[JRHaggs]

Is there any reason you don't want to use therapist?  I've been using to assign squads, like you said it is difficult with the way info is available in-game.

Asking me? I am struggling without it, but the current version is not compatible with 50.07. I was just wondering how Urists manage their militaries without DT. For me, the second DT is caught up with the game version, I'll be using it with great relief and the satisfaction that accompanies anxiously monitored efficiency.

[Thisfox]

Is there any reason you don't want to use therapist?  I've been using to assign squads, like you said it is difficult with the way info is available in-game.

Asking me? I am struggling without it, but the current version is not compatible with 50.07. I was just wondering how Urists manage their militaries without DT. For me, the second DT is caught up with the game version, I'll be using it with great relief and the satisfaction that accompanies anxiously monitored efficiency.

We handled it without Therapist the same way we are now: Easily. Unfortunately I can't really explain the difference, as in a decade or more of playing, I never bothered to download Therapist.... But my military always worked just fine. It was probably more "free range" than yours.

[anewaname]

How do you filter out emotionally weak dwarves?

By reading the personality descriptions. You're looking for things like "doesn't handle stress well," "cracks easily under pressure," "is often nervous," and the like. It's a bit tiresome, but do-able.

Hmm, my militia commander is a nervous wreck, but she can handle stress.

Yeah... If you check each dwarf when they arrive, you only need to go through it once for most dwarfs, and then revisit dwarfs who are getting stressed out.

[Maloy]

I just abandon all notions of humanity and either exile dwarves when they become unstable or send them to die in glorious combat

[el Indio]

Is there any reason you don't want to use therapist?  I've been using to assign squads, like you said it is difficult with the way info is available in-game.

Asking me? I am struggling without it, but the current version is not compatible with 50.07. I was just wondering how Urists manage their militaries without DT. For me, the second DT is caught up with the game version, I'll be using it with great relief and the satisfaction that accompanies anxiously monitored efficiency.

Sorry, DF auto updating is a new experience for me, I hadn't fired up DT since the update.  Without DT I just cross my fingers and hope that the dwarfs I assign aren't the dwarfs i'm trying to keep away from military service.  As for specialised squads,  I no longer bother with them.  Even with DT, when I make a new squad I just let them pick up whatever weapon they like.  I like the idea of the speardwarfs pinning the target in place while an axedwarf chops off their limbs, even if that isn't what is actually happening.

[Panando]

But my military always worked just fine. It was probably more "free range" than yours.

"We don't take just anyone. Recruits must have at least one functioning hand, the ability to walk or use a crutch and if they're an unholy abomination they have to apply to the special forces."

[Salmeuk]

I just abandon all notions of humanity and either exile dwarves when they become unstable or send them to die in glorious combat

this is the way. eschew all notions of metagaming, micromanagement, and other such follies as gamers do not know the way.

[Thisfox]

But my military always worked just fine. It was probably more "free range" than yours.

"We don't take just anyone. Recruits must have at least one functioning hand, the ability to walk or use a crutch and if they're an unholy abomination they have to apply to the special forces."

Lead crutches covered in steel spikes help with that. It's remarkable how much damage a heavy crutch can do.

[Schmaven]

In previous versions, I would look for strong / agile dwarves, or those with relevant combat skills using DT for new recruits.  But without that in the new version, I just draft dwarves more or less at random.   

With sufficient training, and quality gear, any dwarf with most of their limbs is lethal enough in combat to be effective. 
Those who start to become unhappy get sentenced to the cavern exploration squad before they snap and go berserk in the dining hall. 

It does feel like a loss in terms of "having the best dwarf for the job", but functionally, I haven't noticed much difference enlisting sub-optimal dwarves.

Lead crutches covered in steel spikes help with that. It's remarkable how much damage a heavy crutch can do.

I've seen crutches wielded effectively even by civilian dwarves caught up in melee.  Definitely get rid of all wooden crutches, metal is the way to go.  Platinum is the heaviest normal crutch material, but lead is also an excellent choice.  The steel spikes are a fantastic addition!