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Author Topic: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.  (Read 1914 times)

Areyar

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Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« on: July 11, 2008, 07:49:38 pm »

Right now there is off duty: the squad bums around the barracks and maybe gets a bit of practice, more likely a sprained lower back,
and on duty: the dwarves in the squad will move towards the set station tile and patroll IF they have nothing else that is more pleasant, like sleeping, eating, drinking, relaxing, getting gear, etc, etc.

Of a squad of 5 on-duty dwarves, you will be lucky to have 2 attending the siege.
I'd say: create an additional alert level that forces the dwarfs to be on station!
I happily accept unhappy thoughts about lack of sleep, hunger and thirst if only they be there when they are needed, not when they feel like it.

The military is a DUTY not a hobby.
I will even pay overtime when economy sets in.
AND performance drain when too long without any of the neccesities. (sleep, food, booze)
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Joseph Miles

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2008, 08:32:26 pm »

Never had the problem, but heard about people having it a lot, seconded.
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vanarbulax

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2008, 12:37:19 am »

Agreed there should be off duty. patrol lightly and then GET THE HELL TO THE BATTLE RIGHT NOW! (unless they're about to die of dehydration or starvation)
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sneakey pete

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2008, 12:42:39 am »

Off duty but not sparring would be nice too. Perhaps.
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Joseph Miles

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2008, 01:19:51 am »

Agreed there should be off duty. patrol lightly and then GET THE HELL TO THE BATTLE RIGHT NOW! (unless they're about to die of dehydration or starvation)

Never shall they leave! DIE IN BATTLE OR DIE IN SHAME! NEVER LEAVE FOR A DRINK SO LONG AS YOUR ENEMY STILL BREATHE! YOU MUST KILL! KILL!! KILL!!!!! KILL FOR YOUR FAMILIES! KILL FOR YOU FRIENDS! KILL FOR THE BOOZE! BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, KILL OR ELSE I'LL MAKE YOU TEST MY NEW DEATH CHAMBER! MWHUAHHAHAHAHA!

hehe no more caffeine for me :)
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It could be worse, that cat could be alive.

Areyar

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2008, 04:56:21 am »

Off duty but not sparring would be nice too. Perhaps.
You can do that by de-Assigning them from the military.
edit3: oh, but then thy'll drop their gear. :/

As said, they would become winded/drowsy when not watered/fed/rested as they would when not doing those things normally (when resting a wound for example), but not showing up for sentry duty or for a battle should earn them a hammering IMO.

edit2: It might be an idea too to have Mil-dwarves go to and from 'high alert' mode automatically when a thread is present or past, without player intervention.
Just to save on micromanagement. Then again...DF seems to attract mm-addicts.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2008, 05:03:54 am by Areyar »
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vanarbulax

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2008, 07:11:09 am »

edit2: It might be an idea too to have Mil-dwarves go to and from 'high alert' mode automatically when a thread is present or past, without player intervention.
Just to save on micromanagement. Then again...DF seems to attract mm-addicts.

I think I'm way too tired. I read that as:

"It might be an idea to have miller dwarves to go to and from 'high alert' mode automatically when thread (plant thread) exists in the past or present without player interaction. Just to save on micromanagement, then again Dwarf Fortress seems to attracted addicts of candy coated pieces of chocolate".

Re-reading it I understand what it says, obviously my brain works in weird ways. Why miller dwarves should be alarmed when threads are produced (except when there is player interaction) is beyond me, though I do think many DF players are M&M addicts.
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Aquillion

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2008, 08:03:29 am »

This sounds like something a Noble should handle.  Some sort of Drill Sergeant or commander noble who whips your fortress guard into shape, and makes constant demands for more/better weapons when your guards are poorly equipped / not equipped...

Those demands could actually be useful, really.  It can be hard to check and see if all your troops have the weapons/armor they need.
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Areyar

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2008, 10:25:05 am »

If said noble then also makes sure my dwarves are wearing the best armour they can afford. :D

good idea: nobles with positive as well as negative consequences.

As a good dwarf, I am more into rock-candy (nitrouschloride) than multicolored letters that melt when faced with !!heat!! ....oh I see what you did now. :lol:

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korora

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2008, 06:11:17 pm »

This sounds like something a Noble should handle.  Some sort of Drill Sergeant or commander noble who whips your fortress guard into shape, and makes constant demands for more/better weapons when your guards are poorly equipped / not equipped...

Those demands could actually be useful, really.  It can be hard to check and see if all your troops have the weapons/armor they need.

I like it! But Sergeant doesn't seem too dwarfy. Lieutenant maybe? No... Ah, a captain.  And since he's in charge of the fortress guard, we'll call him Captain of the Gua... oh, wait.

:P
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Neonivek

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2008, 06:13:18 pm »

One of these days I am just going to snap and make a suggestion topic that is a Parody where I list every single Noble Ive heard of in the few months Ive been here...
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Areyar

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2008, 07:04:52 pm »

do it! do it now! no really: do it.
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ShadowDragon8685

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2008, 07:08:35 pm »

I wholeheartedly agree.

I think there should be the following duties:

"March to War!" or something similar. Forces dwarves to ignore personal needs in favor of getting weapons and doing battle/going to battle-stations. Dwarves set to this level of alert will still eat if they're carrying food and nothing's happening, they will drink if carrying water and nothing's happening. They will sleep (on the ground (bedrolls?)) if nothing's happening, but a minimum of one dwarf in the squad must be awake at all times (Someone will have to go without sleep) and will issue a shout if he recieves an injury or spots a hostile (which will make the other dwarves Cancel Sleep: Alerted!). Setting a squad to this will make all dwarves in the squad cancel sleeping/eating/anything else and arm themselves if not already armed, and run to their battle-station if/when armed.

"On Duty". As we have on-duty now. Dwarves will piss off to eat and sleep and drink, but will go to their stations and attack enemies if they see them.

"Off Duty". As we have "Stand Down" now.

"Stand Down!" Dwarves will not spar, they may return to some civilian tasks, eg, gather in the communal dining hall instead of in the barracks. They won't do work, but they will walk around the fortress just in case.
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Dame de la Licorne

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Re: Alert levels for military besides on/off duty.
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2008, 07:51:40 pm »

Supported.  I'm sick and tired of civilian dwarves dying because the military is too busy eating/sleeping/drinking to fight threats.  :-\
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