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[Strangething]

Here's a demented, over-complicated plan for repelling sieges. I have not tested this! Let me know if you think it will actually work.

The idea is to bait the invaders with open doors, making them run back and forth over the same dangerous ground.

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To the north is the drawbridge, to the south is the fortress entrance. Assume there is an inner layer of protection. The middle section should be a long, winding section of trap-filled corridors, I just drew it shorter for clarity.

The numbers are pressure plates:
1 opens the right-side door
2 raises the drawbridge
3 opens the left-side door

Here's how it's supposed to work:

1 The goblins cross in, triggering the right door to open.

2 They beat feet to the open door, and hit the second plate, causing the bridge to retract, so no more goblins can get in. (and trigger the first plate)

3 They pass though the assload of traps. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on the the first pressure plate.

4 Hopefully, the timer runs out, and the right door slams shut before the goblins get there. But not before stepping on the third plate, opening the other door

5 The goblins rush back to the left door, back through the traps. On the way, they trigger plate two, re-sealing the bridge.

6 Again, the door closes before they get there.

7 A goblin blunders into the first plate, and starts the process all over again.

If both doors close at the same time, the goblins will stop running back and forth until the bridge re-opens. If they try to leave, they trigger the pressure plates all over again.

Ways this can to wrong:

A door doesn't close fast enough, and goblins get through. Make sure there's soldiers or more traps beyond, to mop up the survivors.

The traps jam, or run out of ammo. Then the gobbos just run back and forth unharmed. It's still fun to watch. Crossbows can fire down from the walls.

[Joseph Miles]

I'd recommend a fortification with a marksdwarf at one/both ends of the hall, and making it a bit longer, and it'd probably work.

[Bromor Neckbeard]

I think this absolutely WILL work.  I've used a much less elaborate method (a trap-filled corridor with a door that I alternately forbid and allow to get the invaders to march back and forth across the traps) plenty of times.  I considered automating it, but I kind of like the feeling of doing it myself.  It's that personal touch that means so much.

"Betcha wanna get in here, goblins!  Come on in, the door's open!  Nope, now it's closed, better turn around and march over the traps that you missed on the way in!  Wait, come back, it's open now!  Nope, just kidding."

[KrataLightblade]

Do Siegers run right up to an inacessible fortress?  I know whenever I get Ambushes they simply REFUSE to attack my impregnable fortress unless I leave the front door wide open for them.

[JujuBubu]

Invaders need a walkable path to a dwarf the can attack .. at least thats what i know

[Kagus]

Won't the pressure plates trigger multiple times from the group moving from one door to the other?  That might cause problems, unless you can ace the reaction times.

[JujuBubu]

combine the triggerplates with spear traps

[Nazush Ebsas]

*Though why you'd want to put effort into exploiting the ai like that is beyond me

[Hishan]

You could just NOT defend you fort . What I mean is, have an impenatrable defnece, and set up some kind of lure/trap with an animal or something as a lure and kill your gobbos outside. Fun, but I would consider cheating, but yeah i think it will work.

[Strangething]

I think this absolutely WILL work.  I've used a much less elaborate method (a trap-filled corridor with a door that I alternately forbid and allow to get the invaders to march back and forth across the traps) plenty of times.  I considered automating it, but I kind of like the feeling of doing it myself.  It's that personal touch that means so much.

Is an unforbidden door considered a walkable pathway?  I thought only thieves could pass through doors.

Won't the pressure plates trigger multiple times from the group moving from one door to the other?  That might cause problems, unless you can ace the reaction times.

That's why the drawbridge closes behind them. A small, close-packed group makes the timing easier. Since the drawbridge tends to re-open eventually, err on the side of too much space between the doors & plates.

You might be able to make a simpler version using only two bridges. Needs experimentation.

combine the triggerplates with spear traps

Spear traps are potentially the most deadly trap in the game, but more maximum killyness, you need to lock a peasant into the switch room and Pull Lever/R. I'm looking at crossbow traps now, since they don't jam. During the last siege, my two weapon traps only killed around 4-5 goblins before jamming. I think a stack of 40 elephant bone bolts might last longer.

You could just NOT defend you fort . What I mean is, have an impenatrable defnece, and set up some kind of lure/trap with an animal or something as a lure and kill your gobbos outside. Fun, but I would consider cheating, but yeah i think it will work.

There's an active thread (It's a Trap!) about this "roach motel" technique. I think it merits a paragraph in my defense guide.

[Bromor Neckbeard]

Is an unforbidden door considered a walkable pathway?  I thought only thieves could pass through doors.

Without a doubt.  I don't know if they changed it in 39b, but in the previous version, goblins and kobolds used to march right through my doors if they weren't locked.  Only thieves can pass through traps without setting them off.  Anybody can pass through a door.

[Strangething]

Thanks Bomar, apparently I fail at Dwarf Fortress knowledge. For some reason, I thought doors had friend/foe recognition.

I think your manual method might be the most effective way to handle a trick like this. It's micro-management, but an attack usually occupies your whole attention anyway. You want to see the carnage!

[Bromor Neckbeard]

For some reason, I thought doors had friend/foe recognition.

Well, they kinda do.  Doors can get "captured" in a way, if you let hostile forces get through them, then the door no longer responds to your godlike will, refusing to lock or unlock itself on your command.  You have to manually send a dwarf to go through the door and "uncapture" it before you can lock or unlock it on command again.  That's probably what you were thinking of.

[Untelligent]

If I remember correctly, a closed door attached to a pressure plate or lever is always locked/forbidden.

[Strangething]

Well, they kinda do.  Doors can get "captured" in a way, if you let hostile forces get through them, then the door no longer responds to your godlike will, refusing to lock or unlock itself on your command.  You have to manually send a dwarf to go through the door and "uncapture" it before you can lock or unlock it on command again.  That's probably what you were thinking of.

I found out about this the hard way. I left a hole in my security, protected by a single door. A kobold thief got in, and was quickly beat down by two instant recruits. Later, I started getting messages about tasks canceled due to elephants. 

Back on topic, my stupid trick doesn't work, for the simple fact that goblins will not enter it. Both doors start out locked.