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[Eater of Vermin]

I had a dwarven trade caravan appear on a nearby hill overlooking my fortress, where it ran straight into an ambush.  Now I really needed that caravan and I thought my military would like a change of pace to sparring, so I sent both squads up to lend some assistance.   8 marksdwarves and 8 melee dwarves, each soldier with 2 or 3 war dogs.

The moment they engaged the ambushers, another two squads of gobbos jumped into the fray.  SIEGE!  The wily gobbos had used the caravan ambush to lure my defenders into a workd of hurt.     Of course, I immediately called a lock-down and told the rest of the fortress to turtle up, but my hunter and fisherman had both wandered far afield and each had run into roaming gobbo squads. 

To my very, very great surprise, members of the Royal Guard ran out to assist!  One to the aid of the fisherman, one to the aid of the hunter!     They held up the enemy, giving my workers time to escape while other members of the Royal Guard and the Fortress Guard mustered together and sallied forth to assist.

It was a glorious battle, my newly formed Home Guard quickly wiped out a squad of bow-gobs(!!) and then rushed to destroy the spear-gobs.  Even though they were out-numbered by 2:1, the only lives lost were the two valiant members of the Royal Guard who'd rushed to the defense of mere commoners.     (This is the first time I've ever wished I could assign tombs posthumously.)

All this, while my "trained military elite" were struggling to overcome equal odds. 

Fortress & Royal Guards have finally gained some value in my eyes!  Talking of which,  I've already mentioned in another post that in my current game my Countess is my trader.  Well... to be more accurate, I haven't elected a trader...  she just loves doing it for me.     Similarly, so far all punishments have been handled by the guard & the cells - my hammerer prefers to party and when there's no parties going, he spends his time hauling!

So, has Toady tweaked the nobles & guards to be less useless for 39e or am I just having a really, really unusual game?
 

[Nomadic]

How in the world did you get ahold of 39f before its release. This I must know!

[Eater of Vermin]

It's called a brain-fart.  [blush]

Fixed.

[galmud]

Wow great story. I dont have much experience with royal guards but my fortress guards have never done anything like that neither 38c or 39e.

Wonder why they did that. I was under the impression guards just wander around the fortress never leaving unless they have to go outside to drink.

[KrataLightblade]

I thought the whole reason people hated the Guards originally were that they were an uncontrollable military that had a nasty habit of charging out into the thick of an enemy siege and suiciding against bowgobs they can't even get to before being shot to pieces?

[Jackrabbit]

This time the charged out into the thick of an enemy siege and reached the bowgobs.

[A_Fey_Dwarf]

Quite a bit off topic but every time I see your name Jackrabbit, I am reminded of the good times playing jazz jackrabbit for hours on end in my childhood. Such a good game that I had forgotten about until you came a long.

Sorry about that topic derail   

[Dadamh]

Hey, that's not fair.

My fortress and royal guard always do their damnedest to get slaughtered on every siege.

"All Dwarves Stay Inside"

"Bugger off!  C'mon lads, it's only 24 bowmen!  We can take 'em!"

[Jackrabbit]

Quite a bit off topic but every time I see your name Jackrabbit, I am reminded of the good times playing jazz jackrabbit for hours on end in my childhood. Such a good game that I had forgotten about until you came a long.

Sorry about that topic derail   

It nice that i caused nostalgia. and possibly opened up old wounds.
oh and NZ dwarf? Yay! Kiwis of the world unite! were do you live? i am in Australia so any news would be welcome

[umiman]

Not particularly related, but does anyone know where the little bar showing how many fortress and royal guards you need ran off to? I seem to have misplaced it.

[Awayfarer]

UMi, check the top of your military screen.

[umiman]

Ahhhh...

[Eater of Vermin]

My fortress and royal guard always do their damnedest to get slaughtered on every siege.

I thought the whole reason people hated the Guards originally were that they were an uncontrollable military that had a nasty habit of charging out into the thick of an enemy siege and suiciding against bowgobs they can't even get to before being shot to pieces?

In the past I've had the odd one or two rush out by themselves, but this was nothing like that.  They were operating the way that squads should work but don't.  ie. together.

Like many others, my Fortress Guard are usually crippled ex-military.  The legless, the eyeless, the spineless, the brainless. The ones who aren't up to much more than wandering through my hallways carrying a big stick and going "'Allo 'allo?  What's all this 'ere, then?"   But at least they usually had some training before they got wounded...  the Royal Guards are just Cheese Makers and the like promoted as they infiltrate the borders for no reasons other than to stop nobles whinging and get some immigrants out of my hair.  They're lucky even to be assigned weapons, let alone armour.

So to see this ragtag army act as they did made me wonder whether improvements had been made to the AI or whether I was just very lucky it played out the way it did this time. 

I don't think I'll rush out to buy a Tatts ticket though.    

[Jetman123]

I've noticed that my Royal Guard and Fortress Guard are coming to the aid of under-attack civilians now, too. They are incredibly useful. It's why I give my royal guardsmen shields, chainmail and swords.

[WingDing]

To my very, very great surprise, members of the Royal Guard ran out to assist!  One to the aid of the fisherman, one to the aid of the hunter!     They held up the enemy, giving my workers time to escape while other members of the Royal Guard and the Fortress Guard mustered together and sallied forth to assist.

It was a glorious battle, my newly formed Home Guard quickly wiped out a squad of bow-gobs(!!) and then rushed to destroy the spear-gobs.  Even though they were out-numbered by 2:1, the only lives lost were the two valiant members of the Royal Guard who'd rushed to the defense of mere commoners.     (This is the first time I've ever wished I could assign tombs posthumously.)

I never thought Dwarf Fortress could make me shed a tear.

Good sir, you have proved me wrong.