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[MagicJuggler]

Not just shipwrecks. Imagine adventure mode. Suppose in the Age of Myth there was an Atlantis-type city buried underneath the ocean. Being able to assemble a small exploratory team to find artifacts of priceless value would be a small journey in itself, plus such a quest could easily be replicated in Dwarf Fortress Mode once the army arc is set up. Finding lost technologies/spells/etc. would be a wonder in itself.

[Golgath]

I'm mostly envisaging an adventurer tearing around their tiny sub, desperately trying to avoid smashing into some rocks or pumping water out after it sprung an unexpected leak.  That being said, I don't know about submarines, but some sort of ships would be nice, as well as an ability to order your dwarves to recover items at the bottom of a river.

I also wholeheartedly support the swimming pool idea, though it should cause negative thoughts unless they are better then novices.

[StrayCat]

I support swimming pools of varying deaths. Wait, I meant depths. Depths. There needs to be trainee pools so I can have dwarves train their swimming up so they can deal with those damned longnose gar on their own turf. Underwater wrestling matches GO!

[MagicJuggler]

If not a diving suit, a simple snorkel would also be an option for Dwarves whom want to stay a level below the water surface in order to avoid detection.

[StrayCat]

I do not endorse ninja dwarfs. I do not.

Dwarven stealth is getting so loud that they destroy the senses of others.

[MagicJuggler]

Remember, whatever options I suggest...your opponents will also attempt to pull off. Raiding canoes might be one example, as would naval blockades against your trading city.

[Heron TSG]

this is awesome. bump!

[Silverionmox]

Submarines as we know them would not be feasible. Those use combustion, electricity for a lot of functions, and require industrial quantities of mass-produced items to assure every possible leak is not one. That's quite different from forging a masterwork short sword. Not to mention the pressures at significant depths.

Better bribe the mermaids. Or hire a crazy pearl-diving human (who would appreciate the quality of a dwarven-made diving bell, though). Decent dwarves keep their feet between a rock and their head!

[El Ruffianos]

Waterskins could have a second use, they could be used as air containers that would be used up when the Dwarf needs it and like carrying water it would be an option under the squad settings. A special anti-carp squad going up the river would be awesome.

And being able to designate swimming pools would be great as well but there maybe a certain chance that they start drowning. Maybe lifeguards could be assigned and those with high swimming skill would be able to save a drowning dwarf.

[Tormy]

Submarines as we know them would not be feasible. Those use combustion, electricity for a lot of functions, and require industrial quantities of mass-produced items to assure every possible leak is not one. That's quite different from forging a masterwork short sword. Not to mention the pressures at significant depths.

Better bribe the mermaids. Or hire a crazy pearl-diving human (who would appreciate the quality of a dwarven-made diving bell, though). Decent dwarves keep their feet between a rock and their head!

Yep exactly...once we gonna have a mercenary "system" the possibilites will be endless...just hire some intelligent underwater creatures and send them to underwater missions.

Urist: Lizardmen!
Lizard merc. leader: Sir!
Urist: We need to get rid of that skeletal shark!
Lizard merc. leader: Sir! Yes Sir!

[MagicJuggler]

Submarines as we know them would not be feasible. Those use combustion, electricity for a lot of functions, and require industrial quantities of mass-produced items to assure every possible leak is not one. That's quite different from forging a masterwork short sword. Not to mention the pressures at significant depths.

Better bribe the mermaids. Or hire a crazy pearl-diving human (who would appreciate the quality of a dwarven-made diving bell, though). Decent dwarves keep their feet between a rock and their head!

And what's wrong with an old-fashioned submarine akin to The Turtle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_(submarine)), that uses hand-powered screw pumps in order to alter depth and to propel the craft?

From what I'm seeing, most DF maps don't have enough depth for pressure to be a significant issue, so unless you're 40+ levels under sea, it shouldn't be an issue...of course, as it stands, an underwater city at that level currently is acceptable, if only because Toady hasn't dealt with air pressure.

[Hectonkhyres]

Or have a necromancer take control of a skeletal whale, waterproof everything between the ribs using an assload of oiled cat leather, and install a glass viewing port in one eyesocket.

[Silverionmox]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmond_Halley

In 1690, Halley built a diving bell, a device in which the atmosphere was replenished by way of weighted barrels of air sent down from the surface. In a demonstration, Halley and five companions dived to 60 feet in the River Thames, and remained there for over an hour and a half. Halley's bell was of little use for practical salvage work, as it was very heavy, but he made improvements to it over time, later extending his underwater exposure time to over 4 hours.

And at that point, it's already late in the 17th century! By 1750, with the use of a metal diving harness to combat water pressure, dizzying depths of no more than 24m had been reached. And all this while remaining dependent on on-shore - or on-ship - pumps to supply air via tubes. And then I haven't even mentioned the caisson disease.

All this is significantly past the 1400 limit, but it could have its place in-game because it 1. is not overpowered and 2. still conveys a sense of severe technological limitations and vulnerability.

As for submarines, I don't think independent vehicles do that. With the appropriate limitations, a rowing boat, a glass bucket and a fishing pole/dredge would be more useful anyway.

[Artyr]

I support all but the diving suit techs. I think the same thing could be accomplished by either training dwarves in swimming (making them faster) or giving them an air sac.

As for ships, what I really want to see is whaling. This would nesessitate adding more whale species as well as items like harpoons and such. What's more dwarvenly than a whaler?

[Pilsu]

I could see swimming becoming more useful once they actually realize water is now pathable

Not too sure about building anything bigger than a support underwater but eh