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[Raelyf]

So I'm fairly new to DF and I'm having some trouble pitting creatures. I've currently got a huge stockpile of goblins after the latest seige, and I've built myself a pit to throw them into. My problem is, every time I designate a creature to be thrown into the pit - they run as soon as my dwarves goes to get them out of the cage.

Somewhat unrelated, I accidently caught a bronze collosus in my cage traps (so much for the epic battle I was expecting..) and now I'm not sure what to do with him. I've got about 30 full time soldiers, so bloodbath is always an option - but I'm sure there's got to something more epic. I'm sort of at a loss since he smashes floodgates and everything else. Hmm, I read somewhere that they regenerate very quickly - could I pit him (assuming I can figure out how to pit anything at all) into a 1x1 square surrounded by fortifications and use him for marksdwarf training?

Rae

[peekama]

As for the problem with your goblins, build their cage in the pit, and connect it to a lever.  This way, you can pull the lever and release them remotely.  The idea for marksmen training on the other hand, might not work out.  The bronze collousi don't regenerate that fast.  You might end up just killing it.  Better to just let it out on the next goblin siege. 

[Magua]

So I'm fairly new to DF and I'm having some trouble pitting creatures. I've currently got a huge stockpile of goblins after the latest seige, and I've built myself a pit to throw them into. My problem is, every time I designate a creature to be thrown into the pit - they run as soon as my dwarves goes to get them out of the cage.

Goblin thieves and kobold snatchers will run.  Goblin (and human and elven, etc) troops will allow themselves to be pitted.  So much for military training.

Somewhat unrelated, I accidently caught a bronze collosus in my cage traps (so much for the epic battle I was expecting..)

Cage traps are great for making arena fights and whatnot, but they do make defense too easy.

Personally, I'm going through a "trial by combat" phase, where once I think one of my champions is buff enough, I put him in the arena against nasties (I haven't gotten any megabeasts yet with this map); if he dies, obviously unworthy, if he lives, he becomes part of the "ruling caste".

[Raelyf]

The bronze collosus will run (read: smash everything) as well I take it?
I don't actually want to kill him, so I don't want to throw him into a seige.. maybe I'll put him into a room off the side of my arena and have him come in and rip apart the survivors after I start pitting elves against goblins. Cage traps behind the floodgates to catch him after he rips them down.. Can bronze collosus (collosii?) drown?

[WorkerDrone]

You would think not. Thank god they cant rust! (Get it? Bronze...I get it.)

[JoshuaFH]

You would think not. Thank god they cant rust! (Get it? Bronze...I get it.)

yeah, you can't expect iron oxide to build up on something that isn't even made of iron! hardy har har!

[cganya]

You would think not. Thank god they cant rust! (Get it? Bronze...I get it.)

yeah, you can't expect iron oxide to build up on something that isn't even made of iron! hardy har har!

iron isnt the only metal that rusts, it just isnt very usefull once it is rusted. if i recall correctly aluminum (or was it silver... or nickle...) acually becomes stronger after it rusts.

edit - also, copper turns green and chalky but is otherwise the same

[Kate Wissen]

The word rust is kind of misleading. Rust refers specifically to iron oxidation. Aluminum oxide has different names, the most common being Alumina.

... Either way bronze has a low-oxidation rate. I got the joke. umm...

Hey look a zombie whale!
*Runs off*

[neo1096]

Aluminum Oxide also has a Moh's Hardness of 9 and is much stronger than the metal itself which one can tear with one's bare hands.

[Agent_Irons]

You would think not. Thank god they cant rust! (Get it? Bronze...I get it.)

yeah, you can't expect iron oxide to build up on something that isn't even made of iron! hardy har har!

iron isnt the only metal that rusts, it just isnt very usefull once it is rusted. if i recall correctly aluminum (or was it silver... or nickle...) acually becomes stronger after it rusts.

edit - also, copper turns green and chalky but is otherwise the same

Manufacturing Aluminum oxide objects is pretty much impossible, though. Metal is impermeable to oxygen, so only a thin sheath gets oxidized. If you open it up, you opened it up. It's not an object anymore. You could powder aluminum (That's basically thermite, btw), then melt it( but no, it would reduce on heating! It would smelt into aluminum again.)

Your only options are something I haven't thought of or a composite material.

[Kate Wissen]

Thermite reactions require iron oxide as well, not to say that aluminum powder isn't flammable.

Anyway, you get aluminum oxide when you refine bauxite. A stone I'm certain we are all familiar with by now. =)

In fact aluminum oxide is used in a ton of products. Off the top of my head its one of the types of materials found in ceramics.

[Traiden]

I'm not sure it would work but... What if you made a new stockpile for the cages in your arena and remove the old one. Would the Dwarfs be able to move the cages without releasing the occupant(s)?

[toast]

yeah pitting thieves is hard...but soldiers should go alright. although occasionally i have one escape, so i like to keep a marksdwarf or other soldier hanging around just in case.

as for your new friend, dont dont dont move him in any way other than to build his cage, and release with a lever. as for him breaking out, that is an easy fix. after building his cage, wall him in. dont use doors, use walls, cuz they cannot break down walls. then just channel a square over your new arena, and pit animals/enemies through that.

either remove the clothes from the victims before they are pitted, hide them after they fall, or deconstruct a wall with a cage trap so that you can clean up the mess. or just leave it.

or, much more better, put a dragon in with the collossus to burn the left overs.

[RavingManiac]

The bronze collosus will run (read: smash everything) as well I take it?
I don't actually want to kill him, so I don't want to throw him into a seige.. maybe I'll put him into a room off the side of my arena and have him come in and rip apart the survivors after I start pitting elves against goblins. Cage traps behind the floodgates to catch him after he rips them down.. Can bronze collosus (collosii?) drown?

Sell the bronze colossus - you can easily buy out a trade caravan with one of those things.

Hehehe...