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Author Topic: Solutions for soldier apathy  (Read 1238 times)

numerobis

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Solutions for soldier apathy
« on: November 24, 2008, 10:56:26 pm »

I have this recurring problem that someone -- say, a long-awaited merchant -- will get attacked by an elephant, start screaming for help, let loose blood-curdling screeches, then finally emit "oh my god, I can't breath!" and die.

What bugs me about this is the soldier right next to the dying fellow, ostensibly his guard, who just stands there and "doesn't notice" his boss getting squashed.  Elephant and guard parted ways amicably.

I had a similar problem with a wrestler getting crushed while his squad leader two tiles away, who a second ago was chasing the evil E, suddenly decided to go pick up some shiny new gear.

What do I have to do to get these armies to actually address the pachydermic threat?
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Warlord255

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Re: Solutions for soldier apathy
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2008, 10:58:28 pm »

Lock them outside during battles. Works for me.
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Pilsu

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Re: Solutions for soldier apathy
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2008, 01:10:05 am »

Cut the trees. They block line of sight

Also, set the soldiers to harass animals
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numerobis

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Re: Solutions for soldier apathy
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2008, 01:07:27 pm »

Cut the trees. They block line of sight
The situation was:
Code: [Select]
..U
.U.
E..
With the middle U being the merchant, and the upper-right U being his guard.  So, unless the guard couldn't see through the merchant, it wasn't a line of sight problem.

Quote
Also, set the soldiers to harass animals
I did that on my soldiers, but it wasn't good enough: my axedwarf chased the elephant, hacking at it a few times, until simultaneously his two wrestlers boxed the elephant in so that finally he might be able to move in for the kill, and the armorsmith made a shiny new shield.  Predictably, the axedwarf went for the shiny rather than for the bloody.  Here, there was an LOS problem at first: there was a small rise between where the axedwarf lunged and fell prone, and where, three steps away, the elephant got cornered.  But the axedwarf had to get back in LOS to the elephant on his way to pick up the gear, and he didn't see fit to interrupt that job in order to go hack at a dangerous enemy.
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woose1

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Re: Solutions for soldier apathy
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2008, 07:03:46 pm »

Silly dwarves and their not-so-bloodthirsty-anymore-elephants....

I tend to not make metal-work in the MIDDLE OF A FIGHT instead I like to watch it, fram by frame, especially in a large battle.

...Im a nerd.
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Squeegy

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Re: Solutions for soldier apathy
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2008, 10:03:40 pm »

Forbid the shield.
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Axe27

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Re: Solutions for soldier apathy
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2008, 10:25:50 pm »

So what? Take the merchants stuff, kill the donkeys, and kill the impending human siege/elven/ goblin (If that strange thing should happen to you) siege.

This IS dwarf fortress after all.
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Demetrious

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Re: Solutions for soldier apathy
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2008, 11:42:44 pm »

What bugs me about this is the soldier right next to the dying fellow, ostensibly his guard, who just stands there and "doesn't notice" his boss getting squashed.  Elephant and guard parted ways amicably.

I love the way you put that. "Elephant and guard parted ways amicably." Updating sig now!
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