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[Popolop]

First things first, I'm not really a newb. I know how to work everything and I understand the ASCII art perfectly. That's not really the problem. The problem is is that I'm just stuck. I don't know what I should do. For the past couple of days or so, I've been looking for the perfect spot. To me, a perfect spot is a spot that is at least 50% mountains, has a magma pool,  a brook but it's in the corner of the screen, no aquifers, and plenty of trees. And today, I have finally found that spot. But I don't know what to do. I don't know how I should design my fort. Honestly, I've never really worked with magma before and I don't know how to utilize it to it's fullest extent. It just seems like I hit a road block or something.

So first off, let me describe my fortress. There's a small brook at the top left of my screen by a small patch of mountains. Go down a little bit and that's where all my trees and soil is. It covers probably about 40 percent of the map. In the middle-right lays my magma pool. Go down past that a little bit lays the face of the main mountainside. It covers about 55 percent of the map. Any ideas of how I should design my fortress?

[numerobis]

First, figure this one out: What are you trying to achieve?

[userpay]

Can someone link that DF map website for this guy? He could upload a map to give us a better idea. Also if your interested I got a great spot in the link of my sig as well.

[A_Fey_Dwarf]

Upload a map to the map archive (or post a screenshot) so that we can see your map and suggest a design. I tend to usually dig into the side of a mountain opposed to digging straight down. Dig into the mountainside and then build around the central passageway you have dug. An above ground defense is also a must at the entrance.

[Ashery]

Upload a map to the map archive (or post a screenshot) so that we can see your map and suggest a design. I tend to usually dig into the side of a mountain opposed to digging straight down. Dig into the mountainside and then build around the central passageway you have dug. An above ground defense is also a must at the entrance.

Bah, screw above ground defenses.

Just build a long, winding tunnel that leads to your trade depot and main fort. Fight all battles in said tunnel with support from above ;p

[Popolop]

Here's the map:

http://mkv25.net/dfma/map-4071-boldoludon

[hotcakes]

if you have a magma pool make your entrance to your base cross the magma pool and put a retracable bridge over it then but 3 floodgates infront of your trade depot equally useful for dropping goblins and elves to a fiery doom becuase you dont want to have to deal with them and yes long windy 3 wide tunnel so its bug enough for wagons and what i did was make mine like this except 0 = 3x3 space B= ballistae D = depot G= bridge (yes i know i can use a code window : P but im lazy also balistae is acess via stairs and surronded by walls and forifications at N S E W your siege engineers will run away once the gobbos get near them so the balistae is only effective up to about the 3

         0  0   0    3   
DGGGG0  B    0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0
         0 0    0

[userpay]

Hmm I think I would dig into the bank to the left of the magma pool (near that pool of water) so that you can have a courtyard to trap baddies in and maintain a good distance on all sides.

[Popolop]

How exactly would I dig into magma? By using channels?

[Ashery]

? You can't dig into the magma...

Well, I suppose you could *try*...but I already know what the outcome would be for your poor dwarf that you sent to try ;p

I can't speak in entirely certain terms, as I don't know how the other levels look, but I'd dig into that E facing cliff about 30 or so tiles N of the N facing cliff. Go in about ten to fifteen tiles and turn S. Continue S until you're a good 30 tiles S of the N facing cliff. Turn E into your trade depot and main fort.

On the long N/S tunnel, this is where I'd put a couple levels of defense (Make sure you have at least two underground levels above the base level) and siege at the southern most point. Anything that enters would get absolutely slaughtered without the use of a single trap

And, simply for looks, line the side of your entryway with lava channels. Only downside of that is that you can no longer melee in the hall safely

At least that's something akin to my current design.

[Popolop]

I meant how would I connect a dug out tunnel to the magma pit.

Oh, and I have an idea. A couple of mini-tunnels by my entrance filled with magma. The entrance of the tunnel is blocked by a floodgate. When enemies come, flush them away with a simple pull of a lever. Then another lever-pull to open up hatches to drown out the magma with water.

[Hawkfrost]

Then another lever-pull to open up hatches to drown out the magma with water.

It doesn't quite work that way.
Magma+Water=Obsidian.
Unless you want walls of obsidian, best way is to drain the magma away with floor hatches.

[Jurph]

Look at all that loose soil!  No dwarf would carve the main entrance to a mountain in dirt when there's perfectly serviceable rock commanding a view of the magma pipe and surrounding fields.  I'd dig a ramp over by the magma for your trade wagon, then dig out a 3-wide channel that the stone bunker can overlook.  Then either fortify the walls of the channel (and have archer hallways behind them) or build 3-thick walls on the surface overlooking the channel down its length with fortifications staring down on anyone dumb enough to venture in.  Make the channel long, and terminate it with a left or right turn around a fortified battery of 3 ballistae.  Deep in the mountain, set up an obsidian farm and a craftsdwarf's workshop and crank out obsidian swords.  Build them into traps and line the channel with Obsidian-bladed Cuisinarts.

You can build walled-in surface pockets for farming if you like, or stick to good dwarfy cave-farming.

[Magua]

First things first, I'm not really a newb. I know how to work everything and I understand the ASCII art perfectly. That's not really the problem. The problem is is that I'm just stuck. I don't know what I should do.

You're thinking about it too hard. 

Make a backup of your df\data\save\<whatever> folder.  Play your fortress.  Don't worry about things.  As you play, you'll discover things you don't like, and you'll think of ways to do things better than you did.  Abandon/kill off/whatever your fortress.  Restore the backup you made.  Do it again.

[Zara]

So, I took a look at the map. Obviously, you would not want to start to far away from the magma pipe nor to far from the brook. The nice thing about a brook is that you can build a water wheel there, and horizontal axles shouldn't be too long. Technically you could of course build a channel to deliver your magma to any point on the map (where you can use it than for magma forges, etc.), but it's easier if the magma source is not so far away. So I would suggest that you dig a tunnel into the side of the mountain where I marked it, and than build a vertical shaft down placing your various workshops and storage rooms around that shaft. I have a special design scheme that I use for this, but it is rather difficult to explain. I'll probably upload one of my own maps, so that you can have a look.