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[Cruxador]

On the subject of rat swarms, I would like to remind people of the old blood sport known as "ratting", wherein a dog and a bunch of rats would be put in a pit, and they would fight. The dog often lost. They never, to my knowledge, put armor on the dogs, but that has little relevance, since rats would go under armor on a dwarf anyway. Weapons are not more fast than jaws.

[smjjames]

On the subject of rat swarms, I would like to remind people of the old blood sport known as "ratting", wherein a dog and a bunch of rats would be put in a pit, and they would fight. The dog often lost. They never, to my knowledge, put armor on the dogs, but that has little relevance, since rats would go under armor on a dwarf anyway. Weapons are not more fast than jaws.

O.o

Well the rats WERE fighting for their lives.

Swarms taking down larger critters doesn't just happen to rats, ants are also a good example and what they take down is often many times their size.

[G-Flex]

On the subject of rat swarms, I would like to remind people of the old blood sport known as "ratting", wherein a dog and a bunch of rats would be put in a pit, and they would fight. The dog often lost. They never, to my knowledge, put armor on the dogs, but that has little relevance, since rats would go under armor on a dwarf anyway. Weapons are not more fast than jaws.

Dogs aren't people.

Dogs are near to the ground, whereas bipeds aren't, so rats would have a much more difficult time. People can also effectively stomp on things; dogs can't.

And this is assuming the person isn't even armored. Basically, it's just not a great comparison.

[smjjames]

On the subject of rat swarms, I would like to remind people of the old blood sport known as "ratting", wherein a dog and a bunch of rats would be put in a pit, and they would fight. The dog often lost. They never, to my knowledge, put armor on the dogs, but that has little relevance, since rats would go under armor on a dwarf anyway. Weapons are not more fast than jaws.

Dogs aren't people.

Dogs are near to the ground, whereas bipeds aren't, so rats would have a much more difficult time. People can also effectively stomp on things; dogs can't.

And this is assuming the person isn't even armored. Basically, it's just not a great comparison.

Also, just how many rats were against one dog?

[Lord Shonus]

Bear baiting is a better example. Same thing,  but with a bear and dogs instead of a dog and rats

[Misterstone]

IIRC the rats had their fangs removed before ratting bouts.

[Shrike]

So they gummed the dogs to death, or just by scratching them?

[Footkerchief]

On the subject of rat swarms, I would like to remind people of the old blood sport known as "ratting", wherein a dog and a bunch of rats would be put in a pit, and they would fight. The dog often lost.

This book makes it sound like the main risk to the dogs was infection from the bites, not immediate incapacitation.  "Loss" in that book only refers to the dog not killing the rats fast enough.

IIRC the rats had their fangs removed before ratting bouts.

I remember this being referenced in fiction (The Difference Engine, ugh) but I don't know if it's at all accurate.

[G-Flex]

Reading about ratting on wikipedia, it does seem like the concept was more "how many rats can a dog kill given a certain time limit" than "can the dog outlive the rats".

[smjjames]

Was just looking at the same thing as well and yea I don't think any dogs died from the fight itself directly and were more likely to die from infection.

[Kavalion]

A rat isn't going to mess with a full grown dwarf.  It would only bite if it couldn't flee - and its fangs won't pierce hardened leather.

If a dwarf does somehow manage to get bitten badly by a rat, he may very well die from infection.  Even kings died from that sort of thing before antibiotics.  I have to wonder how our dwarves will fare after the new health care updates.  Hopefully, the infections will help us to fill many coffins in our mausoleum mega project!  (Too bad it's put off for this next release, but we can have hope for the one after!)

[CobaltKobold]

um

Actual diseases aren't in yet, y'know.

Though plague rats should give cats a popularity boost.

[Footkerchief]

um

Actual diseases aren't in yet, y'know.

Though plague rats should give cats a popularity boost.

We're talking about regular old wound infection and that IS in, although according to Toady they're just "placeholder simple infections."  A rat's bite won't be any more dangerous than a bite from a "cleaner" animal, though, unless its teeth are coated with grime or something.  Which might actually be possible with the new system for secretions...

[Neonivek]

Well Rat bites arn't particularly deadly anyhow relative to most other animals.

[Qloos]

Speaking from experience as I've owned a pet rat.  But those damn teeth are LONG!  Penetrated through my finger nail and all the way through to the other side.