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Author Topic: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge  (Read 3619 times)

Mook

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Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« on: January 21, 2009, 09:14:22 pm »

My question relates to whether or not ambush parties leave the map at the end of each season, or if they stick around until discovered.  Here's the situation:

Starting my third year, I would have at least two seasons of goblin ambushes, generally consisting of three squads each plus 3 snatchers per season.  Easy enough to handle, although they killed the crap out of the elves a few times before I decided to protect my wood-bearers.

Starting on year 5, no ambushes at all.  For two years not a single ambush showed up.  My pop was around 60 during this time.

I raise my pop up to 82 in the Spring, and the following Autumn a foolish crafter wandering outside for whatever reason reveals an ambush.  I figure I'm back up to three, so I send out the champions to roll everything before the crafter dies.  He survives, but as the lemming rush of death comes storming out of the fort to collect everything, my tactically placed champions reveal six additional ambush parties, plus two snatchers.

Not a single goblin escaped, although one came close.  I'm not sure if the map is safe yet, but I'm curious as to whether or not this is because the spring and summer ambush parties never left the map, or if it's because ambush volume increases exponentially based on wealth/population.

Thanks for any responses.
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Rysith

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2009, 11:31:29 pm »

I can confirm that ambush parties do not leave the map between seasons: I know that whenever I come outside again after keeping everyone inside for a bit I should expect some.
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The OP deserves the violent Dwarven equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Mook

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2009, 01:07:17 am »

So I guess that means I need to start sending out patrols to keep the numbers down.  Cleaning up all of this crap has already consumed a season, and I'm only 3/4 finished.  Thanks for confirming that.
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hapes

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2009, 01:32:15 am »

The cleanup is a pain in the BUTT.  I am in the process of cleaning up after a couple of ambushes, and I'm expecting more any time now.  Blech.

After that completely meaningless post, we return you to your regularly scheduled dwarves.
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Mook

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2009, 02:45:21 am »

I remember seeing a method of modification on the forums which removes half of the garbage that goblins wear, making cleanup easier.  I think it involves deleting something in the specific goblin file to prevent them from wearing certain clothing.  After almost losing my save due to messing haphazardly with the files before, I'm cautious.

NEXT QUESTION:  What do I specifically delete in the goblin file to make cleanup easier/prevent them from carrying so much crap?  Do I need to regen for this to take effect?

Thanks.
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MuonDecay

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2009, 04:09:51 am »

I saw the title and immediately wondered "How do you write 'mission accomplished' in the goblin language?" :P
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Cypress

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2009, 05:15:13 am »

Moar Waaaaagh?
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MightyPaladin

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2009, 07:10:56 am »

just delete the clothing for goblins (evil) in the entity default file.  leave the armor.  re: delete mittens, hood, pants, etc and leave chain, plate, greaves, etc.


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Mook

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2009, 01:03:29 pm »

Moar Waaaaagh?

Thanks to the mayday tile set, the goblins are green, and green iz best.



Thanks for the answer MightyPaladin.  Maybe now my dwarfs will actually have a chance to use their craft skills, as I've just been war profiteering so far.
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Tsktac

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2009, 03:33:39 pm »

Sorry but I have to do this...
green iz best.

but the red wunz go fasta!!!
Fixed ;D
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Mook

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2009, 06:55:58 pm »

In a new and somewhat related development, apparently it is possible to kill all local goblin leaders without sieges.  I've been keeping track of the important folks in my local goblin civ, and apparently I recently killed the local spearmaster/leader in an ambush.  The only important figure they now have is their civ leader, and I know they started with at least a half a dozen important figures before the ambushes began.

This makes me worried about the state of my local goblin neighbors.  If they decide to send their civ leader, and I kill him, will that be the end of the narrow clothing?  Will they even send sieges at me now that they've suffered such ridiculous casualties from just ambushing me?  Should I take preemptive measures to piss off the elves and humans as much as possible in order to guarantee that I have something interesting to look forward to each season?

Thanks for the responses.
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Justyn

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2009, 09:33:49 pm »

This makes me worried about the state of my local goblin neighbors.  If they decide to send their civ leader, and I kill him, will that be the end of the narrow clothing?  Will they even send sieges at me now that they've suffered such ridiculous casualties from just ambushing me?  Should I take preemptive measures to piss off the elves and humans as much as possible in order to guarantee that I have something interesting to look forward to each season?

As far as I know, if you kill the civilization  eader, they'll just get a new one. And because all those goblins (save local or civilization leaders) don't actually exist until they enter the map, you will never deplete their civilization... under the current version at the very least.
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Kishmond

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2009, 09:58:48 pm »

Because they are ambushing, you have no idea if they leave or not until you change the outcome by discovering them.

It's like Schrödinger's Ambush.

Cypress

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2009, 11:14:59 pm »

Because they are ambushing, you have no idea if they leave or not until you change the outcome by discovering them.

It's like Schrödinger's Ambush.
So that's why I find all the dead goblins that I didn't kill...
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MuonDecay

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Re: Goblins marshalling their forces for a surge
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2009, 05:55:24 am »

Because they are ambushing, you have no idea if they leave or not until you change the outcome by discovering them.

It's like Schrödinger's Ambush.

This certainly calls for someone to create a pit for goblins containing an infernal device meant to kill/not-kill them based upon a random and unstable mechanism (something with fluid flows perhaps?).

Then you'd have Schrödinger's oubliette to store Schrödinger's ambushers in.
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