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[FunkyWaltDogg]

Let's say you're building a larger version of such a system and you've got a chain of pumps in a row.  Would connecting them by horizontal axles through the tile where the water is dumped work?

[Elvang]

I don't see why not. I'm just now placing my pumps so I'll let you know if it works. Would help immensely for me, no wood on the map

[Martin]

I don't see why not. I'm just now placing my pumps so I'll let you know if it works. Would help immensely for me, no wood on the map

It would be cheaper in wood to connect them with mechanisms and just build another waterwheel to cover the added power cost.

[Elvang]

Turned on the one above my dining room. Flipped the switch and it ran without a problem, if I flip the switch again it will run through it until it hits the deactivated pump. Incidentally theres a floodgate next to the deactivated pump so if it ever leaks/evaporates I can just shut it down and fill it back up.

Unfortunately even with cutting corners I'm down to 17 logs... To connect all the pumps above my entrance for the magma I'll need at least 40, so its either time to search for the underground river or hope a caravan finally brings some wood like I've been requesting. I'll post my map/a movie of the entrance once its finished and a siege comes 

I considered having the water version run through my housing (using high density plan from wiki), but the pumps don't line up and I didn't feel like planning out something similar to what I did for my entrance again.

[AncientEnemy]

you could just use gear assemblies to make all your connections, more power usage but easy to offset with another waterwheel or two, at the use of considerably less lumber

[Elvang]

Elves and Gentledwarves, I present the magma version!
Movie
Map

Notes:

• Continually leaks in the same two spots, don't know why or how to fix apparently from dropping the magma an extra z-level don't know why. Will have to test one where it doesn't change z-levels.
• Performed two tests, results inconclusive due to leak preventing continuous loop
  
  • Test mangled a dwarf's foot when he stood under a hole, no damage to dwarf standing adjacent
  • Test did no damage to either dwarf
• Uses a whopping ~1000 power

I really should have written a story to go with this fort, so much crap happened. First artifact uses a single bar of aluminum. Next 5 artifacts are possessions all about the first artifact, and each uses a minimum of 3 pieces of wood. Not to mention the first artifact is worth more than all of the rest combined.

On a related note, I've had a dwarf standing constantly under the mist generator for several years now and he is still only Dabbling Swimmer.

[Garky]

Well, I just completed and tested my simple 4 pump version of a magma defense system. My first orc invasion showed up as I was building a final wall, so I figured I might as well test it on them.

Results: 1 broken foot.
I might need to redesign just a little bit. I was amused to watch the magma spin in a merry circle, not producing any mist, as the horde marched underneath unmolested.

[Lav]

Well, if the damage is too low because the magma only stays at lower level for a single flick, perhaps the system should be lowered one level, with grate-covered pits between the pumps? This way the magma-exposure time should be several times higher unless I'm mistaken.

[Volfram]

Let's say you're building a larger version of such a system and you've got a chain of pumps in a row.  Would connecting them by horizontal axles through the tile where the water is dumped work?

Axles and gear assemblies do not block water or dwarf movement.(I just built one of these last night.  4x4 in a 20x20 dining room/meeting area.  It put a serious damper on the tantrum spiral I was experiencing)

[AncientEnemy]

Well, if the damage is too low because the magma only stays at lower level for a single flick, perhaps the system should be lowered one level, with grate-covered pits between the pumps? This way the magma-exposure time should be several times higher unless I'm mistaken.

this might work actually, if you walled it off properly and forced the enemy to walk across the -upper- level with the pumps they'd be magma'd a hell of a lot more.

[Volfram]

I do not see how that would work.  The pumps won't put the magma above themselves, and if you force the enemies to wade through the pumps, then they'll just break 'em.(At least, any building destroyers would)

[Elvang]

Making the enemy walk where the pumps are wouldn't increase the damage as the magma would be moving at the same speed. I just ran my system again for a single cycle to try to see why it leaks and I noticed that sometimes the magma will move as many as two pumps in one step or stay at a single spot for as many as ~5.

I just removed all the extra floor in my system, so every gear is now hanging. Now it only seems to leak in one spot, where I have the right circuit jump a z-level over the left circuit so both can loop (not enough room left to fix). The left circuit loops flawlessly now. I'm now trying to design one where there is a pressure plate for each pump, and the pump will only be activated when the plate detects 7/7 magma, should increase the amount of time a tile is occupied by at least a step or two. I'll have to embark somewhere with bauxite though, 70 some stones is a lot of waiting when caravans are your only source.

I left a noble and a champion walled in under the working circuit for about 30 seconds. Noble died and his belongings are now on fire, the champion lasted a bit longer before igniting.

[azazel]

The water system evaporates for me - I suspect it's because the pumps are on a soil layer.

[ChocoHearts]

So... what we need to do is make an airlock with a magma circuit above it; lock the gobbos in and let 'em burn!

[Garky]

Having enemies walk over grates on the same level as the pumps proves highly effective. Only the fastest of this invasion's beak dog mounted orcs were able to skip through without going up in a smokey poof, leaving a neat pile of iron gear behind. Beware, however, as a couple of my wooden axles powering the pumps got torched during the commotion, leading to the grisly demise of my 0 military fortress.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new death machine on our hands!

*edit* I guess I spoke too soon; drafting a miner and 3 woodcutters allowed my fortress to survive with minimal casualties. Total death toll: 14 Orcs, 14 Beak Dogs, 3 peasants, and a kitten, all crispified to bones nearly instantly. If you use these make sure you set everything (friend and foe) to forbid on death, lest the sock spoils of war torch your fortress. Several orcs and the kitten were able to crawl 1-2 squares away from the "killzones" and took a moment to fully burn out (not very long at all though).