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[Samus1111111]

Ok, I just downloaded and installed the orc mod and got creamed before I had more than 14 dwarves and in the summer of my second year. I have reclaimed 2 times and just died again and have installed stonefall traps, but apparently they have trapavoid, even though I didn't see it in the raws....

So I was wondering how other people here defend themselves from this menace. I am planning on building a moat with bridges to protect myself against them next time.

[Kidiri]

Hole up. When there are no Orcs, and some migrants arrive, designate a small meeting area just outside of your entrance and quickly let them in when they're all there. And conveniently place your Depot there too. In an airlock, obviously.

[loopoo]

Take Trapavoid off them. They're too strong with it on. Seeing as you don't get a good military until the 2nd-3rd year as well. So just build a few cage traps and channel round your base (Make it big, so in the future you don't do yourself over) and then wait it out. Usually 18 cage traps are enough to make the rest flee, so you're alright. Rinse and repeat until you're ready. Usually, by the third year, you'll have a working (small or big doesn't matter) arena set up, so you can train your newbie soldiers ultra quick with your prisoners of war.

[Samus1111111]

ok, digging a moat and took trapavoid off.

I have another question. When I reclaim there are some orcs just sitting around the map (including in my fortress) and they are friendly until I get sieged by other orcs. At that time, they turn hostile and kill some of my dwarves from the inside which makes everyone unhappy and will probably have caused a tantrum spiral if the other orcs hadn't killed the dwarves first

[Organ]

Question: what tag am I looking for in the raws to toggle trapavoid?

[Mr.Elendig]

In my current fortress I set up a 80 tile long, 3 wide corridor, with moats and raised bridges at either end, and the obligatory wooden screwpump (manually operated) connected to the local brook.

Orc disposal and dwarfen gym in one package.  The downside is that it takes ages to fill and drain. For caravans and imigrants, I have another shorter entrance with an airlock around the depo.

[kotekzot]

[trapavoid]. hence the name.

[Onlyhestands]

Question: what tag am I looking for in the raws to toggle trapavoid?

Look at the Orc creature raws. Remove the [trAPADVOID] tag. thats all there is to it

[Scruga]

Bolt 'n Bow

[Byakugan01]

Bolt 'n Bow

This sums up your early years orc defense system. I've NEVER had problems except for the first two or three times I underestimated orcs. Never made that mistake again. By using marksmen in locked towers, you can decimate orc sieges early on. They're only too strong if you rely on traps to take care of everything. If you don't let them fight the way they want-in melee-you're in good shape-their snipers rarely retaliate against marksdwarves in locked towers. They will murder you if you just make ground level fortifications, however.

[Efun]

Ya, head into the Raws and start cutting out [trAPAVOID] and what ever you want, i cut out trap avoid for the reason im gonna capture them all for a Church of Armok made of pure silver and sacrifice them frequently, so i have a long.... let me rephrase that, REALLY LONG tunnel filled with nothing but cage traps and im gonna just capture the entire first siege... Armok will be proud

[loopoo]

Moats are stupid. Ditches are where it's at. With moats you can't claim the armor and loot, and you risk your own men drowning when they dodge. Just keep the channeled area free of water, dig a little corridor and add a door at the front. Forbid it when you want trapped enemies to be kept in.

[AtomicPaperclip]

I built a wall around my entrance and depot that goes to the ocean, so I can still go cut trees and fish.

Then I had a lever bridge to let in the caravan/immigrants.

I got tired of the orcs sitting around so I built a ramp up to my walls and stationed marksdwarves up there

Oh the experience that was had.

[snuflufagus]

Embark with enough leather or preferably metal or ore to completely outfit a number of dwarven warriors.  I prefer bringing cassiterite and malachite/native copper since they can be smelted into bronze from ore cheaply and provide acceptable armor, and copper makes cheap training weapons.  Make sure to bring some iron for fighting weapons.  Fuel can be made on site.  For skills, pick four dwarves and invest in their shield and wrestling skills to help minimize spinal injuries in training.  Make sure you have an even number of military dwarves so the odd man isn't standing around.  Give them a mix of blunt (for stun) and axes (for limbs).  Also make a number of crossbows and bolts (out of bone or wood if money is scarce - you want them for criticals, not damage) so that your three starting civilian dwarves can also fight, and bring as many dogs as possible.  Your first year will be pretty rough with a limited work force, especially because you'll be sacrificing a lot to equip and train your military.  Skimp on bringing food and booze and gather as much as you can from the countryside.  Alternatively, organize your military to take down the local fauna and save the flora for fermenting.  Have your miner or mason try to construct multiple choke points through which the orcs must travel so that they trip over one another and get strung out, then attack the head of their column at the last one.  If you're lucky and they attack in the first winter instead of the first summer, you should have four weaponlords, some normal weapon users (drafted from immigrants with leather armor), a bunch of war meatshields (dogs) and their meatshields (their pups), and a number of drafted civilians with crossbows.  Don't even think about starting an actual fort until at least your second if not third year.

Oh, and the "friendly" orcs on reclaim are kind of a mixed blessing.  They will kill some animals, goblins, and kobolds for you.  Even then, it's probably a good idea to wall them up in spring.  Interestingly, they don't seem to path to a dwarf unless they see it, so orcs sitting in isolated areas can be ignored.  If there's one in your fort, though, be prepared to station at least two weaponsdwarves near it to ensure it dies if you get sieged that season.  Dwarf meat must be like Prozac to them orcs.

[snuflufagus]

Alternatively, for those who still wish the challenge of not walling themselves in, there is a way to defeat orcish sieges with as few as three military dwarves.  Build a step pyramid.  A step pyramid of 21x21 base with one space wide steps (about ten stories) with a central staircase at the top leading to ground level and an underground fortress can be built in two to three seasons by seven unskilled masons.  Statues are placed along a line ascending the pyramid with ramps from ground up alternating on either side of the statues to force besiegers to walk around each entire step before ascending to the next.  Multistoried towers are placed at each corner with only enough room to fit the up/down stairwell with walls facing out and fortifications facing the pyramid (to keep your dwarves concentrating their fire on the besiegers climbing the pyramid).  Marksdwarves will be stationed on the stairs.  The overall effect is that your crossbows, even with nerfed damage, will have a ridiculously long period of time to shoot as the orcs stumble over each other, rounding each step (and painting them red) on their way up to the top of the pyramid.  A handful of melee dwarves to pick up the odd wrestler who makes it before they retreat and tons of ammo are the only other things you need.