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[Malsqueek]

The dungeon master already is this. At least, if you let him become a legendary weaponsmith.

He will perform all metal working skills, along with animal training.

But he doesn't unlock new construction options, which is what I was posting about...

[Pilsu]

He does unlock the taming of exotic beasts but that mechanic makes sense. Super secret blacksmiths with unique skills, not so much

[eerr]

He does unlock the taming of exotic beasts but that mechanic makes sense. Super secret blacksmiths with unique skills, not so much

what, you don't think the DF world can have monopolies, extra-large quivers, a glass table rimmed with bronze, or a rot-proof salted beef jerky?

[bjlong]

Pilsu, do you have any references for Damascus steel being due to a one-of-a-kind deposit? I seem to recall that it was made from a few different steel sources--one in Damascus, one in Spain, and maybe one other--by local artisans. I thought it was mainly a forging technique that we had lost.

Also! I would like to see some variation on weapons and steel quality between fortresses. This sort of mechanism would help, but it'd have to be balanced.

[Rowanas]

Damascus steel, to my recollection, was forged by using several different types of iron in a particular way that we have lost. We would need both the technique and the correct forms of iron in order to reproduce damascus steel.

[Malsqueek]

My understanding is that Damascus steel was several different types of steel, with several different carbon contents, which were folded, much like the Japanese stuff was.

Higher carbon steel is harder, and holds a better edge, lower carbon steel is softer and has better tensile strength and resistance to shattering. They fold them to benefit from both strengths.

The folding is why Damascus steel has those little cool feathery lines all over the polished edges.

[Fieari]

Yeah, Japanese metal ore is crap and rare, so to get anything worthwhile they had to fold, and they put sharp edges on the weapons because metal was so rare no one wore plate armor, which makes sharp edges mostly worthless.  A sharp katana can obliterate anyone wearing leather armor, but it wouldn't do much against a knight in plate.  On the other hand, that knight's heavier sword wouldn't cut the samurai in half either-- not that it'd need to, as the bludgeoning damage of the thing would break enough bones to take him out of the fight anyway.

Still, folding is a really cool technique-- I don't know the effects of folding good metal ore, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's what damascus steel is, given its legendary nature.

[bjlong]

The swords in Europe had sharp edges (for the most part) too, to quickly take out people wearing leather armor. It's just that the focus shifted from person to person--edge or point--so that most swords were a comprimise between the two.

Folding is cool, sure, but European swordsmiths could get the same sort of quality out of solid (unfolded) steel. As I understand it, folding aligns impurities in a certain way, and keeps the edge metal much purer. In European ores, it ended up being negligible after smelting techniques were refined. Damascus steel was more about making the carbon line up in certain ways. Like nanotubes.

BUT WE'RE NOT TURNING THIS INTO A SWORD VERSUS SWORD DEBATE. THOSE NEVER GO ANYWHERE.

We could have smiths start adapting their weapons and armor to match what they're facing. So, for a fortress with no enemies, everything would be OK, but if the enemy starts feilding more metal armor, then edged weapons would decrease in quality while bludgeoning and stabbing weapons might increase in quality. Not sure how.

[Pilsu]

Physics based combat will handle the distinction between weapons. Probably will knock obsidian down a notch. Currently all troops wear metal though, even fast moving raiders. Plate should really be restricted to elite troops

How exactly were historical armies equipped?

[Joakim]

There could be a Royal Smith, the only smith that has experience in the new skill "Adamantine Smithing". Though he would obviously arrive when adamantine is detected, i.e. always come together with the King, which is a bit boring.

In general I always thought the reason a masterwork sword is a masterwork sword is because of superior techniques. So a Masterword steel sword could, but does not have to, be a damaskus steel sword. This can be made more obvious if custom descriptions for different items can be put into the raws.

[bjlong]

The physics of weapon design is complicated. I figured that we could fudge that part a bit. (That is, iron can get so sharp, but people can't all get it that sharp. With experience of making iron blades, you *can* get it that sharp, then pass that knowledge along to your successor.)

And, yes, I probably should have specified plate.

Historically, leather armor and padded cloth were the norm for a long time, from the Dark ages to the Medieval ages. Metal was still expensive, even if plentiful. European armors were first rings sewn into cloth, then chainmaille, then chainmaille with some plate, then plate with some chain, then full plate.

Depending on one's wealth, the armors were mixed and matched.

Most fighting implements were made of farm tools with some minor reforging. The next step up were the kingdom's armories. If you were very lucky or very wealthy, you could trade up for a premier weapon, forged by someone in Toledo or Damascus.

[Neonivek]

Folding just ensures a certain amount of purity so folding good ore wouldn't make a difference.

[Rowanas]

Actually, folding is one of the techniques used that cause the metal to form crystals in the correct direction which can add to the strength and durability. Folding good ore would still have benefits.

[Neonivek]

Actually, folding is one of the techniques used that cause the metal to form crystals in the correct direction which can add to the strength and durability. Folding good ore would still have benefits.

Naw because the Folding process turns all ore into good ore.

[Rowanas]

I thought the difference between good ore and bad ore was the quantities of various impurities in the ore, making it so that traditional impurity removing techniques wouldnt remove them all and some would stay into forging?