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[smjjames]

I've got many ideas of my own, but no idea where to start. I'll let the pics and DFMA map show my fort.

First of all, I did have an idea of making a magma moat, but not really sure. I kind of want to make the entrance access face south as I want to put up guard towers and they will have a clearer LOS in that area. I am also planning on walling off most of the central area as I'm going to use the central part just a bit east as the starting area for a megaproject. Really though, I just can't decide on how I want to make the entrance area.

Any traffic zone useage tips would be welcome, although the FPS isn't bad right now and generally stays around 40-50 ish. It's taking a bit of a hit atm from the smooth designation of the whole bedroom area, but otherwise fine.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Visual Fortress views of the outside. I'm actually in a tropical biome with dense trees, I had just done a recent deforestation.

http://mkv25.net/dfma/map-7205-towerwebbed

um, anybody?

[smjjames]

Okay, fine, I get it with 100 views and no replies....

I know its a double post, but its my own thread.....

[martinuzz]

The fort's name.. Towerwebbed.. I would do something with GCS, a lot of small crossbow towers and traps, formed into an elaborate maze. Shoot them while they're struggling against webs and traps.
Did you know that if you use a GCS to web over cage- / weapon traps, TRAPIMMUNE creatures will no longer be immune to those? I found out the hard way. My own dwarves getting caught in webbed-over cage traps, in my GCS farm.
If you don't have a GCS, consider modding an available animal to be able to web.

[Quietust]

If you don't have a GCS, consider modding an available animal to be able to web.

If you look at the 2nd point of interest, you'll see that he does indeed have a GCS.

[smjjames]

Heh, I actually had two dwarves end up getting caged when they hit the webs. AFAIK, there is only one, but I haven't checked the lower levels.

I had scouted out the embark spot before I started an actual fortress there and spotted GCS silk remnants there, which inspired the name somewhat.

I don't really want to risk losing it and besides, a GCS silk farm would be far better. I could also use it as a form of torture for selected invaders.

The main thing I'm having trouble with is deciding how to do the entrance area as I've never really had to deal with THIS much open space and there are so many possibilities. Also, I know there is an UG river (the cistern used to be the UG pool), I just haven't revealed it yet.

Meanwhile, I'm starting to dig out the butchery/tanning area and indoor refuse pile and a large area to store bones and whatever else in it. I have my farming area planned out and will channel for AG crops, the current bone/skull/shell stockpile is in the way atm though.

I guess I just have so many ideas and so many possibilities, I have no idea what to pick for the entrance area.

[Hari Seldon]

You need a series of Bars (building material not smelted item) over your Fortress Entrance connected to a lever so that they create a Portcullis (unlike Doors it can cover a 3-wide 4-wide or maybe up to 10-wide entrance, though either now or in future updates Vermin could still slip through).

And bonus points for Floor Hatch(es) or something for your underground entrance, since even though you won't see Giant Eagles flying around and bypassing all of your defenses, it's still Fun to build just in case.

Retracting Bridge Entrance over your Lava Tube = win.

Bonus points for building wall-suspension (just what it sounds like, extend a wall over the chasm) over the chasm so the retracting bridges can extend all of the way across.

Bonus points for having a magma moat that drains into the magma pool (set up a pump system to constantly recirculate the Magama) - or merely into a short dangling collection tube over the side of the chasm ... think extend your lava moat over the chasm using obsidian walls, then terminate it - in front of and behind the wall-suspension so that even lucky creatures stuck on the wall suspension have nowhere to go!

Bonus points for building an Obsidian Farm over your entrance pathway so that your enemies are rained down upon by obsidian blocks produced from combining water and magma.  Bonus points for entombing enemies from both sides and UNNECESSARILY SLOW DIPPING MECHANISM crushing them with the advancing obsidian block fall trap.

Unfortunately, you didn't build on a cliff or any particularly interesting geological feature (or my favorite a cliff with a chasm inside it (and a lava tube and underground river on the map) so that your entrance into the mountain can have that bridge-over-the-chasm Fun as well as the possibility of rerouting the underground river into a waterfall around your entrance which could be channeled down your bridge (close the Floodgates at your doors) to squirt enemies back down a long ramp from whence they came.

[michaelmuffin]

use colored walls to recreate your favorite side scroller and watch goblins make their way thru it. i don't know how you'd get them to stay on the "ground" though

[Starvation]

Ha, it's easy. Just make zig zaggy walls parallel to each other that a caravan can come through and fill it with weapon traps. Trade caravans can go over weapon traps so it will be ok. The zig zaggy walls should be there so archers cant shoot over all of your traps. Then on and around the opening of the two parallel walls add cage traps. Caravans can go over these too. The good thing of the cage traps is that they will catch many people before they hit the weapon traps and because you will never be ambused again since ambusers can be caught in cage traps.

If you did not understand a thing I just said, look at this video: http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-1741-anarmy-breakingdefensesimpleyetefficient

I know I was cheating there but it can be dumbed down a little to be smaller and less demanding of materials. I made that for overkill by the way, all of those weapon traps aren't really needed :p

[Rozenbuddy]

I usually go with something of a giant bridge gate with a guard post over it, continuasly armed with 5+ marksdwarves, a moat is always nice,  maybe a few fortifacations near the bridge as walls where 2+ marksdwarves are on each side, spear traps for extra measure in front and behind the bridge. also behind the spear traps behind the bridge a floodgate wall. A hallway past that with 2 flood gates (one on each side) both linked to a supply of water/magma. (both would be awesome, for it would produce obsidian) Maybe spike traps through that entire hallway. lava/water pits on the edges of all of this to prevent troll incidents. after this hallway a maze with magma borders filled with fun traps, such as a giant eagle cage that can be opened. some giant tigers to be released, and if you use water, some carp! all tamed of course. make sure to build a room that is secure and protected from gremlins and always has a dwarf nearby for the many levers. have fun with the maze, it's always the best part! of course some beasts can fly, such as skeletal giant eagles, so line your walls with marksdwarves. make sure to fill the moat with carp too. I always like to put a legendary soldier at the end of the maze, secured of course, behind a bridge over a magma/water pit with whatever crud you can find (CARP!!!). with a floodgate behind it. Though i prefer water pits with tame carp than magma pits with forever spawning imps. This will take many many dwarf years to complete. and don't expect to do much outside of your fortress, as this is very caravan un-friendly. also make sure the walls are made out of adamantine for extra measure (just kidding!)

[Atarlost]

Build an enormous funhouse of bridges, spike traps, and pressure plates. 

[mr. macduggan]

Make an entire maze of bridges that raise up. They could be put down when there is no invasion to make things quicker, but more importantly, the ENTIRE MAZE could atom smash all at once.

[PaperJack]

A huge obsidian skull with magma vapour coming out of it's eyes.

[smjjames]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I've decided to go with a variation of hari's idea using the retracting bridges and involving magma.

[Rozenbuddy]

Magma might not be a good idea, for it spawns terrible creatures called FIRE IMPS, and MAGMA PEOPLES.

[smjjames]

Magma might not be a good idea, for it spawns terrible creatures called FIRE IMPS, and MAGMA PEOPLES.

Magma creatures only spawn once, when you embark. Plus I took care of the magmaman and fireman in there long ago.