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[immibis]

I'm curious about how people generally make their fortress entrances.
I normally just dig a three-tile-wide passage into the side of a mountain, with various smaller passages coming off that leading to things like farms, stockpiles, workshops, bedrooms, etc. Then I build rows of cage traps at the beginning.

[The Architect]

I feel like I've seen t his exact same post before.

Anyway, my design varies from fort to fort. You might say that my idea of a good fortress evolves as time goes on, but the truth is that I just like experimenting and utilizing the setting as much as possible.

That said, I'm leaning toward 5-tile entrances (because ramps are so freaking broken) when I want caravans to navigate multiple z-levels. A second valid option is a secondary entrance for caravans, or even several multiple entrances near resources. Eventually, it's ideal to enclose everything of interest in some form of protective fortification (like a catwalk on the third z-level covering roads, entrances and resources) or physical barrier (like trenches and walls).

One main entrance for caravans, near the center of production, protected by external fortifications, would be my current setup of choice. Also, you should always have secondary "airlocks", aka drawbridges, segmenting your fortress at key points in case of unexpected dangers of all kinds (flooding, fire, tantrums/berserkers, siege, wild animals...).

[BigD145]

That said, I'm leaning toward 5-tile entrances (because ramps are so freaking broken) when I want caravans to navigate multiple z-levels. A second valid option is a secondary entrance for caravans, or even several multiple entrances near resources.

I go for 4 wide ramps and never have a problem with caravans going down anywhere from 2 to 8 z-levels. These are usually secondary entrances and dry moats are often involved between them and my main fortress.

[Cruxador]

I dig as wide as is aesthetically pleasing given the natural landscape.

[Bryan Derksen]

I usually dig a three-wide tunnel into the side of a hill or mountain, immediately descend several Z-levels by ramp, then put the trade depot off to one side of the tunnel and head into the main fort proper. The caravan guards get to serve as one final line of defense should invaders get inside.

After my fort starts getting larger I enhance the surface entrance with constructions and fortifications to allow marksdwarves to rain death on any invaders approaching. I keep these surface installations small, their sole purpose is for holding defenders. I may put a small barracks or an archery range up there to improve the chances that there'll be military on hand to deal with unexpected ambushes or thieves.

In one fort I did a while ago I dug a whole network of tunnels and bunker-entrances spread out over the whole map. It was pretty neat, I'd keep encountering ambushes deep inside my own tunnels and the fights in the confined spaces were fun. Been meaning to do something similar again in more recent forts but haven't got around to it; it's hard to break my habit of having only one penetration of the ground's surface.

[Jimmy]

My design. Efficiently rains death on invaders, and allows wagon access.

[immibis]

My design. Efficiently rains death on invaders, and allows wagon access.

Does it mess anything up when the wagons' horses stick through your fortifications?

[Urist son of Urist]

I tend to dig a large courtyard/front area along with an initial set of 'starter' rooms to get the fort off the ground, then dig further back in order to fan out a bit more and build those nice big feasting halls I love so much.

the courtyard basically serves as a dump and a trade depot area (they're the same thing, right?)  Since I might need the bones from the refuse dump in the event of a siege to make bolts.  Usually I have a secondary barrier behind the courtyard as well as a mechanism for inflicting some sort of unpleasantness on the general area of the courtyard in case it's overrun.  Later I like to throw up an outdoor barracks for a few guards, so I have a few outside all the time.

On the outward side of the courtyard I dig a moat, usually three tiles wide and maybe 2 or 3 z-levels deep, just for the feel of it, with a drawbridge across it and a fortified wall next to the moat.  This gives me a nice initia defensive position and lets me route any incoming hordes into my field of doom and cages and also possibly lava.

For that added touch of unpleasantness, I also like to make the bottom of the moat a fat depot.  Quite unpleasant to fall into and nearly impossible to climb out of 

Of course, this does tend to vary based on terrain, how I feel at the time, and all that, but the initial drawbridge/moat is good for stopping most attacks, allowing my crossbowdorfs to pick off the attackers while they mill around in front of the bridge looking confused and shouting about crazy Dwarf bridge summoners.

This design also has the advantage of keeping Elves out of your fort's interior, as it's a well known fact that it's nearly impossible to get the smell of Elves out of anything.

Sometimes I develop the exterior bit into a castle-like structure, while other times I let it remain as just a stockade across the back of the moat.  It's all a matter of choice

[Jimmy]

No, there's no trouble with horses. The only trouble I'd have would be if I flooded it with magma. Then the horses would catch fire.

[Jackrabbit]

No, there's no trouble with horses. The only trouble I'd have would be if I flooded it with magma. Then the horses would catch fire.

Ah, well, that'll happen. C'na tell me, sir, 'ave ya considered modding your horses? We'll mod 'em for ya, small fee, no muss, no fuss, slight chance of severely mutilated limbs and intense rage.

[Jimmy]

Yes. I know they catch on fire from experience. One design I made set their horses on fire every time they left the map. There'd be a trail of smoke and a line of burnt grass to the edge, but most of the time they made it off before the horse died.

[Jackrabbit]

Oh, you're trying to set the horses on fire. Well, we can do that to. It's a very flexible service we provide, you know.

[shadowclasper]

My design. Efficiently rains death on invaders, and allows wagon access.

how'd ya even get wagons in there?

[Jimmy]

Ramps. They're extremely useful when you know how they work. What you see there is a line of three down ramps. That's all it takes to get the wagons underground.

[Heliomance]

Nah, he means how do the wagons get into the tunnel to get as far as the ramps. I'm assuming that's a brook that they can just ford right over the top of.