About 3 years into my current fort and I have about 19 capturd goblins.
two questions.
First how do I take away the goblins items, I want to use them as military training but I don't want to risk injury.
I tried the reclaim then dump method suggested in the wiki but my dwarves didn't haul anything away.
Second if I build a goblin cage elsewhere, say, in my arena can the goblins escape? I know this works for animals but I'm worried about setting a goblin hammerer loose in my fortress.
To answer the first question: there are many cool ways to disarm goblins. I personally hide their stuff, and then mark any weapon that's hidden for dumping. That way the dorfs have to hack each one like 8 times before he dies.
But it's best to do things the easy way the first time, lest one experience Excessive Fun.
Here are the steps:
1. Go to the stockpile with goblin cages. Claim everything in the stockpile using d-b-c. This step is absolutely essential because gobbo clothes start out forbidden, so your dorfs can't dump them.
2. Build the cages in your arena with b-j
3. Mark everything in the arena for dumping with d-b-d
4. Create a zone near the arena with i, and make it a garbage dump with g.
5. Wait a second or two.
6. Go to the jobs screen. If there are dozens of "Dump item" jobs you're fine. If there aren't you screwed something up.
7. Build lever, link to cages.
8. When the dump item jobs are all done send in your troops, lock the door, and pull the lever.
To answer your second Goblins cannot use locked doors, so if you arena entrance is a doorway you're fine.
But don't worry about this too much. If you do the seven steps I mentioned above your gobboes will be butt naked. A peasant with a pick would go through them like a hot knife through butter. Actual troops, with one (or more) levels of combat skills, better weapons, and full armor will kill them easy.
Nick