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Author Topic: Skulking Ambushers  (Read 1492 times)

katyrnyn

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Skulking Ambushers
« on: April 16, 2010, 09:56:21 pm »

I'm certainly not new to this game, but something that just happened outside my "contained" fort is new to me.  I've had Northgates, my 31.03 fort, in lockdown for a couple of years now as I work on my entrance defenses (that involve lots of water and quite a few moving parts).  I was going to let the an array of cage and weapon traps deal with most ambushers and invaders, but that's not as effective as it used to be, and I had a squad manage to push it's way into the fort and cause trouble.  The fort is perfectly capable of supporting itself, and even has a large livestock industry going to supply meat and leather, so I decided to wall off the fort from the world until my complex defenses were complete.

As such, it has become perfectly normal to let the trade caravans wait it out on the edge of the map, and eventually they give up and go home.  At least until now, when the Human Merchants were attacked by a squad of  Kobold Spearmen ambushers, instead of the usual goblin ambushers.  I have no idea what civilization they belong to, whether they are conquered goblin thralls or are acting of their own kobold greed and volition, but to me this is just plain cool.

So while others are excited by
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I'm more impressed by my new kobold ambushers.

It's the simple things that matter.  :)
« Last Edit: April 17, 2010, 12:06:45 am by katyrnyn »
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FreakyCheeseMan

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2010, 09:58:41 pm »

That smells suspiciously like wisdom. Which,  as we  both know, is  undwarvenly.
Consider yourself warned.
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What do you really need to turn Elves into Dwarves? Mutation could make them grow a beard; insanity effects could make them evil-minded, aggressive, tree-hating cave dwellers, and instant, full necrosis of their lower legs could make them short.

Acanthus117

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2010, 09:59:58 pm »

Eh, no need for spoilers there, missy.

Also, awesome! 'bolds grew a pair.
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Is apparently a Lizardman. ಠ_ಠ
YOU DOUBLE PENIS
"The pessimist is either always right or pleasantly surprised; he cherishes that which is good because he knows it cannot last."

alexandertnt

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2010, 10:03:10 pm »

According to the dwarf fortress wiki, kobold ambushes were entirely possible in 40d. I can only assume they still are in 31.03

Although i have never been ambushed/sieged by kobolds yet
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This is when I imagine the hilarity which may happen if certain things are glichy. Such as targeting your own body parts to eat.

You eat your own head
YOU HAVE BEEN STRUCK DOWN!

Jacob/Lee

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2010, 10:03:39 pm »

Eh, no need for spoilers there, missy.

Also, awesome! 'bolds grew a pair.
Proven Fact: Kobolds grow a pair as soon as they steal something worth more than dirt.

katyrnyn

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2010, 10:06:40 pm »

Eh, no need for spoilers there, missy.

Also, awesome! 'bolds grew a pair.


Careful with that "missy" thing....  Can't assume too much from one's forum name.  ;) 

As to the kobolds: Their five spearmen didn't stand up too well against the human caravan guards, but they did manage to take down a merchant and his mule (and drive another crazy) before they were slaughtered wholesale.  Not bad for five little squirts, and I'm hoping this evolves into a bigger war between me, the humans, and the local kobold civ.
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katyrnyn

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2010, 10:09:54 pm »

According to the dwarf fortress wiki, kobold ambushes were entirely possible in 40d. I can only assume they still are in 31.03

Although i have never been ambushed/sieged by kobolds yet

Thanks for clarifying that.  I've gone back and reduced the amount of spoiler tags in my original post.  This is certainly a first for me, after ~50 or more 40d forts and 5 31.0x forts.  I've always had a bit of a grudge against kobolds (in all fantasy settings), and any opportunity to escalate the war against them is quite welcome to me. 
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Acanthus117

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2010, 10:13:20 pm »

I knew I never should judge a forumite's gender by their name!

Sorry.
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Is apparently a Lizardman. ಠ_ಠ
YOU DOUBLE PENIS
"The pessimist is either always right or pleasantly surprised; he cherishes that which is good because he knows it cannot last."

katyrnyn

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2010, 10:14:42 pm »

Eh, no need for spoilers there, missy.

Also, awesome! 'bolds grew a pair.
Proven Fact: Kobolds grow a pair as soon as they steal something worth more than dirt.


That must be it.  My Outpost Liaison died somewhere off-map a few years ago, (deciding to deposit his corpse on the edge of my map, as always), and they've been picking his corpse clean for some time now.  His weapons were probably enough to trigger this.  (And it can only escalate from here, with all the high-dwarfbuck priced caravan goods just waiting out there to be reclaimed.)   <Insert ominous laughter.>
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katyrnyn

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2010, 10:18:43 pm »

I knew I never should judge a forumite's gender by their name!

Sorry.

No worries.  You aren't the first to make such a mistake, and won't be the last.  It's an odd name, has nothing in common to Catharine (or Katharine) in origin, and I've used it for more than a decade in various places.  It's a fictionalized family named (using a Welch-esque spelling style (lots of y's)), and is usually preceded by Andor (a variation of my own first name).
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Jacob/Lee

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2010, 10:22:53 pm »

Eh, no need for spoilers there, missy.

Also, awesome! 'bolds grew a pair.
Proven Fact: Kobolds grow a pair as soon as they steal something worth more than dirt.


That must be it.  My Outpost Liaison died somewhere off-map a few years ago, (deciding to deposit his corpse on the edge of my map, as always), and they've been picking his corpse clean for some time now.  His weapons were probably enough to trigger this.  (And it can only escalate from here, with all the high-dwarfbuck priced caravan goods just waiting out there to be reclaimed.)   <Insert ominous laughter.>
Actually, anything stolen, even a XXPig Tail SockXX will cause the runts to assualt you.

Max White

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2010, 10:30:28 pm »

Looks like SOMEBODY let the kobalds take something valuable. They are a skulking race, meaning they are cowardly and worthless until they know they can beat you, and taking something counts as beating you in there books.

katyrnyn

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Re: Ambushers [31.03] *Possible Spoiler*
« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2010, 10:43:28 pm »

Looks like SOMEBODY let the kobalds take something valuable. They are a skulking race, meaning they are cowardly and worthless until they know they can beat you, and taking something counts as beating you in there books.

Indeed.  It's the first time they've survived long enough to claim something.  They're usually torn to bits by war dogs before they can make it anywhere near anything valuable.  (And usually the raccoons and monkeys get to anything else left on the map before the kobolds, I guess.)  Just gives me more things to kill once I'm all set up.  :)
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