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[obsidian razor]

Ok... So after two goblin attacks while I was attending a caravan, I have decided it's time to place the Trade Depot in a more defensible position (one that I can load with LOADS of traps)...

However I'm unsure of how to do this... every time I build a Depot inside my walls, it tells me the caravan cannot reach it...

I have uploaded an image of my current Depot, can anyone give me a small tutorial on how to better defend it?

Thanks!!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[ZeroGravitas]

drawbridges, linked to levers:



1) the first drawbridge. currently lowered so that the next caravan can enter the depot.
2) the depot
3) the second drawbridge. currently raised so that nothing can get beyond the depot.
4) the levers that control both. top level controls 1st bridge, bottom level controls 2nd bridge.

there have been a few unfortunate accidents when caravan guards were standing in the wrong place.

[Grumman]

However I'm unsure of how to do this... every time I build a Depot inside my walls, it tells me the caravan cannot reach it...

A caravan wagon can only pass through spaces three squares wide. They can't go through doors, but they can pass over bridges or up and down ramps.

I have uploaded an image of my current Depot, can anyone give me a small tutorial on how to better defend it?

You want to limit the directions from which someone can approach your Depot. You can do this either by digging a moat around it (either with a drawbridge or simply to funnel attackers into a single route) or by putting it inside with a three-wide tunnel to the outside for access. Or both.

[ZeroGravitas]

However I'm unsure of how to do this... every time I build a Depot inside my walls, it tells me the caravan cannot reach it...

A caravan wagon can only pass through spaces three squares wide. They can't go through doors, but they can pass over bridges or up and down ramps.

I have uploaded an image of my current Depot, can anyone give me a small tutorial on how to better defend it?

You want to limit the directions from which someone can approach your Depot. You can do this either by digging a moat around it (either with a drawbridge or simply to funnel attackers into a single route) or by putting it inside with a three-wide tunnel to the outside for access. Or both.

yeah. a good way to start would be to remove all those ramps around your depot.

[obsidian razor]

Sounds like a plan!

I didn't know the three squares rule...

I'll start by removing all the ramps and logging it inside, then I'll try my first moat!

Thanks again! And keep the suggestions coming if you'd like!

[Altaree]

don't forget to build a wall up around the edge of your new cliff.  This will keep archers from shooting down at your depot.  I like to have my main gate defenses outside and depot with airlock on the inside of my fort.  This allows me to order all dwarves inside to trade and have the soldiers handling invaders.  Make sure there isn't a straight bow shot from the outside into the depot. 

[Dave Mongoose]

Boulders and trees will also block wagon access, so it helps to have a 3-tile wide road to the map edge so you don't need to keep a watch for saplings growing in the way.

[Proteus]

I for my part have the trade depot in my keep.
You first have to travel over an elevated road consisting of 3 retractable bridges and platforms,
then pass the moat to the main walls over a drawbridge and then finally over 2 other bridges (one retractable, one a drawbridge)
to enter the keep and go to the main depot.

Al bridges are 4  tiles wide and at the ramps leading to the begin of the elevated road there is a chained animal,
to detect ambushes and  thieves as early as possible.
And of course all bridges are functional and can be retracted/raised via levers next to my main dining room.
If someone would manage to pass these defenses I had a problem, because my centralkeep houses  the main stairwell
and you can from there go everywhere in my fortress.
My defenses are concentrated on keeping enemies out of the keep.

So, with other words, my main depot is located at the best protected part of the overground structures of my fortress.

[Altaree]

Boulders and trees will also block wagon access, so it helps to have a 3-tile wide road to the map edge so you don't need to keep a watch for saplings growing in the way.

This is a great idea.  Even better, if you are playing a mod where there are sieges/ambushes every season, put some walls around this path.  You can use a combination of trees on the edge of the map and channels to seal off the path.  Then raise your curtain wall's drawbridges so this is the only path into your fort.  The caravan will be forced to spawn there.  Ambushes, sieges, diplomats, liasons, and guild reps will still spawn where ever they like.  But the caravan will get through!  I just did this in my first dig deeper fortress because I went three years without a caravan making it through.  I didn't want them to give me stuff, I wanted them to remove stuff

[Hyndis]

There are currently no wagons, so depot accessibility does not matter. Pack animals can go down stairs just fine or through single tile wide corridors.

It also may be a good idea to build your trade depot inside your defenses, otherwise you're going to be spend up all of your time cleaning up spilled caravans due to goblins, and that is a lot of hauling.

[Urist McDepravity]

Airlock with bridges is right way to go, as ZeroGravitas showed.
However you should also take care of the roof (alot of flying nasties/annoyances), and give more space for guards.
You can try to move this into the fort, but you should keep in mind that usually you want to have Depot being accessible from outside, but fort itself being locked, and only good way to achieve it is 2 bridges airlock. I've tried different setups with constructions (like vertical bars), but Trolls just crash it all and walk across.

[Altaree]

You need a moat (channel) infront of every bridge so that 1) the trolls can't get at them and 2) the bridge won't atom smash useful people.

[Michaelsoftman]

Here's an easy solution.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)