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[Karakzon]

-your welcome, my most badass dwarf was a dual pickaxe weilder, and multi sheilds makes block chances so much better-

another little thing for forgotten beasts: if you make a room were theirs a central pillar, then have a rope on this pillar, tie an animal to it, then have said pillar surrounded by bridges with a 1 drop. fill below with cages. Fall stuns, cages trap. if the cage produces dust or such, magma drops usualy work. -selective drop of magma pillar to burn cages and their contents, but if only a collum or two in the right place, you can burn and lose only a small number of cages of wood, wile the traps are magma safe stone, you make sure their only wooden cages via sealing off the production centre next to it etc. walla, perfect forgotten beast trapping, even if cave spiders are more efficient-

[Battlecat]

Events of the 28th of Obsidian, 321

Cog steps up to his usual speaking platform.  “My fellow dwarves!  Thank you all for making this a year to remember.  And as well it should be.  20 years ago today, Catten, Worm, Pawn, Urist Imiknorris, Iteb, Rogue and I stumbled into this valley the nobles back in Mountainhome assigned us.  I’m quite sure now that the nobility expected us to die in this place.  And some have. . .”

Cog pauses to sip his drink.  “But not all of us, not by a long shot.  Instead, in the middle of this cold desert, dwarven ingenuity and creativity have flourished for 20 fine years.  Every one of you has come here for your own reasons but the results have been nothing short of spectacular.  Thank you all, and may the next 20 be equally epic!”

“I always like to keep these brief.  This year we successfully moved the military into the new tower.  Once that is done, work will truly begin on the fortress walls.  The dining hall will also make a major step forward this year.  As you all have noticed, the west wall has been removed and new blocks are being installed.  I’m saving it as a surprise but I think you’ll all approve of the finished project.”

“Finally, as is our tradition, I’ve brought the latest architectural drawings, the ledger and the projects status list.  I’ve also included an Eagle’s view drawing of the fortress.  But I do want to point one thing out to those of you who aren’t interested.  This year, our fortress achieved a value of 21 million urists.  Now if that’s not something to celebrate after 20 year, I don’t know what is!  Lets get on with the party, there’s more than enough booze!”

Spoiler: The Ledger (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Eagle’s View (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Projects List (click to show/hide)

 Dining Hall Related
-  Grand Dining Hall Eating Area: Done
-  Dining Hall Bedrooms: In Progress – 95%
-  Dining Hall West Wall Project: In Progress – 15%
-  Dining Hall North Window Mural: In Progress – 90%
-  Dining Hall South Window Mural: Not yet Started

Entrance Hall Related[ /b]
-  Double Helix Stairway: Done
-  Entrance Hall: Done
-  Entrance Towers: In Progress
-  Entrance Water and Magma Falls: Planned (Martini, Tin Reaper)
-  Silver Skylight: Planned (Dragonshardz)
-  Double helix waterfall: Planned (Syntic)
-  Double Helix Stairway ground floor works: Planned

Central Fortress Industry
-  West Industrial Hall: Done  Metalworks, Woodworks, Jewelers and Stoneworkers
-  North Industrial Hall: Done Food Production and Storage
-  South Industrial Hall: In Progress glassworks, adamantium storage completed

Power Production Related
-  Water Reactor: Done (Pawn)
-  Water Pump Stack Phase 1 (Dining Hall Level): Done
-  Water Pump Stack Phase 2 (Obsidian Factory Level): Done
-  Water Pump Stack Phase 3 (Mountaintop): Planned
-  Magma Pump for Obsidian Factory: Done
-  Obsidian Factory: Done
-  Water Reactor Phase 2: Done

Main Wall Projects
-  Military Tower: Done/In Progress Barracks in place. 
-  Pump Gym: In Progress Temp Gym Done(Thor)
-  Swimming Pool: Done (Derm)
-  Main Entrance and Outer Wall: In Progress
-  Inner Keep Wall: In Progress
-  Inner Keep Gate Magma Trap: Planned (Related to Syntic’s suggestion)

Religion/Honor Projects
- Shrine to the Soulchopper and the Legendary Axedwarves: Planned (Urist Imiknorris)
- Religious shrines to all the gods worshipped in our fortress: Planned (Balta)
- Vault for unused artifacts, annex to shrines complex: Planned (Balta)

Miscellaneous Citizen Projects
-  Nightwing Pyramid: Done (Martini’s Project)
-  Mausoleum: In Progress/Done (Undertaker)
-  Cave Airlocks and Defenses: Done (Kezan)
-  Comp’s Projects: In Progress/Done (Comp)
-  Hanging Tower of Triaxx: Done (Triaxx)
-  Leisure room with Akmeshitat patterned on floor: Planned (Derm)
-  Tower on top of Rock spire near fortress: [Planned (Tin Reaper)
-  Project Safe House: In Progress (Martini)
-  Project Welcoming Inn: Planned (Martini)
-  Urist Imiknorris’ Bedroom Done
-  Bath House and Shower System: Planned
-  Giant Cave Spider Silk Farm: Planned GCS in cage
-  Live Fire Training Room: Planned (Ren)

OOC: And that’s a wrap.  20 years in this fortress by my count.  Embarked on the first of Granite, 302!  Thank you all for keeping me going on this fortress! 

@Longgonejohn: Added to the list although I didn’t have a chance to write up Cog’s acknowledgement. I’ll assume it came up just before the New Years party.  Which it kind of did.

@Karakzon: Cool.  I’ll keep that method in mind. 

[automaton]

Muffintoast's journal:

finally, after all these years my dream has come true.
years during which the other dwarven kids mocked me for my nickname.
years during which i had to block countless bully attacks.
years where i could train my blocking skill and learned to strike during lunchbreak at the mason workshop.
years of experience i shall use to achieve my ultimate goal: becoming the world's greatest shieldmaster!

[highzealot]

Fenix's Journal:

I have felt the call of metal this year and by Armok, I shall answer it! While it has been a long time, I still have many more years to perfect my trade. But for now, TIME TO GET DRUNK!

[Conan]

Personally, that amount of booze is nothing. In one of my personal paused fortresses, I have over 2k booze and just seventy or so dwarves.

Either way, great design and storyline. You should also have the parties after every decade.

[Triaxx2]

21 million in twenty years? I'd take having a fort survive the first 5 years without being on an isolated island.

[Syntic]

    Ren took a deep breath and held it. slowly he pulled the trigger on his now familiar crossbow. With a loud snap the bow released its bolt screaming towards the distant target, slamming home just a fraction of an inch from dead center. He slowly exhaled and then let a sly grin form across his face. He was getting better at this... And an idea had just occurred to him...
    Standing up he went off in search of Cog with a plan.

O.O.C. Ren has noticed all of the cages filled with goblins and kobolds and was wondering if we could set up a live target room for the less talented archers to train with live bait? A small 5x5 room with a balcony that they could fire down from.

OOC: Well there's your dwarf's problem on why he didn't hit the dead center. He should be firing on his natural respiratory pause. That is he should inhale and then exhale and in that pause you have naturally before your next inhale he should be be gently pulling that trigger. If he has to inhale again before he's pulled it in all the way, then he should pause his finger just as is, take his breath and continue pulling again during the next pause. The reason for all this is that when you hold your breath your hand shakes ever so slightly, and that transfers into your weapon. Over longer distances tiny shakes cause greater margins of error.

But hey I see your dwarf already does know about trigger control what with pulling it slowly, now if he could just stop holding his breath and breath normally. We'll get him up from a sharpshooter to an expert yet.

PS: For my real life job I've done a number of tasks. One of them being helping military members shoot better with their rifles and other weapons. I admittedly don't know anything about crossbows, but I have to believe that the same principles apply, as they apply to the weapons that the military currently uses. So if you thought this post was a bit odd correcting a fictional character... well... bad habits for fictional characters are still no excuse for bad marksmanship.

[longgonejohn]

Huh, that is correct... I spent six years in the Coast Guard (U.S.) and although we did train with the M-16 a bit we mostly used 9mm Berettas and shotguns. I was trying to remember the proper techniques for rifle firing (its been a long time since I've fired anything)  as I assume it would be kind of the same for the crossbow. Thanks for the correction though! I wonder though if the crossbow has the range to make breathing too much of an issue...

[Syntic]

Well I just looked up crossbow information, and they say a modern crossbow has a range of 1000 feet (though obviously that's not it's effective range). They got a bit vague though when it came to effective range. I'll quote... "An effective hunting range is the maximum distance that you can reliably use your weapon to accurately, humanely, and ethically harvest big-game."

But using some of what I know about rifles, I know that the USMC for instance practices at the 200, 300 and 500 yard lines from a given target. I also know that 1000ft is just a bit more than that 300 yard line mark. So instinct says that a good shot could use a crossbow from that 200 yard line. Though as I say that's instinct. I do know if they tried to use it from that range that breathing would be a big factor.

Taking it the other way though to the pistol, that's shot at a much closer range and normally at a faster rate of fire. That's more raise your weapon and shoot kind of training than spending forever on the aiming. So again using instinct it seems that no matter what range you would be with a cross bow as it's a hunting weapon and not a defensive weapon like a pistol, I would say that breathing is a big factor. I mean just taking into account reloading time for a crossbow, you would want to be sure each shot counted... though I mean dwarfs on the other hand seem to use crossbows like SMGs... so perhaps in Dwarf Fortress breathing isn't that big of a factor. I'm not sure.

[Triaxx2]

Of course, when you're a dwarf who's idea of 'stealth' is Looney Tunes style tree teleporting, rapid fire is the best idea.

Then again, speed works best with volley fire and dwarves don't do that really well.

[Dermonster]

Twenty years, quite the achievment!

WOO WOO WOO WOO WOO WOO

[kisame12794]

when i go hunting if its more than 50 yards away you don't take a shot.
on level ground the amount you have to aim up for 50 yards is almost to the point of runningout of notches on your crosshairs. and yes breathing is important in firing a crossbow.

[Triaxx2]

50 yards is pretty much at the end of the range for long/compound/recurve bows as well. And it's still a bit of a 'long shot' for the archer though.

[Paaaad]

I'd like to volentere Balta as a farmer- at least untill booze supplys are back up.

[Battlecat]

Cog’s Journal, 2nd of Granite, 322

Phew, that was quite the party.  Took me most of yesterday to recover.  I’ve just been spending the day reviewing my notes from the party.  Ren, one of our Marksdwarves gave me a proposal that I scribbled down in a drunk haze.  He suggests we set up a live fire room to thin out our stored goblins and stuff.  I think it’s an excellent idea and I’ll add it to the list.

On a more pressing issue, Balta has offered to take some time off to help with the farming until the booze supply is reestablished.  After that party we’re under 700 units.  I’d rather not run out so I’ll certainly take him up on that offer. 

Events of the 23rd of Granite, 322

Undertaker was taking a walk outside the walls when he heard the horns.  Ahead he saw several goblin soldiers approaching.  It was a siege and if he didn’t run fast, he would meet the same fate as the hauler last winter.  He started to run and quickly outran the goblins.  He could see the military scrambling out the front gate of the tower. 

But as he ran, the crossbow dwarves unloaded bolt after bolt into the goblin and then the Soulchopper and his squad tore into what little remained.  A whole 5 goblins and 4 trolls was all the goblin territories could muster.  He breathed a sigh of relief.  Today was not his day to taste death. 

OOC:  A surprisingly boring siege to start the year. 

@automaton: Nice one!

@highzealot: Indeed.  My enthusiasm for having a shot at another future artifact weapons knows no bounds. 

@Triaxx2: Yeah that’s how most of my past games have gone.  This has become a different beast.  And more than half the dwarves here aren’t even traumatized, which is pretty rare.  Only the long time military dwarves don’t care about anything anymore. 

@Syntic: Fascinating.  It makes sense to fire on your respiratory pause but I’ve got minmal experience with firearms.  I certainly learned some interesting stuff from the conversation!

@longgonejohn: I rementioned your proposal.  Cog officially acknowledged it today. 

@dermonster: Thanks!

@Paaaad: Consider it done as mentioned above.