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Horizontal (into a cliff)

68 (71.6%)

Vertical (stairs down)

27 (28.4%)

Total Members Voted: 95

[CJN]

So, how do you prefer to create the entrance into the fortress: stairs down from ground level or a tunnel into a cliff/slope?

[Scruga]

Horizontal, feels more epic and allows for a nice trap corridor that's somewhat realistic (cages and stones falling from the sky, anyone?)

[Fayrik]

I seem to be against the norm here. I start with a vertical entrance, then make it horizontal through constructed walls. Flat maps can make for some great over land constructions.

[Urist Imiknorris]

I generally have a horizontal entrance, if only because it's usually through my military complex.

[Lord Vetinari]

Horizontal through a cliff. However, the actual entrance of the inhabited area is vertical, going one level up. Side view:

outside      |                    |          inside
                |____________|   _______________
_________________________/

or

outside      |                    |         inside
________   |____________|   _______________
             \________________/


This way, if you put a retracting bridge over the internal entrance, nothing can get thorugh, not even building destroyers. Then I add guard towers at the external entrance and traps in the tunnel. In the second version, there is a bridge over the external entrance too, so anything that enters in the tunnels is trapped inside and minced by the traps.

[Shoku]

I go with horizontal. Vertical gave me too many troubles with my trade depots right when I was learning and since then all the forts I've looked at that I liked had pretty horizontal entrances.

[SkyRender]

Vertical all the way.  A surrounding aboveground palisade and constructed trap corridor ensures this method works nicely.  It works even better when you roof the lot of it over so fliers can't path into your fort from overhead.

[jei]

outside       |                    |         inside
________   |____________|   _______________
             \________________/

This way, if you put a retracting bridge over the internal entrance, nothing can get thorugh, not even building destroyers. Then I add guard towers at the external entrance and traps in the tunnel. In the second version, there is a bridge over the external entrance too, so enything that enters in the tunnels is trapped inside and minced by the traps.

I prefer this too, with double bridges. At least I used to in 40d.
These days I don't fear much with adamantine axes..

[expwnent]

I seem to be against the norm here. I start with a vertical entrance, then make it horizontal through constructed walls. Flat maps can make for some great over land constructions.

I also do this.

[Organum]

I prefer to find a nice cliff to dig into, but most of my more recent forts have not had much in the way of mountainous terrain. Due to this I've been making vertical shafts which go down until they reach stone. That's where I make my fancy entrance.

[celem]

I have a tendancy to begin horizontal to get my first rooms up with all my stockpiles outside the entrance scattered about the surface.  About 6 months in i wall it all off and create vertical stairs.  Traps are in a snake-like maze of walls leading into the walled off courtyard, often with a slope down then up again and bridges like vetinari posted.

[RustyTheBrave]

It depends on the terrain, but I generally dig into a cliff if I can, it's easier to set up defenses.

[TherosPherae]

I might try a vertical entrance with cavein traps above it sometime. But for now, I'll stick with horizontal entrances.

[Quantum Toast]

Generally horizontal, sometimes a few z-levels up a cliff with a bridge over to it.

Had one vertical, but that's only because the map was totally flat except for a magma pipe. Even the water source was a brook.

[KillerClowns]

Horizontal if possible; even if the land is gently rolling hills, I will delve straight into one of those hills.  More defensible, and it just seems more... logical, somehow.