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[L0master]

Up to now I used to think that i do something wrong if a have idle dwarves. So i used to pause the game often and assing new labors via Dwarf Therapist. But now I realize that idle dwarves actually not so idle. They socialize, make friends, marry and make children. Which contributes to their happiness and the fortress after all.

How do you deal with idle dwarves?

[Soapalope]

Magma.

[GaxkangtheUnbound]

I assign some to a squad and let them do individual training at the barracks while they're idle.

[martinuzz]

The cons: They throw parties (if you have a room suitable for that) they make friends, get married, and have children

The pro: you'll never have to wait long before a pull lever order is carried out

[rephikul]

I assign some to a squad and let them do individual training at the barracks while they're idle.

This, pretty much. Random encounters with crundles wont be as fatal.

[Musashi]

Be careful with the socializing, too. It is not too problematic if it is someone who is generally doing something relatively safe (as safe as an activity can be in that game, anyway) or that you pretty much intend to keep alive. However, soldiers making friends is bad. If the soldier dies, their friends will be unhappy. If the soldier's friends die, he will be unhappy, and if he goes berserk while holding his equipment... well, you don't want that. Tantrum spirals happen because dwarfs are allowed to get friends, and accidents happen often.

Other than that... well, at least, idle dwarfs have a chance of cleaning stuff and feed patients/prisoners when they need the food/water and not after they're dehydrated.

[CapnUrist]

I seem to always have at least half my fort idle at any one time, unless I queue up a mass-dump operation or make a new stockpile. Then I get a huge mob of dwarves shuffling along to grab something and move it somewhere else. For example, due to personal insanity I'm slowly digging out, layer by layer, a 41-tile-to-a-side cube underground, to construct a sphere in for my own enjoyment, its purpose to be determined later. Needless to say this has produced a LOT of stone (over 4000 units of schist alone). Luckily the entrance to the dig site is not four tile away from some decoratively exposed magma, and schist is certainly not magma-safe. IN IT GOES! And now I have no less than 70 dwarves pushing and shoving the hurl their boulder into the Earthsblood.

[AngleWyrm]

I rather like having my dwarves party, and slap the bar wenche's butt, and drink themselves silly, and get married and have children. I also like that friendships cause grief when someone dies, because it makes a penalty for letting dwarves die and puts the onus on the player to keep them alive.

Be that as it may, one significant benefit from not employing 100% is that jobs can get done instead of being backlogged. Dwarves will pull levers, clean up stains, and be available for assorted little jobs. I like having a buffer of maybe 20% of the workforce while the fort is young.

Once the fort gets to 80-100 dwarves, then mostly the dwarves that arrive simply don't have jobs to do.

[twilightdusk]

Idle dwarves are dwarves who can help drag in all the Goblinite that results from a siege without any work being stalled as a result.

[rephikul]

For some reason my 80 man fort dont have more then 4 idlers at any time. dunno how you guys manage to get yours going with such turtlic pace 

[VerdantSF]

Be that as it may, one significant benefit from not employing 100% is that jobs can get done instead of being backlogged. Dwarves will pull levers, clean up stains, and be available for assorted little jobs. I like having a buffer of maybe 20% of the workforce while the fort is young.

I agree.  When a lever needs pulling, it usually needs to happen ASAP!

[Di]

Idle dwarfs don't path anywhere so that's saving FPS. I get significant drop in the speed when order some mass dump. As for friendship thing, I just designate a 100x100 meeting area.

[slothen]

idle dwarves clean, pull levers, and get shit done when I need it.  They also take care of wounded.

[Jacob/Lee]

Mass dumping. That is all.

[Qracle]

Idle Dwarves lead to tantrum spiral FUN.  I suppose that's a pro