Trade Tard Caravans
Ok, the elves were the worst with no protection, but now even the human and dwarf caravans get slaughtered by golbin ambushes. It's ridiculous. One of 2 scenarios always happens.
Imagine this is my fort.
# = normal ground.
f = where the actual entrance to my stuff is.
c = example trade caravan start.
a = ambush.
Scenario 1. Instant ambush. Even if I had a squad of Adamantine wielding berskerkers capable of taking out the number of bowmen I get spammed with, the caravan is dead before I have a chance. I just get 'A caravan fro-AN AMBUSH, CURSE THEM'. -.-
#########a
#########c
####f #####
##########
##########
##########
Result: Caravan dead. Racer unhappy. Ambush outside.
Scenario 2. The caravan gets inside before the ambush reaches them. That's all well and good, but then I have to go out and kill the ambush before the caravan leaves. Hey, I wouldn't mind just letting the caravan leave via a back entrance, but the ambush tends to the stick around until anything else is wandering around outside.
##########
#########c
####f #####
##########
##########
a#########
Result: Caravan sometimes alive, sometimes dead. Dwarves dead. Etc. Etc.
Seriously, I'm either forced to send a force outside to kill goblins all the time (an usually lose a lot of dwarves), or I have to let the stupid caravans die and take the consequences. Is there no middle ground? Even walling off the entire map usually leads to the ambush reaching the caravan before they can reach the entrance.
Don't just say 'Turn invasions off' (which I may do...), I perfectly accept that there's going to be conflict, it's just 3 times a year losing everyone and everything, or forcing elves and humans to declare war on me... is well, a little too much...