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[antymattar]

Do catapults still work? What's the difference? Are they better than balistas?

[Girlinhat]

They have no friendly fire, they ONLY hit their target, and they use any stone as ammo.  They generally hit poorly, but stone is cheap.

[MarcAFK]

Gah, i want catapults that indescriminately create huge areas of death and friendly fire in the midst of a battlefield

[EveryZig]

That is just ballistas :/

[Root Infinity]

Do catapults still work? What's the difference? Are they better than balistas?

Good Things:

• They don't use wood
• They can move stone FAST
• They don't have friendly fire

Bad Things:

• They don't do as much damage
• They don't hit multiple targets

[SombreNote]

Can they shoot over walls? If I have my map ringed with a moat+wall can I just setup a few catapults and hit all the loitering goblins around the edge of the map?

I was sad to find out that If I built a fortification and floor level on top of my wall, dwarves will not shoot down a z level to hit the goblins.

[Girlinhat]

No, they'll hit the wall and fall down.  If there's floor directly in front, the stone is destroyed.  If there's a channel in front of the wall, the stone falls intact.  This can be useful to quantum-stockpile while also training up a siege operator.  But, catapults fire straight, and can even be used in narrow tunnels.  It's better to think of them like balistae that fire rocks instead.

[SombreNote]

I am assuming they do not shoot through fortifications.

Is there any way to protect the siege operator from incoming fire, other then putting a moat between the catapult and then enemies, and setting the catapult far enough back to give some defense from arrows? Plus maybe some cover.

^       DF
|       GW    B
ZX-->  GMMGGGG
F = Fortification
W= Wall
G = ground
M = Moat
B = bad guy
D = Dorf

And why can't my dorfs shoot through the fortifications one z level up, at baddies on the ground in front of the moat? Is that normal? Or is something wrong or bugged?

[Hellmoob]

I am assuming they do not shoot through fortifications.

Actually, they do! They can only target enemies on the same Z-level as they are, though.

As for your marksdwarves, are they:

- Directly adjacent to the fortification they want to shoot though?
- More Z-levels up than they are horizontal spaces from their target? I believe each level of elevation creates an additional tile of 'blind spot' for a projectile.

[SombreNote]

I am assuming they do not shoot through fortifications.

As for your marksdwarves, are they:

- Directly adjacent to the fortification they want to shoot though?
- More Z-levels up than they are horizontal spaces from their target? I believe each level of elevation creates an additional tile of 'blind spot' for a projectile.

Like the little picture, they are one z level up adjacent to the fortification, and they are shooting at a spot 3 x/y squares in front.

That is great news about the catapults being about to shoot through fortifications. Do ballistas do the same? That sounds a little mean though.

[Girlinhat]

Balistae will shoot through multiple fortifications, if memory serves.  Someone posted a diagram of a "snake path" of fortifications, with some balistae at one end that shoot through the rows of forts.

[Hellmoob]

Like the little picture, they are one z level up adjacent to the fortification, and they are shooting at a spot 3 x/y squares in front.

Apologies, apparently my sub-par reading comprehension has failed me once again. They definitely should be shooting - check their inventories for quivers (with bolts in them!) and their ammunition assignments (the 'f' key from the military screen). So long as they're right up against the fortification, armed and with ammo, they oughtta be blasting away.

[SombreNote]

No apologies necessary! Thank you for your input, I am going to have to check that out. But I must admit the thought of having a wall of balistias shooting nonstop at baddies snaking their way in front of them is a rather more captivating thought then lame archers.

[ullrich]

I don't know if it was just very lucky misses with the catapult but I've had one hit goblins on a z level above where the catapult was (took out 2 over 20 throws, I don't think that would be a coincidence), this was a while ago in .18 though don't bother with siege weapons mostly.

[Bomepie]

I still want a catapult I can put over some magma, that would lob magma blobs.