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[Ledi]

So, this is the first fort where I've seen more than just an ambush, so it's the first one I've decided to look into military. I've got all the squads set up, I've set up training schedules for them and activated them in the military screen (using the 101 guide), I have a barracks and archery targets...

Yet they seem to hardly ever be used.

Is this because they have hauling enabled, and if so, should I disable it? I'm at the stage where I wish I had another 30 haulers to keep track of all my junk, so they're useful as haulers, but if this is keeping them from gaining in military skills then I'll disable it.

Also, should my crossbow squad only be assigned to the archery targets and not the actual barracks? I've seen two of them use the targets, so they don't appear to be bugged.

[Thatdude]

Things to check foe military training:

1) Are your squads set to a shcedule in which there is months with 'train' command on them.

2) In your barracks, have you set which squads can train there. (By scrolling over with [q] then highlighting the squad the pressing [t]).

This is all I can think of at the moment because if a squad is set to train and assigned a proper training area, they *should* train. If they are just hanging around (but activated), then their sprite should be the military sprite and will not do anything else but whatever military thing they're told to do... and hang around the meeting area not doing much. Just remember, the more experienced a dwarf is, the more he will train (to the point where they will have little else but train even when they are off-duty at legendary).

Marksdwaves are a different matter though. You need to make sure they have ammunition assigned in the [f] menu (I think) of the military screen then set some to train with ([T] I think)

EDIT: So in other words, it's probably not hauling

Hope this helps.

[Ledi]

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, I'm working on a two month on, one month off training schedule for 'em to keep them from being burned out. They're all raw recruits, so maybe that's why they're hanging around.

I double/triple checked the schedules and ammo, that all appears to be fine.

I guess I just have to hope for a couple more years with no siege so they can train up at their leisure XD

...I lost about 30% of my military in the first siege, and another 30% against the dragon (which eventually just got caged). Hurrah for migrant waves...

[Hyndis]

Just have them all train on a continual basis. Then make the barracks also be the entrance to your fortress, so all invaders need to go past the barracks.

While the new recruits will be unhappy at first, they will eventually tough it out. I find its easier to give everyone crossbows so they don't need to rely so much on melee combat. Instead, massed ranged firepower will do it. Sure, they may be very inaccurate at first, but the thing about crossbow bolts is that even if it misses the goblin they're shooting at it might hit the goblin behind their target. If you can funnel goblins in such a way that they're shooting into a green tide, even dabbling marksdwarves will never miss.

Get 40-50 of them all clumped up in the barracks and its a barrage of iron bolts that can take down even a dragon without much effort. They will rapidly skill up and become battle hardened soldiers.

You don't need any archery ranges. Don't bother with them. Just make a smallish barracks that has a good vantage point over goblins approaching the main gate of the fortress, so they can fire while on active/training. Between battles they will do individual combat training or conduct training exercises.

I've done this in my current fortress, resulting in exceptionally badass dwarves with 200+ kills to their names. Each. There are only 30 military dwarves in my fortress. I found that I just don't need 5 squads anymore. Even the 3 squads I currently have is hugely overkill. Once they become highly skilled with ranged weaponry and good with dodge/block I'll switch them out to a melee weapon. Every 5 years or so I switch them out to a new weapon type, going between crossbows, swords, axes, hammers, spears, and maces. My plan is for them to be masters of all weapons, but they start with crossbows.

[dagger]

Also remember there are TWO schedule screens.....use the  "\" to switch between them.

[Tharwen]

You have to make sure they're set to the appropriate alert (m>a), then set the training specific to that alert (switch to a different alert schedule with m>s>/). They might all be set to inactive.

[Ledi]

You have to make sure they're set to the appropriate alert (m>a), then set the training specific to that alert (switch to a different alert schedule with m>s>/). They might all be set to inactive.

No, they're definitely active. As I said, I've seen a few use them, but never more than one or two at a time - so it's working, they're just being lazy. I have 8/10 minimum training in the schedule.

I'll just tough it out like this until the verandah fortifications are complete, then roof that over and set up barracks up there for them. Taking ages to build that floor, even with all my McPovvos having masonry enabled. XD

[celem]

Having your military dwarves haul too when they have free time probably isnt the end of the world.  However with that said i've seen dwarves go off duty from training and rather than eat/drink/sleep and return they get distracted with some pointless task and dont return to duty for weeks/months.

Long run you usually have enough generally hauling power once you get big enough for a proper standing military

[Hyndis]

Try out the thing I recommended when setting up your military. Yes, you will take some losses, but you will always get more migrants. Also its very hands off. Everything more or less takes care of itself. The only things you need to do are order more ammo to be made every now and then, fill vacancies in squads on occasion, and unforbid goblinite.

[Ledi]

Try out the thing I recommended when setting up your military. Yes, you will take some losses, but you will always get more migrants. Also its very hands off. Everything more or less takes care of itself. The only things you need to do are order more ammo to be made every now and then, fill vacancies in squads on occasion, and unforbid goblinite.

Aye, that's what the verandah barracks will be for. ^^ They look out over the entrance to my fort including the bridge of do-not-pass. I just need to wait for things to be built (like the fortifications).

Can marksdwarves shoot straight down (ie the tile in front of the fortifications is a level down)? If so, might put some fortifications around my inner maze of cage-trapiness as well... even though that means tearing up floor. >.<

[Hyndis]

I just put them all on the same level so that I can easily keep track of everything. I don't even use fortifications.

You can install large amounts of weapon or cage traps on the walkway leading up to the barracks with the marksdwarves, so the marksdwarves are shooting at goblins being sliced up by giant serrated discs. Your marksdwarves will eventually run out of ammo and run up to bash in the goblins with their crossbows in melee, but by the time they run out of ammo the surviving goblins will be trying to crawl away, so not much of a threat. Finishing the survivors off in melee will then give them practice in melee combat.

You don't need any archery ranges at all. They will become legendary in maybe only 4-5 sieges, tops. Live fire training means they skill up extremely rapidly.

Don't make wood or bone bolts. Those are almost entirely useless. You need metal bolts to do this. Wood or bone bolts can disable a goblin but rarely kill a goblin. Steel or silver crossbows work best, since wood or bone crossbows are also useless in melee combat.

Give your dwarves the best armor you can make. Helmets are the absolute highest priority to make. High quality steel helmets are a must. Then make heavy armor on the torso, such as 3 mail shirts and a breastplate. Once you have that you can give them armor on the limbs, but its less vital. Use precious steel for helmets, then mail shirts/breastplates, then maybe gauntlets, greaves, or boots if you have anything extra. Don't forget shields! A dwarf can survive being shot in the arm or leg, but being shot in the head is almost always fatal. Rely on the heavy armor to mitigate losses during the exchange of crossbow fire. Your dwarves might be injured and knocked out, but they can be easily patched up in the hospital later, so long as you protect their head and chest area.

[Xorn]

Now to see if my step by step guide will help.

1) Make the squad and mark how many are in it.
2) Go to military scheduale and select edit order. Change the number of members training to one less than are in the squad.
3) Select a place to train. Suitable places are Beds, Armor Stands, Weapon Stands and Cabinets. Make a room and hit (t), or (b), to make it a barracks, first if a bed.
4) Make the squad active.

They should begin to train.