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Editing Military quickstart
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Though these instructions are far from adequate for teaching you all aspects of Dwarf Fortress mode's complex military, hopefully they will get you started faster than you would otherwise. Note that the military configuration interface may be somewhat complex, so pay close attention to some of the details mentioned. | Though these instructions are far from adequate for teaching you all aspects of Dwarf Fortress mode's complex military, hopefully they will get you started faster than you would otherwise. Note that the military configuration interface may be somewhat complex, so pay close attention to some of the details mentioned. | ||
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==Finding Recruits== | ==Finding Recruits== | ||
− | Look over all your dwarves. You are looking for any dwarves with [[combat skill]]s, or at the very least, without useful civilian skills. These dwarves will be your first [[squad]]. Starting with a bunch of otherwise useless dwarves with no combat skill isn't totally unreasonable, but it's best to get at least one with some combat skill so that they can teach the others. Note that | + | Look over all your dwarves. You are looking for any dwarves with [[combat skill]]s, or at the very least, without useful civilian skills. These dwarves will be your first [[squad]]. Starting with a bunch of otherwise useless dwarves with no combat skill isn't totally unreasonable, but it's best to get at least one with some combat skill so that they can teach the others. Note that peasants often arrive with military skills of competent or better. |
Using job titles can help you spot expendable dwarves. For example, if a dwarf is a "[[Fish cleaner|Fish Cleaner]]" then their most expert skill will be fish cleaning and they probably won't be very good at anything but that. Since super-efficient fish cleaning isn't likely to be that useful, even if you do have a fisherdwarf, your legendary fish cleaner would be an excellent candidate for the draft. If they manage to survive and gain some combat skill, they'll be able to clean fish and kick butt at the same time. If they die, at least it won't impact civilian operations. | Using job titles can help you spot expendable dwarves. For example, if a dwarf is a "[[Fish cleaner|Fish Cleaner]]" then their most expert skill will be fish cleaning and they probably won't be very good at anything but that. Since super-efficient fish cleaning isn't likely to be that useful, even if you do have a fisherdwarf, your legendary fish cleaner would be an excellent candidate for the draft. If they manage to survive and gain some combat skill, they'll be able to clean fish and kick butt at the same time. If they die, at least it won't impact civilian operations. | ||
− | Make sure to exercise | + | Make sure to exercise judgement when selecting dwarves, however. If your fortress only has one fish cleaner, but also has a large amount of fisherdwarves, drafting a fish cleaner may waste a lot of fish. Conversely, if the fortress has no animal or hunting industries, an otherwise precious [[butcher]] may be expendable. |
It is probably wise not to choose female dwarves for your primary fighting squad, and ''especially'' not married female dwarves, since they will carry [[children|babies]] around most of the time (they bear one child every year). But ultimately it's up to you. You can't see the sex or marital status of dwarves from within the military screen, so you need to look for these things in advance. | It is probably wise not to choose female dwarves for your primary fighting squad, and ''especially'' not married female dwarves, since they will carry [[children|babies]] around most of the time (they bear one child every year). But ultimately it's up to you. You can't see the sex or marital status of dwarves from within the military screen, so you need to look for these things in advance. | ||
<span id="invisible uniforms">Your recruits '''must not''' have the [[Mining]], [[wood cutter|Wood Cutting]] or [[ambusher|Hunting]] labors enabled. These labors create an invisible "uniform" that interferes with the military uniform.{{bug|1451}} Disable all of these labors on your recruits, if they're currently enabled.</span> | <span id="invisible uniforms">Your recruits '''must not''' have the [[Mining]], [[wood cutter|Wood Cutting]] or [[ambusher|Hunting]] labors enabled. These labors create an invisible "uniform" that interferes with the military uniform.{{bug|1451}} Disable all of these labors on your recruits, if they're currently enabled.</span> | ||
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==Creating a Squad== | ==Creating a Squad== | ||
− | Open up the squad sidebar by clicking at the bottom right of the screen or by pressing {{Menu icon|q}}. Click {{DFtext|Create new squad|2:1}} to create a squad | + | Open up the squad sidebar by clicking at the bottom right of the screen or by pressing {{Menu icon|q}}. Click {{DFtext|Create new squad|2:1}}: to create a squad and choose whatever uniform is most appropriate for the type of equipment you have or plan to have. A "uniform" is essentially just a predefined specification for a set of equipment, and you can change all of this later, but for the sake of simplicity, start with one of the default uniforms. |
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− | Enjoy a hearty laugh at the (no doubt) delightful name your dwarves come up with for their squad. | + | Enjoy a hearty laugh at the (no doubt) delightful name your dwarves come up with for their squad. All tremble before the might of the fearsome Geared Warthogs! You can, of course, change the name of the squad if you wish by clicking the quill. |
− | Click on the | + | Click on the dwarf icon to add dwaves to the squad. You will first need to {{DFtext|Assign leader|2:1}}: select the dwarf with the best fighting skills (or the best leadership ability). Notice that below each dwarf's name, a bit of relevant information is shown regarding their military abilities. |
− | Once you select a dwarf for the first position, you can then select more dwarves to join the squad: dwarves you pick are automatically assigned to the next empty position. | + | This first dwarf will be either your militia commander or a militia captain depending on whether this is your first squad or not. (They will appear as such in the nobles screen.) Once you select a dwarf for the first position, you can then select more dwarves to join the squad: dwarves you pick are automatically assigned to the next empty position. Pick four more dwarves for positions two through five. |
==Melee Training== | ==Melee Training== | ||
− | Make sure at the very least you have a | + | Make sure at the very least you have a weapon for everyone in your squad. Ideally you should have at least a shield and helmet for everyone too. They will automatically go grab appropriate equipment as long as it is free for use. |
Axes ''cannot'' be shared between a woodcutter and an axedwarf, not even if it's the same dwarf. Likewise, a marksdwarf and a hunter can't share a crossbow, and a miner can't share a pick with a military dwarf assigned to use a pick as a weapon. <u>Un</u>assign the civilian labor to free up the weapon for military use. (The dwarf holding it will dutifully drop it where they stand at the time.) | Axes ''cannot'' be shared between a woodcutter and an axedwarf, not even if it's the same dwarf. Likewise, a marksdwarf and a hunter can't share a crossbow, and a miner can't share a pick with a military dwarf assigned to use a pick as a weapon. <u>Un</u>assign the civilian labor to free up the weapon for military use. (The dwarf holding it will dutifully drop it where they stand at the time.) | ||
===Barracks=== | ===Barracks=== | ||
− | Pick a location for your training grounds. It should be placed in a defended area, and ideally | + | Pick a location for your training grounds. It should definitely be placed in a defended area, and ideally it should be near the entrance. Training areas can be easily moved though so feel free to just dig out an area somewhere for now and you can move it to a better location later. |
− | Create a zone of type Barracks where you want your dwarves to train. Select the banner with | + | Create a zone of type Barracks where you want your dwarves to train. Select the banner with yellow plus icon to assign the squad to the barracks. For now, only select the axe icon next to the squad name. |
=== Schedule === | === Schedule === | ||
− | Open the squad sidebar again. Select your squad from the list. Notice that below their name it says {{DFtext|No special orders |7:1}}. This indicates if the squad has a schedule assigned to them, and if so, which [[schedule]] they will follow. | + | Open the squad sidebar again. Select your squad from the list. Notice that below their name it says {{DFtext|No special orders |7:1}}. This indicates if the squad has a schedule assigned to them, and if so, which [[schedule]] they will follow. |
The default schedule for "Off duty" basically says "do nothing". Tell them to use the "Active/Training" schedule, by clicking on it. Avoid clicking on the {{DFtext|Edit|2:1}} and {{DFtext|Copy|2:1}} buttons for now. | The default schedule for "Off duty" basically says "do nothing". Tell them to use the "Active/Training" schedule, by clicking on it. Avoid clicking on the {{DFtext|Edit|2:1}} and {{DFtext|Copy|2:1}} buttons for now. | ||
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If you've done everything right, you should see some messages like "Urist McGoblinFodder has become a Recruit" and the named dwarves should report to the barracks you have set up. This may not happen right away, but it should ''definitely'' happen when the month changes. | If you've done everything right, you should see some messages like "Urist McGoblinFodder has become a Recruit" and the named dwarves should report to the barracks you have set up. This may not happen right away, but it should ''definitely'' happen when the month changes. | ||
− | Keep an eye on them using the {{ | + | Keep an eye on them using the {{K|u}}nits screen. Their tasks will initially be something like "Waiting for (something) demonstration" or "Organize (something) demonstration" but they should eventually start the session. The graphics won't look any different, but the units screen will change to show "Watching (something) demonstration" etc. |
After a while, your dwarves may start "Sparring". This trains several combat skills, much more quickly than demonstrations. You'll also get combat [[reports]] of the sparring (indicated by a notification icon with crossed spears). | After a while, your dwarves may start "Sparring". This trains several combat skills, much more quickly than demonstrations. You'll also get combat [[reports]] of the sparring (indicated by a notification icon with crossed spears). | ||
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===Targets=== | ===Targets=== | ||
− | + | For marksdwarves to train, you will need to build one or more [[archery target]]s using {{K|b}}-{{K|A}}, define them as archery range rooms with {{K|q}}, and assign squads to train at them. Make sure to properly set the shooting direction with {{k|w}}{{k|a}}{{k|s}}{{k|d}} or the target may not work. Also note that an "archery target" cannot be built at a workshop; you only need a piece of stone. | |
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+ | You will need at least one target per dwarf that you want to train simultaneously. There must be an unblocked path from the place the dwarf stands to the target; they won't shoot archery targets that are across a gap. | ||
===Equipment=== | ===Equipment=== | ||
− | Crossbows can be made of [[wood]] or [[bone]] at a [[bowyer's workshop]] by a dwarf with the crossbow | + | Crossbows can be made of [[wood]] or [[bone]] at a [[bowyer's workshop]] by a dwarf with the crossbow making labor enabled, or at a [[metalsmith's forge]] by a dwarf with weaponsmithing enabled. While the material used for a crossbow doesn't matter for shooting purposes, it does matter when dwarves use crossbows to bash enemies in melee combat. So, making crossbows of iron, while being heavier, can give archers a little more of an advantage in melee combat should they be unfortunate enough to get into that situation. |
Bolts are also made from bone or wood at a [[craftsdwarf's workshop]], so make sure you've built one of those and then have your manager queue up some bolts. Wooden ammunition will do just fine for training purposes, but if you happen to have butchered any animals at this point you can also make bone bolts. (Metal bolts can also be made at a forge, but you wouldn't want to waste those on target practice.) | Bolts are also made from bone or wood at a [[craftsdwarf's workshop]], so make sure you've built one of those and then have your manager queue up some bolts. Wooden ammunition will do just fine for training purposes, but if you happen to have butchered any animals at this point you can also make bone bolts. (Metal bolts can also be made at a forge, but you wouldn't want to waste those on target practice.) |