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v0.34:Dwarven atom smasher
| This article is about an older version of DF. |
The Dwarven Atom Smasher is a euphemism for a Drawbridge in waste disposal or militarily-significant applications. It exploits the implementation of drawbridges to utterly destroy any objects and most creatures in its target area. Implementation of bridges appears to have changed significantly since earlier versions -- Dwarven atom smashers are now functional only in a small subset of their previous roles. A DAS still works fine as a trash compactor to smash boulders, items, and fluids straight into oblivion.
Smashing against the ground
In this design, a drawbridge is built to come down on at least one tile of solid ground. The drawbridge is raised, the targets are placed (or move of their own volition) into position on that ground, and then the drawbridge is lowered, erasing the targets from existence. Most commonly, a garbage dump activity zone is used in order to place items beneath the drawbridge (as stockpiles cannot be placed on top of existing buildings), but other methods such as flowing water have been used with varying degrees of success.
Sand or dye in bags doesn't get erased while the bag does, creating a small pile of sand or dye on the ground.
Smashing upon closing
In this design, a very compact drawbridge (as little as one tile long) is used, and the target area is the one-tile wide anchoring area, where the bridge will close. This often uses walls, locked doors, or other solid objects, leaving the targets nowhere to go. The drawbridge is lowered, the targets are placed (or move of their own volition) into position on the tile(s) that the drawbridge will occupy when closing, and then the drawbridge is raised, squashing the targets flat.
Immune creatures
The performance of a DAS on creatures is a bit of a drawback. It's well known that special creatures with a certain size (elephants, Bronze colossus) will make it impossible to raise a drawbridge they are standing on as well as cause a drawbridge to immediately deconstruct if lowered upon the creature.