Editing v0.34:Arms industry

{{quality|Superior|20:33, 17 April 2013 (UTC)}}{{av}}

The '''arms industry''' deals with the production and processing of [[weapon]]s and [[ammunition]]. As with other [[Industry|industries]], it deals with the use of raw materials to create usable items.


== Getting Started ==

To create a decent arms industry, you will need weapon-grade [[metal]] [[bar]]s, an [[anvil]], and a source of [[fuel]] (either [[coke]] or [[magma]]).  Anvils can be purchased at embark, or traded from most [[caravan]]s, while [[tree]]s (for [[charcoal]]) and [[magma]] are generally quite plentiful on most maps. When selecting a site, the game will inform you if one or more metals are available, but not if the metal is suitable for use in weapons and armor. Should your chosen site only have vast deposits of [[gold]] and [[bismuthinite]], your arms production will be severely limited. 

The first step to establishing your arms industry is to build a [[smelter]] and a [[forge]] or [[magma forge]]. 

== Creating Melee Weapons ==

Effective melee [[weapon]]s are made of metal. Metal weapons require a single bar of weapons-grade metals such as [[copper]], [[iron]], [[steel]], [[bronze]], [[silver]], and [[bismuth bronze]], or several wafers of [[adamantine]]. Metal weapons are made at a [[forge]] or [[magma forge]] by a [[weaponsmith]]. 

Note that weapon [[quality]] influences effectiveness - a skilled weaponsmith is quite valuable. 

Wooden training weapons can be made at a [[carpenter's workshop]] by a [[carpenter]].

== Creating Ranged Weapons ==

The only ranged weapon suitable for production by dwarves is the [[crossbow]]. Crossbows can be made out of weapons-grade metal, [[bone]], and [[wood]]. Wood and bone crossbows are created at a [[bowyer's workshop]] with the bowyer skill, while metal crossbows are created at a [[forge]] or a [[magma forge]] with the weaponsmithing skill. 

Crossbows fire [[bolt]]s, created out of wood or bone at a [[craftsdwarf's workshop]], or out of metal at a [[forge]]. Bolt material [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=116151.30 does not appear to affect damage.] One bar of metal or pile of wood will give 25 bolts, while one bone will give 5 bolts.

The [[material]] of a ranged weapon is of use only when in melee combat, since crossbows function as hammers in such instances. For purely ranged use, the quality of the bow is much more important than its material.

== Tips ==

* Low-value metals like [[copper]] and [[bronze]] are great for training your weaponsmith, and the resulting goods can be [[trade]]d to a [[caravan]] for supplies, including raw materials for more arms production.
*Blunt weapons are effective with almost any type of metal; making [[war hammer]]s out of copper, bronze, iron or silver is a good use for these low-grade materials. Dwarven science advances have, however, determined that [[silver]] is, due to its high density, the best material against non-metal opponents.
* Weaponsmiths produce higher-quality results when working with a metal they [[preference|prefer]]. Choosing a weaponsmith with a preference for [[adamantine]] (and [[axe]]s or [[sword]]s, if possible) will result in very high quality adamantine weapons.

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