Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

40d:Stone management

2008-08-04T16:10:38Z

RickiusMaximus: /* Not '''Actually''' Necessary */

[[Mine]] for long enough and you'll find yourself surrounded with various [[stone]]s and [[ore]]s. How do you get rid of them?

Here follows several '''stone management''' techniques.

== Techniques ==

=== Dump ===
This method is easy and useful. However, it could easily be considered an exploit, and might not work in later versions.{{version|0.27.176.38c}}

# Make a [[zone]] of 1x1 or 1x2 tiles, preferably either near the stones you want to get rid of or your stone-needy [[workshop]]s, and mark it as a garbage dump.
# Press {{k|k}} and find a stone. Press {{k|d}}, and the stone will be marked for dumping. Alternatively, use the stocks menu (faster for mass dumping, but requires some [[bookkeeper]] labor first). You can also use {{k|d}},{{k|b}},{{k|d}} to designate mass items for dumping. You could also use a [[Macros_and_Keymaps#Designation_Dump|dumping macro]] to designate large amounts of stones at once. However, macros do not discriminate between stones and other items, so it is best to use them right after you dig out a new area. Be careful when you mark areas containing cave spider silk for dumping, as dwarves will actually come along and ''destroy'' the webs!
# A dwarf with refuse-hauling will come by, and take the stone to the garbage dump.

* '''Advantage''': No matter how many stones you mark for dumping, they will all be placed on the same tiny garbage tile. So basically, mark all the stones you want dumped and they will be dumped. You are now able to place '''all''' the stones and ores in the fortress on 1 tile.
* '''Disadvantage''':
** Every dumped stone will be marked as "[[Forbidden]]", and will not be used in stone-production. Use the designation 'Reclaim Items' ({{k|d}}-{{k|c}}) to reclaim the entire pile. ''(If you want to only use specific stones, you must press {{k|k}}, find the pile, and press {{k|f}} on every stone you want on the list, using {{k|+}}/{{k|-}} to navigate through the list. [[Macros_and_Keymaps|Macros]] may come in handy when employing this method.)''
** Anything else you dump, will end up on those piles too.
** Take care not to lose overview if you use several or temporary dumps.

=== Magma melting ===

If you wish to get rid of the stone permanently, create a magma channel through your fort and mark the edge as a garbage pit. Any stone disposed of will be chucked into the magma, melt, and be gone from your fortress forever. Of course, the disadvantage is that for anything else you mark as garbage will also be lost forever.

=== Chasm dump ===
If the dwarves are instructed to dump the stone into a garbage zone over bottomless lava or chasm, that stone will fall off the bottom of the map and journey to the center of the Earth.

=== Catapult ===

Build a [[catapult]] (or three), and assign a dwarf (or five) to keep firing stones into walls, or at [[camel]]s. This destroys the stone and also trains dwarves in [[Siege operator|siege operating]].

=== Rock chute ===

You can dig a [[channel]], and make a [[zone]] over an adjacent tile. Mark it as a garbage dump, and dwarves will dump stones flagged for dumping down the channel. The stones will end up in the bottom tile.

=== Rock crusher ===

Similar to the rock chute, but build a [[drawbridge]] in the pit and a [[pressure plate]] at the entrance to the chute, linked to the bridge. Make sure you set the pressure plate to trigger on citizens. Alternately, just link it to a [[lever]] and pull it every once in a while. Mark the channel and empty tile as a dump zone. When a stone is dropped, the drawbridge will crush the stone, permanently destroying it. Note: make sure the bridge is '''up''' when stones are dumped down it, or it will fling stone back up the channel. To achieve this, you will need to hook up another lever, and pull it once before any dwarves go on the pressure plate.

Level Z:
=====
==.==
== ==
==^==

Level Z-1:
=====
=BBB=
=BBB=
==D==

. - Channel
= - Wall
^ - Pressure plate
B - Drawbridge - make sure to set to raise while constructing, as opposed to retract.
D - Door - keep locked to avoid accidentally crushing dwarves

=== Making use of stone ===

Use your [[mason]]s to the fullest by creating doors, hatch covers, chairs, tables, coffers, cabinets, and statues. This builds up your mason's skill, and the furniture gives your dwarves good [[thoughts]].

Skilled [[Craftdwarf]]s can produce large quantities of rock crafts very quickly. This trades the problem of tons of stone to the much easier problem of tons of crafts. As long as you have bins, managing a stockpile of finished goods is easy. Crafts can be sold to foreign [[trade]]rs, who have plenty of room for a lot of goods.

You can also use stones (or blocks) to build large structures above ground, and floors over areas such as sand, silt, or loam. The [[construction]] interface might be slow, but not only do you use up the stone from your excavations, but you can also create usable indoor space without having to mine any additional stone.

Building [[trap]]s can use up stone as well. [[Mechanism]]s are also made of stone, and a stone-fall trap requires one mechanism and one stone.

=== Avoiding clutter ===
The easiest way to avoid stone clutter is not to produce it in the first place. Use unskilled miners for initial fortress excavation to reduce the amount of useless stone they create, and don't dig out more than necessary. Produce lots of [[barrel]]s and [[bin]]s to cut down on your need for stockpile space.

However, unskilled miners also have a low chance of creating valuable stones and gems when they dig out a tile. It may require some micromanagement to prevent unskilled miners from wasting potentially valuable materials.

Building in [[soil]], rather than stone, avoids the problem of stone altogether. Soil walls and floors cannot be smoothed, which makes it a bad choice for bedrooms and dining halls.

=== Stone Stockpile ===
'''This is not a recommended method due to space and time requirements.'''

Build a large [[stockpile]] for stone away from your fortress. Dwarves will carry stones out to the stockpile, and they will no longer clutter up your fortress. The stockpile needs to be placed somewhere without stones, because only one stone will be placed per tile, and will result in long hauling trips.

=== Block Stockpile ===
Simply have the stone cut into blocks then stockpiled. As long as you have enough bins, this works quite well, since 10 blocks can be stored in a single bin. Depending on the rate you mine out the fortress, you may need several (Or even a dozen) Mason workshops. Just set them up wherever you want the stone cleared, and have them removed when they are no longer sitting amidst a pile of stone. This will also train up extra masons, which is helpful if you decide to make any large scale constructions.

A word of warning: The maximum number of artifacts your fortress will produce is based on the lowest of two numbers based off of mined out rock, and items produced. If you use this method to mine out a huge area, make sure you're prepared for the artifacts which could skyrocket your wealth very early, leading to [[siege]]s, [[noble]]s, and huge [[immigrant]] waves.

== Reasons for managing stone ==

=== Stockpiles ===
On some stockpiles, you will be unable to use the tiles that contain a stone. It will therefore be a good thing to clear up room for the things you want to stockpile. Alternatively, if the top Z level comprises soil/loam rather than rock, then you can clear it out for stockpiles without worrying about stones filling the new space.

=== Aesthetics ===
Many players find the fortress more enjoyable to look at if it looks nice and uniform. Random stones lying about are clutter which block the view of a tile and prevent stockpiles from being filled. Create smooth clear floor for a leaner, fitter, happier fortress.

=== Not '''Actually''' Necessary ===
You do not need to remove stones at all, since only [[tasked]] rocks will block building sites. Clearing out the fortress for stone is more of a personal priority rather than an essential need or requirement. Remember that there is no such thing as '''excess''' stone to a dwarf. Using the new stocks screen it is also possible to simply 'hide' all of the stones from your view.

[[Category:Guides]]

{{Mining FAQ}}

40d:Elf

2008-08-04T16:07:27Z

RickiusMaximus: Added out of date tag and started updating

{{old|0.27.176.38b|}}

{{CreatureInfo|name=Elf|symbol=E|color={{COLOR:3:0:0}}|butcher=no|
bones=7|chunks=N/A|meat=N/A|fat=N/A|skulls=1|skin=N/A|
biome=
* In their retreats, usually in [[forest]]s
}}

'''Elves''' are intelligent [[humanoid]] [[creature]]s who live in [[forest retreat]]s. They are one of the races playable in [[Adventure Mode]]. Their retreats have no buildings, but the [[tree]]s in the area are named.{{ver|0.23.130.23a}}They love nature and are ready to defend it, typically with [[bow]]s. They may invade a fortress which violates their tree-cutting limit.{{ver|0.23.130.23a}}

They are often found eating the corpses of their victims.

== Elves in Fortress Mode ==

Elves are a [[trading]] race and send small [[caravan]]s without [[wagon]]s in [[Calendar|spring]]. They usually bring [[Thread]], [[cloth]], [[rope]], various [[plants]] and [[seed]]s, and [[wood]]en items. They may also bring some [[tame]] [[animal]]s. Elves also bring a crapload of useless stuff: [[armor]] and clothes too large to wear, inferior wooden [[weapons]], inferior [[alcohol|booze]], inferior redroot [[dye]], [[bow]]s and [[arrow]]s. They are very picky about what they will accept in return although this appears to have changed with the latest version, as it stands Elves will except anything except items directly made out of or decorated with wood. They also no longer mind purchasing blood-soaked items.

[[Metal]] items are acceptable, even when [[charcoal]] is used in their production. Items made from [[silk]] are acceptable, as are all non-wooden plant-based products such as [[plump helmet]]s, seeds, and ☼Dwarven syrup biscuits[45]☼. You can also transport your goods to the [[trade depot]] in a wooden [[bin]], as long as you do not try to sell the bin. This also applies to goods in [[barrel]]s. Living [[animals]] are acceptable, as long as the [[cage]] or [[trap]] is not made of [[wood]].

Although [[tower-cap]]s are giant mushrooms, they are considered trees by the elves and thus are not acceptable.

=== Living among them ===

Living with Elves is pretty much the same as living among [[Humans]], but they don't build houses, [[furniture]], or anything else that uses wood. So basically, it's just like living anywhere else, but with guards.

== Elves in Adventure Mode ==

Elven forest retreats are represented by yellow symbols in [[forest]]s on the world map. They do not have any [[shop]]s, but they seem to have a great amount of elite marksmen to recruit. The leader and quest giver of a retreat is called the "druid", who can be found wandering the forest floor with the other elves.

Elven characters start with a wooden [[weapon]] and a full set of basic wooden [[armor]]. They may not wear metal armor, though they may wield metal weapons and [[shield]]s if they find them. These limitations often lead to a quick death. They do have some advantages, however: they're one [[size]] larger than [[dwarves]], which makes them hit harder and absorb more damage, but they also have a slight natural armor penalty. Their main redeeming trait is their speed, which is noticeably higher than the other playable races.

Elves are at peace with wildlife, which means they won't be attacked by most animals (verify if most or all). In addition, they can talk to the animal-man races (such as [[snakeman|snakemen]] and [[batman|batmen]]) and even get the most excitement-seeking ones to join their party.

{{Game_Data|[CREATURE:ELF]
[NAME:elf:elves:elven]
[TILE:'E'][COLOR:3:0:0]
[SPEED:700][GRASSTRAMPLE:0]
[GENPOWER:3]
[INTELLIGENT]
[CANOPENDOORS]
[PREFSTRING:grace]
[BODY:HUMANOID:2EYES:2EARS:NOSE:2LUNGS:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:HUMANOID_JOINTS:THROAT:NECK:SPINE:BRAIN:5FINGERS:5TOES:MOUTH]
[NARROW]
[DAMBLOCK:-1]
[SIZE:7]
[ATTACK:MAIN:BYTYPE:GRASP:punch:punches:1:2:BLUDGEON][ATTACKFLAG_WITH]
[ATTACK:SECOND:BYTYPE:MOUTH:bite:bites:1:1:GORE][ATTACKFLAG_CANLATCH]
[CHILD:12][BABY:1][MULTIPLE_LITTER_RARE]
[FAT:1]
[EQUIPS]
[DIURNAL]
[SPEECH:elf.txt]
[STANDARD_FLESH]
[HOMEOTHERM:10067]
[SWIMS_LEARNED][SWIM_SPEED:2500]
[PERSONALITY:IMAGINATION:0:55:100]
[PERSONALITY:ARTISTIC_INTEREST:0:60:100]
[PERSONALITY:INTELLECTUAL_CURIOSITY:0:55:100]
[PERSONALITY:SELF_DISCIPLINE:0:45:100]
[PERSONALITY:ACTIVITY_LEVEL:0:40:100]
}}
{{creatures}}
[[Category:Races]]
[[Category:Humanoids]]

Castles

2008-06-07T13:47:12Z

RickiusMaximus: redirect

#REDIRECT: [[Mega Constructions]]

Towers

2008-06-07T13:46:37Z

RickiusMaximus: Added redirect

#REDIRECT: [[Mega Constructions]]

Main Page/Quote Archive

2008-05-15T21:51:09Z

RickiusMaximus:

{| style="margin: 0 auto; border-spacing: 1em"

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|Bob, Swordsman: Join me on my adventures! Joe, Mayor: I'd rather not. Joe, Mayor has bled to death.}}
{{Quote Box|"I think I'll stick to drowning dwarves and cooking puppies."}}
{{Quote Box|"I mean, how dangerous can an elephant be, anyway?"}}
{{Quote Box|Toady has created a masterpiece!}}
{{Quote Box|Is that a hammer in your ≡Giant cave spider silk trousers≡ or are you just happy to see me?}}
{{Quote Box|Do these +narrow chimpanzee leather trousers+ make me look fat?}}
{{Quote Box|This wiki menaces with spikes of bread.}}
{{Quote Box|I can't put my finger on it. Something about this [[Fire|‼]]Cat tallow roast[[Fire|‼]] tastes funny.}}
{{Quote Box|"This is why artificial intelligences won't be taking over the world within the next ten years or so: NORMAL people don't have to be TOLD not to milk a cow that's on fire!" - [[Sowelu ]]}}
{{Quote Box|Fun fact: Ditching the starting anvil for a shit ton of logs makes for a strong early defense by way of a palisade...}}
{{Quote Box|"The interface is coming - it's not coming in your lifetime but it's coming." - [[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|"Preeetty much finished the first pass on religions. This release still requires buildings, migrants and hist fig finalization. None of that should be difficult, though I suspect finalization will throw a bug or two my way. I suppose that will cause me to blow apart. -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|How to Control your Pets: Its no coincidence that 'kittens' rhymes with 'mittens'...}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|Toady withdraws from society. Toady has begun a [[Strange_mood|mysterious]] construction!}}
{{Quote Box|Beware of the Elephant's greatest evolutionary trait: [[Talk:Elephant#Stealth_Elephants|Stealth]].}}
{{Quote Box|Let us never forget the last words of Inod the Stoker, [[Fortress_Paintrag#1056|"Aaah! Gorillas!"]]}}
{{Quote Box|[[Children|Newborn]] Zuglar Baldnessgranite prefers to consume Gorilla. A sure sign of his unparalleled strength!}}
{{Quote Box|[http://www.somethingawful.com/d/video-game-article/duke-nukem-image.php In an unrelated article] - I had no idea elephants could bounce that high!}}
{{Quote Box|[[Toady]] looses a roaring laughter, [[Fey|fell]] and terrible! Toady has butchered a spammer!}}
{{Quote Box|[[Elephant]]s are like huge, wrinkly [[ambusher|ninjas]].}}
{{Quote Box|Tobul Dumatfath, Fisherdwarf cancels Fish: Interrupted by [[carp]].}}
{{Quote Box|The critical question is this''':''' do dead elf bones yield more crossbow bolts than the average number of bolts necessary to kill an elf?}}
{{Quote Box|Dev Notes''':''' Stopped booze food from melting, even though it probably should}}
{{Quote Box|"It was a funny bug -- it would just pick the first living unit in the civilization's list, regardless of what their qualifications were, drag them out of their town, and have them show up at your fortress, without actually letting them be the king." -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|Wolf cancels Breathe: Interrupted by ≡Ash Bolt≡.}}
{{Quote Box| Who knew bridges could be such incredible killing machines?}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|What is that [[magma|red stuff]] coming towards me? Oh well, I think I'll stay in this [[channel|trench-shaped]] thing.}}
{{Quote Box|“Dwarf Fortress" ... "Like chess, only with short people that can catch on [[fire]] like [[clothing|rags]] soaked in tar, and lots of [[booze]]." ... "Like chess.”}}
{{Quote Box|Dwarf Fortress has taught me that all the world's problems would be substantially reduced had our parent civilizations never minted more than four stacks of [[coins]].}}
{{Quote Box|"Tosid Idenarzes likes tentacle demons for their corrupt intentions." There! Now we've covered all of the seven deadly sins.}}
{{Quote Box|Toady One likes donors for their [http://www.bay12games.com/support.html generosity]. He absolutely detests trolls.}}
{{Quote Box|Booze does all the work in forts. Dwarves are just booze exoskeletons.}}
{{Quote Box|My unconscious and bleeding [[mayor]] just mandated the construction of some goods.}}
{{Quote Box|Remember, they are DWARVES. Dwarves are born fat. They often look like hairy spheres on their first day or so.}}
{{Quote Box|"Didn't you read the manual? He he he he... the manual... ..." -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|"Dwarves are strange creatures who balance out at "happy" because on one hand their wife was eaten by elephants and on the other they just ate in a REALLY NICE dining room." -[[shadow_archmagi]]}}
{{Quote Box|Here we have a link to amusing quotes and important advice in the [[Main Page/Quote Archive|Quote Archive]], all of which are more important and/or funny than this one.}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|I can just imagine a wagon throwing a tantrum and tossing all its contents at people.}}
{{Quote Box|"Madness? THIS IS DWARF FORTRESS!" -Dwarven King}}
{{Quote Box|'I wonder what would happen if I poked that elephant with a stick' - Gib Trampledmangled.}}
{{Quote Box|If in doubt, [[fluid|flood]] the fort!}}
{{Quote Box|Döbesh Udosdeb has been ecstatic lately. He was forced to eat a friend to survive. He enjoyed a truly decadent meal.}}
{{Quote Box|Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter is throwing a tantrum!
Felsite Bridge destroyed by Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter.
Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter has drowned.}}
{{Quote Box|"Iron [[screw pump]] exercise equipment. Pump iron and get superdwarvenly strong!"}}
{{Quote Box|Only you can prevent fortress fires.}}
{{Quote Box|On the assumption that there is something scarier than a hydra out there.

''Your in-laws have arrived from Shinthumtobul Imketh.''}}
{{Quote Box|'Leader' Igëratìr, Clerk has created Razuk Lanzil, a Obsidian Crown!" -"I think the leader business is getting to his head!}}
{{Quote Box|If cow cheese is made from cow's milk, what is dwarven cheese made of?}}
{{Quote Box|Damn, isn't there a way to start out where fights aren't like a coin toss?" "Ironically enough, tossing coins is among one of the most effective forms of combat.}}
{{Quote Box|The violence, aggression, pain, madness, sadness of the ASCII characters never ceases to amaze me...}}
{{Quote Box|M.C. Hammerer. "You, peasant! Thou hast stolen a possession of a nobledwarf, and must be punished!" "What? B-but I didn't-" "Silence, knave! I shall teach you not to steal!" *SMACK* "CAN'T TOUCH THIS!" *SMACK* "CAN'T TOUCH THAT!" *SMACK* Etc...}}
{{Quote Box|"What happened in 1048?" "Jreengus occurred."}}

<div style="float: left; margin-right: 1em">
[[Category:Humor and stories]]

Main Page/Quote Archive

2008-05-15T21:50:05Z

RickiusMaximus:

{| style="margin: 0 auto; border-spacing: 1em"

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|Bob, Swordsman: Join me on my adventures! Joe, Mayor: I'd rather not. Joe, Mayor has bled to death.}}
{{Quote Box|"I think I'll stick to drowning dwarves and cooking puppies."}}
{{Quote Box|"I mean, how dangerous can an elephant be, anyway?"}}
{{Quote Box|Toady has created a masterpiece!}}
{{Quote Box|Is that a hammer in your ≡Giant cave spider silk trousers≡ or are you just happy to see me?}}
{{Quote Box|Do these +narrow chimpanzee leather trousers+ make me look fat?}}
{{Quote Box|This wiki menaces with spikes of bread.}}
{{Quote Box|I can't put my finger on it. Something about this [[Fire|‼]]Cat tallow roast[[Fire|‼]] tastes funny.}}
{{Quote Box|"This is why artificial intelligences won't be taking over the world within the next ten years or so: NORMAL people don't have to be TOLD not to milk a cow that's on fire!" - [[Sowelu ]]}}
{{Quote Box|Fun fact: Ditching the starting anvil for a shit ton of logs makes for a strong early defense by way of a palisade...}}
{{Quote Box|"The interface is coming - it's not coming in your lifetime but it's coming." - [[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|"Preeetty much finished the first pass on religions. This release still requires buildings, migrants and hist fig finalization. None of that should be difficult, though I suspect finalization will throw a bug or two my way. I suppose that will cause me to blow apart. -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|How to Control your Pets: Its no coincidence that 'kittens' rhymes with 'mittens'}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|Toady withdraws from society. Toady has begun a [[Strange_mood|mysterious]] construction!}}
{{Quote Box|Beware of the Elephant's greatest evolutionary trait: [[Talk:Elephant#Stealth_Elephants|Stealth]].}}
{{Quote Box|Let us never forget the last words of Inod the Stoker, [[Fortress_Paintrag#1056|"Aaah! Gorillas!"]]}}
{{Quote Box|[[Children|Newborn]] Zuglar Baldnessgranite prefers to consume Gorilla. A sure sign of his unparalleled strength!}}
{{Quote Box|[http://www.somethingawful.com/d/video-game-article/duke-nukem-image.php In an unrelated article] - I had no idea elephants could bounce that high!}}
{{Quote Box|[[Toady]] looses a roaring laughter, [[Fey|fell]] and terrible! Toady has butchered a spammer!}}
{{Quote Box|[[Elephant]]s are like huge, wrinkly [[ambusher|ninjas]].}}
{{Quote Box|Tobul Dumatfath, Fisherdwarf cancels Fish: Interrupted by [[carp]].}}
{{Quote Box|The critical question is this''':''' do dead elf bones yield more crossbow bolts than the average number of bolts necessary to kill an elf?}}
{{Quote Box|Dev Notes''':''' Stopped booze food from melting, even though it probably should}}
{{Quote Box|"It was a funny bug -- it would just pick the first living unit in the civilization's list, regardless of what their qualifications were, drag them out of their town, and have them show up at your fortress, without actually letting them be the king." -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|Wolf cancels Breathe: Interrupted by ≡Ash Bolt≡.}}
{{Quote Box| Who knew bridges could be such incredible killing machines?}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|What is that [[magma|red stuff]] coming towards me? Oh well, I think I'll stay in this [[channel|trench-shaped]] thing.}}
{{Quote Box|“Dwarf Fortress" ... "Like chess, only with short people that can catch on [[fire]] like [[clothing|rags]] soaked in tar, and lots of [[booze]]." ... "Like chess.”}}
{{Quote Box|Dwarf Fortress has taught me that all the world's problems would be substantially reduced had our parent civilizations never minted more than four stacks of [[coins]].}}
{{Quote Box|"Tosid Idenarzes likes tentacle demons for their corrupt intentions." There! Now we've covered all of the seven deadly sins.}}
{{Quote Box|Toady One likes donors for their [http://www.bay12games.com/support.html generosity]. He absolutely detests trolls.}}
{{Quote Box|Booze does all the work in forts. Dwarves are just booze exoskeletons.}}
{{Quote Box|My unconscious and bleeding [[mayor]] just mandated the construction of some goods.}}
{{Quote Box|Remember, they are DWARVES. Dwarves are born fat. They often look like hairy spheres on their first day or so.}}
{{Quote Box|"Didn't you read the manual? He he he he... the manual... ..." -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|"Dwarves are strange creatures who balance out at "happy" because on one hand their wife was eaten by elephants and on the other they just ate in a REALLY NICE dining room." -[[shadow_archmagi]]}}
{{Quote Box|Here we have a link to amusing quotes and important advice in the [[Main Page/Quote Archive|Quote Archive]], all of which are more important and/or funny than this one.}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|I can just imagine a wagon throwing a tantrum and tossing all its contents at people.}}
{{Quote Box|"Madness? THIS IS DWARF FORTRESS!" -Dwarven King}}
{{Quote Box|'I wonder what would happen if I poked that elephant with a stick' - Gib Trampledmangled.}}
{{Quote Box|If in doubt, [[fluid|flood]] the fort!}}
{{Quote Box|Döbesh Udosdeb has been ecstatic lately. He was forced to eat a friend to survive. He enjoyed a truly decadent meal.}}
{{Quote Box|Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter is throwing a tantrum!
Felsite Bridge destroyed by Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter.
Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter has drowned.}}
{{Quote Box|"Iron [[screw pump]] exercise equipment. Pump iron and get superdwarvenly strong!"}}
{{Quote Box|Only you can prevent fortress fires.}}
{{Quote Box|On the assumption that there is something scarier than a hydra out there.

''Your in-laws have arrived from Shinthumtobul Imketh.''}}
{{Quote Box|'Leader' Igëratìr, Clerk has created Razuk Lanzil, a Obsidian Crown!" -"I think the leader business is getting to his head!}}
{{Quote Box|If cow cheese is made from cow's milk, what is dwarven cheese made of?}}
{{Quote Box|Damn, isn't there a way to start out where fights aren't like a coin toss?" "Ironically enough, tossing coins is among one of the most effective forms of combat.}}
{{Quote Box|The violence, aggression, pain, madness, sadness of the ASCII characters never ceases to amaze me...}}
{{Quote Box|M.C. Hammerer. "You, peasant! Thou hast stolen a possession of a nobledwarf, and must be punished!" "What? B-but I didn't-" "Silence, knave! I shall teach you not to steal!" *SMACK* "CAN'T TOUCH THIS!" *SMACK* "CAN'T TOUCH THAT!" *SMACK* Etc...}}
{{Quote Box|"What happened in 1048?" "Jreengus occurred."}}

<div style="float: left; margin-right: 1em">
[[Category:Humor and stories]]

Main Page/Quote Archive

2008-05-15T21:49:05Z

RickiusMaximus:

{| style="margin: 0 auto; border-spacing: 1em"

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|Bob, Swordsman: Join me on my adventures! Joe, Mayor: I'd rather not. Joe, Mayor has bled to death.}}
{{Quote Box|"I think I'll stick to drowning dwarves and cooking puppies."}}
{{Quote Box|"I mean, how dangerous can an elephant be, anyway?"}}
{{Quote Box|Toady has created a masterpiece!}}
{{Quote Box|Is that a hammer in your ≡Giant cave spider silk trousers≡ or are you just happy to see me?}}
{{Quote Box|Do these +narrow chimpanzee leather trousers+ make me look fat?}}
{{Quote Box|This wiki menaces with spikes of bread.}}
{{Quote Box|I can't put my finger on it. Something about this [[Fire|‼]]Cat tallow roast[[Fire|‼]] tastes funny.}}
{{Quote Box|"This is why artificial intelligences won't be taking over the world within the next ten years or so: NORMAL people don't have to be TOLD not to milk a cow that's on fire!" - [[Sowelu ]]}}
{{Quote Box|Fun fact: Ditching the starting anvil for a shit ton of logs makes for a strong early defense by way of a palisade...}}
{{Quote Box|"The interface is coming - it's not coming in your lifetime but it's coming." - [[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|"Preeetty much finished the first pass on religions. This release still requires buildings, migrants and hist fig finalization. None of that should be difficult, though I suspect finalization will throw a bug or two my way. I suppose that will cause me to blow apart. -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|Its no coincidence that 'kittens' rhymes with 'mittens'}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|Toady withdraws from society. Toady has begun a [[Strange_mood|mysterious]] construction!}}
{{Quote Box|Beware of the Elephant's greatest evolutionary trait: [[Talk:Elephant#Stealth_Elephants|Stealth]].}}
{{Quote Box|Let us never forget the last words of Inod the Stoker, [[Fortress_Paintrag#1056|"Aaah! Gorillas!"]]}}
{{Quote Box|[[Children|Newborn]] Zuglar Baldnessgranite prefers to consume Gorilla. A sure sign of his unparalleled strength!}}
{{Quote Box|[http://www.somethingawful.com/d/video-game-article/duke-nukem-image.php In an unrelated article] - I had no idea elephants could bounce that high!}}
{{Quote Box|[[Toady]] looses a roaring laughter, [[Fey|fell]] and terrible! Toady has butchered a spammer!}}
{{Quote Box|[[Elephant]]s are like huge, wrinkly [[ambusher|ninjas]].}}
{{Quote Box|Tobul Dumatfath, Fisherdwarf cancels Fish: Interrupted by [[carp]].}}
{{Quote Box|The critical question is this''':''' do dead elf bones yield more crossbow bolts than the average number of bolts necessary to kill an elf?}}
{{Quote Box|Dev Notes''':''' Stopped booze food from melting, even though it probably should}}
{{Quote Box|"It was a funny bug -- it would just pick the first living unit in the civilization's list, regardless of what their qualifications were, drag them out of their town, and have them show up at your fortress, without actually letting them be the king." -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|Wolf cancels Breathe: Interrupted by ≡Ash Bolt≡.}}
{{Quote Box| Who knew bridges could be such incredible killing machines?}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|What is that [[magma|red stuff]] coming towards me? Oh well, I think I'll stay in this [[channel|trench-shaped]] thing.}}
{{Quote Box|“Dwarf Fortress" ... "Like chess, only with short people that can catch on [[fire]] like [[clothing|rags]] soaked in tar, and lots of [[booze]]." ... "Like chess.”}}
{{Quote Box|Dwarf Fortress has taught me that all the world's problems would be substantially reduced had our parent civilizations never minted more than four stacks of [[coins]].}}
{{Quote Box|"Tosid Idenarzes likes tentacle demons for their corrupt intentions." There! Now we've covered all of the seven deadly sins.}}
{{Quote Box|Toady One likes donors for their [http://www.bay12games.com/support.html generosity]. He absolutely detests trolls.}}
{{Quote Box|Booze does all the work in forts. Dwarves are just booze exoskeletons.}}
{{Quote Box|My unconscious and bleeding [[mayor]] just mandated the construction of some goods.}}
{{Quote Box|Remember, they are DWARVES. Dwarves are born fat. They often look like hairy spheres on their first day or so.}}
{{Quote Box|"Didn't you read the manual? He he he he... the manual... ..." -[[Toady One]]}}
{{Quote Box|"Dwarves are strange creatures who balance out at "happy" because on one hand their wife was eaten by elephants and on the other they just ate in a REALLY NICE dining room." -[[shadow_archmagi]]}}
{{Quote Box|Here we have a link to amusing quotes and important advice in the [[Main Page/Quote Archive|Quote Archive]], all of which are more important and/or funny than this one.}}

| style="vertical-align: top; padding: 0" |
{{Quote Box|I can just imagine a wagon throwing a tantrum and tossing all its contents at people.}}
{{Quote Box|"Madness? THIS IS DWARF FORTRESS!" -Dwarven King}}
{{Quote Box|'I wonder what would happen if I poked that elephant with a stick' - Gib Trampledmangled.}}
{{Quote Box|If in doubt, [[fluid|flood]] the fort!}}
{{Quote Box|Döbesh Udosdeb has been ecstatic lately. He was forced to eat a friend to survive. He enjoyed a truly decadent meal.}}
{{Quote Box|Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter is throwing a tantrum!
Felsite Bridge destroyed by Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter.
Zasit Anamalîth, Carpenter has drowned.}}
{{Quote Box|"Iron [[screw pump]] exercise equipment. Pump iron and get superdwarvenly strong!"}}
{{Quote Box|Only you can prevent fortress fires.}}
{{Quote Box|On the assumption that there is something scarier than a hydra out there.

''Your in-laws have arrived from Shinthumtobul Imketh.''}}
{{Quote Box|'Leader' Igëratìr, Clerk has created Razuk Lanzil, a Obsidian Crown!" -"I think the leader business is getting to his head!}}
{{Quote Box|If cow cheese is made from cow's milk, what is dwarven cheese made of?}}
{{Quote Box|Damn, isn't there a way to start out where fights aren't like a coin toss?" "Ironically enough, tossing coins is among one of the most effective forms of combat.}}
{{Quote Box|The violence, aggression, pain, madness, sadness of the ASCII characters never ceases to amaze me...}}
{{Quote Box|M.C. Hammerer. "You, peasant! Thou hast stolen a possession of a nobledwarf, and must be punished!" "What? B-but I didn't-" "Silence, knave! I shall teach you not to steal!" *SMACK* "CAN'T TOUCH THIS!" *SMACK* "CAN'T TOUCH THAT!" *SMACK* Etc...}}
{{Quote Box|"What happened in 1048?" "Jreengus occurred."}}

<div style="float: left; margin-right: 1em">
[[Category:Humor and stories]]

40d:Mega construction

2008-05-12T21:11:18Z

RickiusMaximus:

There comes a time in every dwarfs life when he says to himself- why not? Be it magma waterfalls, huge castles, skyscrapers, great cathedrals, you can build anything!

==Construction Techniques==

Building a large number of anything can be a real pain, to speed up the process it is recommended that you create a stockpile filled with only the correct stone/block type either inside or as close to as possible to your construction. This way the material will always be at the top of the list when your constructing.

It is also important to remember that you cannot build on top of a constructed floor.

===Towers===

It is easy to make costly mistakes when constructing towers- generally because they are built from the inside and dwarfs cannot build walls diagonally.

It is recommended that you complete two opposing walls first and then add in the other two- this avoids the problem of the corner walls becoming inaccessible.

Step 1- Central Staircase:

X

Step 2- Surrounding floor:

...
.X.
...

(repeat until the required width is attained)

Step 3- First two walls:

#####
...
.X.
...
#####

Step 4- Second walls:

#####
#...#
#.X.#
#...#
#####

===Scaffolding===

Building rows and rows of up/down stairs will allow you to build large walls without having to worry about getting the workers and materials up there.

Be careful when your dismantling them that each row is removed one at a time, starting from the top!

You may also wish to consider building the scaffolding ''inside'' the building you are construction, ensuring that the entire ground floor wall is constructed then you wont create any surprise back-doors into your fortress.

===Sloped Roofs===

Sloped roofs can be created by building a row of walls adjacent to the top of a wall, a row of ramps can then be built directly on top of the wall giving access to the top of the adjacent wall. Now just build a second wall adjacent to this one and repeat.

==Viewing==

Most mega structures look best when using a 3D tool, there are however some restrictions involved.

===3Dwarf===

All walls regardless of material will show up the same, the only difference is fortifications which will show up a lighter shade of blue.

All ramps and stairs regardless of materials will show up as wood.

Single ramps will show up as square pyramids but ''only'' if there are no adjacent walls that are one z-level higher than them.

A row of single ramps will not join together as a 'toblerone' shape, instead they will show up as a row of square pyramids.

==Examples==

===Cathedral to the Blood God===

[[Image:Cathedral-Cutaway.jpg]]

[[Image:Cathedral-Tower.jpg]]

[[Image:Cathedral.jpg]]

40d:Mega construction

2008-05-12T21:05:22Z

RickiusMaximus: /* Examples */

There comes a time in every dwarfs life when he says to himself- why not? Be it magma waterfalls, huge castles, skyscrapers, great cathedrals, you can build anything!

==Construction Techniques==

Building a large number of anything can be a real pain, to speed up the process it is recommended that you create a stockpile filled with only the correct stone/block type either inside or as close to as possible to your construction. This way the material will always be at the top of the list when your constructing.

It is also important to remember that you cannot build on top of a constructed floor.

===Towers===

It is easy to make costly mistakes when constructing towers- generally because they are built from the inside and dwarfs cannot build walls diagonally.

It is recommended that you complete two opposing walls first and then add in the other two- this avoids the problem of the corner walls becoming inaccessible.

Step 1- Central Staircase:

X

Step 2- Surrounding floor:

...
.X.
...

(repeat until the required width is attained)

Step 3- First two walls:

#####
...
.X.
...
#####

Step 4- Second walls:

#####
#...#
#.X.#
#...#
#####

===Scaffolding===

Building rows and rows of up/down stairs will allow you to build large walls without having to worry about getting the workers and materials up there.

Be careful when your dismantling them that each row is removed one at a time, starting from the top!

You may also wish to consider building the scaffolding ''inside'' the building you are construction, ensuring that the entire ground floor wall is constructed then you wont create any surprise back-doors into your fortress.

===Sloped Roofs===

Sloped roofs can be created by building a row of walls adjacent to the top of a wall, a row of ramps can then be built directly on top of the wall giving access to the top of the adjacent wall. Now just build a second wall adjacent to this one and repeat.

==Examples==

===Cathedral to the Blood God===

[[Image:Cathedral-Cutaway.jpg]]

[[Image:Cathedral-Tower.jpg]]

[[Image:Cathedral.jpg]]

File:Cathedral.jpg

2008-05-12T21:03:45Z

RickiusMaximus: Finished Cathedral

Finished Cathedral

File:Cathedral-Tower.jpg

2008-05-12T21:03:20Z

RickiusMaximus: Cathedral Tower Construction

Cathedral Tower Construction

File:Cathedral-Cutaway.jpg

2008-05-12T21:01:57Z

RickiusMaximus: A cut-away view of the Cathederal showing roof construction and scaffolding

A cut-away view of the Cathederal showing roof construction and scaffolding

40d:Mega construction

2008-05-12T20:53:18Z

RickiusMaximus:

40d:Mega construction

2008-05-12T20:52:40Z

RickiusMaximus:

40d:Mega construction

2008-05-12T20:52:05Z

RickiusMaximus: New page: There comes a time in every dwarfs life when he says to himself- why not? Be it magma waterfalls, huge castles, skyscrapers, great cathedrals, you can build anything! --Construction Techn...

There comes a time in every dwarfs life when he says to himself- why not? Be it magma waterfalls, huge castles, skyscrapers, great cathedrals, you can build anything!

--Construction Techniques--

Building a large number of anything can be a real pain, to speed up the process it is recommended that you create a stockpile filled with only the correct stone/block type either inside or as close to as possible to your construction. This way the material will always be at the top of the list when your constructing.

It is also important to remember that you cannot build on top of a constructed floor.

---Towers---

It is easy to make costly mistakes when constructing towers- generally because they are built from the inside and dwarfs cannot build walls diagonally.

It is recommended that you complete two opposing walls first and then add in the other two- this avoids the problem of the corner walls becoming inaccessible.

Step 1- Central Staircase:

X

Step 2- Surrounding floor:

...
.X.
...

(repeat until the required width is attained)

Step 3- First two walls:

#####
...
.X.
...
#####

Step 4- Second walls:

#####
#...#
#.X.#
#...#
#####

---Scaffolding---

Building rows and rows of up/down stairs will allow you to build large walls without having to worry about getting the workers and materials up there.

Be careful when your dismantling them that each row is removed one at a time, starting from the top!

You may also wish to consider building the scaffolding ''inside'' the building you are construction, ensuring that the entire ground floor wall is constructed then you wont create any surprise back-doors into your fortress.

---Sloped Roofs---

Sloped roofs can be created by building a row of walls adjacent to the top of a wall, a row of ramps can then be built directly on top of the wall giving access to the top of the adjacent wall. Now just build a second wall adjacent to this one and repeat.

40d:Losing

2008-05-12T20:29:24Z

RickiusMaximus:

Losing is fun!

Either way, it keeps you busy.

Most new players will lose their first few forts; <s>if</s> when you lose a fortress, don't feel like you don't understand the game. Dwarf Fortress has a steep learning curve, and part of the appeal is discovering things for yourself. However, this Wiki serves as an excellent place to speed up the learning process.

If you lose, you can always [[reclaim fortress mode|reclaim fortress]] or go visit it in [[adventurer mode]].

If you're looking for more ways to <s>die horribly</s> test yourself, try either the [[Difficult Seeds]], [[Mega Constructions]], [[Challenge Builds]] or the [[Goals]] pages.

== Autopsy ==

Various things can cause you to lose a fortress.

=== Losing your miners ===

If your [[miner]]s are killed in a collapse and their equipment destroyed, chances are good that you will no longer be able to continue your efforts. Consider abandoning your fortress. Alternatively, you can try to keep your fortress running long enough to request additional [[pick]]s from your Outpost [[Liaison]], who will arrive with the next dwarven trade [[caravan]]. It will take another year before they will return. 
Also consider the tedious but fun option of making buildings outside! If your [[woodcutter]]s with [[axe]]s are still available, then you can build structures of [[wood]]. This is not recommended for very new players though, as it is intensely resource-demanding and takes a lot of managing to get right. (Also not recommended if you don't understand the z-axis system yet.)

=== Starvation ===

A serious danger, generally in the more inhospitable climates, is the loss of your dwarves due to starvation; if you are in the heart of a mountain with no [[soil]] to build on, it is possible you will not be able to establish [[farm]]s. As dwarves begin to starve, they will become Hungry, then Starving. This will cause them to become very angry. When they die, their friends will become upset and will become even angrier, potentially causing the remainder of your fortress to break out in a terminal brawl.

Don't forget your alternative sources of [[food]]. Try [[butchering]] your [[animals]], [[plant gathering|gathering plants]], or resorting to [[hunting]] of local wildlife.

===Dehydration===

One of the biggest problems with a fortress that has no [[brook]], [[stream]], [[river]], or other source of fresh [[water]]. Water must be rapidly gathered from stagnant pools and stored into an indoor basin or water tower, with sufficient depth before it [[evaporate]]s. If this fails, all of the water on the map will evaporate and your dwarves will be left without any water. Without access to water any injured dwarves will slowly die of dehydration, since they can't drink alcohol.

[[Brewing]] can alleviate these problems, but in the future brewing will also require water.

===Flooding accidents===

The opposite side of the dehydration spectrum is having too ''much'' water. Remember that water can [[flow]] in 10 directions (the 8 horizontal ones as well as up and down). It is also worth remembering that, unlike water, magma does not flow upwards.

If your fortress is beginning to flood from [[Water#Sourced Water|sourced water]], abandon all of the levels the water can reach immediately—drafting dwarves into the [[military]] and stationing them onto the surface if need be. You will never be able to recover those areas unless you can manage to pump out the water faster than it floods in, which can take over a year or two of game time to establish a functioning automated pump system. Generally, a flooding accident spells doom for your fortress.

===Invasion===

The [[goblin]]s first come with about a dozen soldiers to [[siege]] your fort. Then they come again with about two dozen. Then three. Soon enough your [[trap]]s are all sprung, your [[door]]s beaten down, and your dwarves are dead. Without some simple [[Fortress defense|defense]]s, such as a [[moat]], a horde of goblins on your doorstep can be deadly.

===Wildlife===

Goblins aren't the only creatures that want you dead. Be it [[unicorn|unicorns]], [[hippo|hippos]], [[undead]] [[elephant|elephants]] or a [[giant cave spider]], a sudden wildlife attack can quickly cripple or destroy an unprepared fortress.

===Volcanic Death===

Toady has stated that in the future volcanoes will be much less stable and much more deadly.

===General Unhappiness===

Think it's no big deal to leave your dwarves with a mediocre dining room, living room, and a generally inadequate fortress?

If there is little in a fortress to give your dwarves happy [[thoughts]] and enough to give them unhappy [[thoughts]], then your dwarves will start to throw tantrums, go melancholy, and destroy your civilization. Unhappiness is more likely to occur if your fortress is suffering other kinds of downfall.

[[ru:Поражение]]

40d:Losing

2008-05-12T20:21:25Z

RickiusMaximus:

Losing is fun!

Either way, it keeps you busy.

Most new players will lose their first few forts; <s>if</s> when you lose a fortress, don't feel like you don't understand the game. Dwarf Fortress has a steep learning curve, and part of the appeal is discovering things for yourself. However, this Wiki serves as an excellent place to speed up the learning process.

If you lose, you can always [[reclaim fortress mode|reclaim fortress]] or go visit it in [[adventurer mode]].

If you're looking for more ways to <s>die horribly</s> test yourself, try either the [[Difficult Seeds]], [[Challenge Builds]] or the [[Goals]] pages.

== Autopsy ==

Various things can cause you to lose a fortress.

=== Losing your miners ===

If your [[miner]]s are killed in a collapse and their equipment destroyed, chances are good that you will no longer be able to continue your efforts. Consider abandoning your fortress. Alternatively, you can try to keep your fortress running long enough to request additional [[pick]]s from your Outpost [[Liaison]], who will arrive with the next dwarven trade [[caravan]]. It will take another year before they will return. 
Also consider the tedious but fun option of making buildings outside! If your [[woodcutter]]s with [[axe]]s are still available, then you can build structures of [[wood]]. This is not recommended for very new players though, as it is intensely resource-demanding and takes a lot of managing to get right. (Also not recommended if you don't understand the z-axis system yet.)

=== Starvation ===

A serious danger, generally in the more inhospitable climates, is the loss of your dwarves due to starvation; if you are in the heart of a mountain with no [[soil]] to build on, it is possible you will not be able to establish [[farm]]s. As dwarves begin to starve, they will become Hungry, then Starving. This will cause them to become very angry. When they die, their friends will become upset and will become even angrier, potentially causing the remainder of your fortress to break out in a terminal brawl.

Don't forget your alternative sources of [[food]]. Try [[butchering]] your [[animals]], [[plant gathering|gathering plants]], or resorting to [[hunting]] of local wildlife.

===Dehydration===

One of the biggest problems with a fortress that has no [[brook]], [[stream]], [[river]], or other source of fresh [[water]]. Water must be rapidly gathered from stagnant pools and stored into an indoor basin or water tower, with sufficient depth before it [[evaporate]]s. If this fails, all of the water on the map will evaporate and your dwarves will be left without any water. Without access to water any injured dwarves will slowly die of dehydration, since they can't drink alcohol.

[[Brewing]] can alleviate these problems, but in the future brewing will also require water.

===Flooding accidents===

The opposite side of the dehydration spectrum is having too ''much'' water. Remember that water can [[flow]] in 10 directions (the 8 horizontal ones as well as up and down). It is also worth remembering that, unlike water, magma does not flow upwards.

If your fortress is beginning to flood from [[Water#Sourced Water|sourced water]], abandon all of the levels the water can reach immediately—drafting dwarves into the [[military]] and stationing them onto the surface if need be. You will never be able to recover those areas unless you can manage to pump out the water faster than it floods in, which can take over a year or two of game time to establish a functioning automated pump system. Generally, a flooding accident spells doom for your fortress.

===Invasion===

The [[goblin]]s first come with about a dozen soldiers to [[siege]] your fort. Then they come again with about two dozen. Then three. Soon enough your [[trap]]s are all sprung, your [[door]]s beaten down, and your dwarves are dead. Without some simple [[Fortress defense|defense]]s, such as a [[moat]], a horde of goblins on your doorstep can be deadly.

===Wildlife===

Goblins aren't the only creatures that want you dead. Be it [[unicorn|unicorns]], [[hippo|hippos]], [[undead]] [[elephant|elephants]] or a [[giant cave spider]], a sudden wildlife attack can quickly cripple or destroy an unprepared fortress.

===Volcanic Death===

Toady has stated that in the future volcanoes will be much less stable and much more deadly.

===General Unhappiness===

Think it's no big deal to leave your dwarves with a mediocre dining room, living room, and a generally inadequate fortress?

If there is little in a fortress to give your dwarves happy [[thoughts]] and enough to give them unhappy [[thoughts]], then your dwarves will start to throw tantrums, go melancholy, and destroy your civilization. Unhappiness is more likely to occur if your fortress is suffering other kinds of downfall.

[[ru:Поражение]]

40d:Losing

2008-05-12T20:21:08Z

RickiusMaximus:

Losing is fun!

Either way, it keeps you busy.

Most new players will lose their first few forts; <s>if</s> when you lose a fortress, don't feel like you don't understand the game. Dwarf Fortress has a steep learning curve, and part of the appeal is discovering things for yourself. However, this Wiki serves as an excellent place to speed up the learning process.

If you lose, you can always [[reclaim fortress mode|reclaim fortress]] or go visit it in [[adventurer mode]].

If you're looking for more ways to <s>die horribly</s> test yourself, try either the[[Difficult Seeds]], [[Challenge Builds]] or the [[Goals]] pages.

== Autopsy ==

Various things can cause you to lose a fortress.

=== Losing your miners ===

If your [[miner]]s are killed in a collapse and their equipment destroyed, chances are good that you will no longer be able to continue your efforts. Consider abandoning your fortress. Alternatively, you can try to keep your fortress running long enough to request additional [[pick]]s from your Outpost [[Liaison]], who will arrive with the next dwarven trade [[caravan]]. It will take another year before they will return. 
Also consider the tedious but fun option of making buildings outside! If your [[woodcutter]]s with [[axe]]s are still available, then you can build structures of [[wood]]. This is not recommended for very new players though, as it is intensely resource-demanding and takes a lot of managing to get right. (Also not recommended if you don't understand the z-axis system yet.)

=== Starvation ===

A serious danger, generally in the more inhospitable climates, is the loss of your dwarves due to starvation; if you are in the heart of a mountain with no [[soil]] to build on, it is possible you will not be able to establish [[farm]]s. As dwarves begin to starve, they will become Hungry, then Starving. This will cause them to become very angry. When they die, their friends will become upset and will become even angrier, potentially causing the remainder of your fortress to break out in a terminal brawl.

Don't forget your alternative sources of [[food]]. Try [[butchering]] your [[animals]], [[plant gathering|gathering plants]], or resorting to [[hunting]] of local wildlife.

===Dehydration===

One of the biggest problems with a fortress that has no [[brook]], [[stream]], [[river]], or other source of fresh [[water]]. Water must be rapidly gathered from stagnant pools and stored into an indoor basin or water tower, with sufficient depth before it [[evaporate]]s. If this fails, all of the water on the map will evaporate and your dwarves will be left without any water. Without access to water any injured dwarves will slowly die of dehydration, since they can't drink alcohol.

[[Brewing]] can alleviate these problems, but in the future brewing will also require water.

===Flooding accidents===

The opposite side of the dehydration spectrum is having too ''much'' water. Remember that water can [[flow]] in 10 directions (the 8 horizontal ones as well as up and down). It is also worth remembering that, unlike water, magma does not flow upwards.

If your fortress is beginning to flood from [[Water#Sourced Water|sourced water]], abandon all of the levels the water can reach immediately—drafting dwarves into the [[military]] and stationing them onto the surface if need be. You will never be able to recover those areas unless you can manage to pump out the water faster than it floods in, which can take over a year or two of game time to establish a functioning automated pump system. Generally, a flooding accident spells doom for your fortress.

===Invasion===

The [[goblin]]s first come with about a dozen soldiers to [[siege]] your fort. Then they come again with about two dozen. Then three. Soon enough your [[trap]]s are all sprung, your [[door]]s beaten down, and your dwarves are dead. Without some simple [[Fortress defense|defense]]s, such as a [[moat]], a horde of goblins on your doorstep can be deadly.

===Wildlife===

Goblins aren't the only creatures that want you dead. Be it [[unicorn|unicorns]], [[hippo|hippos]], [[undead]] [[elephant|elephants]] or a [[giant cave spider]], a sudden wildlife attack can quickly cripple or destroy an unprepared fortress.

===Volcanic Death===

Toady has stated that in the future volcanoes will be much less stable and much more deadly.

===General Unhappiness===

Think it's no big deal to leave your dwarves with a mediocre dining room, living room, and a generally inadequate fortress?

If there is little in a fortress to give your dwarves happy [[thoughts]] and enough to give them unhappy [[thoughts]], then your dwarves will start to throw tantrums, go melancholy, and destroy your civilization. Unhappiness is more likely to occur if your fortress is suffering other kinds of downfall.

[[ru:Поражение]]

Challenge Builds

2008-04-23T19:52:31Z

RickiusMaximus: Added siege master

If repeatedly defending a besieged fortress isn't difficult enough for you, here are a few challenges you can set for yourself. You might also want to check out the [[Game goals|List of goals]] for other ways to challenge yourself.

=== Exiled Warlord ===
* Seven starting dwarves with no military skills
* All immigrants immediately activated into the military
* No killing them off on purpose!

=== Hermit ===

* No [[skill]]s
* One [[pick]] and no other supplies

A well known and popular challenge. Kill off the 6 starting dwarves and any [[immigrants]] as they arrive, and try to make a living for the last dwarf.

=== Outcast ===

* No [[skill]]s
* One [[pick]] and no other supplies

Same as the hermit challenge, only with multiple hermits. Turn off immigrants or kill them.

=== Roughing it ===

* No picks

Don't [[dig]] or build at all. Bring no [[pick]]s, and don't ask for them in [[Trade depot|trade]]. Watch as the more "weather-averse" dwarves slowly go mad.

=== Gone to the dogs ===

* One [[pick]]
* A ton of [[animals]]

Replace the starting equipment with an equal value in [[dog]]s or [[cat]]s.

=== ASPCA ===

* No [[animals]]

Don't bring any [[animals|pets]]. Furthermore, due to the possibility of animals being caught in them, don't build any [[traps]], either. If [[immigrants]] bring pets, get rid of them somehow. (If you're a particularly rabid ASPCA member, you could get rid of the pet-bearing immigrants, too, but that's probably excessive.)

=== Diplomacy ===

* Six dwarves with only social [[skill]]s
* One skilled dwarf

Six courtiers of the king's court made some ill-advised remarks within earshot of the king, and as a result have been ordered to go found an outpost. They've hired you to make sure they survive. The six nobles only have social skills and refuse to do any work that is beneath them.

=== Luddite ===

* No mechanics or [[mechanism]]s
* No [[machine]]s

[[Traps]] and moving [[bridge]]s are forbidden, [[farming]] must be accomplished by hand.

=== City-States ===

* No [[skill]]s
* 7 or multiple of 7 of everything you bring

At the start your dwarves split everything equally and move to 7 different locales that are not interconnected. They have to mine their own rooms, plant their own crops, use their own craft piles. This will probably require a bit of cross-fertilization until you get [[door]]s and can lock everyone in, but after that it is every dwarf for him/herself!

=== <insert material> Fort ===

'''Wooden'''

Start on any treeless map and make everything that you can out of wood. That means no underground forts, though you may destroy hills and such. You lose points for bringing wood at the start.

=== Dieting Dwarves ===

'''Fishing Village'''

Give your dwarves only the fishing skill and other fishing related skills (like bonecrafting.) Try to survive off a [[fish]] only diet. Flood the river and build houses above it so the dwarves can fish through their floors. There will be an extra challenge if the river freezes in the winter.

'''Carnivore'''

* No plants or seeds

Only eat strays, pets, and animals you trap and hunt. No farming or plant gathering. Keep all your pets in cages and care for them as little as possible. Eat your dwarves' pets first for an extra challenge. If this upsets your dwarves, ridicule or ignore them. (If you are particularly heartless, you could cage those dwarves as well because anyone that empathizes with animals doesn't deserve any rights either.)

'''Vegan'''

* Obviously, no meat, fish, or dairy
* Also, no leather, silk, or shell
* In essence, construct an [http://archive.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Main_Glade Elven Forest]

A fairly easy challenge. Take no meat and buy no meat. Butcher no animals. Gut no fish. Use no animal products like the [[Elf|elves]].

'''IOGT/AA'''

* No alcohol

Quite possibly, this is the cruelest challenge that your dwarves can be given. Don't ever brew any alcohol. Build [[well]]s instead and watch your now teetotaller dwarves work slower and slower by the season.

=== Hunting Party ===

* One marksman/ambusher
* Two camp servants (e.g. one cook/brewer/herbalist, one butcher/tanner/leatherworker/woodcutter)
* Four clients, all dabbling in marksman/ambusher but with primarily civilian skills.

No anvil, lots of hunting dogs ... and a haunted wood. (In a terrifying wood, you may find all the trees & plants are dead, severely reducing long-term prospects.)

=== Immigration and Customs Enforcement ===

* One miner/mason/architect
* One woodcutter/carpenter/architect
* Five military dwarves

No anvil, lots of food, in a canyon - spend the first year building fortifications to interdict traffic. Immigrants can build a town around you, but your original dwarves remain dedicated to their mission.

=== Dwarfsicles ===

Select a map region in the northern extremities (or another very cold area), where water is frozen for much or all of the year. All construction that can be undertaken with stone must use [[ice]], instead. Be sure to bring plenty of [[Plump helmet|Plump Helmets]] for brewing drinks!

For an insane challenge, forbid yourself from digging in any material that can yield resources other than ice.

=== This. Is. SPARTAAAA ===

At least 50% of your dwarves should be military 100% of the time, and train in spears, shield use and [[wrestling]]. All other dwarves are "helots" and shouldn't be given any skills – they can be pressed into the military during times of war, but given no equipment or at most a bare minimum of inferior weapons.

You should refuse trade with caravans, instead attacking them if possible. You should forbid the use of gold and silver, the making of crafts, and the smoothing of walls or any other task that makes your fortress "beautiful."

You shouldn't create chainmail or plate armour.  You should only brew wine.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta#Society Read more about the real Sparta]

=== The Mad Butcher ===
(this requires a tiny amount of editing to the raws) 
1. Edit Dwarf Fortress\Raw\object\Creature_Domestic.txt. Remove the tag [BUTCHERABLE_NONSTANDARD] from cats and dogs. 
2. Start with a normal build except:
* One dwarf should be a dedicated butcher/leather worker
* buy minimal food
* bring as many puppies or kittens as possible
3. Drop all your puppies or kittens into cages or into animal pits as soon as possible. 
5. Dig a shaft 10 or more Z-levels deep, mark the top an animal pit. 
6. At the bottom of the shaft set up a butcher shop, a tanner shop, a bedroom, and some food and leather stockpiles. 
7. Set it all up so that the mad butcher cannot escape. 
8. As you need food, begin selecting animals to be dropped into your deep pit, next to the butcher. 
9. See how long a single butcher, butchering splattered kittens, can keep your fortress fed! Cooking and farming are cheating... raw meat for everyone! 

=== Fort Geneva ===
* Build only nonlethal (cage) traps
* Sentient creatures ([[Goblins]], etc.) are to be considered prisoners of war and treated humanely
* Suggested provisions for prisoners: a bed, a personal cell, a commons area, aboveground exercise yard, and the clothes the creature was wearing when captured
* Inspiration: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Conventions Geneva Conventions]

=== Jack Of All Trades ===

* No starting skills for any dwarfs
* All starting dwarfs and all immigrants immediately have all possible jobs activated
* All workshops must be available at all times for all dwarfs of all skill levels

Pray for strange moods!

=== Master Of One ===

* All starting dwarfs can have one skill and one skill only
* No changes are allowed on any dwarfs labour screen
* All immigrants must stay with the profession/professions they arrive with
* All peasants must be activated into the military

Note: Since all dwarfs start with all hauling activated then that's fine- alternatively you could limit the peasants to hauling duties and only allow dwarfs with military skills into the military...

=== Siege Master ===

* No traps
* No drawbridges
* No locked doors
* No magma/water based defences

Challenge Builds

2008-04-23T19:24:27Z

RickiusMaximus: Added Jack of all trades and master of one

40d:Siege engine

2008-03-16T17:15:56Z

RickiusMaximus: /* Using Siege Engines (simple) */

'''Siege engines''' include the '''catapult''' and the '''ballista'''. Both are formidable weapons of tremendous range (more than a screen-width) and capable of dealing out horrendous damage. A ballista arrow means immediate death to each and every common creature in its path and will severely injure even a dragon.

==Building Siege Engines==
In order to build a siege engine, you first need to produce three catapult or ballista parts in the [[Siege Workshop]]; you may then build the respective siege engine like any other building. Both tasks require the "Siege Engineering" labor and use the "Engineer" skill. It is not known whether the skill of the dwarf assembling the siege engine has any effect, but the quality of the parts certainly has: siege engines put together from masterpiece parts have a much higher rate of fire and accuracy.

The assembled siege engine is, effectively, a 3x3 building. It cannot be moved about other than by taking it down and re-assembling it at the new site. Siege engines do not impede movement, though, so you don't have to worry about building them in a corridor.

==Using Siege Engines (simple)==
{{key|o}} will let you change the orientation, whether the siege engine is pointing up / down / left / right. This takes effect immediately, it does not require a dwarf to come and turn the engine.

{{key|f}} toggles the current status between:
*Not In Use: Dwarves with the Siege Operator job will reload unloaded engines and leave them unattended.
*Prepare to Fire: Siege Operators will load the engine and remain stationed for further commands.
*Fire at Will: Siege Operators will fire and load normally.

The dwarves will (re-)load any siege engines that are not currently loaded; there's no way to prevent this short of disabling the labor on all dwarves. Ballistae require ''ballista arrows'' (made from wooden logs at the siege workshop, optionally tipped with metal ''ballista arrow heads'' made at a forge). Catapults use simple [[stone]] as ammunition.

Ammo is usually destroyed upon being fired, unless it falls a z-level (this may be a bug).

########
CCC..._#
CCC..._#
CCC..._#
########

The channel at the end of this firing range preserves the stone. For catapults there is usually so much spare stone that this is not necessary, but it could be used for fast stone transport, or simply to set up a self-contained training area. A similar effect can sometimes be observed when firing a catapult over bumpy ground outside.

The design can be further improved by using a drawbridge rather than a wall, this way when the drawbridge is raised it acts like a wall deflecting the stone into the channel below. In the case of an attack on your fortress the drawbridge can be lowered allowing the catapult to fire.

#####################
CCC..._¦.............
CCC..._¦.............
CCC..._¦.............
#####################

Drawbridge raised deflecting stones into channel.

#####################
CCC...[].............
CCC...[].............
CCC...[].............
#####################

Drawbridge lowered allowing catapult to shoot down the corridor.

==Using Siege Engines (advanced)==

===Safety Warning===

'''Ballistas will kill anything in their path!''' Ballista arrows appear to hit any units in any square that the head passes through. They are incredibly devastatingly dangerous weapons, and should never be used with friendlies anywhere in their cone of fire, including the space the ballista arrowhead occupies when loaded on the engine. Always designate a restricted traffic zone for a lot of tiles along the firing arc and keep dwarves out of the area. The shots appear to travel until they hit a wall or fly off the screen.

Surprisingly, catapults are relatively safe. Catapult operators will target enemies (and wild animals) if there are any in their field of fire. If not, they will loose the shot in a high arc that misses everything. It is perfectly safe to operate a catapult in the cave: just point it at a nearby wall of solid rock. A nice side effect is that this will in due time clear the whole area of stone.

Using catapults to shoot into the open may provide some meat: as said above, the operators will target animals if there are any. However, elephants don't take nicely if you slay some of them. You also have a slight risk of killing your own dwarves or caravan escorts if they happen to be hunting the selfsame animal (and hence is close to it).

===Placement===
Siege engines can almost only shoot at targets right in front of them on the same Z-level. The target may deviate only slightly, as the field of fire is about 20-30 degrees wide. Because of the huge blind spots, it is advisable to prepare the position so that the enemy will be channeled through the field of fire.

Siege operators are civilians! They will drop their work and run if the enemy comes too close.  You should therefore place the engines behind a moat that will keep the enemy at a safe distance, or shield access to their location in some other fashion.

Siege engines can shoot through [[fortifications]]. As fortifications appear to provide some protection against incoming bolts and arrows, it's usually a good idea to protect the siege engine in that way. The siege engine only needs a one tile wide fortification to shoot out.

===Skill and Quality===

The quality of the siege engine parts affects the engine's accuracy and reload time. It is not known whether the siege engine itself also can be of a certain quality. The quality and material of the ammunition (in case of ballista arrows) affects the damage and possibly accuracy as well.

The only way of obtaining high-quality siege engine parts is to have them made by a trained engineer; the only way to train an engineer is to make parts or ammunition. Assembling and disassembling siege engines does not train the engineer skill. Dwarves will occasionally produce masterpieces long before reaching [[Legendary]] skill level, but be prepared to waste hundreds of logs until you have three masterpiece parts. Bringing an engineer to [[Experience|Proficient]] level (the highest you could buy when starting a new fortress) will take about 120 logs. Becoming Legendary requires the wood of 600 trees.

The operator skill may affect accuracy; it certainly affects reload time. It will take a whole month for an unskilled dwarf to load a catapult; a Legendary operator with nearby ammo will get several shots at a running enemy.

Operators are best trained on catapults, as these require nothing but cheap stone for ammo. It is recommended to have a number of dedicated operators that will follow no other line of work, and enough catapults for all of them to play with. As they're often going for a drink or sleep, you may get along with three catapults for four operators, and even two pieces would go a long way. Since the dwarf must hold the heavy stone in his inventory during the entire loading procedure, dwarves that have increased their strength statistic load catapults much more rapidly than others, making them good candidates for operator duty. You should start training early: it can take one year for an operator to become Proficient, and two more years until he finally reaches Legendary level; by then he will have spent 300 rounds.

Loading ballista arrows seems to be much faster than loading catapults, probably due to the much lighter weight of the projectile.

An alternative approach is cross-training any highly-skilled dwarves who aren't doing anything useful at the moment. With a couple levels each in strength and agility, a decent-quality catapult, and an ample supply of ammunition nearby, a dwarf can become a Legendary siege operator within a few seasons at most, giving more flexibility in defense and several more levels for the fortunate dwarf. Rotating Legendary miners out to siege-operation and then to stone-hauling duties sets up an efficient cycle.

===In Battle===

Ballistas hit any unit that the ballista arrowhead passes through. This makes them an order of magnitude more effective in combat than catapults, which fire in an arc that hits only a few tiles per shot and is nearly useless against anything smaller than a troop of goblins.

A siege engine you want to use for actual defense should be not set to fire at will, as this likely means that it's not loaded and ready at the time you actually need it. You should train your operators on other pieces.

When the time comes, switch off all training engines and set all of the ones you'll be using to prepare to fire so the operators will be on-station; if some of them are currently not loaded, designate them to be disassembled so to prevent your operators from loading the training weapons instead of firing the real ones.

Remember, operators are civilians. They do not care that the fortress is at stake: hunger, thirst and sleep always go first. That's why you trained more operators than you actually need; that's also why you disabled all other work that might distract them. The most effective way to ensure that your operators won't run off is to lock them in with the siege engine when the time comes.

[[Category:Buildings]]
[[Category:Fortress_Defense]]

===The Hopoate Doctrine===

Forums user John Hopoate has written this guide (now slightly edited for modern versions) to the effective construction and operation of siege engines:

Please bear in mind that this is VERY long term stuff (10 years). Only by having highly trained siege operators and high quality siege weapons can you shoot accurately.

* Download LabourDF from here:

http://dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com/index.php/Utilities#LabourDF

* Start off with two miners and a woodcutter trained to proficient siege engineer status (the latter costs many starting points so choose your other starting gear and stats wisely)

* After your fortress has about 50 dwarfs, build a siege workshop, place it at the front of your fort near the battlements and designate a custom stockpile within the battlements that can take only ballista arrows. Designate another custom stockpile that can take only regular stone.

* Make sure your only one of your dwarfs is set to have siege engineering as an active labour. Change that dwarf's orders to have nothing but siege engineering enabled. It may help to give that dwarf a custom profession title (such as SIEGE) to distinguish that dwarf from others. When new Mechanic or Siege Engineer dwarfs arrive, make sure to disable siege engineering for them.

* You'll need wood, lots of wood.

* Get the siege engineer dwarf to build 18 catapult parts, place them inside behind fortifications (which catapults CAN shoot through), designate a custom stockpile of regular stone within the battlements.

* Train six dwarves to legendary status with mining or another fast-training skill: their high attributes are absolutely necessary for siege operating. All operators should have no job orders other than their stat-training and siege operating. When there is no mining to be done, set six catapults to "fire at will"

* After the catapult parts are done, get the siege engineer dwarf to build about 100 wooden ballista arrows. Don't bother with metal arrowheads as they'll use 3 pieces of bronze each, and that certainly adds up.

* Now that his or her skill is at a high level, your siege engineer dwarf should be able to build superior quality (*) siege engine parts with about a 75% success rate. Build about 40 catapult parts and 40 ballista parts.

* Build ten catapults and ten ballistas with a MINIMUM of superior quality (*) components in an alternating sequence along your well stocked battlements. Dump any inferior components.

* By this point your miners/operators should be at a high level of skill, possibly legendary. This gives your superior quality weapons a devastatingly high rate of fire and awesome accuracy.