Siege engine - Revision history

154.47.22.68: "three" siege part types instead of two

2026-02-24T05:03:39Z

"three" siege part types instead of two

Quietust: /* Using Siege Engines (simple) */ fix drawings - use actual catapult+bridge tiles

2026-02-09T23:07:02Z

Using Siege Engines (simple): fix drawings - use actual catapult+bridge tiles

Quietust: /* Building Siege Engines */ as far as I can tell from the code in 53.10, this is STILL not true, and it has NEVER been true

2026-02-09T23:03:05Z

Building Siege Engines: as far as I can tell from the code in 53.10, this is STILL not true, and it has NEVER been true

Bjh21: /* Building Siege Engines */ Bolt-thrower-as-building split from others so I have somewhere to explain the space requirements

2026-02-09T22:02:26Z

Building Siege Engines: Bolt-thrower-as-building split from others so I have somewhere to explain the space requirements

Bjh21: /* Using Siege Engines (simple) */ Removed "catch" example. I built this and it promptly maimed a dwarf, so I don't think it's safe any more.

2026-02-09T21:42:16Z

Using Siege Engines (simple): Removed "catch" example. I built this and it promptly maimed a dwarf, so I don't think it's safe any more.

Bjh21: /* Using Siege Engines (simple) */ The new settings for siege engines in 0.53

2026-02-09T21:23:00Z

Using Siege Engines (simple): The new settings for siege engines in 0.53

Quietust: /* Building Siege Engines */

2026-02-09T21:19:03Z

Building Siege Engines

Quietust: bolt throwers only require ONE "parts", plus the other items

2026-02-09T21:18:11Z

bolt throwers only require ONE "parts", plus the other items

Bjh21: /* Building Siege Engines */ Noted that bolt throwers do impede movement

2026-02-09T21:01:38Z

Building Siege Engines: Noted that bolt throwers do impede movement

Bjh21: /* Building Siege Engines */ Explain the parts of bolt throwers

2026-02-09T20:36:31Z

Building Siege Engines: Explain the parts of bolt throwers

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 ==Building Siege Engines==
-In order to build a siege engine, you first need to produce (at least) three catapult, ballista, or bolt thrower parts in the [[siege workshop]]; catapults are made from any 3 '''catapult parts''', ballistae are made from any 3 '''ballista parts'''.  Bolt throwers are made from 1 '''bolt thrower parts''', a [[bin]], a [[chain|rope or chain]], and a [[mechanisms]]. All parts are made from any type of wood at the siege workshop. Beyond that, "parts" are generic - there are no particular "sub-types" of parts beyond the distinction between those for the two different engine types. The quality of the parts has no effect on the siege engine's operation, so there is no need to produce high quality parts except to augment your fortress's architecture value.
+In order to build a siege engine, you first need to produce (at least) three catapult, ballista, or bolt thrower parts in the [[siege workshop]]; catapults are made from any 3 '''catapult parts''', ballistae are made from any 3 '''ballista parts'''.  Bolt throwers are made from 1 '''bolt thrower parts''', a [[bin]], a [[chain|rope or chain]], and a [[mechanisms]]. All parts are made from any type of wood at the siege workshop. Beyond that, "parts" are generic - there are no particular "sub-types" of parts beyond the distinction between those for the three different engine types. The quality of the parts has no effect on the siege engine's operation, so there is no need to produce high quality parts except to augment your fortress's architecture value.
 Once you have the parts, you may then build the respective siege engine like any other building, selecting the parts that you wish to construct that particular engine with. An assembled catapult or ballista is, effectively, a 3×3 building that cannot be moved about, other than by taking it down and re-assembling it at the new construction site. Catapults and ballistae do not impede movement, though, so you don't have to worry about building them in a corridor.

@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 <diagram>
   ########
-  CCC..._#
+  ▒▒▒..._#
-  CCC..._#
+  ◘═╡..._#
-  CCC..._#
+  ▒▒▒..._#
   ########
 </diagram>
@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 <diagram>
   #####################
-  CCC..._¦.............
+  ▒▒▒..._╥.............
-  CCC..._¦.............
+  ◘═╡..._║.............
-  CCC..._¦.............
+  ▒▒▒..._╨.............
   #####################
 </diagram>
@@ Line 92: / Line 92: @@
 <diagram>
   #####################
-  CCC...[].............
+  ▒▒▒...╔╗.............
-  CCC...[].............
+  ◘═╡...║║.............
-  CCC...[].............
+  ▒▒▒...╚╝.............
   #####################
 </diagram>

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 ==Building Siege Engines==
-In order to build a siege engine, you first need to produce (at least) three catapult, ballista, or bolt thrower parts in the [[siege workshop]]; catapults are made from any 3 '''catapult parts''', ballistae are made from any 3 '''ballista parts'''.  Bolt throwers are made from 1 '''bolt thrower parts''', a [[bin]], a [[chain|rope or chain]], and a [[mechanisms]]. All parts are made from any type of wood at the siege workshop. Beyond that, "parts" are generic - there are no particular "sub-types" of parts beyond the distinction between those for the two different engine types. The quality of the parts determines the overall rate of fire (and maybe accuracy) of the engine - the best are made with 3 masterwork parts{{verify}}. This won't make up for an untrained siege operator, but every little bit helps. Siege engine parts are stored in Furniture stockpiles.
+In order to build a siege engine, you first need to produce (at least) three catapult, ballista, or bolt thrower parts in the [[siege workshop]]; catapults are made from any 3 '''catapult parts''', ballistae are made from any 3 '''ballista parts'''.  Bolt throwers are made from 1 '''bolt thrower parts''', a [[bin]], a [[chain|rope or chain]], and a [[mechanisms]]. All parts are made from any type of wood at the siege workshop. Beyond that, "parts" are generic - there are no particular "sub-types" of parts beyond the distinction between those for the two different engine types. The quality of the parts has no effect on the siege engine's operation, so there is no need to produce high quality parts except to augment your fortress's architecture value.
-Once you have the parts, you may then build the respective siege engine like any other building, selecting the parts that you wish to construct that particular engine with.  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 [[quality|masterwork]] parts have a much higher rate of fire.{{verify}}
+Once you have the parts, you may then build the respective siege engine like any other building, selecting the parts that you wish to construct that particular engine with. An assembled catapult or ballista is, effectively, a 3×3 building that cannot be moved about, other than by taking it down and re-assembling it at the new construction site. Catapults and ballistae do not impede movement, though, so you don't have to worry about building them in a corridor.
 Bolt throwers are a bit different. They're only 1×1, but to operate a bolt thrower a dwarf has to stand in an adjacent square, opposite to the firing direction.  So if a bolt thrower is to fire in all directions, it needs all of the 3×3 squares that are highlighted when building it.  Unlike other siege engines, dwarves will not walk through a bolt thrower itself.

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 Once you have the parts, you may then build the respective siege engine like any other building, selecting the parts that you wish to construct that particular engine with.  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 [[quality|masterwork]] parts have a much higher rate of fire.{{verify}}
-The assembled siege engine is, effectively, a 3×3 building (1×1 for the bolt thrower) that cannot be moved about, other than by taking it down and re-assembling it at the new construction site.  Catapults and ballistae do not impede movement, though, so you don't have to worry about building them in a corridor.  Bolt throwers do impede movement, but they're small.
+An assembled catapult or ballista is, effectively, a 3×3 building that cannot be moved about, other than by taking it down and re-assembling it at the new construction site. Catapults and ballistae do not impede movement, though, so you don't have to worry about building them in a corridor.
 ==Using Siege Engines (simple)==

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:42, 9 February 2026
Line 99:		Line 99:

	Drawbridge lowered allowing catapult to shoot down the corridor.		Drawbridge lowered allowing catapult to shoot down the corridor.
−
−	~~Since catapults will never hurt your dwarves, you can easily take the above designs and face the catapults towards each other with channels behind them.~~
−
−	~~<diagram>~~
−	~~######################~~
−	~~#_CCC............CCC_#~~
−	~~#_CCC............CCC_#~~
−	~~#_CCC............CCC_#~~
−	~~#########....#########~~
−	~~</diagram>~~
−
−	This is obviously only for training purposes, but the point is efficiency. As each catapult fires, it "gives" stones to the engine across from it. This is entirely self contained, as your operators will continuously recycle the same ammunition, practically playing "catch" with the stones they are training with. Stones will always be available directly behind each operator, however <s>dorfs</s> some dwarves are incredibly stupid. They will tend to pick the last MINED stone for loading (like masons and crafters), so its best to burrow them into the range. Even then, the idiots will sometimes cross the range and pick up stones from the far end.

	==Special considerations==		==Special considerations==

@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 In the Siege Engine's menu, you can change the mode:
-*Not In Use:  This Siege Engine will be left unattended. If loaded, it will not be unloaded.
+*'''-''' (Not in use). This Siege Engine will be left unattended. If loaded, it will not be unloaded.
-*Loaded: A [[siege operator]] will load this engine, but after that it will be left unattended.
+*'''L'''oaded: A [[siege operator]] will load this engine, but after that it will be left unattended.
-*Prepare to Fire:  Siege operators will load the engine and remain stationed for further commands.
+*'''P'''repare to fire:  Siege operators will load the engine and remain stationed for further commands.
-*Fire at Will:  Siege operators will fire and reload normally.
+*'''T'''raining: Siege operators will continuously fire and reload, firing at an [[archery target]] or enemy if one is available.
 Once an engine is given orders to fire (or prepare to), a dwarf with the [[Siege operator|siege operating]] labor designated will respond and report to the engine.  The dwarf(s) will (re-)load any siege engine that is not currently loaded; there's no way to prevent this short of disabling the labor on all dwarves or forbidding every piece of ammo (or otherwise blocking a [[path]] to it, perhaps by locking [[door]]s or using a [[burrow]].)