Training - Revision history

GeloMor at 15:47, 16 December 2025

2025-12-16T15:47:05Z

RobTheDorf: Added a brief section on the dwarven tendency to tackle cats while training.

2025-11-10T22:00:03Z

Added a brief section on the dwarven tendency to tackle cats while training.

108.174.97.44 at 00:35, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T00:35:30Z

Silverwing235: /* Other Notes */

2025-02-18T14:06:16Z

Other Notes

Silverwing235: /* Organized squad training */

2025-02-18T13:46:59Z

Organized squad training

DPhKraken: Modern box terminology

2025-02-10T06:27:52Z

Modern box terminology

Quietust at 18:37, 28 January 2025

2025-01-28T18:37:46Z

Jecowa: what are motivated and disciplined? Are these personality traits?

2024-10-12T09:51:20Z

what are motivated and disciplined? Are these personality traits?

179.106.178.160: bugpage says the issue is resolved by toady

2024-03-09T02:06:54Z

bugpage says the issue is resolved by toady

Fph: Added remark that all weaposn are safe (while avoiding spoilers)

2023-11-28T07:19:49Z

Added remark that all weaposn are safe (while avoiding spoilers)

@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 {{Military FAQ}}
 {{Category|Jobs}}
 [[ru:Training]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:00, 10 November 2025
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	See [[Cage#Remotely_opening_cages\|Remotely Opening Cages]] for information on how to arrange for the training.		See [[Cage#Remotely_opening_cages\|Remotely Opening Cages]] for information on how to arrange for the training.
		+
		+	{{D for Dwarf}}
		+	===Feline Training===
		+	Occasionally, when a cat wanders into the barracks, a dwarf will decide to spar with the cat. This sees the dwarf charging at the cat, surprising the cat, then tackling the cat, launching the cat into the wall, and causing the cat to run away. Alas, this does not train the dwarf very much, and does not train the cat at all. This, along with the cowardice of the cats, is clearly a bug and will probably soon be fixed, enabling the training of ferocious war housecats.

	== See also==		== See also==

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 * '''Sparring''' is a form of practice melee [[combat]] performed by two or more members of a squad, and possibly others choosing to watch the match. Sparring is a mostly-safe way to get experienced soldiers. Sparring appears to train every usable combat skill (weapon, Fighting, Wrestling, Discipline, etc.) even when dwarves have weapons equipped. Sparring tends to confer skill increases faster than demonstrations. Despite their name, [[training weapon]]s are not necessary for this purpose: all weapons are safe for sparring, even the sharpest of short swords, so there is no need to change weapon assignment.
-: Dwarves will only begin sparring when there are at least 2 dwarves with at least 'competent' skill level in their [[fighter]] skill. It appears that dwarves with unequal skill levels ''will'' spar, but not frequently. If two dwarves are very close in skill levels, they spar much more frequently, this may be maximized by using position assigning.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=150534.0] It is currently believed that the best way to encourage sparring (rather than demonstrations) is to use 2 (or 3)-dwarf squads for training. Both dwarves should have the same weapon, to minimize useless cross-weapon teaching. It appears that the more experienced the training military dwarves are, the more likely they are to spar. However, sparring management is still a poorly understood science.
+: Dwarves will only begin sparring when there are at least 2 dwarves with at least 'competent' (3) skill level in their [[fighter]] skill. It appears that dwarves with unequal skill levels ''will'' spar, but not frequently. If two dwarves are very close in skill levels, they spar much more frequently, this may be maximized by using position assigning.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=150534.0] It is currently believed that the best way to encourage sparring (rather than demonstrations) is to use 2 (or 3)-dwarf squads for training. Both dwarves should have the same weapon, to minimize useless cross-weapon teaching. It appears that the more experienced the training military dwarves are, the more likely they are to spar. However, sparring management is still a poorly understood science.
 * '''Individual Training''' slowly improves one skill at a time through self-training. Squad members may choose to conduct individual training ("Individual Combat Drill") when there is no one else to train with, or on their spare time when there are no [[schedule]]d orders. The latter might be tied to [[Personality facet|motivated]]{{verify}} and [[discipline]]d{{verify}} dwarves.

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 ==Other Notes==
 === Injury===
-Dwarves do not hurt each other directly while sparring with any type of weapon. They can however have accidents due to certain Wrestling move(s), namely throwing. A thrown dwarf may skid along the ground and sustain injury. It can be lethal to a dwarf if their head skids on the ground or they slam into a wall, so have your sparring dwarves wear helmets and spar in open rooms. '''Note:''' ''all'' sparring dwarves may decide to do a bit of Wrestling, even if they have weapons equipped.
+Dwarves do not hurt each other directly while sparring with any type of weapon. They can, however, have accidents, due to certain wrestling move(s), namely throwing. A thrown dwarf may skid along the ground and sustain injury. It can be lethal to a dwarf if their ''head'' skids on the ground or they slam into a wall, so have your sparring dwarves wear helmets and spar in open rooms. '''Note:''' ''all'' sparring dwarves may decide to do a bit of Wrestling, even if they have weapons equipped.
-Also make sure they have a safe environment to train in. Avoid having your barracks near high cliffs, [[stairs]], open water, and [[well]]s because dwarves have a habit of dodging off of cliffs and injuring themselves or dodging into water and becoming stunned, which leads to drowning.  Also, dwarves can dodge up one level if they are next to a wall. Make sure they can walk back down or build a roof, because otherwise you risk a military dwarf trapping himself and starving to death.
+Also, make sure they have a safe environment to train in. Avoid having your barracks near high cliffs, [[stairs]], open water, and [[well]]s because dwarves have a habit of dodging off of cliffs and injuring themselves or dodging into water and becoming stunned, which leads to drowning.  Also, dwarves can dodge up one level if they are next to a wall. Make sure they can walk back down or build a roof, because otherwise you risk a military dwarf trapping themselves and starving to death.
 ===Default Schedule===
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 === [[Live training]] on disarmed prisoners ===
-A very effective way to train your dwarves is to equip them with [[training weapon]]s and full armor and let them fight unarmed prisoners. This allows your dwarves to be "attacked" in real combat with relative safety, increasing their defensive skills rapidly. In other words: if you're interested in having your dwarves quickly train as Dodgers, Armor Users and Shield Users, it'll be worth the effort to set up some [[live training]] exercises. Keep in mind though that all combat in Dwarf Fortress comes with risks, and even a [[Legendary]] [[Axedwarf]] can be killed by an unlikely wrestling move or infected scratch.
+A very effective way to train your dwarves is to equip them with [[training weapon]]s and full armor, and let them fight unarmed prisoners. This allows your dwarves to be "attacked" in real combat with relative safety, increasing their defensive skills rapidly. In other words: if you're interested in having your dwarves quickly train as Dodgers, Armor Users and Shield Users, it'll be worth the effort to set up some [[live training]] exercises. Keep in mind though that all combat in ''Dwarf Fortress'' comes with risks, and even a [[Legendary]] [[Axedwarf]] can be killed by an unlikely wrestling move or infected scratch.
 See [[Cage#Remotely_opening_cages|Remotely Opening Cages]] for information on how to arrange for the training.

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 * '''Demonstrations''' are group training sessions for a specific skill, led by a teacher with experience in that skill and observed by one or more squad members. Demonstrations need to be [[organizer|organized]] and require that all are students present for the demonstration to begin, those already present will wait or do individual training until that happens. In addition to the skill demonstrated, dwarves gain some [[teacher]] and [[student]] experience, causing future demonstrations to become more effective.
-: Dwarves will only attend a demonstration if it teaches a fighting skill or the weapon they're currently equipped with (that is to say, if you have a squad of two dwarves, one with a spear, and one with an axe, you'll never get axe or spear demonstrations). Ranged dwarves will attend demonstrations for their weapons base skill; so marksdwarves will attend hammer demonstrations with archery demonstrations happening rarely. They will also start and attend wrestling demonstrations as all dwarves can wrestle; this is also why wrestling levels up as fast as it does via demonstrations; a dwarf can always wrestle.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=150534.0]
+: Dwarves will only attend a demonstration if it teaches a fighting skill, or the weapon they're currently equipped with (that is to say, if you have a squad of two dwarves, one with a spear, and one with an axe, you'll never get axe or spear demonstrations). Ranged dwarves will attend demonstrations for their weapons base skill; so marksdwarves will attend hammer demonstrations with archery demonstrations happening rarely. They will also start and attend wrestling demonstrations as all dwarves can wrestle; this is also why wrestling levels up as fast as it does via demonstrations; a dwarf can always wrestle.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=150534.0]
 : When a squad leader completes a demonstration, it fulfils the "help somebody" [[need]].
-* '''Sparring''' is a form of practice melee [[combat]] performed by two or more members of a squad, and possibly others choosing to watch the match. Sparring is a mostly-safe way to get experienced soldiers. Sparring appears to train every usable combat skill (weapon, Fighting, Wrestling, Discipline, etc.) even when dwarves have weapons equipped. Sparring tends to confer skill increases faster than Demonstrations. Despite their name, [[training weapon]]s are not necessary for this purpose: all weapons are safe for sparring, even the sharpest of short swords. So there is no need to change weapon assignment.
+* '''Sparring''' is a form of practice melee [[combat]] performed by two or more members of a squad, and possibly others choosing to watch the match. Sparring is a mostly-safe way to get experienced soldiers. Sparring appears to train every usable combat skill (weapon, Fighting, Wrestling, Discipline, etc.) even when dwarves have weapons equipped. Sparring tends to confer skill increases faster than demonstrations. Despite their name, [[training weapon]]s are not necessary for this purpose: all weapons are safe for sparring, even the sharpest of short swords, so there is no need to change weapon assignment.
-: Dwarves will only begin sparring when there are at least 2 dwarves with at least 'competent' skill level in their [[fighter]] skill. It appears that Dwarves with unequal skill levels ''will'' spar, but not frequently. If two dwarves are very close in skill levels, they spar much more frequently, this may be maximized by using position assigning.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=150534.0] It is currently believed that the best way to encourage sparring (rather than demonstrations) is to use 2 (or 3)-dwarf squads for training. Both dwarves should have the same weapon, to minimize useless cross-weapon teaching. It appears that the more experienced the training military dwarves are, the more likely they are to spar. However, sparring management is still a poorly understood science.
+: Dwarves will only begin sparring when there are at least 2 dwarves with at least 'competent' skill level in their [[fighter]] skill. It appears that dwarves with unequal skill levels ''will'' spar, but not frequently. If two dwarves are very close in skill levels, they spar much more frequently, this may be maximized by using position assigning.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=150534.0] It is currently believed that the best way to encourage sparring (rather than demonstrations) is to use 2 (or 3)-dwarf squads for training. Both dwarves should have the same weapon, to minimize useless cross-weapon teaching. It appears that the more experienced the training military dwarves are, the more likely they are to spar. However, sparring management is still a poorly understood science.
-* '''Individual Training''' slowly improves one skill at time through self-training. Squad members may choose to conduct individual training ("Individual Combat Drill") when there is no one else to train with or on their spare time when there are no [[schedule]]d orders. The latter might be tied to [[Personality facet|motivated]]{{verify}} and [[discipline]]d{{verify}} dwarves.
+* '''Individual Training''' slowly improves one skill at a time through self-training. Squad members may choose to conduct individual training ("Individual Combat Drill") when there is no one else to train with, or on their spare time when there are no [[schedule]]d orders. The latter might be tied to [[Personality facet|motivated]]{{verify}} and [[discipline]]d{{verify}} dwarves.
 Designating a barracks and assigning a squad to train in it will allow squad members to train there individually instead of going idle, but they will never spar/demonstrate. In order to make them spar/demonstrate you need to activate the squad, either via the {{Menu icon|q}} squad menu and then clicking the 'axe' training button, or by activating a routine with training orders in the "Schedule" submenu.

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 You can directly assign a squad to train constantly with [[Squads#Orders|active orders]]. For a more complex passive training regimen, you need to [[schedule]] the squad to train. This is accomplished by opening the {{Menu icon|q}} squad menu, selecting an existing squad or squads with the checkbox next to their name(s), and clicking "Schedule." From here you can assign the squad to "Staggered Training," "Constant Training," or establish a more complex routine.
-Now open the {{Menu icon|z}} [[zone]] menu and begin designating a "[[Barracks]]" by clicking the blue banner icon. Select an area on the map to define the barracks' boundaries and click "Accept." [[Bed]]s, [[weapon rack]]s, [[container]]s, and/or [[armor stand]]s are all useful within a barracks, and you may consider designating your zone around some of those pieces of furniture, but they are not necessary to begin training. While still in the {{Menu icon|z}} zone menu, click the barracks zone you just made and look at the barracks configuration menu which appears. From here, you can click the 'choose squads' button, which is a blue banner with a plus, and begin assigning squads to use the barracks by clicking the 'training' axe button next to the squad name. Now your squad is set to begin training, and has a place to train in.
+Now open the {{Menu icon|z}} [[zone]] menu and begin designating a "[[Barracks]]" by clicking the blue banner icon. Select an area on the map to define the barracks' boundaries and click "Accept." [[Bed]]s, [[weapon rack]]s, [[chest]]s, and/or [[armor stand]]s are all useful within a barracks, and you may consider designating your zone around some of those pieces of furniture, but they are not necessary to begin training. While still in the {{Menu icon|z}} zone menu, click the barracks zone you just made and look at the barracks configuration menu which appears. From here, you can click the 'choose squads' button, which is a blue banner with a plus, and begin assigning squads to use the barracks by clicking the 'training' axe button next to the squad name. Now your squad is set to begin training, and has a place to train in.
 A squad set to the default "Constant Training" routine (or a more complicated schedule using the advanced calendar system) will train in their assigned barracks. A squad with active orders delivered through the squad menu will carry out those orders, taking breaks to eat or sleep, but will not stop following another order to train.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 : Dwarves will only begin sparring when there are at least 2 dwarves with at least 'competent' skill level in their [[fighter]] skill. It appears that Dwarves with unequal skill levels ''will'' spar, but not frequently. If two dwarves are very close in skill levels, they spar much more frequently, this may be maximized by using position assigning.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=150534.0] It is currently believed that the best way to encourage sparring (rather than demonstrations) is to use 2 (or 3)-dwarf squads for training. Both dwarves should have the same weapon, to minimize useless cross-weapon teaching. It appears that the more experienced the training military dwarves are, the more likely they are to spar. However, sparring management is still a poorly understood science.
-* '''Individual Training''' slowly improves one skill at time through self-training. Squad members may choose to conduct individual training ("Individual Combat Drill") when there is no one else to train with or on their spare time when there are no [[schedule]]d orders. The latter might be tied to [[Personality_trait|motivated]]{{verify}} and [[discipline]]d{{verify}} dwarves.
+* '''Individual Training''' slowly improves one skill at time through self-training. Squad members may choose to conduct individual training ("Individual Combat Drill") when there is no one else to train with or on their spare time when there are no [[schedule]]d orders. The latter might be tied to [[Personality traits, values, and dreams|motivated]]{{verify}} and [[discipline]]d{{verify}} dwarves.
 Designating a barracks and assigning a squad to train in it will allow squad members to train there individually instead of going idle, but they will never spar/demonstrate. In order to make them spar/demonstrate you need to activate the squad, either via the {{Menu icon|q}} squad menu and then clicking the 'axe' training button, or by activating a routine with training orders in the "Schedule" submenu.

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:06, 9 March 2024
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	Also make sure they have a safe environment to train in. Avoid having your barracks near high cliffs, [[stairs]], open water, and [[well]]s because dwarves have a habit of dodging off of cliffs and injuring themselves or dodging into water and becoming stunned, which leads to drowning. Also, dwarves can dodge up one level if they are next to a wall. Make sure they can walk back down or build a roof, because otherwise you risk a military dwarf trapping himself and starving to death.		Also make sure they have a safe environment to train in. Avoid having your barracks near high cliffs, [[stairs]], open water, and [[well]]s because dwarves have a habit of dodging off of cliffs and injuring themselves or dodging into water and becoming stunned, which leads to drowning. Also, dwarves can dodge up one level if they are next to a wall. Make sure they can walk back down or build a roof, because otherwise you risk a military dwarf trapping himself and starving to death.
−
−	Due to a bug, dwarves can teleport through at least two solid wall tiles when using charge attacks.{{bug\|7444}} To avoid problems, barracks should not be located close to cisterns, pits, magma reservoirs, sealed-off areas, or any other potential danger.

	===Default Schedule===		===Default Schedule===