Barracks

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v50.14 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF. Note that some content may still need to be updated. More Info · V

A barracks is a room designated for the purpose of housing, training, supplying and otherwise servicing your military. Barracks may be defined from a bed, cabinet, container, weapon rack, or armor stand. A single barracks may serve multiple squads.

Marksdwarves require an archery range, which can have multiple squads assigned. Marksdwarves assigned to a barracks will train in melee, including hammering.

Designating a Barracks

Barracks may be defined from a bed, cabinet, container, weapon rack, or armor stand. To build a Barracks:

1. build one or more barracks items in a room/area.
2. query over one of them and make a room
3. Set the size with +/- to encompass all the room items.
4. Assign the barracks to the desired squads. Squads can then be set to sleep or train there, as well as store their individual or squad equipment, much like an archery range.

Squads must be assigned to a barracks before they will use it for training or sleeping - press q and select the barracks, then use +/- to highlight a squad, then t to assign that squad to train there, or z to assign the squad to sleep there.

Each dwarf in a squad will use a separate container (such as a chest or bag) placed in the barracks to store their equipment. As you place them, they will be automatically assigned to each dwarf.

Location

The location of your barracks is a matter to be considered of great importance - barracks may often be the location of where your military dwarves will be training, sleeping, or otherwise performing activities. It is important to consider where you expect your enemies (goblins, forgotten beasts, titans, etc.) to attack, such as entrances or focal points of your fortress. You may want to build your barracks relatively close to or outside of high-traffic areas, main entrances to your fortress, or chambers with traps in them. Planning ahead will allow you to react quicker to an invasion by hostile creatures and save more civilians in the process.

Notes

• Note that if a squad is scheduled to train, but lacking an assigned barracks, a dwarf's job will be marked as Soldier (no activity), leaving the squad with nothing to do.
• Civilians will not sleep in open beds within a defined barracks. If you would like them to do so, simply use one of the beds in the barracks to designate a dormitory. To create a dormitory, press q, highlight a bed, press r, then -/+ until you have the size you want, then press d.

If your dwarves are sleeping on the floor, instead of in one of the beds, then remember that each bed in a barracks is assigned to one of the dwarves in the squad; press q highlight a bed and press p and it will tell you which dwarf was assigned to that bed.

Bugs

• Barracks will not store equipment.^Bug:1445

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Barracks • Bedroom • Dining room • Dormitory • Jail • Meeting hall • Museum • Office • Sculpture garden • Tomb • Zoo