40d:Fortification

Fortifications are arrow slits used in the defense of your fortress. They are probably most commonly used along the outside walls of your fortress and on the upper levels of constructed watchtowers so that marksdwarves and siege engines can fire at enemies from within your walls. Much like real world embrasures on battlements, their utility is limited if the enemy is close and at the same height; their true power lies in shooting from above and at distance, as it is possible to shoot at targets on lower z-levels through fortifications.

Fortifications can be carved from wood or stone walls or built like any other construction.

Carving

Damaged rock cannot be used for fortifications.

A fortified wall can only be one tile wide. What this means is that you need to hollow out a room directly behind the wall you want to fortify. It is smartest to set this room up as a barracks, or to put an archery target in there. That way, off-duty soldiers will be milling about at all times, and they will be ready to fire upon anyone who gets too close to the fortress.

Once you have chosen the wall you want to carve, smooth the stone along its length using d -> s. After it has been smoothed, re-designate the same wall for fortifications using d -> a. Stone smoothing and fortification require a dwarf with the Engraver labor.

Built walls do not require smoothing before carving fortifications, regardless if they are smooth block walls (built from stone blocks) or rough block walls (build from raw stone).

After completion, marksdwarves, ballistas, and even catapults will be able to fire through the fortifications. However, enemy ranged attackers can also attack you from either side of the fortification, no matter which side was fortified. Units that attack through a fortification mus make a skill check in order for the projectile to pass through. The skill check is more difficult at greater distances.

Construction

Fortifications can also be constructed from metal, wood, or stone (in lump or block form) using b -> C -> F. They must be built tile by tile as there is no way to build more than one at a time. Construction of wooden fortifications require the Carpentry skill, fortifications made of stone require the Masonry skill, and those made of metal require Metalsmithing.

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