v0.31 Talk:Sparring

This isn't funny, guys

But it is Fun. How do I get them to use wooden training sword for training and metal swords for everything else? I spent months watching my swordsdwarves beating an ettin with what are essentially sticks, and when I finally get them using metal swords, one trainee sticks one in his sparring partner's stomach and twists it around! I thought they were supposed to be smart enough to switch on their own; I'm feeling pretty dumb that I can't even get them to switch on command. Help? --Zombiejustice 01:21, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

Pffft, you feel dumb, I can't even get them to spar in the current setup :/ Stupid drills and lessons Greep 01:13, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Don't feel dumb, the military is horrendously bugged right now and some people are even having a hard time getting them to pick up something. 24.255.86.193

I'm having the problem right now. They picked stuff up fine (more or less), but this current fort, I can't even get hunters to pick up their stuff. --LegacyCWAL 17:49, 22 April 2010 (UTC)

Just to annoy you a little bit, my dwarves train fine, level up quite fast, train with steel and bronze weapons and i have yet to see any injury :P I will admit though that the military screen gave me quite a bit of headache at first. --92.202.9.88 14:26, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

For my edification, are they sparring with these metal weapons, or doing individual training? --Zombiejustice 22:56, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

I'm with Greep; my dwarves don't spar whatsoever. I have the military screen largely figured out, I have my barracks designated for training, another for sleeping, etc. but I only see them standing around in a large group "Waiting for Combat Training" and whatnot. I never see my recruits pushing eachother around with the occasional smear of blood across the wall, like they use to (sparring, basically). Are they supposed to just stand around now and passively gain military skill, or do they move around? If so, HOW DO I GET THEM TO SPAR?! Much thanks. --Bronzebeard 02:58, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

To get them to spar, assign the squad a barracks, make an alert for that squad with a schedule that calls for training, and give that squad that alert. --Zombiejustice 19:23, 22 April 2010 (UTC)

I've done all that. I don't see any sparring, though, unless it's been entirely taken out of the game and replaced with "individual combat drills" and demonstrations. The latter never seem to work because, for whatever reason, the dwarves can't all be there at the same time (unless they do work without the entire squad) BUT I have noticed that one way or another, my dwarves are improving their combat skills by just standing around doing drills and demonstrations. I have to assume that sparring -- dwarves knocking each other around -- has been eliminated from the game. --Bronzebeard 19:29, 23 April 2010 (UTC)

My dwarves spar sometimes. Like most of the military jobs in 0.31.03 it seems to be somewhat buggy. All I did to get them to spar originally was to assign them a firing range, a barracks (both designated as training) and set their schedule to 'Train'. Getting them to not put each other in hospital on the other hand... Bpuk 22:38, 23 April 2010 (UTC)

I've just figured out that along with the 'C' and 'H' at the upper left corner of the screen, there is also an 'S' that pertains to sparring announcements (an 'S' I've never seen, mind you), so traditional sparring must, clearly, still be around -- I apologize. However I've, again, yet to see it. --76.110.216.178 03:10, 30 April 2010 (UTC)

Don't worry if your dwarves are just standing around attending "Demonstrations" or "Individual Combat Drills". They still gain military skill. In my current fortress, I put a few of my useless dwarves into the military, including one who already had good fighting skills, before I had forged any weapons. By the time I supplied them with battleaxes, the one had taught the others to become competent dodgers. Once I gave them all weapons, they just stood around doing individual drills, but they still gained skill (only novice so far).--Aegeus 01:26, 14 June 2010 (UTC)

My dwarves pick their weapons and armor as soon as I order them, too bad that they do "sparring" instead of "demonstrations" or "combat drills". Lethal sparring. Sparring with exceptional iron short swords is deadlier than a GCS attack, even with full iron gear.

For me (in 31.11), my dwarfs "lightly tap" eachother with their weapon while sparring. Even with copper battle axe. No Dwarf was hurt until now.

The expedition leader hacks the recruit in the upper body with her (copper battle axe) lightly tapping the target. --94.217.127.39 09:33, 24 July 2010 (UTC)

I've been wanting to add a little blurb in the training section about training with hammers--there's no training hammer you can build, but you can assign wooden crossbows to hammerdwarves and, without bolts, they'll train hammer, and won't bludgeon each other to death. I've never actually contributed to a wiki before, and don't want to commit a faux pas by improper editing...

I say go for it. If there is an error in your change someone else can just pitch in and correct it.

version 31.12

I would really appreciate a keystroke-by-keystroke explanation of how to set up a training schedule. I'm trying to decipher it on my own right now, and will post when I get a chance, but in the meantime....if you know, please share? Romeofalling 22:18, 15 August 2010 (UTC)

I added in some more specific directions in the introduction as well as cleaned up the language a bit. I also added the bit about the danger room. Try my directions and see if you get better results. I have consistently been able to get my squads to train using the past two versions by following those instructions. If they still won't train I will write out a more detailed synopsis.Furlion 07:09, 16 August 2010 (UTC)

Thanks! That was very clear and concise. Would it be possible for you to make similar clarifications about how to integrate Scheduling into these sorts of training routines? In my specific case now that I've managed to train successfully, I'm trying to figure out how to set up 3 two-dwarf squads of melee combatants so that at any given month, one is training, one is on patrol, and the third is working their civilian jobs. Romeofalling 21:49, 16 August 2010 (UTC)

Check my user talk page today or tomorrow. I am going to write up a little tutorial similar to the one found here. See if that link gets you anymore help then check my page. Glad my write up helped you get started training!--Furlion 07:03, 17 August 2010 (UTC)

Injuries?

Have there actually been any reported sparring injuries in 0.31.12? A single one? Anywhere? I suspect the part of the page that discusses injuries may be out of date, but I don't want to change it prematurely. --Greycat 16:33, 28 August 2010 (UTC)

Actually now that you mention it, I was letting my squad train with real weapons and no one has suffered an injury yet. Or at least, I have yet to notice one. I would say that carefully monitoring a full squad of 10 for a whole year of training and seeing if anyone has been injured would be long enough to be considered verified. --Furlion 16:18, 29 August 2010 (UTC)

They are only "lightly tapping" each other with exceptional steel spears and masterwork steel battleaxes now. And doing actual sparring is slow but way faster than "individual combat drill".--Another 14:02, 19 September 2010 (UTC)