v0.31:Glacier

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xTATTEREDx  · +FINE+  · *SUPERIOR*  · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡  · ☼MASTERWORK☼

Glaciers are extremely cold Template:Ls, usually found in the northern or southern extremes on larger world maps. The first few layers of any glacier are solid Template:L.

There are few resources on an ice tile; no Template:Ls, Template:Ls, Template:L, Template:Ls, Template:L, or Template:Ls are typically included. In addition, the Template:L can be several z-layers thick, which can make getting to any stone underneath even more challenging.

Due to being freezing and lacking of soil layers, above ground seeds cannot be used, meaning that all farming must be done underground.

These factors make a glacier a very difficult biome to build a successful Template:L in, although many players try it as a challenge.

Also, because of a glacier's isolation (generally), it is entirely possible that you won't see a caravan from the Mountainhomes for anywhere up to 3 years. Migrants may be even more rare. On the plus side, though, no hostile nations should bother you for a while.

Starting on a Glacier

Take a lot of wood, food and drink. Consider bringing extra Template:Ls (Template:Ls are recommended) as an emergency food source, and/or to jump-start a long-term Template:L program.

Dump your wood cutter and axe in favour of another miner and pick. Alternatively, find a glacier near a forested taiga and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Trading is essential. An easy source of income is rock crafts. All that rock you cut out making wells and farms you can sell to merchants who visit. Begin as soon as you can because you need to import a lot of wood if you plan on having beds or fuel for making metal objects.

Template:L is everywhere, so read up on it before you make any major plans. One difference between regular ice and glacier ice that you may want to know before you head out is that, unlike ice from other biomes, glacier ice constructions and workshops do not melt when above ground in the "summer". The disadvantage, however, is that it is more difficult to use the ice as a potential water source.

To begin, it is best to clear out a large section of the rock underneath all the ice. Then cut out a 6x6 section of ice (it is easiest to cut out two squares around the part you want to drop so that you won't have any fatalities while channeling out the section of ice). Channel out the entire piece of ice and it will fall into that cleared out section, immediately defrosting and flooding the area. Now you can farm!

Before you run out of starting booze, do the same again, but this time do it further away and open 3-4 levels of rock (channel everything away) so that you create a well. Make sure you make it deep enough or you will create an ice zone that will kill any dwarf that tries to dig it out.

Continue to cut out chunks of ice, dropping them a few stories, and reaping the benefits as you continue in the fortress. Be careful channeling as the dwarves are all idiots and like to strand themselves while channeling, and they like to drop their buddies down the hole (which pollutes the future water and creates a huge mess).

Diagram of Ice cutting:

O	O	O	O	O	O	O	O	O	O
O	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	O
O	C	I	I	I	I	I	I	C	O
O	C	I	I	I	I	I	I	C	O
O	C	I	I	I	I	I	I	C	O
O	C	I	I	I	I	I	I	C	O
O	C	I	I	I	I	I	I	C	O
O	C	I	I	I	I	I	I	C	O
O	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	O
O	O	O	O	O	O	O	O	O	O

O = Open area, no channeling, just an area for dwarves to walk

C = Channel area, first dig it out, then channel once every layer is ready.

I = Future water source, now ice.

Once you have dug deep enough to see rock, channel out the entire level (make sure you have an escape route for the miner). Also, when channeling a large room, do it layer by layer. Start at the one end and do the entire left side, then the next. If you just select the entire thing dwarves will die.

Don't drop water anywhere near other tunnels; the ice will break through, and it will be messy. You can cut off entire sections of fortress to flooding or caved-in sections by doing this, and it wastes a lot of work and ice.

Wildlife

On neutral glaciers appear:

• Template:L
• Template:L

On evil glaciers also appear:

• Template:L
• Template:L

Some Hints and Ideas

Flowing sources of Template:L, such as Template:Ls or Template:Ls, don't ever seem to be present in glacier Template:Ls. So getting Template:L for wounded dwarves early on may prove a challenge. Usable water may be present in the underground caverns.

Ice that is underground melts, but creates only useless puddles of water (marked as a cyan double tilde) identical to water dumped from a bucket. These puddles can only be cleaned. They cannot form usable water (blue tilde with depth attribute). Dumping block after block of mined ice blocks indoors will simply result in a huge stack of useless "water".

Template:Ls are sometimes present, and magma can be used to melt ice - if that's present. Seaside glaciers can allow you to bring some water in underground, but Template:L the water will be necessary before it is drinkable by dwarves (or even before it can be designated as a Template:L for filling ponds).

Some glacier biomes have such low temperatures that your dwarves may die during winter when above ground.

Ice in buckets does not freeze above ground so you can designate an area as a pool, tell dwarfs to fill it, then smooth and engrave your new ice fort.

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