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v0.34:Fortification
| This article is about an older version of DF. |
 | This feature has one or more outstanding bugs. Please view the Bugs section for details. |
Fortifications are a special type of wall. They allow the passage of projectiles [in and out] and liquids, mist, steam, webs, fire and smoke, but not creatures, making them an important part in a fortress's defense. An archer must have a skill level of accomplished or higher to shoot through fortifications from a distance; otherwise they must stand directly next to the fortification to shoot through it.
Fortifications allow liquids to pass through in any direction except vertically -- they are open at the top, allowing liquids to be poured in from above, but they implicitly include a floor (even when constructed over empty space) so liquids will not fall out their bottom.
Creatures with a [FLIER] tag can of course fly over fortifications (but not through). If there is open space above your defense positions, you can build floor tiles on the Z-level above that act as a roof against flyers. This is generally sound advice as dwarves don't like rain anyway and strange accidents can cause the weirdest things to fall from above.
Note that goblin elite bowmen and crossbowmen have sufficient skill to ignore the distance from your fortifications; they will shoot right through every time and (likely) decimate your forces. This can be avoided without compromising the usefulness of a fortification network by constructing a thin 1-tile wide raising bridge just outside the fortification. Attach each bridge to a lever and pull the lever if an elite goblin poses a threat. The blocking bridge will cut off line of sight and prevent bolts from penetrating your defenses.
Curiously, a fortification carved into a tile at the very edge of the map will allow water or magma to drain through it and off of the map.
In adventurer mode you can throw any item (such as bows, arrows, axes, hammers, shields, body armour, severed limbs, corpses, etc.) through a fortification, but you cannot climb through them.
Building Fortifications
Fortifications can be built one of two ways. Firstly, they can be carved from constructed walls or smoothed natural walls by pressing designation and then Carve Fortifications. The second way is through the construction menu: First press b, then C followed by Fortifications. As with most buildings, this will require one unit of wood, stone, metal, or glass. Note that constructed fortifications do not have walkable floors above them, while carved fortifications do.
Carved fortifications must be carved by a dwarf with the Stone detailing labor enabled. Constructed fortifications must be built by a dwarf with a corresponding labor to the material used.
Bugs
- Fully submerged (i.e. 7/7 depth) fortifications will not block the passage of creatures that swim in water (or magma) - wall grates and vertical bars work, but they are vulnerable to building destroyers.Bug:3327
- A partially-submerged fortification (even with 6/7 depth) completely blocks the passage of creatures, despite the fortification being invisible, however if the water is flowing, it can push creatures through fortifications, even if they are not fully submerged (that is at least true at 2-3/7 depth). Bug:5458
- Additionally, there are other conditions that may allow a creature to pass through a fortification, such as being thrown by a wrestler, tossed by a bridge, or dropped from above. Should a creature end up in a fortification tile, it can path and move out of the fortification to any adjacent passable tile. If a creature is killed by an attack which knocks it into a fortification, its corpse and equipment will become lodged inside, requiring mining or deconstructing the fortification to remove the items.
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