40d Talk:Fortification

Can water or magma flow through fortifications?

Can water or magma flow through fortifications?--Javiskefka 03:45, 29 November 2007 (EST)

Yes. I use this all the time to keep the pesky fire imps out of my magma channels. --Valdemar 21:12, 5 January 2008 (EST)

I did so, too. But after some time the magma melted the fortification away and the imps could pass through unhindered again.--Doub 13:42, 12 March 2007 (EST)

Use bauxite. --Koltom 01:20, 14 March 2008 (EDT)

Possible alternative: Will fortifications melt if they are carved instead of constructed? Perhaps instead of mining out the last tile before fleeing, the dwarf could carve a fortification in the obsidian. It's conceivable that that tile, being one of the original tube liners, could be magma-proof by fiat. --Alfador 11:27, 20 March 2008 (EDT)

I tried this when breaching into a magma pipe and yes, the (warm) obsidian fortification is still present many years later. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Dwarf who had the misfortune of being the one assigned the task of carving the fortification. Magma apparently flows faster than a dwarf can run, especially when their feet are on fire. -- Raumkraut 04:33, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

Ditto -- carved fortifications don't melt. (I built like this: lava-wall-fortification, then channelled the wall from above) It appears the game tends to treat carved and constructed things very differently. Anydwarf 12:57, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

I just build vertical bars in channels, usually out of iron. Keeps bad things and good things out, lets water and magma flow through. --JT 16:42, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

Yeah, I built bauxite grates at first, but then I had a thought that magma men (being buildingdestroyer:2) could bust them open. Anydwarf 17:48, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

I just embarked without any preparations (random items/skills) on a site with volcano. I created empty pool, and then carved fortifications near it. After that I channeled rock before the fortifications, and now I see just lying obsidian... Looks like carved fortifications melt too, at least in the current version. --Someone-else 10:08, 24 April 2008 (EDT)

No, the fortification is still there, it just looks like magma until you look at it. While I was checking this I noticed a fire imp on the wrong side of the fortification, so I guess it isn't enough. (or can they spawn anywhere?) Anydwarf 13:59, 24 April 2008 (EDT)

Strong current can currently push creatures through any kind of obstacle that allows liquid flow. I will retry check with the obsidian fortification in my obsidian factory. --Someone-else 19:15, 4 May 2008 (EDT)

Open questions

• What depth is required for a liquid such as water or magma to flow through a fortification? minimum 4/7? --Nexii Malthus 19:11, 9 March 2008 (EDT)

I've just tried this with constructed fortifications (green glass) and water. The fortification doesn't seem to impede the flow of water at all. -- Raumkraut 10:15, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

• At what angle can one shoot through fortifications?

As far as I'm concerned the angle is pretty sharp - I'd say about 30-25 degree. On close distances the dwarf has to be pretty much in straight line with target. I'm not sure if this applies to fortifications that don't touch walls such as ones in aboveground archery towers or long carved walls. --Someone-else 19:33, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

• some people claim that you can shoot at attackers from one z level above (thats true for sure), but they cant shoot back. Is this true? --Koltom 11:48, 8 March 2008 (EST)

Yes, it works great. I think they can shoot down more than 1 z-level but I can't confirm this.Moonman 10:47, 11 March 2008 (EDT)

iirc, they CAN shoot back, they just cant hit well. if you are next to the fortification you are shooting through theres no penalty. trying to shoot through from more than 1 square away is a skill check. if the fortification is up a z-level, the dwarf on the inside will still be next to the fortification, but the enemy can never be, so must alway shoot at a penalty. --Chariot 15:33, 11 March 2008 (EDT)

I've had goblins shooting back at my fortifications one z-level above and regular crossbowmen have difficulty, but elite goblin crossbowmen can hit and kill in one shot. However, three z-levels above and there's little to no return fire, and my dwarves seem to have better range firing down too (but I can't confirm this for sure). This would make complete sense, as high ground certainly does give a tactical advantage in reality.--TimE 05:37, 20 March 2008 (EDT)

• Do fortifications provide support for constructions above? --Someone-else 19:34, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

Built fortifications provide no support/floor above them. Not sure about carved fortifications. --Squirrelloid 11:17, 24 April 2008 (EDT)

• Can fortifications be carved from metal walls? --Sublight 16:07 28 November 2008 (JST)

Difficulty of firing through fortifications

It has long been held that there is a penalty to firing through a fortification from a distance, but I haven't observed any such penalty in actual practice. Can we confirm this through experimentation? --JT 22:12, 21 June 2008 (EDT)