The human caravan arrived from the northwest. Their faces were full of fear as they urged their beasts of burden to move as fast as possible. Before they had uttered a single word, the dwarves knew what was coming. Commander Dishmab and the North Watch escorted the humans into the safety of the underground trade network just as a great clamor arose from the western hills, heralding the arrival of the Evils of Spray. At the head of an enemy archer host was an elite crossbow goblin, causing the dwarven reservists on the wall to tremble in fear. Still, they stood their ground and began to rain bolts upon their foes.
Asmel Fissuretour and the West Watch took the fight to the goblins, exiting the West Gate shouting for the blood of their foes. While reservists shot into the fray, the elite soldiers pushed toward the goblin squad leader. Axedwarf Mosus Graniteright and speardwarf Nomal Socketinked kept the elite enemy busy, while frontline archers Ast and Ast II Bustcrystals shot at the goblin, with the elder landing a headshot.
Meanwhile, in the southern trade tunnel, Deler Anguishepages and the South Watch halted a troll advance. He and his 2nd-in-command, Stakud II, were quite the duo, attacking trolls in concert and dispatching them with grim efficiency.
Everything went by the numbers, with this siege's defense the best in decades! All merchants were safe and accounted for, far fewer goblins made it into the trade tunnels, and an elite enemy archer was slain without any dwarven casualties.
Really Cool last few updates. Have you traded a lot with the elves in the past and given them lots of profit ? My understanding was that they would never trade after you offer them wood.
ReplyDeleteMy Current fort I have dug a channel all the way round the map 1 square in with 2 gaps at locations where a brook flows on and off, both in the top corner of the embark. Wagons will only appear at these 2 locations on the map if I have the gate to the trade depot open.
Im presuming your caravans are "landing" on the surface and not underground ? I cant see how to get the trade network really working for me without very large numbers of soldiers. Well see if I add it to this fort. Ive left a layer for it. Dragons might help.
Ive seen 1 dragon come to all my forts, I beleive you have to make it dodge onto a cage trap. Did you shoot at it on lots of traps ?
Thanks! After the elves saved my fort from famine in 305 (Year 54), I've always given them loads of profit. It's nice to know that the largesse of the dwarves has actually had an effect.
ReplyDeleteYup, the caravans arrive on the surface. I have 50 soldiers at the moment, but maybe around 20 in the early years. The key is to make judicious use of the lever control room. Once the caravan arrives and you know which tunnel entrance the merchants are heading toward, close all the other gates. Except for the occasional ambushes deep into the tunnels, you control when and where your dwarves will engage the enemy. Eventually you military will be skilled enough to leave the gates alone, even during full sieges, but until then, when in doubt, pull those levers!
Most of Relicshield's dragons have happily waltzed right into cage traps :). Slusa required a bit more encouragement.