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Dwarf Fortress => DF Dwarf Mode Discussion => Topic started by: Immortal-D on October 15, 2017, 03:19:21 pm

Title: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: Immortal-D on October 15, 2017, 03:19:21 pm
My supply of iron bolts is vast, but not infinite.  9 of my 10 Marksdwarves have achieved mastery of their weapon.  I suppose I could send them patrolling, but my Fortress is locked down tight.  Even with no orders, they are now so good at shooting that most choose to spend their free time at the archery range anyways, further depleting my bolt supply.  So even a partial training schedule is no good there.  Any suggestions are welcome.
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: Staalo on October 15, 2017, 03:37:56 pm
Assign all elites to a different squad and designate only the non-elite squad to train at the shooting range. To avoid wasting metal ammo to target practice either have a stockpile of bone/wood bolts near the range or just forbid metal ammo altogether until they are needed. This might lead to your marksdwarves going to war with training ammo, however, despite all your efforts to get them to use metal bolts again.
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: mikekchar on October 15, 2017, 07:00:25 pm
You ca just dissallow the given squad from using the targets.  They won't train any more.
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: anewaname on October 16, 2017, 07:12:20 am
Some of this was already said, but not all of it...
- Remove their 'T'rain at the current barracks and give them a 'T'rain at a barracks that has no archery targets.
- Add a melee weapon to their uniforms but keep the crossbows. Update their ammo to only the good stuff.

Now they will train just like any melee squad, doing Hammer or Archery training/demonstrations, and sparring, but they will not use their ammo. When given a kill order, they will use their crossbows (at least to start with).

As noted, you might have an issue with them refusing to dump their current ammo.

EDIT: giving them a hammer is best, as they will also gain hammer skill from bashing with the crossbow no matter what you do, but without a melee weapon, I don't think they spar, but am not sure.
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: Fleeting Frames on October 16, 2017, 01:48:37 pm
Crossbow is a melee hammer, shield is a melee misc obj. They definitely spar with shields, and I'd be very surprised if they didn't with the first.

I've yet to manage a crossbow+shield+melee weapon all used at once, albeit some have claimed success, though, and I'd rec a sharp weapon in lieu of 'second' hammer due dwarves preferring edged attacks.
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: Dunamisdeos on October 17, 2017, 06:41:23 pm
Put them on a council? Or don't, but then they get angsty and start organizing purges.
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: wuphonsreach on October 17, 2017, 11:25:59 pm
Put your archery targets on a raised walkway (1 tile wide, 10-15 tiles long) with the archery target at the end that hangs out over open space or is up against a wall.  It's important to have open space between the archery lanes.  Any bolts that miss the target will hit the back wall and clatter down into the layer below.

In the layer below the archery targets, designate an ammo stockpile that only takes bolts and only takes from links, with no bins.  Periodically reclaim the bolts from that stockpile and melt them back down.  That will help you recycle 50-80% of the metal being used for bolts.
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: Skullsploder on October 17, 2017, 11:45:06 pm
Put your archery targets on a raised walkway (1 tile wide, 10-15 tiles long) with the archery target at the end that hangs out over open space or is up against a wall.  It's important to have open space between the archery lanes.  Any bolts that miss the target will hit the back wall and clatter down into the layer below.

In the layer below the archery targets, designate an ammo stockpile that only takes bolts and only takes from links, with no bins.  Periodically reclaim the bolts from that stockpile and melt them back down.  That will help you recycle 50-80% of the metal being used for bolts.

For optimum efficiency, have the firing range be 30 tile long (maximum distance dwarf can stand from archery target), and have walls separating the ranges for each individual target.

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So rhats how one range would look for one target except 30 tiles long. Minimum chance to actually hit a target and if the shot goes literally anywhere but dead on into the target the bolt is saved. If you turn off forbid used ammunition then they'll go and grab their spent ammo and use it again all by thenselves.
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: Quarque on October 18, 2017, 09:31:54 am
I suppose I could send them patrolling, but my Fortress is locked down tight.

You could carve fortifications in a few walls and shoot at things outside of your fortress?
Title: Re: What to do with Marksdwarves once they are Masters?
Post by: Sanctume on October 18, 2017, 10:03:55 am
I'd train them in Climbing and Dancing after they are Marksdwarf badass.  Now you have a bunch of Legolass.