Bay 12 Games Forum

See this finger here? I make sure to sharpen it every day.

Cotton Swab

The Geldables have been torn away! (I'm so sorry)

incoming player.

http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Fortification

Read the "Uses" section. Your answer is near the bottom.

Quote from: DolosusDoleus on November 12, 2015, 06:48:08 pm

Quote from: Mr Frog on November 12, 2015, 02:58:47 am

MAJOR EDIT: Okay, here's my plan for a trap to kill the banshees:

Spoiler: the ConTRAPtion (click to show/hide)

Total material cost of each trap is 6.5 magma-safe rocks, rounding up (5 to make the mechanisms used in the pressure plate and bridges, plus 3 blocks required to build each bridge for a total of 6 blocks which can be produced from 2 stones with 2 blocks left over for a second trap).

Erm, doesn't this kinda break the "no trap hallways" rule you put forth at the beginning?

Or is this gonna be an instance of "lets break our own arbitrary rules so that the world doesn't fuck us into oblivion"?

ALSO:

Couldn't you just do the same thing with spear traps? I'm thinking that this is a bit too complex for our current for size. Also, if we used spear traps we could use this trap against the spawn. Just sayin'

The rules list in the OP refers specifically to weapon traps, since they're wayyyy too efficient for my tastes relative to their creation and upkeep cost.

Also, upright spear traps take forever to build and link (particularly since, as you yourself point out, we lack manpower at the moment), require significant amounts of weapons-grade materials, and need to be operated by a dwarf -- i.e. if our entire fort ends up pinned down by banshees (a distinct possibility given the numbers they have and the numbers we have) and nobody is conscious to flip the lever, we're boned. My design, by contrast, is completely-automated once it's built -- although once it springs it'll take a while for the magma to clear out -- requires only 7 magma-safe stones, and only requires 3 buildings and 2 linkages. (Not counting what you use to build the pump, obviously)

You have me on it being ineffective against Spawn, though -- even if they weren't immune to magma, they're trapavoid and so don't trigger pressure plates :V  I suppose we could integrate Taupe's idea and install a bunker behind it guarded by adamantine-clad soldiers to catch any stragglers. The primary purpose of this trap is to kill banshees without requiring dwarven interference, which isn't something we can reliably muster against them right now.

Just had an epiphany: we could probably get rid of both banshees AND spawn by using minecarts and a pit. If we build a long, winding passageway surrounded on all sides by a 10 or so z-level pit, and then engrave minecart rails along said path, we can send minecarts along the rails and force invaders to dodge into the pit. Because enemies in the version we're using can't climb, this provides an effective way to despose of invaders. We could then line the bottom of our pit with upright spikes or whatever, or we could save the invaders for some arena megaproject to make our captives fight to the death.

I'd put in more detail/some drawings, but currently I'm typing this up on my phone. I'll put up some concept art when I get back to a computer.

EDIT: Also just realized this might not make a whole lot of sense. If it doesn't, sorry about that. As I said before, I'll go into detail later.

EDIT2: Can banshees scream from inside cage traps? A large fall will likely stun banshees, and we could line the bottom of our pit with cage traps. If the spawn are stunnable, this will work for them too.

EDIT3: (holy carp my fingers are dying) Just realized this would take huge amounts of dorfpower, which as I mentioned earlier we do not have. I suggest we put this plan into motion after the banshees are dead and our numbers are up again. Or we could try to accumulate 9001 animals as a buffer against the banshees as we put any of the plans into motion.

Ermm.... Umm.....

penis

TOWER!!! I said tower....