The Practicalities of Fire Imp Defense
An Empirical !!Treatise!!
By Obok Mengthulokil, Clerk
The GoalReusable fire imp based defense regardless of grass presence with little to no player interaction needed.
The Creature and AcquisitionFire imps are small humanoid creatures found in medium to large sources of magma everywhere. These aggressive magma-dwellers are often a source of vexation for any dwarf who wishes to make full use of their magma supply, as fire imps possess the unique ability ziril gasol, or fire breath. While their bones are valuable, the meat remains warm to the touch and more than one dwarven kitchen has been lost to spontaneously combusting fire imp fat.
The main course for capture is the placement of one or more cage traps around the magma source. The cage need not be made out of any special material, a Feather Tree Cage is as capable of holding one or twenty fire imps just as well as a ¤Steel Cage¤. Narrowing the possible exits available to a fire imp in your magma as well as providing bait, noble or chained creature, will increase the likelihood of capturing the imp. Be aware that fire imps do not breed at all, nor do more migrate to your area.
Notes- Size = 3
- Speed = 900
- Crossbow range = 20 tiles
- Blood Type = Goo
- Will not fire while chained
- Will not fire through fortifications/grates/bars
- Will not fire across Z-Levels
Will not fire across channels
- Must be able to path to target
- Fireball range is same as crossbow range
- Opens pet-impassable doors
- Further Reading
The Defenses+PracticalityFire imp is chained out in the open.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp refuses to engage the test subject at all. High chance of escape during transfer.
Result:
Impractical,
One EscapeFire imp is placed in a walled off section with one or more fortifications.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp refuses to engage the test subject at any range.
Result:
ImpracticalFire imp is placed on a balcony with no exit overlooking the target. Both fortifications and channels were tested.
[
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp refuses to engage the test subject at any range.
Result:
ImpracticalFire imp is placed on a balcony with a retracted bridge, test subject is on the same z-level.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp refuses to engage the test subject at any range.
Result:
ImpracticalFire imp is placed in a corridor with two drawbridges, and one side with fortifications/channel. Additionally, there are two pressure plates that are linked to the bridge they are placed near.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp only occasionally moves, will not fire through fortifications. If it does launch a fireball, it is usually at something it saw past the bridges, thus allowing it enough time for the bridge to reset and escape.
Result:
ImpracticalSimilar setup as Resetting Corridor 1.1, except there are now grates above a portion of the corridor.
 |  |
Floor 1 | Floor 2 |
Fire imp will not fire through grates at test subject.
Result:
ImpracticalSimilar setup as Resetting Corridor 1.1, except there are now fortifications on the side with the bridges.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp continually moves from bridge to bridge if test subject is visible from fortifications but not bridge. Fire imp would not fire through fortifications. During testing, test subject was crushed by bridge.
Result:
Impractical,
Test Subject DiedSimilar setup as Resetting Corridor 1.1, except channels have replaced the fortifications.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp does not move, nor will it fire across the channel at any range.
Result:
ImpracticalSimilar setup as Resetting Corridor 3.1, except channels have replaced the fortifications closest to the bridges.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp doesn't reliably move as in Resetting Corridor 3.1, nor will it fire across the channel at any range. Additionally, Microcline was struck while channeling.
Result:
Impractical,
Struck MicroclineSimilar setup as Resetting Corridor 1.1. Space has been minimized, and there are now chained pets as bait just behind the bridges.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
VideoFire imp immediately moves towards one of the chained pets and opens fire ~5 tiles away. Hits locked bridge and begins moving towards other pet. Unfortunately the imp turns around once the bridge is down and immediately fires again upon the same pet, before killing it and escaping. Good for 2, maybe 3 shots. Version 2 of this design is planned.
Result:
Slightly Impractical,
Single Use Fire Starter TrapSimilar setup as Pet Corridor 1.1. Additional pressure plates toggle gears, which in turn move water on/off a pressure plate that activates a second bridge. Result is a longer lasting line of sight obstacle.
 |  |
Caged/Links Z-0 | Caged/Links Z+1 |
 |
VideoFire imp immediately moves towards one of the chained pets and opens fire. Steps on second pressure plate toggling gears. Water is moved onto pressure plate, activating second layer bridge. Fire imp hits bridge, begins moving towards other target. Bridge opens, fire imp hits pressure plate toggling gears again. Fire imp hits pressure plate for the opposite side bridge as the second layer bridge now opens. Repeats until fire imp got out of sync with bridges, perhaps moving the second set of pressure plates further apart might fix this. Additionally, fireball does not travel further than the target. Version 3 will attempt to remedy these problems, plus Alcohol.
Result:
Dwarvenly Impractical,
ComplicatedSetup similar to a silk farm where the door is pet-impassable.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Fire imp opened door regardless, refused to fire through fortifications and channel.
Result:
Impractical,
Escaped ImpSetup where imp has several possible paths to target, but each path is only possible because of a hatch. Link said hatch to a pressure plate placed right before it.
 |  |
Caged | Uncaged |
Video 1,
2Fire imp immediately begins firing on target, and continues to do so with no problem. Never escapes. Small setup, Video 2 details a version where you don't have to worry about melee. Only problem is ranged attackers as the Imp still refuses to fire through fortifications.
Result:
!!Practical!!
