Bay 12 Games Forum

Lowering the Population cap in the dinit folder helps loads

Yaks poop more than they eat. I blame it on dwarven physics.Pigs are nice I agree, if you need multi purpose grazers sheep or alpacas are more economical per grazing area(Milk/meat/wool/bones. Butcher the bigger grazers immediately. When they are starving, really less meat if butchered

If you embark with empty bags or use the exploit of buying several sandbags, emptying the sand out later, Quarry bushes processed into leaves can provide large stacks of valuable meals starting out.Sows(non grazers)
 placed in a cage near a farmers workshop provide a nearby source of milk/cheese

That is a pond. Can designate a zone for fishing or a water source

On the military  alert screen, if there is a A besides a squads name, it is following orders from the highlighted alert on the far left. If you create a new alert, you need to go to the schedule screen,assign each squads orders you want them to follow every month of that year for that alert. It just works.Copy/paste helps alot.
 I created a alert named bugout(Civ alert also). For that alert the melee squads orders are to defend a burrow at a safe place, archers get a station order at a ammo stockpile, and I have a burrow situated around the lever room.(Defense and upright spike goblin gifts ops). So when I am alerted to a siege, or an ambush or crazed kobold thief, I will scroll down the list on the left. Once bugout is highlighted, I scroll to the list on the far right to the burrow the cowards are to go to, click enter. While bugout is highlighted, will then move over to the squad column, click enter on each squad I want to respond. The next alert is to move the archers to their fighting positions, and melee moved to their mopup positions( Basically the civvies have pulled the correct levers to isolate the fort, while trapping the invaders in a corridor where the military squads can decimate them. so scroll down once again, when mopup alert is highlighted, select the squads you want to respond. When all is safe, select the alert you want your squads to follow, select the squads you want to follow it. Usually I select inactive for archers, active for melee. Then scroll to bugout, deselect the burrow with enter, now the civvies and military can return to regular life.

Keith

Make sure the bolts are both C/T.
 How did he get there could be another problem. If it is a move/station order he will not restock his quiver while on station. Give him a move order to the ammo stockpile. If he doesn't refill his quiver now you have a bigger problem.
 Check to see if any bolts are in the quiver.
Check to see if he is wearing anything besides the uniform. If so toggle replace uniform. You might have the wrong setting. Try partial match also.
The alder bolts assigned to his squad could be in a bin being carried around possibly, so he has no access to them.
 Here is something to try. Remove the C and the T from any ammo assigned to the squad. Any bolts in a different quiver should be taken to the ammo stockpile. Wait a bit, then add CT back to an ammo allotment.

Delays putting on armor can have several causes;
 1. Putting a Dwarf with mining, woodcutting or hunting labors enabled
 2. Their civvy clothing can cause issues. Set the armor to replace clothing, and have them wear their uniform at all times.
 3. Set uniform to partial matches.
 4. Before moving them into combat. move them to a safe rally spot, where they will have a chance to equip.

Helmets are reallly important, as are shields. Helm,Breastplate. mail shirt,shield,leggings/greaves, lowboots/high boots and Shield should be the basic uniform. Hoods, mittens and cloaks are good accessories.

Could it be that since they are patrolling they have no time to go gather the bolts. 1 technique is to a ammo stockpile with the metal bolts assigned along their patrol route at a spot where the civvies can restock it out of site on any hostiles.
 I have seen times when crossbow squads have shot up all the bolts assigned in practice, then a patrol order comes up not allowing them anytime to refill their quivers. So while you attempt to create more for them to use, the ammo remains in the bins until the squads patrol order ends, then the idjits will refill.

 Here is an ongoing experiment that is working well. I have 1 squad assigned both wooden and metal bolts.The metal bolts are along the patrol route. Instead of a CT, C or T designation, I leave it blank till problems arise. Main reason am in a iron poor biome. So when I want them to practice, will create some wooden bolts. When gobbos show, I add CT to the metal bolts, let them fire away. When they leave, will remove the CT designation, they will return the metal bolts to a bin, instead of wasting them at archery practice.