Bay 12 Games Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Ballista could have saved me  (Read 856 times)

hothead098

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Ballista could have saved me
« on: March 29, 2008, 03:16:00 pm »

I had my first fortress succumb to a siege today.  However I feel they deserved as the make up was as follows (noting I have 40 dwarfs)    2 goblin elite bowmen
   1 goblin sword master
   1 goblin spear master
   11 trolls
   36 other assorted goblins

my 6 marks dwarfs cut um down to just the bowmen and trolls before being mauled

I feel however that if my ballista had fired we would have survived, is their any way to get the damn thing to work when I want it to?

Logged

Kuli

  • Bay Watcher
  • Born-Again Zefonist
    • View Profile
Re: Ballista could have saved me
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2008, 04:01:00 pm »

Have more siege operators than you need, so there's sure to be one available when you order the ballista to be fired?

Of course I don't know how close your ballista was to the battle.  Keep in mind that siege operators are civilians and will run away from goblins even if they're behind fortifications.  Building the ballista farther away from the (likely) site of battle could help too.

Logged
"The power of Zefon compels you!"

hothead098

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Ballista could have saved me
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2008, 04:08:00 pm »

code:
       xxxxx++++++++-----
      xxxxx++++++++BBB
      +++++++++++++BBB
      xxxxx++++++++BBB
      xxxxx++++++++-----      

ok so,

B = ballista
+ = floor
x = bridge with channel under it
- = wall

Is that far enough back?

[ March 29, 2008: Message edited by: hothead098 ]

Logged

Kuli

  • Bay Watcher
  • Born-Again Zefonist
    • View Profile
Re: Ballista could have saved me
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2008, 04:42:00 pm »

If the battle is taking place anywhere in the area shown, it's too close.  You probably want to keep a distance of at least 15 tiles between the goblins and the ballista.  And put some fortifications in front of the ballista so melee goblins won't go charging at it.
Logged
"The power of Zefon compels you!"