I'm a fan of meleedwarf-only defenses, and I've heavily boosted goblin sieges in my version. As a result, I've stabilized on what I think is a fairly effective training regimen.
The military qualities I find most desirable:
- Speed - With goblin sieges beginning in winter of the first year my supply of war dogs dwindle rapidly, and I'd best have some elites at least by late second year. This largely translates to "resist the temptation to train pump/siege operating."
- Readiness - I generally don't do traps, and I play on small maps. If my dwarves aren't already combat-ready when the goblins arrive, they *might* catch the second or third cluster. The first will already be attacking my war dogs and civvies.
- Robustness - Training injuries should be reduced as much as possible.
- Simplicity - Gentlemen, I am lazy. Sure, I could forbid each weapon individually, or lock them in weapon traps, but any solution that involves constantly nursemaiding my little thugs is not a viable one for me.
With that in mind,
The Idiot's Guide to Dorfy Fightan
Theory: Wrestling dwarves of all competency can play nice together, and train quickly since they deal low damage. Weapons novices with mid-high armor and shield skill will be alright together as well - but not with the novice wrestlers! Champions can be freely given super steel weapons; they won't seriously injure each other, but will MURDER the previous categories.
Step 1 - bring a proficient armorsmith. Live outside for a year or so, using your miners to mine iron and any coal/set up magma forges. Churn out iron plate - steel takes too long. Your goal is seven full sets by your first wave of immigrants. Offer extra goods to the caravan to jumpstart immigration. Magnetite mugs work, or any more precious metals you might have found.
If heavy goblin sieges are also attracted by the offered goods, proceed to shit yourself. Worst I've had was four local lords paying me a visit in spring of the second year.
Step 2 - Pick seven dwarves from your first wave, make them wrestlers with shields and full plate. They will train wrestling, armor and shield, all vital combat skills. Let them practice. Make more armor, recruit more dwarves. If you have more fodder than armor, set some pumping to give them some use and mark them for later recruitment. Occasionally swap out those with nervous injuries for fresh recruits.
If goblins attack in this stage, it's manageable. Try to sync your counterattack with the loose war dogs to concentrate the numbers on your side.
Step 3 - once you have a few elite or near-elite wrestlers, forge some crude iron weapons. Carve out a simple 4x4 or 5x5 room:
code:
#######
#.....#
#.....####
#B.....F.D
#.....####
#.....#
#######B = weapons rack, make a barracks
F = food/drink drop, via hole from above
D = Door, locked
Squad your elites, toggle the weapons on, station them in the room. Wait for them all to march in and lock the door, then stand them down. They should immediately begin sparring. A lot. Meanwhile, the rest of your wrestling military will continue sparring relatively unmolested.Should the goblins attack at this point, unlock the door and order them in. You might lose one or two to goblin spearmasters, but in general the iron weaponry will be enough to clean house.
Step 4 - When you have a number of legendary weapon/armor/shield users, upgrading their weapons will make them into unstoppable death machines. Construct a room similar to the above, with an extra weapons stockpile off to the side. Set the stockpile to hold only the best of what you have, and wait for it to be stocked. Set the champions to wrestling so they'll drop their weapons. March them in, lock the door, and reassign weapons.
For bonus points, place a rotating bridge trap above the room and drop invaders directly into the middle of your champions. Otherwise when a siege comes, just laugh and unlock the door.
[ June 01, 2008: Message edited by: InquisitiveIdiot ]
Author
Topic: Training the melee dwarves (Read 1817 times)