Dwarf Fortress > DF Dwarf Mode Discussion

Design Assistance requested

(1/1)

Doomathon:
I had a devious idea for building my Fortress entrance, but I need some help figuring out how exactly to build it.

The idea is fairly simple: make the entrance into a drowning chamber. The hard part is setting it up so that not only can I lure invaders (such as Rysith's Orcs) in, but also prevent them from escaping. Should I also mention that ideally, the entrance will also double as a barracks? The idea there being that if they aren't worth drowning (for whatever reason) then they at least get splattered by my military dwarves.

When I first tested it, I got the chamber to flood, but Orcs in question had captured the doors into the drowning chamber, and escaped.
What would both be cheap to build (in terms of time and resources, since the orcs often siege in the first winter) and effective for locking invaders into a drowning chamber?

Slogo:
If the drowning chamber = barracks then what's going to keep your military from drowning?

This doesn't show the actual flood/drain mechanics but I guess it'd be something like this (except bigger and possibly with a more twisted path so it would take longer for the orcs to get through the chamber without taking up too much space).
+ = flood gate
B = bridge
R = Ramp
... = floor
--- = open space
+ = flood gate


--- Code: ---
#####---#####
#....BBB....# (Main bridge draws up to the top, or you can have it retract and add floodgates to the top so you don't fling orcs inside your fort)
-B#R.BBB....#
#....BBB....#
-B#R.BBB....# (side bridges draw to the left)
#....BBB....#
#....BBB....#
#####+++#####

--- End code ---

Essentially what you do is have the main bridge linked up to a level or switch that opens the bridge and drops the orcs down a level so they can't escape then flood the chamber (making sure to close the flood gates first). The ramp + bridge on the right would lead to your barracks so you could also lower those bridges and have your military come out (or collect all the gear after getting them.

Flooding the chamber would just involve having some doors/gates open that let water in via lever then another set that opens some levers that let the water out to drain. The drainage could either be a large area to let it evaporate, back into the river/aquifer, or off the edge of the map through fortifications.

Jhoosier:
I currently use something like Slogo's method.  I have a retractable bridge to my trade depot that I pull up.  The only other way through is a block of switchback hallways (allows more invaders to crowd in at once) with bridges for floors.  Above the bridge room is a multi-story water cistern.  This allows me to either open the bottom bridges, dumping invaders to a holding chamber or raise bridges in the maze, trapping them, then opening the top bridges, which immediately dumps a full load of water on them.  Once they drown, open the bottom bridges and the water/orcs/stuff drops down a level and drains out.


--- Code: ---#d#####
#  #      #
#  #  #  #
#  #  #  #
#  #  #  #
#  #  #  #
#  #  #  #
#      #  d
########

--- End code ---


It looks better in the game, and probably makes more sense there too.

Freki:
Personally, I'd make the ends of the room ramps, with the level above shut off by a moat (filled with magma! Although that part is more just for flavour) with a bridge across it.

Bridges are down, orcs swarm over the bridge and into the main area. A switch retracts the bridges, stranding your guests in the drowning chamber.


--- Code: ---_B_                _B_
 M \______________/ M
--- End code ---
Having the water in a lower level and not relying on doors or floodgates to keep them in means there's less of a chance of a building destroyer knocking down a key part and having your fortressed flooded.

Plus the idea of an orc siege leaping heroically across the magma moat bridge sure that the bridge is suddenly going to retract and fling them to their fiery doom only to be drowned strikes me as amusing.

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