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[Stargazer]

Alright, so I have a standard fortress, a bottom z-level of walls, then a 2nd z-level above with fortifications and floors, a moat dug around the outside and 2 drawbridges. During a siege, I pull up the drawbridges and order my marksdwarves onto the walls to mow down the invaders. The problem is, not all of my dwarves want to stand next to the fortifications and actually -shoot-. They'll stand a tile or so away from the walls and just sit there while a couple dwarves in front do all the work. There's more then enough space for all of them to fit along the walls! I've tried ordering squads to move, individuals to move, restricting the burrow to -only- the floor tiles adjacent to the fortifications, issuing attack commands, but nothing seems to get every dwarf firing. It really becomes irritating when only 4 out of the 10 dwarfs I have stationed up there are actually doing their jobs.

[forsaken1111]

Huh, who knew dwarven archers followed union rules?

[JAFANZ]

What happens if you use smaller squads?

[Aravin]

That's how it works. The stationing order now doesn't actually move your dwarf to assigned tile. It just create some space arround that tile and dwarf can randomly stand on any of tiles withing that zone. I know - it's really irritating when you want dwarf to stand on some tile for any purposes. I think someone should PM Toady and ask him, is it a feature or bug. Cause if it's a feature, it's really inconvenient one. If we were to command dwarf directly (eye-eye) i think even the most stupid dwarf would just stand where he is shown to 

[Stargazer]

What happens if you use smaller squads?

I've used both 10 man squads, 5 man squads, and even 2 man squads. It just seems entirely random whether they'll actually move to the tiles I want them to. What I think I'm going to do is remove -all- the floor tiles except for a single line along the fortifications. That way, they'll be -forced- to stand next to them whether they want to or not.

[forsaken1111]

Good idea, let us know how it works.

[Snook]

I predict tragedy.

[forsaken1111]

Nah, I do the same thing he's talking about except I don't use floor tiles. I set single-tile wide wooden bridges all around the top level of my wall behind the fortifications accessible from stairs or one of the towers so my marksmen can crowd around the fortifications and shoot

[Hyndis]

I just use a patrol route, works well!

Lets say you have a simple rectangular castle. Make 4 stationing points, one on each corner of the walls. Link them together into a patrol route. Assign your marksdwarves to that patrol. They will march, round and round, on top of your castle walls. If they see anything they will stop and shoot until they are out of ammo, then they will reload.

You also get full coverage around all of your walls with very few dwarves. If there is nothing to shoot at the dwarf will march onwards. If there is something to shoot at they will stop and start shooting at the goblins. This very naturally means that your dwarves will seek out hostiles before unloading quivers at them, and efficiently reload before moving on top of the walls again for more shooting.

Its an entirely hands-off ranged defense.

You will of course need to replace the occasional casualties, but there isn't much need to give them training. Live fire combat training means they skill up extremely quickly. You ought to be able to get a legendary after only a couple sieges or ambushes. As an added bonus if the wildlife is hostile they will shoot at the wildlife. Skeletal deer make for great target practice! 

[Double A]

You could try making it so the wall is only a fortification and one floor, so they don't get behind each other or whatnot.

Huh, who knew dwarven archers followed union rules?

Sig'd.

[forsaken1111]

You could try making it so the wall is only a fortification and one floor, so they don't get behind each other or whatnot.

Huh, who knew dwarven archers followed union rules?

Sig'd.