GENERAL DEFENSE DESIGN GUIDE - Tutorial DWARF FORTRESS Tips

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This is a Guide for Dwarf Fortress about General Defense Strategies and Layouts, showing some Let's Play Playthrough Tutorial. This is the unmodded (Vanilla) Steam Release Version.

[@dawnrider6427]

I find the easiest way to detect stealthy intruders with animals is to build a restraint (rope or chain) and post a couple of chained dogs at the entrance to my fort either underground or just inside the stairs.

[@Ic0nGaming]

Very classic, very effective.

[@trumanhanks9332]

Do they have to be trained war dogs?

[@dawnrider6427]

​@@trumanhanks9332 If I remember right it doesn't need to be, but war dogs will actually attack the thieves, untrained dogs will not.

[@friedrichrutzen1705]

Bridges can be destroyed (at least in the past)! A dragon burnt one of mine down. However, the moat prevented the dragon from entering my fortress. The bridge was not linked to a lever yet ^^ Lucky me...

[@coreywy]

Was the bridge made of wood?

[@Ic0nGaming]

Flammability is the only way I know of so far being a danger for bridges. Magma can do that too, if the stone the bridge is made of ain't magma proof.

[@petergraphix6740]

Lowered bridges are at risk, and it's always best to make them and their mechanisms out of magma safe materials. I know a set of raised bridges that are back to back \/ like that where they raise to the center are indestructible in the raised state. Also note that enemies can jump over a 1 z level raised bridge. I had a 2 tile wide moat with a 1 z level wall on the inside. Well that ettin showed me and jumped over the whole shebang.

[@friedrichrutzen1705]

The funny thing was that the wooden bridge saved the fort. It burnt down and the dragon could not get in. It continued to burn down the whole map and two goblin sieges until a caravan guard killed it with no effort.

[@yegorshem]

A good complicated trap is a combo pitfall/ceiling collapse trap where pit under weak floor that breaks when roof collapse onto it.

[@gogudelagaze1585]

Hm, that's a great point about segmentation! I really should incorporate this some more in my fortresses.

[@cmpoliver3499]

Great Info, thanks. One question is regarding Pitts. How many Z levels are needed to have a certain death of various creatures? I'm thinking 4 levels deep for the usual surface foes and 6 deep to handle the ones from the below ground areas. What is missing is good functional examples like if a Bronze Colossus was our for how deep a fall would take it out?

[@vonsch9793]

15 is not a guarantee, maybe 20. Helps to floor it with platinum. But if you want guarantees, better to drop the ceiling on things. No loot that way, but it's certain.

[@cmpoliver3499]

@@vonsch9793 True enough re dropping the ceiling but I'm thinking more of the passive or semi active. The favorite is with 3 2x2 sections with the 1st and last tossing foes into the center that slides open to drop them 6 z levels So far works on all but Not been able to test forgotten beasts or that Bronze Colossus .. not been "lucky" enough to get them

[@knibknibknib]

I’m not totally sure if death is certain with falls. I have a distinct memory of a fort where I had a pit dump at the top of a 100-z height tower for dumping the last siege troops on spinning blade traps in front of the current siege. I also had necromancers trapped behind fortifications and bridges. Maybe there was some sort of glitch with the trap where the falling goblin or troll would be gibbed by the trap before contact with the floor not sure but I do remember at least one in ten still would survive long enough to be mauled to death by his own reanimated severed leg…..😅

[@Ouvii]

It's difficult to get certain death with falls, but my pit traps will usually kill maim or just stun enemies that fall in. Bigger enemies like trolls seem to die more often, and lighter enemies like goblins are barely a threat either way, especially when they break bones on the way down. I usually do more than 4 z levels, maybe something more like 10? but I just kinda play it by ear based on how much space I have to work with since I usually build the pits after I get my fortress up and going quite a bit.

[@ambiuscyben4045]

Creatures can't destroy Artifact Floodgates/buildings right?

[@Ic0nGaming]

Correct, Artifacts are pretty much indestructible afaik.

[@gogudelagaze1585]

Yup, that's why doors (and to lesser extent hatches) are imo the best artifacts. They are basically an at-will drawbridge in terms of access control. No need to hope someone pulls a lever in time.

[@estherc3618]

Great video!

[@danc42421]

very wrong about that ballista design, your dwarves gonna be scared looking at the enemies through the fortifications and wont fire or load the ballista.

[@whylook7029]

How about ... making multiple motes but with non climable walls with lips and draw bridges cuz then u can spilt up enemies in a siege

[@arenaq]

Do you use any mods? I dont see the Civilians - All option in Burrows setup.

[@Ic0nGaming]

Hm, this could be the UI Tweaks mod that I'm running indeed.

[@arenaq]

@@Ic0nGaming I see there are quite a lot of mods. Can you link here the one that you are use, please? (or even other ones you use)

[@Ic0nGaming]

​@@arenaq I'll be making a video about that soon, but here goes a written list (you'll find them under that name in the workshop): - Audible Alerts - See-Through Smoothing Designations - Combat Log With Combat Sound - Creature Graphics Extended - Work Detail Icons - Deons Plant Graphics - Interface Tweaks - Metal Plate Floor - More Food Names - Obvious Engravings - Reduced Z Fog - Seasonish Crops