Guide to Marksdwarf Training
Skills
| Offensive | Defensive | Survival | Off-hand Melee Skills: | Archery Alternative: |
| Marksdwarf | Shield User | Discipline | Wrestler | Archer (Bows) |
| Hammerdwarf | Dodger | Observer | Misc. Object User (For Shield Bashing) | Swordsdwarf (Archer Only) |
| Competent Fighter(Sparring) | Armor User | Swimmer | Kicker / Biter / Striker (Off-hand Offense) |
Squad Uniforms
How to Equip Uniforms
Set your Squad to “Ready”, then click “Update equipment” when changing Uniform’s.
Required Equipment:
- Quiver
- Bolts (25)
Training Marksdwarf Uniform
(Wooden) Shield is Optional
Uniform Examples
| Average Marksdwarf | Tower Sentry | Ninja |
| Iron CrossbowWooden ShieldCloakLeather BootsLeather ArmorLeather LeggingsMetal Helm Equipment:Waterskin + BackpackQuiverIron or Steel Bolts (25) | Steel CrossbowMaxed Steel ArmorSteel ShieldCloak Equipment:WaterskinQuiverSteel Bolts (25) | Steel CrossbowWooden ShieldSteel Mail ShirtSteel LeggingsLeather BootsIron HelmIron GauntletsCloak Equipment:Waterskin + BackpackQuiverIron or Steel Bolts (25) |
Zone Setup
Archery Range Zone
Minimal size can be 1×3 per 1 Squad member up to 10.
Squad Size
10×3 Is the recommended size for a full squad of Marksdwarves.
Barracks Zone
Must be placed on the opposite side of the Archery Zone targets in a line.
The ‘Ammo Ditch’ Trick (Exploit / Bug)
Channel a hole in the ground in front of the Archery Targets to cause ammo fall into the Ditch instead of being consumed by the Target.
Ammo Ditch Issue #1
In the Labor menu, go to “Sieges and Forbidding” and set “Forbid used ammunition” to “Forbid used ammunition during sieges”.
Ammo Ditch Issue #2
If there is an open space below the ditch, the Ammo will fall through the ditch. Make sure that there is a solid wall below it.
Equipment Management
Training Ammo Setup
- 1 Ammo Stockpile
- 1 Bin (Fixes ammo ownership issues)
Children are shown to be useful for ammo hauling, just for training only though, keep that in mind.
Quivers
Ammo is stored in Quivers and can hold up to 25-49 Projectiles.
Ammo Types
Squad members will always try to use the best ammo type. To control this, go to the Stocks menu and restrict the ammo type.
Material Rule
By the time you encounter armored hostiles (Goblins, Humans, Cavern Invaders), you will want to use Iron or Steel Bolts to penetrate Iron Armor. If the target does not have Armor, then Copper and Bone can still penetrate the skin and vital organs, resulting in major injuries.
Ammo Stockpiles
Stockpiles can split ammo types, allowing for Wooden and Bone Bolts to be closer to training areas, while Metal Bolts can be closer to Fortifications and Towers.
Burrows
Burrows can also be used to separate Ammo types, Squad members, in any way you want.
Storing Equipment
If you want your Military to place Weapons / Armmo / Armor into a certain location, make Armor Stands in a Barracks zone for Storing Equipment, or use Stockpiles.
Alternative solution to Bins
Ammo ownership tends to fix itself when there’s a very large surplus (of x10 more than usual). This is a waste of resources compared to using a Bin, but may eliminate hauling times for others.
No Ditch to avoid issues
Not using a Ditch to catch the Ammo means you will be burning up ammo, but you will also be avoiding the Ammo ownership issue bug.
Scheduling
Off Duty
Used for giving your Squad members a break, just keep in mind this un-equips the Squad’s Uniform by dropping it on the floor.
Staggered Training
(Not recommended)
Constant Training
Yes
Ready
Keeping your Marksdwarves in the Ready state allows them to hold their Equipment without having
(Edit this Schedule to customize)
Custom Scheduling
You can set up schedules however you like.
Training
When Training, if a Marksdwarf is assigned to a Archery Zone and Barracks (nearby), they will go to the Barracks to do ‘Individual Drills’, then go to the Archery Zone to do ‘Archery Practice’ instead of ‘Sparring’.
Unlike Sparring, Archery Practice only needs 1 Squad member.
Note that skills like Observer and Fighter are not trained when Marksdwarves perform Individual Drills.
Individual Drills
Training alone only trains Marksdwarf, Archer, Discipline, and, Dodger at a very slow pace.
Demonstrations
Training in groups will still perform Demonstrations for
- Marksdwarf
- Archer
- Dodger
- Discipline
- Armor User, and Shield User (If Equipped)
If no Barracks Zone is present, training issues may occur that have yet to be resolved, resulting in Squad members idling around with the status ‘Soldier (no activity)’.
Cross Training
If you want Ranged and Melee units in the same squad, you must set the Squad Uniform to Ranged, and then create a Custom Uniform for each melee Squad member.
Cross Trainable skills
- Striker / Wrestler (Any Custom uniform)
- Hammerdwarf (War Hammer equipped)
- Armor User (Any Armor Piece equipped)
- Shield User (Shield equipped)
All other skills including Fighter and Observer will not be demonstrated for the Ranged Uniform.
If you set the Squad Uniform to Melee (with Custom uniforms for ranged), the Squad will be considered ‘Melee’ only. This odd feature allows Marksdwarves to Spar with their Crossbow in Barracks Training.
Dodge Cart (Dodger Training)
This is a Dodge Cart setup. The 2 rollers that are facing each other are on the lowest power speed (>), which moves the cart back and forth. Anybody (sentient) running into the cart will gain Dodger skill. The Track stops and Lever is setup to demonstrate safe usage of a constantly moving Minecart. Keep this away from animals, it will injure and may kill them.
Dodge Cart + Archery Practice Training
Note how the Archery Range Zone is 4 tiles long, preventing anyone from dodging into the Channeled Ditch, which may cause injuries. Despite the high traffic, this setup is 100% safe. During Archery Practice, it’s possible for a Squad member to shoot, and then dodge the cart shortly after, making Dodging and Archery Practice possible within 1 tile space.
Observer Training
4 Marksdwarves can train in a 1×1 tile while another Squad Spars in that same tile to train Observer for the Marksdwarves. Cannot be mixed with a Dodge Cart, or else the Melee Dwarves will not Spar, resulting in little to no Observer training for the Marksdwarves.
Defense Management
Pathfinding
Always make sure the distance between Marksdwarf and the enemy is as far apart as possible, with the ammo Stockpile being somewhere hidden from view of hostiles.
Reloading
If Ammo is in a safe place, Marksdwarves will reload when they run out.
Out of Ammo
If squad units are too close to an enemy when running out, they will attempt to Melee the enemy with their Crossbow with the Hammerdwarf skill. They may also Kick, Wrestle, Bite, and Shield Bash.
Fortification Walls
Always place Fortifications 1 z-layer up from where you want them to shoot from to prevent walking creatures from dodging through the Fortifications. Fliers and Climbers still may dodge through Fortifications, Wall Grates and Wall Bars. Creating Overhangs prevents creatures from climbing Fortifications too.
Towers
Always place a Roof and Fortifications to keep Marksdwarves from pathing out of the Tower.
Placing a Hatch Cover or Door allows you to setup small Archery Tower’s in remote locations. Make sure they have access to Food, Booze, and Ammo!
Overhangs
Be weary of overhangs in your walls that Marksdwarves will not be able to see.
Distance
About 20 tiles is the maximum range a Marksdwarf will fire. Bolts can travel up to 30 tiles. Z-height matters.
Orders
Attack
Marksdwarves will attempt to target a creature within 20 tiles, if they can’t get in range then they will not attempt to move.
Stationing
Stationing is not recommended for Markdwarves, it’s only viable in tight vertical spaces that prevents any inaccurate pathfinding issues.
Defend Burrow
Defending Burrows are far more accurate than Stationing, and is recommended for large horizontal spaces, and near fortification walls.
Training
Training can act as a way to Defend a certain location, but it can be risky and messy to train in an open space.
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