Nearly Automated Method for Stealing from Dwarven and Human Caravans

Make two trade depots, one that the wagons can reach, and another that only the non-wagon traders can reach. When all the wagons get to the Depot, all the traders will run away, leaving the goods that were in the wagons in a forbidden pile of goods on top of (but not inside) the depot.

I made this discovery quite by accident on version 40.24, on a new fortress where I built an underground trade depot, but had difficulty deciding how to build the wagon entrance. So I just built a temporary above-ground depot for the first season, and discovered this issue. I haven't experimented all that much with this technique, in fact I don't have much interest in stealing from caravans in the first place, as I find it rarely difficult to buy everything I want and then some. But I was curious if this technique is known, it might possibly be an interesting starting point for others to further develop this technique, and this bug is probably worth reporting.

Posted Feb 9, 2015, 3:10 AM UTC

107
PM_ME_YOUR_IRISLikes clowns for their fun antics.•

Sounds like a bug.

Please upload a save file and write up a small report (heck, just copy/paste from your post) on http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/main_page.php

Thanks!

4
DerTanniAdequate Babbler•

I mean you can steal for fun but as long as spiked wooden balls are so easy to make and are woth a ton you most often can buy the first caravan dry.

3
Hyndis•

There's also the haul from the annual sieges.

I have so many bins of tattered goblin clothing its ridiculous. Then on top of that, I have goblin skull totems masterfully decorated with spikes of goblin bone.

And on top of that there are of course the roasts. So many masterwork roasts.

Buying out a caravan is no problem.

2
Kar98•

Magma works well too. Burn away all the garbage and you're left with pretty iron/steel trinkets

1
AirPhforce•

Also, stealing from them prevents them from reporting profit back home, meaning they bring less next year.

2
souldayHunting alligators •

yeah, you can also just deconstruct the depot after they unload their goods on it.

1
Kar98•

Interesting technique, but you can also deconstruct the depot when they first arrive and that will also yield all their items to you

1