Dwarf Fortress Bug Tracker - Dwarf Fortress
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IDProjectCategoryView StatusDate SubmittedLast Update
0000084Dwarf FortressDwarf Mode -- Militarypublic2010-04-01 20:172010-07-16 05:19
ReporterSingularity 
Assigned ToToady One 
PrioritynormalSeverityminorReproducibilityalways
StatusresolvedResolutionfixed 
PlatformOSWindowsOS Version7, Home Premium
Product Version 
Target VersionFixed in Version0.31.09 
Summary0000084: Individual choice ranged/melee apparently ignores whether weapon is ranged or melee
DescriptionTrying to set up my military commander's weapon and armor loadout, I set it to the default "Archer" loadout. I intended for her to train as a crossbowdwarf. I have a crossbow, bolts, and an archery range all available and set up for use.

She had the crossbow in her right hand, then somehow decided to pick up a spare battle-axe from the nearby stockpile and train with that instead. She also somehow holds both in her right hand. I see her axedwarf and fighter skill increasing, but I don't believe the archer skills are. Requires more observation to be sure.
Steps To ReproduceSet a dwarf to use a particular weapon, but have others sitting in a nearby stockpile. Watch as your dwarf disregards your choice.
Additional InformationThe dwarf in question was an immigrant with prior archer experience, so I can't chalk this one up to confusion among untrained weapon skills.
Tagsmilitary screen
Relationships
has duplicate 0002051closed Footkerchief Ranged bug 
child of 0000535acknowledged Toady One Equipping weapons/armor on military is erratic 
Attached Files
Issue History
Date ModifiedUsernameFieldChange
2010-04-01 20:17SingularityNew Issue
2010-04-02 06:33TodestoolTag Attached: military screen
2010-04-03 06:15KalrirrNote Added: 0000488
2010-04-03 15:26FootkerchiefCategoryGeneral => Dwarf Mode -- Military
2010-04-06 08:00JimboOmegaNote Added: 0001448
2010-04-06 08:09SeconeNote Added: 0001451
2010-04-08 08:17damoclesNote Added: 0002032
2010-04-19 09:02KuraudoIssue Monitored: Kuraudo
2010-04-21 12:21FootkerchiefRelationship addedchild of 0000535
2010-04-22 18:44Khym ChanurIssue Monitored: Khym Chanur
2010-05-24 09:07FootkerchiefNote Added: 0007284
2010-05-24 09:07FootkerchiefRelationship addedhas duplicate 0002051
2010-05-24 09:07FootkerchiefIssue Monitored: Footkerchief
2010-05-24 09:08FootkerchiefSummaryMilitary dwarves don't respect weapon choices => Individual choice ranged/melee apparently ignores whether weapon is ranged or melee
2010-06-12 12:15jamoecwNote Added: 0008206
2010-07-13 05:33Toady OneNote Added: 0010117
2010-07-13 05:33Toady OneStatusnew => resolved
2010-07-13 05:33Toady OneFixed in Version => 0.31.09
2010-07-13 05:33Toady OneResolutionopen => fixed
2010-07-13 05:33Toady OneAssigned To => Toady One
2010-07-16 05:19Khym ChanurIssue End Monitor: Khym Chanur

Notes
(0000488)
Kalrirr   
2010-04-03 06:15   
Do you have quivers available?
(0001448)
JimboOmega   
2010-04-06 08:00   
I have seen this happen too - when I was finnicky with my choices, changing frequently between uniforms, I wound up with a dwarf with, for instance, a bismuth bronze crossbow in his left hand, and a steel war hammer, chestnut training sword, and birhcen crossbow all in his right hand.

And yes, he has a quiver for one of the crossbows. I never assigned anyone to use crossbows - I just toggled between individual choice, and a uniform which only used training swords. I also have an arsenal dwarf. I have spent a lot of time trying to tweak my weapons, either for training or to get them to use armor I had made.

It is possible this is occuring because of an issue related to reassigning weapons, I'm not sure. I spent a lot of time fiddling on the military screen (in part because I didn't have an arsenal dwarf).
(0001451)
Secone   
2010-04-06 08:09   
I have this problem as well, but I find dumping the item you don't want them using is an easy fix
(0002032)
damocles   
2010-04-08 08:17   
I think the bug lies in "individual choice".

For ages I've been trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with my dwarf (he had a quiver and crossbow in his inventory but refused to collect bolts). On a whim, I removed the individual choice weapon entry from the squad listing and made it crossbows. Now he trains and fights using crossbows no problem.
(0007284)
Footkerchief   
2010-05-24 09:07   
(crossposts from 0002051)

greep says:

Possibly linked to crossbows working improperly in general, when selected to equip individual choice ranged, given a choice of bone crossbow and a copper axe, the dwarf equipped the axe. It seems crossbows aren't even marked as a ranged weapon.

yes woodcutting was not enabled, I started with completely clean peasants and just started like this. The dwarf in question was alone in his squad, and was thus the militia commander. Anything dealing with uniforms was just the default. I was trying from scratch trying to get crossbows to work.

okay, tried again with a a new fort from scratch, no skills activated and all peasants. Chose the copper axe again when I made a new squad, chose no uniform, chose equip, and chose individual choice ranged. I also made a meeting zone next to the bow, and he bypassed it in favor of the axe.

Now, without individual choice ranged, and instead crossbow, he WILL choose the crossbow.

Kumquat says:

I have seen plenty of dorfs whose melee weapon of choice was crossbow, despite there being several hammers and maces and axes and even picks available.

I tried to force a marks-squad with crossbows but most of them never even picked up one and none of them did any practicing despite there being bolts and quivers and archery targets designated and assigned and available.

Jiri Petru says:

This works the other way around, too.
My hammerdwarf has "individual choice, melee". He decided to use a (-steel crossbow-). I do have a plenty of warhammers lying around but none of them are as good as (-steel-). He probably choose the crossbow because it allows HAMMER skill and is of the best combination of material/quality available.

In other words, the ranged/melee part of "individual choice" doesn't seem to work.
(0008206)
jamoecw   
2010-06-12 12:15   
i can confirm that this is still the case in .06, i also note that a dwarves skill in something doesn't matter when choosing a weapon.

i embarked with a proficient archer, and started with a crossbow. he lugged it around until he equipped his uniform, which was to say he swapped his crossbow for an axe despite being set for individual choice, ranged. later i got a dwarf proficient with spears, so i made him a melee dwarf squad with him as captain, he also grabbed an axe, although at the time i didn't have any spears so i didn't think much of this, later i made an iron spear. he didn't equip this, and after a year another dwarf (set to individual choice, ranged, and he had been around 6 months prior to making the spear, he just hadn't decided he was in the military until just then.) grabbed it.
(0010117)
Toady One   
2010-07-13 05:33   
I think this one was fixed in 0.31.09. Feel free to reopen if they are still being goofy in a new fort.