0002796: Soldiers often cannot follow their orders.

(0010881)
Rafal99 (reporter)
2010-07-23 15:21

I got this when I had less archery targets than markdwarves wanting to practice, and there was no unoccupied targets left. Do you have enough archery targets?

(0010882)
Footkerchief (manager)
2010-07-23 16:22

If Rafal99's explanation doesn't explain this, it would be helpful to upload a save to http://dffd.wimbli.com/ [^]

(0010883)
Orkel2 (reporter)
2010-07-23 16:38

The archery ranges work if the dwarf is set to inactive. It does it on active/training even with 1 dwarf and 1 target, so Rafal's explanation doesn't work.

The killing creatures one happens often tho. I'm not sure if it's only in my save, so I'll wait for other people's similar reports first before going through the hassle of uploading.

(0010884)
Mason11987 (reporter)
2010-07-23 16:41
edited on: 2010-07-23 16:51

I've had the same effect, though I've never killed anything with my marksdwarves. They just trained for a while, I assume I did SOMETHING, now they are showing that. If we could learn under what condition this message is expected to come up, that might be helpful.

Edit - Some follow up.

I can set them to use a weapon rack while on "active/training" and it works just fine as far as I can tell tell. I'll try deconstructing/reconstructing my archery targets.

Edit - Nothing. Deleting and recreating the squad....

Nothing. I have 9 people in my squad, 8 are set to train at any time, there are 10 recently constructed (correctly) archery targets, 8 of the 9 have that message in the [u]nits scree (the other is asleep).

(0010890)
duckthatquacks (reporter)
2010-07-23 19:48
edited on: 2010-07-24 06:02

I am having the same problem. Marksdwarves won't train; other soldiers will. I'll try to upload a save this weekend.

Edit: It is possible that there are no quivers for my marksdwarves. I will look into it.

(0010902)
Dekar (reporter)
2010-07-24 00:32
edited on: 2010-07-24 00:33

I have a single axedwarf/militia commander with a single bed barrack.
Sometimes he is training, sometimes he cant follow orders.

(0011094)
Jon-Ace (reporter)
2010-07-26 12:55
edited on: 2010-07-26 12:56

Getting this in 0.31.12 with a one squad, one speardwarf army. He occasionally goes into training, but sometimes goes to a meeting area with the bug described.

Similar to Dekar's problem.

(0011101)
Rafal99 (reporter)
2010-07-26 13:21
edited on: 2010-07-26 13:22

For marksdwarves it seems to happen if you have no barracks for them to train. I had squad of 4 marksdwarves who "Cannot follow orders" despite lots of free archery targets. I made a barracks for them to train then immediately 2 of them went to demostration and 2 to Archery Practice.

Seems related to the fact that Toady stopped non-archery training from happening in archery ranges. Dwarves probably want to cycle through different training types (shooting, demonstrations and individual drills) and get stuck once they finish archery and have no barracks to perform other training.

(0011182)
Orkel2 (reporter)
2010-07-28 06:40

My squad of 3 swordsdwarves and 1 hammerdwarf was ordered to station outside to defend against a goblin ambush. Instead they all got this bug, and didn't move at all, causing the goblins to slaughter the traders freely. They eventually stationed, but way, way too late.

(0012458)
Areyar (reporter)
2010-09-06 16:48
edited on: 2010-09-06 16:50

Maybe all archery targets need to be defined (set room size, fire from direction X, assign squad allowed for training) before they can be used?

Previously I created the archery range from a single target and added additional targets as needed. These were then used by the squad, without the need to make rooms from each of them.
I now noticed that my marksdwarves refused to train unless I defined all targets individually. I may be imagining this though.

--
This would not explain the cannot follow orders status when ordered to attack or some other active order though.
(Which I have also seen in 31.12)

(0013405)
Boldwyn (reporter)
2010-10-18 04:05
edited on: 2010-10-18 16:00

This happened for me in 31.16 for a melee unit (no marksdwarves).

Save: the dwarves are in "cannot follow order" mode. They stayed some time like this doing nothing, no training, just stayed in their bedrooms near the invading giant and slowly move towards their target.

http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=3295 [^]

(0013825)
Orkel2 (reporter)
2010-11-14 08:43

Still does it in 31.17.

(0014468)
Altaree (reporter)
2010-12-09 07:30

This message needs to be more verbose. Include WHY the dwarf can't follow an order.

(0017004)
Orkel2 (reporter)
2011-04-03 07:33

Still in .25

(0017007)
Footkerchief (manager)
2011-04-03 08:25

Reminder sent to: Orkel2

Please upload a save to http://dffd.wimbli.com/ [^]

(0019402)
Kipi (reporter)
2012-01-18 02:05

Here is a save which also shows the problem in .25 version:

http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=5381 [^]

I have 10 soldiers, in same squad. After I cancelled the station order I gave them to repel a goblin ambush all my soldiers are stuck with the "Cannot follow orders" status even though they don't have any orders active. I don't have barracks so they aren't trying to train.

Being stuck in the status doesn't prevent the soldiers to go for a drink or meal, but after they have done so they return to "Cannot follow orders". Same applies to new orders, like station; they follow the order but after it's cancelled they return to "Cannot follow orders". The squad leader (who also happens to be Captain of the Guard) is alive and kicking, none of the soldiers have health problems. In fact, Captain is also affected by this bug.

While the soldiers are stuck in the "Cannot follow orders" status they DO talk to friends, admire nice things and so on. This can be noted when looking at their thoughts, since there are lots of new thoughts after the slaughter.

There is no pathing problems as far I can see and reloading the save doesn't fix the problem.

Disbanding and reforming the squad solves the problem.

(0019403)
kwieland (reporter)
2012-01-18 08:31

@Kipi
In your case, you have the squad assigned to the active/training schedule, and the schedule calls for them to train. Since you don't have a barracks defined (as you said), that is why you get the message. If you think about the situation, it makes sense for them not to be able to follow your orders.

If you 1. build a barracks for them to train in and assign them to train there, the status changes to "go to drill"
or
2. change the squad alert to inactive, then they all revert to civilians and go about their work.

However, it becomes more difficult with archery. For some reason you never know if they don't have bolts (thus they can't practice), are missing an archery target, equipment, etc.

I agree that the errors could contain a little more information.

(0019405)
Dwarfu (manager)
2012-01-18 11:18
edited on: 2012-01-18 11:19

These messages WILL be more informative in the next version:

"I broke the "Cannot follow order" message for soldiers into about a dozen hopefully helpful messages."

http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/index.html#2011-09-23 [^]

(0024360)
Footkerchief (manager)
2014-01-26 08:36

Please reopen this report or PM me on the forums if this bug is still present.

Issue History
Date Modified	Username	Field	Change
2010-07-23 14:03	Orkel2	New Issue
2010-07-23 14:15	Orkel2	Tag Attached: Military
2010-07-23 14:15	Orkel2	Tag Attached: bug
2010-07-23 14:15	Orkel2	Tag Attached: cannot
2010-07-23 14:15	Orkel2	Tag Attached: follow
2010-07-23 14:15	Orkel2	Tag Attached: order
2010-07-23 14:15	Orkel2	Tag Attached: soldier
2010-07-23 15:21	Rafal99	Note Added: 0010881
2010-07-23 16:22	Footkerchief	Note Added: 0010882
2010-07-23 16:34	Dawide	Issue Monitored: Dawide
2010-07-23 16:38	Orkel2	Note Added: 0010883
2010-07-23 16:41	Mason11987	Note Added: 0010884
2010-07-23 16:44	Mason11987	Note Edited: 0010884	View Revisions
2010-07-23 16:47	Mason11987	Note Edited: 0010884	View Revisions
2010-07-23 16:51	Mason11987	Note Edited: 0010884	View Revisions
2010-07-23 19:48	duckthatquacks	Note Added: 0010890
2010-07-23 20:39	Hieronymous Alloy	Issue Monitored: Hieronymous Alloy
2010-07-24 00:32	Dekar	Note Added: 0010902
2010-07-24 00:32	Dekar	Issue Monitored: Dekar
2010-07-24 00:33	Dekar	Note Edited: 0010902	View Revisions
2010-07-24 06:02	duckthatquacks	Note Edited: 0010890	View Revisions
2010-07-24 08:34	Footkerchief	Relationship added	child of 0000428
2010-07-24 21:45	Khym Chanur	Issue Monitored: Khym Chanur
2010-07-26 12:55	Jon-Ace	Note Added: 0011094
2010-07-26 12:55	Jon-Ace	Note Edited: 0011094	View Revisions
2010-07-26 12:56	Jon-Ace	Note Edited: 0011094	View Revisions
2010-07-26 12:56	Jon-Ace	Note Edited: 0011094	View Revisions
2010-07-26 13:21	Rafal99	Note Added: 0011101
2010-07-26 13:22	Rafal99	Note Edited: 0011101	View Revisions
2010-07-28 06:40	Orkel2	Note Added: 0011182
2010-09-06 08:43	ChopperDave	Issue Monitored: ChopperDave
2010-09-06 08:43	ChopperDave	Issue End Monitor: ChopperDave
2010-09-06 08:43	ChopperDave	Issue Monitored: ChopperDave
2010-09-06 16:48	Areyar	Note Added: 0012458
2010-09-06 16:50	Areyar	Note Edited: 0012458	View Revisions
2010-09-06 16:50	Areyar	Issue Monitored: Areyar
2010-10-18 04:05	Boldwyn	Note Added: 0013405
2010-10-18 08:11	Boldwyn	Issue Monitored: Boldwyn
2010-10-18 16:00	Boldwyn	Note Edited: 0013405	View Revisions
2010-11-14 08:43	Orkel2	Note Added: 0013825
2010-12-09 07:30	Altaree	Note Added: 0014468
2011-04-03 07:33	Orkel2	Note Added: 0017004
2011-04-03 08:25	Footkerchief	Note Added: 0017007
2011-09-12 21:46	Dwarfu	Relationship added	has duplicate 0004893
2012-01-18 02:05	Kipi	Note Added: 0019402
2012-01-18 02:06	Kipi	Issue Monitored: Kipi
2012-01-18 08:17	kwieland	Issue Monitored: kwieland
2012-01-18 08:31	kwieland	Note Added: 0019403
2012-01-18 11:18	Dwarfu	Note Added: 0019405
2012-01-18 11:19	Dwarfu	Note Edited: 0019405	View Revisions
2012-01-18 11:20	Dwarfu	Tag Attached: Save Included
2012-01-18 11:36	Dwarfu	Tag Attached: Fixed in 0.31.26?
2012-02-14 05:12	Footkerchief	Tag Renamed	Fixed in 0.31.26? => Fixed in 0.34.01?
2014-01-26 08:36	Footkerchief	Note Added: 0024360
2014-01-26 08:36	Footkerchief	Status	new => resolved
2014-01-26 08:36	Footkerchief	Fixed in Version	=> 0.34.01
2014-01-26 08:36	Footkerchief	Resolution	open => fixed
2014-01-26 08:36	Footkerchief	Assigned To	=> Toady One

Notes
(0010881) Rafal99 (reporter) 2010-07-23 15:21	I got this when I had less archery targets than markdwarves wanting to practice, and there was no unoccupied targets left. Do you have enough archery targets?

(0010882) Footkerchief (manager) 2010-07-23 16:22	If Rafal99's explanation doesn't explain this, it would be helpful to upload a save to http://dffd.wimbli.com/ [^]

(0010883) Orkel2 (reporter) 2010-07-23 16:38	The archery ranges work if the dwarf is set to inactive. It does it on active/training even with 1 dwarf and 1 target, so Rafal's explanation doesn't work. The killing creatures one happens often tho. I'm not sure if it's only in my save, so I'll wait for other people's similar reports first before going through the hassle of uploading.

(0010884) Mason11987 (reporter) 2010-07-23 16:41 edited on: 2010-07-23 16:51	I've had the same effect, though I've never killed anything with my marksdwarves. They just trained for a while, I assume I did SOMETHING, now they are showing that. If we could learn under what condition this message is expected to come up, that might be helpful. Edit - Some follow up. I can set them to use a weapon rack while on "active/training" and it works just fine as far as I can tell tell. I'll try deconstructing/reconstructing my archery targets. Edit - Nothing. Deleting and recreating the squad.... Nothing. I have 9 people in my squad, 8 are set to train at any time, there are 10 recently constructed (correctly) archery targets, 8 of the 9 have that message in the [u]nits scree (the other is asleep).

(0010890) duckthatquacks (reporter) 2010-07-23 19:48 edited on: 2010-07-24 06:02	I am having the same problem. Marksdwarves won't train; other soldiers will. I'll try to upload a save this weekend. Edit: It is possible that there are no quivers for my marksdwarves. I will look into it.

(0010902) Dekar (reporter) 2010-07-24 00:32 edited on: 2010-07-24 00:33	I have a single axedwarf/militia commander with a single bed barrack. Sometimes he is training, sometimes he cant follow orders.

(0011094) Jon-Ace (reporter) 2010-07-26 12:55 edited on: 2010-07-26 12:56	Getting this in 0.31.12 with a one squad, one speardwarf army. He occasionally goes into training, but sometimes goes to a meeting area with the bug described. Similar to Dekar's problem.

(0011101) Rafal99 (reporter) 2010-07-26 13:21 edited on: 2010-07-26 13:22	For marksdwarves it seems to happen if you have no barracks for them to train. I had squad of 4 marksdwarves who "Cannot follow orders" despite lots of free archery targets. I made a barracks for them to train then immediately 2 of them went to demostration and 2 to Archery Practice. Seems related to the fact that Toady stopped non-archery training from happening in archery ranges. Dwarves probably want to cycle through different training types (shooting, demonstrations and individual drills) and get stuck once they finish archery and have no barracks to perform other training.

(0011182) Orkel2 (reporter) 2010-07-28 06:40	My squad of 3 swordsdwarves and 1 hammerdwarf was ordered to station outside to defend against a goblin ambush. Instead they all got this bug, and didn't move at all, causing the goblins to slaughter the traders freely. They eventually stationed, but way, way too late.

(0012458) Areyar (reporter) 2010-09-06 16:48 edited on: 2010-09-06 16:50	Maybe all archery targets need to be defined (set room size, fire from direction X, assign squad allowed for training) before they can be used? Previously I created the archery range from a single target and added additional targets as needed. These were then used by the squad, without the need to make rooms from each of them. I now noticed that my marksdwarves refused to train unless I defined all targets individually. I may be imagining this though. -- This would not explain the cannot follow orders status when ordered to attack or some other active order though. (Which I have also seen in 31.12)

(0013405) Boldwyn (reporter) 2010-10-18 04:05 edited on: 2010-10-18 16:00	This happened for me in 31.16 for a melee unit (no marksdwarves). Save: the dwarves are in "cannot follow order" mode. They stayed some time like this doing nothing, no training, just stayed in their bedrooms near the invading giant and slowly move towards their target. http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=3295 [^]

(0013825) Orkel2 (reporter) 2010-11-14 08:43	Still does it in 31.17.

(0014468) Altaree (reporter) 2010-12-09 07:30	This message needs to be more verbose. Include WHY the dwarf can't follow an order.

(0017004) Orkel2 (reporter) 2011-04-03 07:33	Still in .25

(0017007) Footkerchief (manager) 2011-04-03 08:25	Reminder sent to: Orkel2 Please upload a save to http://dffd.wimbli.com/ [^]

(0019402) Kipi (reporter) 2012-01-18 02:05	Here is a save which also shows the problem in .25 version: http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=5381 [^] I have 10 soldiers, in same squad. After I cancelled the station order I gave them to repel a goblin ambush all my soldiers are stuck with the "Cannot follow orders" status even though they don't have any orders active. I don't have barracks so they aren't trying to train. Being stuck in the status doesn't prevent the soldiers to go for a drink or meal, but after they have done so they return to "Cannot follow orders". Same applies to new orders, like station; they follow the order but after it's cancelled they return to "Cannot follow orders". The squad leader (who also happens to be Captain of the Guard) is alive and kicking, none of the soldiers have health problems. In fact, Captain is also affected by this bug. While the soldiers are stuck in the "Cannot follow orders" status they DO talk to friends, admire nice things and so on. This can be noted when looking at their thoughts, since there are lots of new thoughts after the slaughter. There is no pathing problems as far I can see and reloading the save doesn't fix the problem. Disbanding and reforming the squad solves the problem.

(0019403) kwieland (reporter) 2012-01-18 08:31	@Kipi In your case, you have the squad assigned to the active/training schedule, and the schedule calls for them to train. Since you don't have a barracks defined (as you said), that is why you get the message. If you think about the situation, it makes sense for them not to be able to follow your orders. If you 1. build a barracks for them to train in and assign them to train there, the status changes to "go to drill" or 2. change the squad alert to inactive, then they all revert to civilians and go about their work. However, it becomes more difficult with archery. For some reason you never know if they don't have bolts (thus they can't practice), are missing an archery target, equipment, etc. I agree that the errors could contain a little more information.

(0019405) Dwarfu (manager) 2012-01-18 11:18 edited on: 2012-01-18 11:19	These messages WILL be more informative in the next version: "I broke the "Cannot follow order" message for soldiers into about a dozen hopefully helpful messages." http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/index.html#2011-09-23 [^]

(0024360) Footkerchief (manager) 2014-01-26 08:36	Please reopen this report or PM me on the forums if this bug is still present.