Dwarf Fortress Bug Tracker - Dwarf Fortress
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IDProjectCategoryView StatusDate SubmittedLast Update
0011132Dwarf FortressDwarf Mode -- Combatpublic2019-07-31 05:512019-07-31 12:55
ReporterPersonWhoFailedTheTuringTest 
Assigned To 
PrioritylowSeverityminorReproducibilityalways
StatusnewResolutionopen 
PlatformPCOSWindowsOS Version10
Product Version0.44.12 
Target VersionFixed in Version 
Summary0011132: Bite->latch on->shake opens arteries even when the bite was deflected by armor and the teeth never reached flesh
Description"Bite->latch on->shake opens arteries even when the bite was deflected by armor and the teeth never reached flesh"

Plate armor can deflect.
Mail armor can't, but should maybe protect against this anyway (real world example: divers swimming with sharks use chainmail)

extract from combatlog.txt
Dwarf 12 bites Dwarf 222 in the right lower arm, but the attack is deflected by Dwarf 222's small copper right gauntlet!
Dwarf 12 latches on firmly!
Dwarf 12 shakes Dwarf 222 around by the right lower arm, tearing apart the right lower arm's muscle and bruising the bone and tearing apart the right shoulder's muscle and bruising the bone!
An artery in the right lower arm has been opened by the attack, many nerves have been severed, a ligament has been torn and a tendon has been torn!
Steps To Reproduce2+ armored but un-armed dwarves in the arena, let them fight for a bit
look in the combat log
bite deflected by armor -> latch on -> shake -> opened arteries (random)
Additional Information
Tags0.44.12, bite, combat
Relationships
Attached Files
Issue History
Date ModifiedUsernameFieldChange
2019-07-31 05:51PersonWhoFailedTheTuringTestNew Issue
2019-07-31 05:53PersonWhoFailedTheTuringTestTag Attached: 0.44.12
2019-07-31 05:53PersonWhoFailedTheTuringTestTag Attached: combat
2019-07-31 05:53PersonWhoFailedTheTuringTestTag Attached: bite
2019-07-31 05:57PersonWhoFailedTheTuringTestNote Added: 0039461
2019-07-31 12:55LociNote Added: 0039462

Notes
(0039461)
PersonWhoFailedTheTuringTest   
2019-07-31 05:57   
correction:
not combatlog.txt
it is gamelog.txt
(0039462)
Loci   
2019-07-31 12:55   
The shaking doesn't "add to" the bite; it's a completely different damage vector. Vigorous shaking uses the target's own mass to put heavy strain on any connecting tissue (muscles, nerves, ligaments, and arteries). Similar damage in real life can be caused in Shaken Baby Syndrome and whiplash (neither of which typically involve a bite).

Often there is a size-dominance of shaker over shakee, but not always; a particular songbird uses shaking to subdue prey up to 200% of its own size:

https://www.geek.com/news/these-songbirds-use-brute-force-to-kill-prey-twice-their-size-1751373/ [^]

That being said, it is rather odd for one dwarf using his mouth to shake another dwarf's arm, but that is likely a result of limitations of the battle system AI. Overall, I'm unconvinced that this behavior rises to the level of "bug".