How to Set Up an Archery Range in Dwarf Fortress

Dwarf Fortress is a game all about being prepared for any circumstance. If you want a strong fortress that can ward off threats before they’re a threat, then you’ll want archers. But your archers will only be as good as the training they receive, so you’ll have to set up archery ranges. Here is how to build an archery range in Dwarf Fortress.

How to build an archery range in Dwarf Fortress

Setting up your archers

Before you have an archery range, you will need archers to train. Setting up a squad is easy, but equipping them with crossbows and bolts is more difficult. Firstly, you’ll need to go into the ‘equip’ menu when you select your archer squad/s.

You’ll need to assign them with crossbows, quivers, bags, and bolts. Armour isn’t necessary but will be useful. Crossbows can be crafted in the Bowyer’s Workshop; quivers and bgs can be crafted in the Leather Works; bolts can be forged from metal in the Metalsmith’s Forge.

With all of those parts, assign them to each of your archers. If they are having difficulty with any of this, then you may have to add a chest to an existing barracks and allow your archers to access ammunition from it. Ammunition will be hauled to the barracks, and your archers will collect the bolts from there.

Related: How to Set up a Barracks in Dwarf Fortress

Building the range

To build yourself a range, you’ll need to dig out or build a room that is at least ten blocks long, so the archers can effectively train.

Once the room is fleshed out, go into the zones menu and assign the whole room as an archery range. When you look into the new zone’s menu, you’ll notice four buttons in the top left. These indicate the direction of shooting. If your dwarves are standing on the right and shooting to the left of the room, select the button facing left.

Now all you need are some targets. Go into the building tab, then into Military. Archery targets will be available to build out of a material of your choice.

Now, all you need to do is set the squad to train, and they’ll go over to the archery range and fire away!

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