Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Agback" data-source="post: 251947" data-attributes="member: 5328">Defending an underground kingdomAnother constraint to consider is that a goblin tribe is probably rather poor. They might have expensive one-shot defences for dire emergencies, but most of the defences will have to be rather cheap or else reusable.A couple of obvious defences spring to mind:1) The entrance tunnels and outer caverns should be defended through arrow slits and murder holes from spaces that are connected back into the secure areas, but which have no entrances into the areas they are defending. And each one should be covered by another one. That way any attackers will have to file past an arrow slit/murder hole, their pioneers will not be able to create a safe passage for the back up that follows them.2) The complex should be divided into compartments that are sealed off by airtight doors or by water-filled U-passages so that we can't be smoked out. On the other hand, we ought to invest in [items that allow us to cast] gas spells like Stinking Cloud, and should install furnaces in which we can burn sulphur etc. to fill areas that have fallen to the enemy with poisonous and irritating smoke.3) Tunnelling is extremely laborious, so we probably can't afford to collapse roofs too often. Nevertheless rigging chambers and tunnels so that we can collapse them is a good insurance policy against dire threats. The cheaper alternative (for use against lesser threats) is to rig some areas and tunnels so that we can flood them with water (water, ewspecially seeing that it need not be of potable quality, is much much cheaper than oil and available in larger quantities).4) If we get lucky we might find that some of our tunnels collect firedamp. That's not much of a problem for us, because we don't need fire to see. But if we can either mislead humans into those tunnels or somehow introduce the firedamp into the tunnels they are in it ought to be good for a giggle.5) Cheap and deadly. We're probably too poor to afford Fireballs and Cloudkills. But we can, for instance, breed wasps and poisonous centipedes. When an area is captured by the enemy, drop in a beehive or a bushel of black widows.6) The enemy must attack through limited ground area. So let's drop tanglefoot bags or winchesters of cooking oil on the floor in bottlenecks, and cover the area through a pair of arrowslits.7) Borrow neighbours' defences. We can construct tunnels into the lairs of monsters that are more powerful than ourselves, but that don't share an elf's ability to detect secret doors, or that are large to squeeze down our tunnels. When attacked, we decoy our enemies into the tunnels and let them fight it out with the neighbours. Or we build lairs and encourage dangerous beasts to settle in them.8) Stagecraft. Use puppets, painted backdrops &c (instead of expensive illusions) to fool the attackers into firing off their spells.9) Cultivate slimes and deadly fungi. Breed dangerous beasts in cages and release them into captured parts of the complex.10) Install voice tubes. These can be used for quick discreet communications, and can also be used to eavesdrop into areas that have fallen to the enemy and in which they might be planning their next assaults.11) No-one expects to find a 'trip'wire at 4'6" above the floor.12) Keep hostages, and kill them at the slightest provocation.13) If we manage to fight off an attack by terrorists, launch a reprisal against the community from which they staged their raid.14) Go to some efforts to make sure that attackers cannot easily revivify their fallen or heal their injured. A reputation for irreversible deadliness will to some extent deterr aggression. So finish off their wounded, capture their fallen, and feed them to the wolves.15) Be prepared to abandon our complex and escape through any of several tunnels we can collapse after we have passed. Better homeless than dead.Regards,Agback</blockquote>

Verification