Your Old Fortress Defenses Are Now Obsolete
If you’ve spent the last decade perfecting your magma-drowning chambers and cage trap hallways, it’s time to go back to the drawing board. The long-awaited Siege Update for Dwarf Fortress officially has a release date of November 3, 2025, and based on the new trailer, it’s going to fundamentally change how you defend your mountain home. This isn’t just a patch; it’s a complete overhaul of enemy intelligence and tactics, designed to make sieges the terrifying, dynamic events they were always meant to be.
The Goblins Are Getting Smarter (and Scarier)
The biggest change is a massive upgrade to enemy AI. Invading forces are no longer a mindless horde. They now operate with terrifying new intelligence and equipment. Forget everything you thought you knew about goblin sieges.
- New Siege Weapons: Goblins will now arrive with their own devastating tools, including powerful battering rams to smash through your gates.
- Engineer Corps: Trolls are no longer just big brutes. They now act as engineers, carrying giant pickaxes to tear down your walls and blocks of stone to build their own stairs and floors to bypass your defenses. They can even break through fortifications and raised bridges.
- Advanced Tactics: Invading squads are organized into different roles. Some will charge head-on, while others hang back, waiting for an opportunity to ambush. Crucially, they can now path around areas that have become too dangerous, rendering your kill-zones less effective.
- They Dig: If all else fails, enemies can now slowly tunnel underground through natural stone walls, meaning nowhere is truly safe.
- Monstrous Mounts: Goblins will be riding new types of monstrous mounts and will be led by a new demonic leader.
New Toys for Your Dwarves
Your dwarves aren’t being left defenseless. To counter these new threats, your own siege capabilities are getting a much-needed upgrade. While the classic strategies are being rebalanced, powerful new options are being introduced.
- The Bolt Thrower: A brand new siege engine is being added. The Bolt Thrower is a fixed emplacement but can be rotated freely to target enemies. It fires faster than a crossbow and its ammo bin can hold 100 bolts, making it perfect for raining death upon your enemies from the battlements.
- Reworked Siege Engines: The existing catapults and ballistas are being reworked to be more effective and reliable.
- Trap Rebalance: Your old standbys are being adjusted. Goblins can now rescue their caged allies, and the effectiveness of water and magma traps has been reduced. This is a deliberate move to encourage players to use a wider variety of defensive tools instead of relying on a single, overpowered solution.
The Future is Siege
The developers have also teased that this is just the beginning. Future updates plan to introduce even more magical content and features, like warlords and demon-trained sorcerers, to make sieges even more dangerous and varied. The developers have confirmed that existing saves should be compatible with the update, so your current fortress can face these new challenges head-on.
Conclusion
The Siege Update is poised to be one of the most impactful updates in Dwarf Fortress history. It’s a direct challenge to veteran players, dismantling over a decade of established siege strategy and forcing everyone to adapt. It promises to make defending your fortress a more dynamic, challenging, and ultimately rewarding experience. So, stock your armories, train your siege crews, and prepare for the onslaught. November 3rd is coming.
FAQs
- 1. When is the Dwarf Fortress Siege Update being released?
- The Siege Update is scheduled to be released on November 3, 2025.
- 2. Is this a free update?
- Yes, it is a free update for all owners of the Steam version of Dwarf Fortress.
- 3. What are the biggest changes coming in the update?
- The biggest changes are to enemy AI during sieges. Enemies can now use battering rams, build their own structures, break through walls, and use advanced squad tactics. Defenses like traps are also being rebalanced.
- 4. Are there any new weapons for players?
- Yes, the update introduces the Bolt Thrower, a new fast-firing siege engine. Existing catapults and ballistas are also being improved.
- 5. Will my current save files work with the update?
- Yes, the developers have stated that existing save files should be compatible with the Siege Update.
- 6. Are magma and drowning traps useless now?
- Not useless, but their effectiveness is being reduced to encourage players to build a more diverse range of defenses instead of relying on a single trap type.