I played it a while ago, but not much recently. When I did I tended to just play adventure mode instead of fortress. I'm wanting to do that eventually, but it's going to take a while to learn that mode.
The most interesting thing that happened to me was trying to take down a trio of Necromancers. I usually played as a Demi God human. The weapon I used was varied. I always used a bunch of points on social awareness so I could get a lot of followers. That and I usually became very proficient with a sword. Anyway, as I was exploring the world, I came across a lair. Needless to say I went to explore it. At the time I only had a couple of followers, but I was brave and went in. On the first floor we encountered around 20 zombies. My group and I took down a few, then died gruesome deaths.
Around this time I found that you could go to the exact same place you explored in a previous place. So I gathered about ten more followers and became even more proficient in sword fighting. Then I decided to actually use some semblance of battle tactics. My group and I led the zombies out of the Necromancers' fortress, so we could use hit and run tactics. We were doing pretty good until the Necromancers showed up. All of the zombies we slew were brought back to life by two of the three Necromancers. We got surrounded so we fought and fought, and eventually we were but a few people left. One of my companions scored a lucky hit on a Necromancer and he gave into pain. I dealt the finishing blow to the Necromancer by decapitating him, but not before a zombie bit my leg. I realized I was about to die so I left my last companion and limped away hoping for an escape route. I saw a river and dived in hoping that zombies couldn't swim. Then I remembered that I didn't spend any skill points on the swimming skill. Let alone my leg was severely hurt. As i was drowning and trying to reach the opposite shore, I saw the alligators. Apparently the river was alligator infested. I died by being torn apart.
On my third attempt I realized I was going about this the wrong way. Why wade through hordes of zombies to kill a Necromancer, when I could shoot him with an arrow from afar. That's right. I finally found my calling, as an archer. Oh but I wanted to be prepared this time. I spent a long time gaining followers, and ambushing goblins, kobolds and the like. When I finally thought we were ready I had a solid minimum of 25 people following me as their designated leader. I went to the fortress. The battle of the previous life showed on the field outside of the fortress. Like before we led the zombies outside. All of the bodies from the last life were raised, or too messed up to be risen from the dead. The zombies stood at around fifty in total. A battle ensued with bodies on both sides falling. We lost almost ten when the last two Necromancers showed up. They raised the bodies from the dead, outnumbering us again. But I refused to lose this time. I took an arrow and nicked it in my bow. With the aim I gained from previous adventures in this life, the arrow soared true and struck a Necromancer in the head. The Necromancer died almost instantly. My companions were just about ten left at this point. I knew our only hope was to kill the last Necromancer. He stood again at the end of the horde. The bodies were being revived less readily, as there was only one Necromancer left. We were still outnumbered by at least 2:1 though, and we were being pushed back steadily. Soon enough the closed in on us. You see my party was organized like a typical company of adventurers. Ranged in the back and melee fighters in the front. Usually a really solid strategy for combat. That is until a warrior broke the line. He was jumped on by a zombie and died brutally. Then the same zombie set its beady eyes on me. I was already taking shots at the Necromancer, but none were having much effect as the Necromancer got smart. He was hiding by several zombies and having them take my shots for him. I didn't notice the zombie that broke the line. It lunged at me and took a bite out of my left arm. Over my adventures I had collected a couple of daggers and stuff, so I used one to make quick work of that zombie. After that small melee battle for my archer, I realized I was useless. The zombie had snapped bones and cut tendons in my arm. I was no longer able to fight the way I was used to. Without my expertly aimed arrows taking out zombies that threatened to take out our line we were at a severe disadvantage. And that is aside from the fact that our line had already been broken. Our group fell into disarray within half a minute. We were finally surrounded. Four of my companions surrounded me fending of as much of the horde as possible. If they were to die they were to die defending they're leader. In this moment I knew I couldn't fail them. Those still alive as well as those who fought for me in this life, and my previous ones. One arm was ruined, and I couldn't take a dagger and throw it properly. I looked around the small area I was in, and inspiration came. A stone, no larger than my hand was sitting there on the ground. I picked it up and set my eyes on the Necromancer. He must've gotten cocky because his shield zombies were gone. Maybe he saw me drop my bow, but at that point in time it didn't matter to me. I was going to avenge my companions. My group finally broke and all of my companions, but one fell around me. I took my aim and hurled the stone through the air towards the Necromancer. The climax of this character's life came together then. All of the skill and experience I had gathered throughout the life represented itself in this throw. It sailed true and struck the Necromancer in the head, causing him to give into pain. Essentially he was knocked out. It was like I could feel my character smile right before the zombies closed in on me tearing me into pieces. I never found out what happened after that. Maybe my last companion escaped, or maybe he was killed as well. I like to think he dealt the finishing blow to that last Necromancer, but I never found out. If he did die though, I can rest well knowing that a Necromancer doesn't have control of zombies when he isn't conscious. More likely than not the zombies turned on their master and killed him.
After that life I took a break from the game. When I got back to it, my brother had created a fortress on the same world, meaning that I could never use that world for adventure mode again. I guess I'll never truly know what happened after that last character died.
So yes, I guess you could say I played a bit of Dwarf Fortress.
