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[Tacomagic]

I decided to try something a little different with my latest fortress mode.  I used a RNG and a little manual labor (read: 2 hours of setup) to almost completely randomize an embark.  The site was chosen randomly (rolled x and y coords, re-rolling Ocean, then rolled randomly in the sub-map for the 4x4 location), the skills of the dwarfs were rolled randomly (2 skills each dwarf, one with slightly more training, plus one designated farmer and two designated miners), and a large portion of their starting goods were rolled randomly (aside from a basic "starting kit" of picks, food, and booze).

My embark location was actually a fairly easy spot.  Lots of metal, sand, clay, and deep soil.  There was an aquifer, but that wouldn't pose too much of an issue once I got the kit together to double-slit through it.

So, yes, not too hard actually, except for a twist: I decreed before embark that no dwarf may ever hold a labor that he did not at least have novice in aside from the initial random hard designations of farmer and the two miners (to be replaced by the first trained migrant).  This rule was extended to migrants as well.  The only exception was for soldiers, which could be given to any dwarf that did not have a unique job (such as if I had 3 milkers, I could make 2 of them soldiers).  I never came up with rules for children that grew up, but that never actually became an issue.

The whole fiasco was crippled from the get-go.  The embark location had a 5-z aquifer that I never managed to breach because in the nearly 2 years of game-time, I never once got a wood cutter or a mechanic.  I almost made it to the second caravan but then I had a dwarf get in a fey mood for a craft station that I couldn't build.  He went insane killed 6 people, including 2 childing.  That started a massive tantrum spiral that spelled game over instant fun!

The best part was the sheer number of fisherdwarves and milkers I ended up with, which was awesome because there were absolutely no fish in my embark (no river).  I also ended up with a large number of milkers but never got my hands on anything that produced milk.

I did it as kind of an experiment for a narrative, hoping to draw on the randomness to provide a unique outlook.  I don't think I handled the unique aspects of it as much as I could have, so I'm thinking I'll refresh myself with some adventure mode and try again in a day or two.

A more detailed version of my setup is here.

[Tacomagic]

I have to say, the neatest part was the Peacock that killed two of the tantruming dwarves.  Too bad he suffocated before he was able to down a third.

[laularukyrumo]

The game tries to help you by sending you people you aren't actively using, because it presumes you don't have any. This usually translates to hordes of fishermen/potash makers/strand extractors since those labors are never used by people who know how the game works. It's the same reason the elves bring nothing but cloth: most people don't stockpile the required amount of cloth to stay above the virtual poverty line, so the caravans try to offset that.

It would be nice if the game sent you hordes of metalcrafters instead of fishermen, though. As it is, I would honestly suggest making an amendment for at least fishermen if you can't fish.

[Tacomagic]

True, but what's the fun in that? 

Actually my brute squad of wrestlers were all recycled fisherdwarves so they did end up serving a purpose to some extent.

The real fun moment was when the migrants arrived during the spiral.  One of them was a great wood cutter / mechanic.  That felt like the game was just giving me the finger, really.

[laularukyrumo]

Welp.

Once Doomportals falls, I think I'll start a random embark of my own. Delicious.