Errrrm, here's the post I was talking about:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=83728.msg2240839#msg2240839And here's my "Not quite as tweaked as it is now" embark profile.
[PROFILE]
[TITLE:BYO EVERYTHING - COLD/TREELESS/TERRIFYING]
[SKILL:1:PLANT:5]
[SKILL:1:FORGE_WEAPON:5]
[SKILL:2:MINING:3]
[SKILL:2:PLANT:5]
[SKILL:2:JUDGING_INTENT:1]
[SKILL:2:APPRAISAL:1]
[SKILL:3:MINING:2]
[SKILL:3:SHIELD:1]
[SKILL:3:ARMOR:1]
[SKILL:3:SNEAK:1]
[SKILL:3:TEACHING:2]
[SKILL:3:MELEE_COMBAT:2]
[SKILL:3:DODGING:1]
[SKILL:4:BREWING:5]
[SKILL:4:STONECRAFT:5]
[SKILL:5:COOK:5]
[SKILL:5:FORGE_ARMOR:5]
[SKILL:6:CARPENTRY:5]
[SKILL:6:MECHANICS:5]
[SKILL:7:MASONRY:5]
[SKILL:7:SMELT:5]
[ITEM:2:WEAPON:ITEM_WEAPON_PICK:INORGANIC:COPPER]
[ITEM:8:BOULDER:NONE:INORGANIC:COAL_BITUMINOUS]
[ITEM:1:BAR:NONE:COAL:CHARCOAL]
[ITEM:3:BOULDER:NONE:INORGANIC:MALACHITE]
[ITEM:3:BOULDER:NONE:INORGANIC:CASSITERITE]
[ITEM:1:ANVIL:NONE:INORGANIC:IRON]
[ITEM:6:BOULDER:NONE:INORGANIC:ORTHOCLASE]
[ITEM:23:WOOD:NONE:PLANT_MAT:TOWER_CAP:WOOD]
[ITEM:1:POWDER_MISC:NONE:INORGANIC:SAND_BLACK]
[ITEM:1:POWDER_MISC:NONE:INORGANIC:SAND_YELLOW]
[ITEM:1:POWDER_MISC:NONE:INORGANIC:SAND_WHITE]
[ITEM:1:POWDER_MISC:NONE:INORGANIC:SAND_RED]
[ITEM:1:POWDER_MISC:NONE:INORGANIC:SAND_TAN]
[ITEM:1:LIQUID_MISC:NONE:LYE:NONE]
[ITEM:1:POWDER_MISC:NONE:INORGANIC:PLASTER]
[ITEM:3:CHAIN:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SPIDER_CAVE:SILK]
[ITEM:11:PLANT:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:STRUCTURAL]
[ITEM:16:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:SEED]
[ITEM:11:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:SEED]
[ITEM:11:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_WHEAT_CAVE:SEED]
[ITEM:16:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:POD_SWEET:SEED]
[ITEM:6:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:BUSH_QUARRY:SEED]
[ITEM:6:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_CUP_DIMPLE:SEED]
[ITEM:11:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:DRINK]
[ITEM:21:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:DRINK]
[ITEM:21:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_WHEAT_CAVE:DRINK]
[ITEM:21:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:POD_SWEET:DRINK]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:MARMOT_HOARY:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:GOAT_MOUNTAIN:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:RAT:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:POND_GRABBER:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:RAT_LARGE:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:COW:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:HORSE:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:MULE:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:CAT:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:DOG:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:MOLE_DOG_NAKED:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:OLM:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:CAP_HOPPER:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:DONKEY:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:CAMEL_1_HUMP:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:HEDGEHOG:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:HONEY BADGER:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:BIRD_VULTURE:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:CAMEL_2_HUMP:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:BIRD_PEAFOWL_BLUE:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:BIRD_GUINEAFOWL:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:ALPACA:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:LLAMA:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:FISH:NONE:LOBSTER_CAVE:FEMALE]
[ITEM:1:FISH:NONE:LOBSTER_CAVE:MALE]
[ITEM:1:FISH:NONE:FISH_CAVE:FEMALE]
[ITEM:1:FISH:NONE:FISH_CAVE:MALE]
[ITEM:1:FISH:NONE:TURTLE:MALE]
[ITEM:1:FISH:NONE:TURTLE:FEMALE]
[PET:5:DOG:FEMALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:DOG:MALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:CAT:MALE:STANDARD]
You'll have a few embark points left over on start-up (fish never seem to get included, and your civ/biome might not have the stuff I tend to bring). But I shit you not, embarking with food/booze/bronze/seeds/dogs and some other stuff seems to always work. Three more picks and axes/spears does wonders as well for defense and boosts a quick-start extremely well. You can switch out either a planter or a stonecrafter to what you want, but they are both bloody handy to have (although a skilled metal-crafter would be my next priority).
And a skilled carpenter is a must. Scary environments need good shields, quick. Every environment needs good beds and quick barrels/bins. Good sleep and a place for booze/trade crap makes all the difference between happy dwarves and ecstatic dwarves. Carpenters are just too good early on to not have one, then they can run off and do other stuff. Make mechanisms in my case.