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[Snowdog]

I plan on starting a mainly above ground fort in the most inhospitable (not evil) desert biome I can find. Anyone have any advice for what I should bring and do to tame the harsh environment?

[crazysheep]

Assuming a sandy desert, make use of free building materials and make tonnes of green glass (the cheapest glass) items - pots to replace wooden barrels, blocks for building, terrariums instead of cages, etc etc. Dig down and find magma for cheap and quick glass fort spam.

[TheBlueSteel]

Desert forts with a volcano actually aren't that rare, and can be great fun. I once built Armok's Beard out of green glass. Also it makes for fun anti-building destroyer mines.

[King DZA]

Mod in shendyts. Bring shendyts.

[Logen910]

A volcano is always a good idea, especially in a harsh environment like a desert. it makes a great migrant dump. and a great defense against invaders. also you can try to build fun things over a volcano. once i build a magma-submarine. inside where 3 dwarves and a dog. after it submerged it was never seen again but i am sure they are doing fine exploring the great magma seas.

[misko27]

watch out for giant scorpians, they have a incredibly deadly toxin.

[Replica]

Deserts are lame, Ocean Glaciers is where the challenge is at.

[Triaxx2]

Bring logs. You won't have enough beds otherwise, and you might have to go pretty deep for caverns to get wood, not to mention it being very dangerous.

Also if hostile desert means enemies instead of just the lethal environment, you'll want to bring a rope, block and mechanism for a well. You might be able to make booze, but when your mil-dorfs get hurt you'll need water. And you're only going to get it from the caverns, which probably means a very long exploratory shaft with the well at the bottom.

You'll also want to get some defenses up as quick as you can. A simple stone wall with a roof over it will not only keep your dorfs safe, but stationing one of them under it will keep flying enemies from getting in without going through your dorf.

[Friendstrange]

Deserts are lame, Ocean Glaciers is where the challenge is at.

Oceans and Glaciers dont give you acces to Giant Desert Scorpions.
Blizzard Men are cute, ill give you that much.

Snowdog, you should try embarking on a map with half evil desert and half savage desert. Trust me on this, the Nightwings are your friend.
Or half Desert, half evil Ocean.

[weenog]

Dig out one or two levels of sand layers even though you're going to be building mainly above ground.  Dig, not channel, you need the floors intact.

When you breach a cavern, if it has mud, spores of subterranean plant life will infest the area (you don't get a special message nor can you see it, just trust that it's happening).  After that happens, cavern plants will start growing on all the dark subterranean tiles you have which are viable for plants (naturally occurring soil including sand, muddied natural rock, but not obstructions like staircases... pretty much anything you could build a farm on).  In time those sand levels you dug out will be brimming with fungiwood and towercap trees, wild plump helmets and other crops, and grass equivalents like cave moss which you can pasture grazing livestock on.

Even better, since the only way to access your faux forest will be (if you have any sense) from inside your fortress, siege squads and other hostiles won't freely wipe out your livestock and your woodcutters every time they show up.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Bring logs. You won't have enough beds otherwise, and you might have to go pretty deep for caverns to get wood, not to mention it being very dangerous.

The first cavern layer is actually safer than the surface--the marginally scarier wildlife (nothing compared to a savage biome, usually) is completely overshadowed by sieges and such from the surface.

Also if hostile desert means enemies instead of just the lethal environment, you'll want to bring a rope, block and mechanism for a well. You might be able to make booze, but when your mil-dorfs get hurt you'll need water. And you're only going to get it from the caverns, which probably means a very long exploratory shaft with the well at the bottom.

Unless you have an aquifer. Or live near the caverns.

You'll also want to get some defenses up as quick as you can. A simple stone wall with a roof over it will not only keep your dorfs safe, but stationing one of them under it will keep flying enemies from getting in without going through your dorf.

Good advice.

[Loud Whispers]

You embarking with a river?

Pretty much needed if anyone gets wounded.

[Megaman3321]

Lots and lots of booze, and a few extra axes. Giant scorpions are never always fun; best to be prepared.



EDIT: fixed a typo

[Corai]

Lots and lots of booze, and a few extra axes. Giant scorpions are never fun; best to be prepared.

ELF. BURN IT!

[Megaman3321]

I said fun, not !!FUN!!. There's a difference