I don't know if you want hints, but you can just put hatch covers over your garbage drops, and the odd cage trap nearby in those long drop tunnels at ivylashes would've saved you a lot of fighting-undead morale problems. Also, during tantrum spirals, make everyone do everything so stuff keeps getting done, get doors up everywhere, lock the madmen away, and tunnel around them. Build more than one craftdorf shop already, six is much faster. Buy lots more picks, everyone's a miner, the stone doesn't stand a chance.
Hints are always welcome. Part of this is to find out what I don't know.
The only way to do that is to share what I'm doing so people can point out my errors.
So, hatches will keep my dorfs from getting scared about the undead in the holes? Good to know. I won't have to design 6z drop pits (like are currently in FurnaceClans) to get rid of skins and the like.
Cages, however, would have been very tough. I had no metal industry and wood was still scarse. The cage traps would have been a too little/too late kind of thing. Very appropriate though, and I may use that idea in FurnaceClans. We've certainly got enough other problems that I'm not afraid of pushing the system abit... namely, Stez.
Of course, I don't see mid-game tantrum spirals as that much of a problem.
This was my error. I'm very used to being able to ride out a tantrum or ten and then get on with business with a few dorfs in the jails. I'd forgotten the constant undead removal would cause so much heartache on the little beards.
And you've got me single-picking. In the desert, with no aquifer. Because going strait to the caverns for survival is interesting, especially if you miss the first one, or two. Also, no-item. Fishing murky pools will totally get you to the caravan and buy you a pick if you can survive the surface. Wrestling trains pretty quick if you bump skulls up to size 100 too.
WOOOT! Another one!
How do you mean no-item? With the wood from the cart in a desert you should be able to make a few training axes and go nuts on lumber. Cactus works quite well as a lumber source, at least at first. While you dig down you should be able to pretty easily set up a palisades and a few workshops. Probably one of the only excuses for wooden armor, too.
It looks like this one may even work out for a little wile. Too bad about the migration waves being cannon fodder. A generational fort under these conditions may even be to your benefit because you have fewer dwarves to keep fed and happy! Unfortunately it also means less replacements for accidents. Good luck!
I've confirmed I have two pairs of lovers, they just need to wed (and stay alive). Generational is a possibility.
Urst! Step up the slab production! We have another migration wave coming!
... or merchants... or liasons...
I'm going to nickname the main dining room's hallway as "The Migrant Memoral". It's becoming paved with slabs.