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[Rogue Yun]

Hello,

So, what kind of equipment would you recommend for embark if you want a small militia immediately? (Lets just say, an untrained Militia Commander and his not so lucky recruit with periodic additions from the first two migrant waves).

Would you bring cheap raw materials to make a lot of armor and weapons?

Or would you shell out the precious embark points for already made equipment?

Would you bring wood and ore to start a metal industry quickly? What metal would you bring?

Or would you bring lots of leather because initially leather is easy and is a quick fix?

I've tried a couple things without ever feeling I was quite ready for the first goblin invasion. I even modded the game so I could make rock clubs and breastplates.. but I felt I was cheating a little

I've planned it out and I think I could spend roughly 400-500 embark points on just the military alone. I'd love to hear what ya'll think.

Note: I'm trying to avoid using traps and certain exploits (like creating infinite metal). Thanks in advance!

[SeelenJägerTee]

I assume you are using vanilla amount of starting points.

There is only one circumstance I could imagine bringing armour and wepons directly and this is an extremely hostile embark. Say a terrifying biome or somesuch where an attack at time 0 would be plausible before any other defenses are in place. However then I would certainly not go with an unskilled militia captain, in this case I would bring a warrior with me.

In any other case I would bring the raw materials and forge my stuff on site - actually I wouldn't even bring a pick or an axe with me.
What I would do is either go for Steel or Bronze/Bismuth bronze. Probably I would bring one hematite this would give 4 steel weapons and then i would bring enough cassiterite, copper pre and bismuthine
to forge bronze/bismuth bronze armour.
I think going full steel plating is going to be too expensive starting point wise.

[Urist McRas]

If I knew for sure what kind of danger I am against, then I plan accordingly, up to spending all embark points for armor and weapon.

If it's just generally dangerous area, then I would take some copper ore and bitumious coal. Copper is good against many things.

[Linkxsc]

If im going for a terrifying embark. Ill often make my embark rather large (physically more time for baddies to make it to my dorfs) and often ill bring some copper ore(whichever 1 has some silver in it) and w/e the tin 1 is. I bring the tetra though because i can often get a couple silver warhammers out within the first few days. And theyre great for bashing up zombies.

Couple important things though. Forgo all the pig tail cloth stuff. It eats up several hundred embark points can opt for spider silk. Nd even then just bring thread. Also forgo all wooden things. Its cheaper to bring wood and make it yourself. Bring the anvil tho. And perhaps some cheap leather for a couple cheap quick quivers. Also if you dont mind being cheap. Instead of say 15 of 1 meat and 15 cave fish. Bring 30 unique types of meat. Cause youll get free barrels so that early wood can go towards charcoal for weaponmaking or bolts

[Loud Whispers]

Have at least 2 Dwarves with proficient in teaching skill. Bring plenty of logs and plenty of copper bars to get to making equipment instantly; use logs for fuel, crossbows and shields, copper for picks, axes, spears and hammers/maces (copper is very dense, it's second best after silver/steel).

If im going for a terrifying embark. Ill often make my embark rather large (physically more time for baddies to make it to my dorfs) and often ill bring some copper ore(whichever 1 has some silver in it)

You're right in that it's tetrahedrite which has the silver.

[neblime]

if you aren't going to be in danger from the environment immediately, it can be good to just bring 2 weapons (an axe and a hammer I think can deal with the most between them) and make wooden shields once you get there and immediately setup a barracks and have 2 of your dwarves start training.  In the amount of time it takes for the first siege or whatever to show up they will probably end up sparring quite a bit, and be able to handle most things.

[Loud Whispers]

if you aren't going to be in danger from the environment immediately, it can be good to just bring 2 weapons (an axe and a hammer I think can deal with the most between them) and make wooden shields once you get there and immediately setup a barracks and have 2 of your dwarves start training.

Even in terrifying biomes I think it is better to bring raw materials instead. What you save in points you can use to spend on carpentry and weaponsmithing skills; both will give your Dwarves better quality weapons and equipment and carpentry is an especially useful and transferrable skill. A +larch bed+ is always better than a larch bed.

[Rogue Yun]

Ya'll are awesome! Thank you for the tips! I think I'll grab a few training axes, lots of wood, and copper bars (I'll take the bars as an upgrade from ore so I can skip the smelter for now). While I have my 2 miners digging out my fort I'll have my carpenter making and armor stand first followed by some beds with one guy making a couple sets of copper armor with a finale of copper axes. The last guy to get my farms up and running. I think I'll make my temp barraks outside to so they can train on wild animals as well.

Thanks again!

Have at least 2 Dwarves with proficient in teaching skill. Bring plenty of logs and plenty of copper bars to get to making equipment instantly; use logs for fuel, crossbows and shields, copper for picks, axes, spears and hammers/maces (copper is very dense, it's second best after silver/steel).

I think I'll give the teaching skill a shot as well. Thanks

[Loud Whispers]

No probs! Also, probably best to not have even your temp barracks out in the open; it's much safer to personally dictate what your Dwarves kill so they don't charge zombie elephant herds e.t.c.

[vanatteveldt]

Logs are expensive I think. Why not bring [bituminous] coal (assuming your civ has it)?

I tend to go with 10-15 [bituminous] coal, 10-15 copper, 10-15 cassetirite [and one coke]. Bronze makes 8 bars with 1 fuel, so that is quite efficient and it is as good as iron AFAIK. Steel would be better but much more expensive and involved to make.

If you need a military from the get-go you'll need some stuff, I guess copper/bronze weapons and helmet at the minimum, and you'll need to spend points on military skills.

If you can wait until the first ambush/siege, you can afford to make all the armor/weapons yourself, and pick teacher/student/defensive skills, and train up the rest. Make sure you have them training from early summer so they get decently skilled before the second spring.

[Methadone]

You only need one coal or coke; bring bituminous coal or lignite, smelt one or two immediately and you'll have plenty.

[vanatteveldt]

You only need one coal or coke; bring bituminous coal or lignite, smelt one or two immediately and you'll have plenty.

That's what I meant, although it is good to bring one coke as well to jump start the smelting. Edited post to clarify.

[Rogue Yun]

Sorry for the delayed response, I've been working on my tileset with all my free time. This is awesome! Ya'll just made my dwarf fortress experience 100% more dwarffy! Thank you!