So we settled in a rocky wasteland with an aquifer underneath. There were about a dozen saguaros on the surface when we embarked (and a few fruit trees where other biomes encroached). Four years later, there are four hundred.
Over the four years, we lost two dwarfs to werebeast visits - because the idiots (both jewellers) decided to wrestle the creatures. Damnit, handling werebeasts is the job of the militia! Last time, the axelord bit the were-gila monster and shook it around while chopping parts of with his *steel axe*. Although that werecritter had dropped the ball long before - i got a freak combat report out of nowhere about a werebeast mauling a pangolin and just needed to dispatch the militia in the appropriate direction. Nice job announcing your presence.
Three dwarfs got hurt in cave-ins. Worst was a baby girl who ended up with a smashed ankle and foot. After she upgraded to child, she stayed in the hospital for five months, most of the time in traction issuing constant diagnosis requests (probably got an infection somewhere - i don't know for sure because i've taken to not assigning chief medical dwarfs: they're not required for healthcare and i find lacking medical information makes the dwarftional health system more fun). There are four dwarfs with healthcare fully enabled, but usually it ended up with two dwarfs taking turns looking after her. We ended up with one high master, one professional, one proficient and one compentent diagnoser. Not bad.