The recent fort I started 2 night ago just died from a nerco siege by the 2nd spring.
It was totally unexpected to have 12 elf corpse, 8 human corpses, and 8 goblin corpses, with probably some hidden necro that I was not able to see.
Looking back in what I was doing, I started on a larger above ground walls foot print of 20x30ish, instead of my usual 13x13.
I think that because this was a heavily wooded area, I could get up 2-z walls sooner.
Unfortunately, I also decided to get 2 military founders training sooner.
And at the same time, I was progressing to breach the 2 layer aquifer.
Despite having the Herbalist handle all the food and drink needs, the focus to breaching the aquifer seems to get time to move faster from manually un-.suspending the build wall-that my above ground walls were not completed.
Anyway, I may actually play this world again. There was an inland Terrifying lake/ocean next to an untamed wild thick forest, with a minor river, and that is 2 region tiles south from the necro tower. Time to hatch a better plan this time:
Obviously, I don't think I can field the military power by the 2nd spring.
So I should focus on the securing fortress access from above ground.
Cage Traps would be limited to the amount of stone I embark with because breaching aquifer will takes some time.
33 stones = for 1 lever linked bridge; and 30 mechanism for 30 cage traps.
1. Miner+5, Teacher+5 (future commander)
2 & 3. Carpenter+3/Mason+3/Mechanic+3/Discipline+1 seems to be the perfect dwarf skills to handle the screw pump assembly, and then walling the aquifer breach.
Mechanic to build screw pumps, carpenter to build walls and floors using logs, mason for deconstructing.
And this should help speed up above ground walls as I build a 30-ish long hallway leading to 3x3 bridge with cagetraps underneath, and 1-tile path exist full of traps back to said hallway.
4. Herbalist+5, Cook+5
5. Carpenter+5 + Manager + Social
6. Mechanic+5 / Broker + Social
7. Mason+5 / +Doctor