I'm preparing to revisit an old concept:
Vaults, like Vault-Tech. More, Dorf-Tech. These would be completely sealed off from the outside world, to allow the fort to survive any siege or attack.
Each Vault will have, at minimum:
- A place to grow food
- A breeding pair of cats
- A breeding pair of pigs
- possibly a breeding pair of dogs
- Pig Tails, Dimple Dye, Cave Wheat, and Plump Helmets (and/or their seeds)
- Emergency Mood Workshop (with a stash of materials for each)
- a breeding pair of poultry
- Full Bedrooms
Most will be stocked with at least 1 breeding pair of Dwarves, sometimes more.
Once I get 1-2 Vaults set up, I'll be experimenting with Magma (still not that confident with it as a player), and getting some Magma-powered Kilns, Glass Furnaces, A Forge or two, and Smelteries set up. With 1-2 airlocks in place to get more materials/retrieve finished materials from the Vaults.
Additionally, I plan on building rooms in each Vault for a Temple, a Library, and a Tavern, so they get those needs met as well. All part of the same Library, Temple, and Tavern in the same Fort, but with branches in each Vault.
One of the Vaults will end up being a Doomsday Military Squad fort, with a couple of civilian dwarves to make sure the Squad that's locked in there is fed, watered, and clothed. They will only be released if the rest of the fort dies off, and needs to be avenged. In the meantime, the Doomsday Vault will do nothing but training.
Other Vaults will specialize in different aspects, and will have airlocks to send out Masterworks for caravans. Additionally, any and all Artifacts will be locked away in the Vaults, to prevent their loss.