On a whim, I decided to embark in a desert, and I think for the first time I might actually have made a fort I want to play long term
I embarked with my typical setup of four anvils, some picks, some pigs, seeds, minimal drinks and plants, and no skills
The fortress is based on the three dwarven staple crops of purple shrooms, wheat, and sugar pods, we also brought pig tails for hospital thread, bags, and clothes of course
No quarry bushes, instead I get my soap and food from the pigs, and they also provide leather, although I don't really use that for anything but it's nice in case of a mood
After digging down to the caverns and magma, I found out that I have iron, copper, silver, lead, and platinum, so that's pretty sweet
I have tons of marble, of course coal for pig iron will be rare until my cavern tree farm gets going (I've only just finished flooding it)
This fort is only 2 years old, so not a whole lot interesting has happened so far, just your usual stream of adventurers fighting trolls and troggs in the cavern. I have a military set up, training, and basically fully equipped, they've killed some wild animals and monsters here and there, but no real engagements of note
I wish there was stuff actually worth trading for so I'd something to use all this platinum for