How's this for the rule for next time: "The last straw/final catastrophe can't happen on your own turn."?
Thinking out loud. When does it become a final straw?
Digging the tile that opens the circus. - That's a final straw.
However, digging that tile, with a raised bridge to block further circus entry is ok, since the doom is contained?
And so, hoping other players pull a lever, or walk over/set mechanically a pressure plate that eventually triggers the raising of said bridge? This is legit strat.
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I go back to my play. Start of turn, a cave in of an 11x11 room just happened on the last day it seems, because the dusts and even some dwarfs are still z+1 thrown up and about to land for some damage on 1st day of spring.
Could have been a final straw, but some survived with injuries, and some unscathed to tend/move the wounded.
Would have severely crippled or dead if I did not secure water which was outside through some weird rain (used traffic restrictions and burrow to minimize pathing over the rain goo).
Zero wood stock and zero buckets would have further lessen the chance to survive. There is plenty of wood in the northwest, but it is soaked with the goo that blisters body parts.
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I guess my point is, my starting scenario had options to turn the tides, or at least seems like there's a chance.
Whereas a dorf trapped with just food and no tools does not leave the next player to "play"
I mean, even a single pick challenge is a more hopeful starting scenario.