Is the current version that is meant for .19 compatible with .18? Cuz I've been advised to wait for a bug fix before using .19, and I just cannot wait.
Go ahead and play 0.19, just make sure to embark on an area that has 2 metal entries and flux stone and be aware that you STILL might be screwed over on metals. Embark accordingly and hope for shallow copper or iron ore. Don't do beekeeping, and do not make extra nest boxes (keep it equal or less than the number of female birds). Don't hit "V" on named creatures with truetype on. Other than that I think you will be fine.
If you find iron, proceed as normal.
If you find copper, order tin as the highest priority from every caravan. Bronze is not totally sucky now. Make some bronze warhammers.
If you find silver, make silver war hammers and silver crafts to trade for ore. Silver warhammers might not penetrate armor, but if they are flying back 50 feet impacting on a tree with two ruptured lungs, does it matter? You might be stuck with leather armor, but many silver hammer blows are one hit kills now. They even do good in studies against adamantine armor.
Silver: [MOLAR_MASS:107868]
Bronze: [MOLAR_MASS:80000]
Steel: [MOLAR_MASS:55845]
What hammer do you want to get hit with?
Just don't count on finding more than one type of metal in the ground. Order a variety of ornamental metals, because once you find your first metal you probably won't be finding any others. You may also be only finding one type of gemstone. Order others early. Beware of nobles that like gold or the like even more than normal.