Hi guys. I'm still quite new to DF and started up a new fortress using 40d11 called Stakebridges.
I tried to find the most newbie friendly map I could when embarking and found a spot that's heavily forested, borders a mountain, is warm and calm, has a brook, black sand, and a dolomite layer. The brook also has the funniest name I've ever seen a random name generator produce:
Womenfame the Organization of Dumps. By an astonishing coincidence, 6 out of my 7 starting dwarves are female.
My dwarves, calling themselves The West Pick, had the following skills:
1 Wrestler, 3 Judge of Intent, 3 Appraiser, 3 Organizer: My leader
1 Wrestler, 5 Mining, 4 Siege Engineer:
1 Wrestler, 5 Mining, 4 Siege Operator: My miners/siege defenders
1 Wrestler, 5 Grower, 4 Herbalist: My food producer
1 Wrestler, 5 Mason, 4 Stonecrafter: My rock recycler
5 Weaponsmith, 5 Armorsmith: My military supplier
5 Shield User, 4 Axedwarf, 1 Woodcutter My guard/starting logger (also my only male)
Everybody except the smith has Novice in at least one military and civilian skill. I declined the smith because I wanted to get a head start on obtaining Masterwork weapons/armor.
My embark goods are 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 copper picks, 1 steel battle axe, iron anvil, and assorted food, drink and seeds.
Things are going fairly well. I have a farm producing plenty of food, food storage with kitchen and still, bedrooms 10 z levels below the surface so the dorfs won't be disturbed by the woodcutters, a dining hall and basic workshops(carpentry, masonry and craftsdwarf). Everybody is in an ecstatic mood and I'm working on basic walls around my entrance.
I'm a little concerned because I've reached the first summer and haven't found any metal yet. Swimming in dolomite, trees and sand, though. How soon before some unpleasant nasties show up and how best can I prepare for them? I wouldn't want my first caravan or migrant party to get ambushed and me with no way to defend them. Should I have embarked with some metal bars?