I don't know where to post this, but I'll post it here for the sake of "testing."
World-gen: small region, 1 cavern layer max, up 20 starting civs from 10 (got too much rejection at 40), and minerals to 750.
1. I got a dead or dying civ warning. I abandoned after spring.
2. New gen. Dead or dying civ warning; Modded Dwarf to have 8 arms. I abandoned after autumn.
3. New gen. Dead or dying civ warning; Modded Dwarf to have 4 arms only. I abandoned after autumn again. I want a flatter embark.
4. New gen. Dead or dying civ warning; Modded Dwarf to have 4 arms only. Nightwings arrived Spring of 2nd year. They fly, wear steel armor, and shoot steel bolts. Undead keas were flying, and these Nighwings were one shotting the undead keas. I raised bridged, I lack military. I abandoned after an undead kea left the map with a stolen spent steel bolt, and the Nightwings are leaving also.
5. New gen. Dead or dying civ warning; Dwarfs have 4 arms. Year 2 spring, expedition leader became queen. No sieges yet. No army to speak off.
Had a dwarf trader but no liaison, and elf trader come. Biome has 1 haunted area, rains goblin blood that makes a dwarf despair.
Anyway, I try to make 20 steel armor set and weapons ~ 210 steel bars.
I am testing between embarking with "limonite + marble + bit coals" and smelting them on the surface.
Versus, 10 garnerite ores; to make nickel minecarts and fill them up and make the magma forge near the surface.
I can try and just forge down by the magma sea since surface to magma sea is less for a 1 cavern max world.
I am also testing first 7 dwarf labors:
My latest test batch are:
2 miners/mason/mech
2 axe/armor user
1 farmer/brewer/cook
1 carpenter/stone crafter
1 doctor/admin/wood cutter
Instead of the 2 axe dwarfs training as soon as I make a barracks, they end up helping in constructions and hauling.
I need to be satisfied with a minimal outpost setup, whatever that may be.
Farms. I have 5 1x7 outdoor, and 5 1x7 indoor farm plots. Too much?! Should I stick with Herbalism the first year?
Or be ok with 1x7 plump helmet, and pig tail. Add cave wheat, sweet pod, quarry bush when pop is higher.
1x7 choice outdoor plan, probably sun berries.
Bed & Dine. I make 7 rooms each with bed, door, chest and cabinet. Starting with wood makes is easier it seems.
But then I keep thinking ahead and try to queue furniture for 200 pop + 20 hospital bed.
Maybe narrow to 20 bed dorm first, with 4 hospital.
Dine, I seem to start with 6 pairs of chairs and table, and 1 set for the admin. Tavern set for citizens only.
But then, I make sure I have at least 7x7 dance floor. May narrow this to 5x5.
Kitchen
For some reason, I'm automatically making farmer's workshop, 2 still, 2 kitchen, then butcher, tanner, leather; then farmer, loom, clothier; then wood burner, ashery, soaper, quern and presser. And then proceed to dig an indoor garbage smasher. Maybe it's too much busy work for 7 dwarfs.
May just be ok with 3x3 seed pile, 3x5 plant pile, 7x7 food prep, 1 farmers, 1 still, 1 kitchen.
Then tavern to hold 7x7 drinks, and 3x7 prepared meals.
Forge 2 forge worker seems to be the pace I like. Both smelting all the ores I bring, and 2 forge to make armor and weapons.
I find myself giving peasant to make bolts until Novice weaponsmithing. Which is why I prefer to get nickel minecarts magma filled and build magma smelter and forges up the surface. It's also nice to have ammo pile close to the surface.