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[Brewster]

Here is a starting build I use that is pretty tried and true for making a strong starting fortress.

1.Miner/ Blacksmith
2.Miner/ Armorsmith
3.Furn Oper/ Weaponsmith
4.Herbalist/Brewer *Add Grower
5.Mason/Mechanic *Add Architecture
6.Carpenter/Woodcutter
7.Axman/Metal Crafter *Place in Noble positions
* indicates adding skill post-embark

2 picks, 2 axes, 1 anvi, 5 of all seeds, 25 of all alcohol, 25 wood, (spend rest as needed)

(Search for danger, and have axedwarf stationed if needed, else have him do noble jobs.) Have the miners mine a large storage area within the soil layers, with a long enterance hall to be filled with traps later. Same time have the woodcutter clear section of wood, and the herbalist start gathering plants.

Once the storage area is dug (start putting everything inside), next z-level down dig a dining/bed area, and after that one more z-level down a workshop area. Create Mason and Carpenter workshops once you've struck stone (don't waste wood.) Create 5 tables, 5 chairs, 10 beds, and place in your new dining/bed area. (I do not give dwarfs their own beds, as a large dining room and enough different food will keep them plenty happy.)

Start making barrels after the beds, and mechanics after the tables and chairs. Start brewing your newly gathered plants and then plant the seeds you get (here I turn off hauling for farmer.) Once all dinging has been finished, start digging up-down stars straight down till you hit magma, closing off caverns as you strike them, and moving the stairwell if you hit water.

Dig a nice little magma workshop area, and you're set with a nice metal industry! From here it just depends what you want to do, add another industry? build a mighty army? keep expanding your wealth to obtain a king?

An Example Map: http://www.mkv25.net/dfma/map-9907-glazewhips

Hope this helps any newbies with starting build help, and any veterans if you have additional ideas of a quick start fortress, or what phase 2 of this fortress should be comment!

Phase 2 generally for me is to start forging a lot of crafts for trading to bump created wealth, and trade it all when able. To become Baron sooner-then-later. Additionally adding cage traps to the long hallway.

[Max White]

Hmm, an interesting build.
I go for
2 Miner/Sheild user
1 Armour smith/Weapon Smith
1 Brewer/cook (Add grower and plant gatherer)
1 Mason/mechanic (+Architect)
1 Furn operator/wood burner (Although if I feel like it, I replace wood burning with something else, and often do)
1 Appraiser/Judge of intent (Add carpentry and wood cutting)

The idea is that your miners level up quickly, and can kick ass with a pick axe, so have them as your starting military force. The smith is there to haul (Due to me turning hauling labors off other important dwarfs, so somebody has to do the hauling) ad make cool stuff to sell. The farmer keeps everybody well fed and happy about good food, so they care less when a miner dies. Mason is self explanatory. Coal maker makes coal, if he runs out of wood he can grab a darn axe, BUT HE MAKES COAL!! And sometimes metal bars. The preset noble is there so that I can be sure I have a mayor with cheep and easy taste in metal and animals, and have a half decent trader/broker from day 1.

You can guess what items I bring.

[Loyal]

Pretty good for the most part, but I would replace the Furn Operator skill with Grower and leave #4's labors alone. Anyone can do Furnace Operating.

[Max White]

Pretty good for the most part, but I would replace the Furn Operator skill with Grower and leave #4's labors alone. Anyone can do Furnace Operating.

That depends on how many caravans in the future you want to be able to buy out from the first Autumn.

[Brewster]

Generally if I do not have one person focused on smelting ore, then the job does not get done fast enough. I have a lot of stone hauling jobs set so they like to haul instead of smelt or grow/brew/gather, so I force those two dwarfs to do their jobs.

[Loyal]

Furnace Operating is easily trained if you have the ore/coal/lignite. On top of that you'll probably have a few idle dwarves while you dig out your home and set up infrastructure, so you can just build a few extra smelters and have them go at it until the summer migrants come.

Stone Hauling/Dumping is not so urgent a task that it can't wait a few seasons.

[Max White]

I put the idle migrants on forced coal making too.

Once I'm up a few thousand coal I think about slowing down a little, but then the steel industry gets out of hand, and coal fires back up again. It would seem to be a lot easier once I set up above the magma, but that just means magma forges, so ALL ORES MUST BE MELTED DOWN. There is always a great demand for Furnace operators and masons in my fort.

[Brewster]

If I do not use this starting build, my favorite starting build is no skills and no items. Break down the wagon, make a wood ax, cut the forests, and see what I can do from there until a caravan or an immigrant with a pick comes.

Anyone have ideas of Phase 2 of their fortress? Anyone just have to do something once their fortress is semi-secure and running. Large army (hate traps?)? Glass walls? Clothing industry since it seems to be fairly simple to start?

[Max White]

Apart from the ultra-dwarfish metal industry, the food industry is an interesting way to start off. Duel wield growers, brew and cook like a boss, have a hunter and butcher work together, its all good fun.

As for slightly larger fortresses, if I dug into the side of a steep hill, I like to carve that out into a castle, with ring wall fortifications and such. Kicks ass for defense, except for against fliers, but that makes things a little more fun!