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[Lord_Alorand]

Ok.
I finaly decided to use this:http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=82005.0 map for my first ever game of DF.
I have been reading through tutorials, installing mods (Tileset, therapist and runesmith) and I swear I read close to half the articles on the wiki. (and even started thinking about writing one   and then realized *I haven't played the game yet!*  )

Now I would like to ask for a little bit of your help with helping me spend those embark points in the most optimal way so that I could finally strike the earth and not have altogether too much !!FUN!!

I will post what I have so far in a few minutes unless everyone would prefer that I start a new thread.

Oh I should mention that the map gives 1500 points and I plan to start with 11 starting dwarves at embark, since I want to try many different industries from the get go, and I think that with Terrifying mountains I better bring some military presence with.

Ok, I find that the simplest way for me to think about spending embark points is to create packages that I think about the benefits of separately and then prioritize from most to least important.

a. Bought all 44 varieties of meat for sale at 2 for starting food and the barrels. [88] spent
b. Got 21 of every Alcohol for sale to last me until agriculture kicks in. [168]
c. Training Axe to chop wood. [17] should I buy 2?
d. Copper Pick [44] - I plan to make DIY steel picks and axes but I thought one pick to start digging while I craft might be good.
e. 2 cats as vermin defense (catsplosion here I come), 2 dogs for breading for war/hunting [54] should I get more female dogs?
f. Anvil [100] + Oak logs x ? + Stone blocks x ? + Coke x ? + Flux stone x ? + Ores x ?
g. 50-70 points per dwarf to max out skills * 11 dwarves = [770] set aside for now until I figure out what I need for skills.
Most of these are for sure things I plan to grab.
So thats [259] left. Any suggestions on where to go from here?
h. Should I bring Gypsum powder?
i. Plump Helmets, Seeds

[DryBones]

Ok, while it is a bit strange I do like the fact that your bought 44 different varieties of meat. So. Points for that.

21 of every alchohol is a great idea; the extra barrels will come in handy as you probably know. You actually do not need to even bring an axe at all, as a wooden training axe is all you need to start chopping down trees. So all you'd need to do is deconstruct the wagon (creating three wood logs) and build a carpentry workshop, then create a wooden training axe with the extra wood.

You should bring two picks, as you can't dig at all to get metals and such without a pick in the first place and miners tend like to die horrible deaths lose them. Also, unless you mod the game you start out with 7 dwarves each time. Gypsum is a very important thing to bring and trade for unless it naturally occurs on your map, and even then it's kinda a pain to set up a kiln just for that purpose.

But I guess the main thing to realize is if you haven't even played a game, do not worry too much about getting the setup perfect the first time you play. The reason for this is that most first forts tend to have brutally short lives.

[Urist Imiknorris]

You can never bring enough booze.

Remember, with booze, just like with magma, Plenty + Some More = Enough.

[Lord_Alorand]

So all you'd need to do is deconstruct the wagon (creating three wood logs) and build a carpentry workshop, then create a wooden training axe with the extra wood.

Nice, I forgot about the wagon. What are the best creatures that can be pulling it? Water buffalo mated pair?

Also, unless you mod the game you start out with 7 dwarves each time.

Yeah, I am using DfFusion.exe works great! 

You can never bring enough booze.

Remember, with booze, just like with magma, Plenty + Some More = Enough.

Thats what my main starting focus will be on: Establishing defensible location for full scale booze production.

[khearn]

Ok, while it is a bit strange I do like the fact that your bought 44 different varieties of meat. So. Points for that.

It's another strategy to maximize starting barrels. Dwarves won't combine parts from different animals in the same barrel, but will combine different parts from the same type of animal. So if you buy one goat liver and one goat kidney, you'll get both in the same barrel. But if you buy a goat liver and a cow liver, you'll get each in a separate barrel. So you go to the new item menu and search for "meat", and select one of each that costs 2* to get lots of barrels. In this case, he got 44 barrels for 88*.

The downside to this is that means 44 trips to carry all those barrels to your initial stockpile. That can take a while, which might become an issue for someone starting his first ever fort in terrifying mountains.

I like to get everything underground ASAP, so I'm kind of ambivalent on this strategy. The barrels are nice, but I'm not sure they're worth all the extra trips. By the time I've used up anywhere close to 40 barrels, I almost certainly have plenty of surplus rocks and a stonecrafter who can make lots of pots (to fill with booze for my drunken sots). Next embark, I'll probably still use this strategy, but to a lesser degree. Maybe buy 2 of each meat, so I only have half as many barrels.

[Edosurist]

I agree with DryBones. Learn from your mistakes! My first fortress was literally a block dug out of the ground, with no farm, stockpiles in the hallways, and a wolf running through, tearing everybody up.

As for supplies, bring the absolute largest variety possible.
1. Chances are you can give almost anybody what they want for their first meal.
2. It gives you the most barrels. (it separates each food/drink type by barrel)
Also, WOAH THERE with the training axe. I always bring a copper one, because usually I make my woodcutter also an axeman, leading a one-man squad.
Seeds, I usually bring 25 of each.
Don't get too picky with what you bring. The more you play, the more you figure out what you think you'll need. One thing I caught already is the fact that you mentioned gypsum powder. I never bring it, but that's probably because I'm used to finding it easily from before 31.19, where it would give you a sample of what stone you'd find there. Now, I hardly ever find iron ore let alone gypsum, which makes me sad (oddly enough, now I can't ever find a locaiton WITHOUT flux!)

lastly, 11 dorfs???
for the USUAL 7, I do
miner/mechanic
miner/engraver
carpenter/architect
mason/architect
planter/herbalist
brewer/cook
leader(all leading skills)/woodcutter/axedwarf

If anybody wants to inform us on how even I could do better with the embark, please feel free to criticize me 

[Lord_Alorand]

I am torn on bringing miners, I hear it is easy to level and there is black sand on the map, but I probably will make 2 out of the 11 dorfs miners since I need to hide underground fast.

As for why I am analyzing my first embark so much - It is in my nature, I am a horrible perfectionist. 
I will replay the map, and learn from my mistakes, but first I want to bring the right dorfs and equipment TM and just replay from the first save.

Should I make 1 dorf an amusher for the crossbow and leather armor?
Also why 2 architects?
Will I need a Doctor, Broker, or Bookkeeper early on?

[Corneria]

A copper axe for the woodcutter isn't really necessary: they're woodcutting skill doesn't affect their combat skills. Miners, on the other hand, gain combat skill with their pick based on their mining levels. If the woodcutter is caught out there, that axe won't save him. The miners might.

[Edosurist]

I bring two architects just for the halibut. That way, if the carpenter's the architect, yet I build a stone depot, then the busy carpenter will design it and then you'd have to wait for the busy mason to build it. Otherwise, I have no reason to.

[Lord_Alorand]

I bring two architects just for the halibut. That way, if the carpenter's the architect, yet I build a stone depot, then the busy carpenter will design it and then you'd have to wait for the busy mason to build it. Otherwise, I have no reason to.

Right on. Just wanted to understand your reasoning.

[alcohol_dependent]

a. Bought all 44 varieties of meat for sale at 2 for starting food and the barrels. [88] spent
b. Got 21 of every Alcohol for sale to last me until agriculture kicks in. [168]
c. Training Axe to chop wood. [17] should I buy 2?
d. Copper Pick [44] - I plan to make DIY steel picks and axes but I thought one pick to start digging while I craft might be good.
e. 2 cats as vermin defense (catsplosion here I come), 2 dogs for breading for war/hunting [54] should I get more female dogs?
f. Anvil [100] + Oak logs x ? + Stone blocks x ? + Coke x ? + Flux stone x ? + Ores x ?
g. 50-70 points per dwarf to max out skills * 11 dwarves = [770] set aside for now until I figure out what I need for skills.
Most of these are for sure things I plan to grab.
So thats [259] left. Any suggestions on where to go from here?
h. Should I bring Gypsum powder?
i. Plump Helmets, Seeds

Looks like you're power gaming a bit here so with that in mind, I guess I'll help you adjust.

If you're gonna be crafting from the get-go ditch the pick and wooden axe, grab 1 coke, some native copper or tetrahedrite and 30-50 bituminous coal. Disassemble your wagon, build smelter, make 5-10 coke, smelt copper, build forge, forge copper battle axe and pick.

Dig straight down to the magma ASAP, can be 30-80 z levels deep. Build a small crafts area deep in the earth so you don't have to worry about fuel unless you'd like to set up a fuel industry (it can be pretty fun).

I tend to grab a lot of coal to make up for a lack of trees if I plan on making steel. If your embark site is heavily forested, then you won't need the coal for steel. If thats the case I tend to grab a lot of bismuth and cassiterite. With tetrahedrite as common as it is, 25 of each of these cheap ores will net you about 100 bars of bismuth bronze. If you don't have any iron on your map but get stuck with tetrahedrite and happen to love the geography or something you will at least have access to a war grade metal until you can harvest goblinite.

If you're quitting until you get iron then just grab the coal. for 450 points, 150 bituminous coal will cover your fuel costs for 450 steel bars if you make coke in the magma smelter. It'll make smelting steel boringly easy.

No reason to bring plump helmet seeds if you have plump helmets. They'll be left over after your dwarves eat them.

Gypsum powder is pretty good to grab since the presence of gypsum can be fairly unpredictable.

1 cat is enough to address vermin.

Skills-wise everything besides a few skills either levels very quickly as to be a waste of skill points (mining) or not really have a cogent effect (carpentry). The skills I tend to ensure are maxed are Grower, any metalworking and Surgeon/Diagnostician/Bone Setter/Suturer. You'll know why if you read the wiki as you say.

Also, 1 point in Appraiser is handy for your broker, and if a dwarf has Consoler or Leader he seems to automatically be made Expedition leader. Novice Consoler can be the difference between a tantrumming dwarf and an unhappy one sometimes.

In a Fun area it may be best to start your woodcutter with some points in Axedwarf and maxed Shield and make a shield for him ASAP. A wooden one is largely as good as a metal one.  Then have your dwarves chant this mantra: Pack your shield. Always pack your shield.

It will help to view your dwarves as you assign points so if any for instance happen to like steel you can give them weaponsmithing and armorsmithing max.

Also keep in mind the dwarves' highest moodable skill, e.g. if he is both an armorsmith and a weaponsmith he may mood either skill, but a legendary armorsmith is more handy than a legendary weaponsmith (there are about 8 pieces of armor and 1 weapon to a militiadwarf), so you may consider giving him a point less in weaponsmithing. This goes for other skills too though.

Also, if any key items are unavailable, then its possible to abort and change the civilization you depart from by pressing Tab twice and scrolling through the available list of civilizations when selecting an embark area. Different dwarven civs will have access to different stuff depending on your worldgen.

[Lord_Alorand]

*Detailed Advice*

Thank you so much for your advice.
Yes I plan to tunnel to magma asap. The location has a volcano so it shouldn't be far to dig.

Here is what I have on the map, though I don't know where exactly:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Maximal regionoffset seen: 8.
HONEY YELLOW BERYL : 6
BLACK PYROPE : 9
CLEAR GARNET : 12
OPAL_PFIRE : 15
PERIDOT : 17
YELLOW JASPER : 18
OPAL_REDFLASH : 19
YELLOW GROSSULAR : 24
EMERALD : 34
SPINEL_PURPLE : 38
OPAL_LEVIN : 39
AMBER OPAL : 40
GREEN TOURMALINE : 42
MOONSTONE : 59
PRASE OPAL : 63
SARDONYX : 67
PIPE OPAL : 67
PINEAPPLE OPAL : 69
RHODOLITE : 79
REALGAR : 79
ALEXANDRITE : 85
SHELL OPAL : 89
WAX OPAL : 93
GRAPHITE : 112
RESIN OPAL : 113
HELIODOR : 120
GOLDEN BERYL : 141
CITRINE : 143
RED PYROPE : 144
BRIMSTONE : 173
PINK GARNET : 189
AMETHYST : 218
OPAL_HARLEQUIN : 225
BLACK ZIRCON : 228
RUTILE : 284
AQUAMARINE : 297
VIOLET SPESSARTINE : 318
SPINEL_RED : 338
SCHORL : 410
YELLOW SPESSARTINE : 464
OPAL_CLARO : 509
MELANITE : 533
RED GROSSULAR : 575
INDIGO TOURMALINE : 605
CASSITERITE : 612
MILK QUARTZ : 618
STIBNITE : 642
JELLY OPAL : 685
CLEAR ZIRCON : 795
LAPIS LAZULI : 813
PINK TOURMALINE : 886
OPAL_PINFIRE : 887
RED ZIRCON : 914
MOSS OPAL : 950
QUARTZ_ROSE : 1166
GREEN ZIRCON : 1187
BROWN ZIRCON : 1191
HORNBLENDE : 1194
WOOD OPAL : 1347
CHRYSOBERYL : 1536
TANZANITE : 1564
PYROLUSITE : 1818
RUBICELLE : 2093
MORION : 2178
PYRITE : 2194
OPAL_BANDFIRE : 2312
SMOKY QUARTZ : 2383
CRYSTAL_ROCK : 2487
COBALTITE : 2804
YELLOW ZIRCON : 2979
RAW_ADAMANTINE : 2986
CLAY_LOAM : 3113
SPHALERITE : 3780
ALMANDINE : 3976
PRASE : 4448
MICA : 5544
SILT_LOAM : 7190
MORGANITE : 7693
LIMESTONE : 8094                    - Flux
OLIVINE : 8386
CRYOLITE : 11299
HEMATITE : 11529                    - Iron
NATIVE_GOLD : 13052
SAND_BLACK : 19302
TETRAHEDRITE : 20043             - Copper
GNEISS : 23317
DOLOMITE : 44530
ORTHOCLASE : 51636
QUARTZITE : 55663
MICROCLINE : 71152
SLADE : 73482
PHYLLITE : 81976
DACITE : 103536
ANDESITE : 121717
GALENA : 132110
MARBLE : 137160                      - Flux
SCHIST : 167411
RHYOLITE : 187827
SLATE : 203949
OBSIDIAN : 211955
DIORITE : 304514
GABBRO : 339757
GRANITE : 1020591

There seems to be no Bitumous coal or lignite on the map, but with Charcoal from wood and magma furnaces I should be fine. No Bitumous coal for purchase in the 3 dwarf civilizations I checked either, but lignite is available.

[alcohol_dependent]

Ah, lignite is still worth grabbing then. 1 smelted lignite = 2 bars of steel.

I remember when I first started I had a similar mindset. I made the most efficient fort possible, having max FPS with many dwarves (over 100), about 8 z-levels tall fortress with very very small rooms on a 2x2 embark with all minerals. I had like 5 furnace operators that could smelt up 500~ bars of steel like lightning and a danger room that made my full masterwork steel-clad militiadwarves nigh invincible. It was SO BORING.

[Lord_Alorand]

Grabed 12 lignite. 
Then looked through my recruits:
I got a lady that is strong, likes steel, and likes axes, and gauntlets. - clearly my best bet for a Weapon/Armorsmith.

by the way, I have 2 males and 9 females starting out. Should I be worried, or happy? 
Seems like a good breading population, but I hear dwarven women tend to use their infants as shields.   

I remember when I first started I had a similar mindset. I made the most efficient fort possible, having max FPS with many dwarves (over 100), about 8 z-levels tall fortress with very very small rooms on a 2x2 embark with all minerals. I had like 5 furnace operators that could smelt up 500~ bars of steel like lightning and a danger room that made my full masterwork steel-clad militiadwarves nigh invincible. It was SO BORING.

I think starting out, successful but boring might be a good start. And anyway the Terrifying Mountains might keep it fun.

[Edosurist]

you got that right... hehe