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[Hyndis]

Embark size and flowing liquids, including pumps, are far the most important factors in FPS. After that is temperature. Assuming you have wide corridors population seems to have a relatively small FPS impact.

For my forts I use a popcap of 100, and then rely on bearded babies to increase the population beyond that. Its not uncommon to have a fortress of 250+. I do enjoy my long term forts.

[aaOzymandias]

I got a 300 pop cap, but never gotten that many yet. My first fort was a 5x5 embark, and I made only small (2 width) corridors. Next fort I used a 4x4 embark and a minimum of 3 witdh main corridors. FPS on my last fort is better.

[FrankMcFuzz]

I just mark almost every animal for butcher, that keeps it flowing. The few cats, pigs, goats and llamas that can be used for shearing, milking, etc, is good enough for me.

[SpiralDimentia]

I just mark almost every animal for butcher, that keeps it flowing. The few cats, pigs, goats and llamas that can be used for shearing, milking, etc, is good enough for me.

What? Maybe I'm just high but that almost seemed random. I had to reread the thread just to see if anyone had mentioned anything else about butchering animals.

[FrankMcFuzz]

They didn't, but the only reason you wouldn't have a population cap of 10000000 is because of the fps. And we all know butchery solves everyone's problems >:3

[Khym Chanur]

You need a population of at least 80 to trigger goblin sieges (without any mods).

[celem]

I typically use 350.  Im not happy till I have enough steel-clad dwarves to meet seiges on the surface

[Marthnn]

Im not happy till I have enough steel-clad dwarves to meet seiges on the surface

Isn't that about 5 properly trained dwarves?

[vhappylurker]

I like to keep it below 50 to avoid the mayor being elected.

But then you don't get your king to come, and titans won't attack [unless you customize your world.], cause you need 80 minimum for Titan attacks, and 80-100 for a king or something.

Oddly enough, I got a Queen at a pop of around 30 dwarfs. This happened about a season or two after hitting some cotton candy that was close to the surface.

[Corona688]

That brings the queen/king no matter what, I think.  After which the royalty quickly goes mad due to the squalid conditions.

[Vercingetorix]

Oddly enough, I got a Queen at a pop of around 30 dwarfs. This happened about a season or two after hitting some cotton candy that was close to the surface.

That is really odd...the spoilerite king was only supposed to happen in 40d and earlier.

That being said, I recommend 30 if you're not using danger rooms; your population WILL increase gradually with births and dwarven children becoming adults so by the time they send sieges you'll not only have the population to support them but also an equipped and trained military.  The bonus, too, is that your created wealth will be much higher so the sieges will generally have more troops.

[Azated]

100 seems to be a good number. Plenty of haulers, and some redundancy if you need it.

I used to run with a 20 dorf fortress. Perfect FPS, but not as much fun since I couldn't really have a military. I jumped to 50 after that, and it worked pretty well, but I didn't have any sieges for some reason. So now I run at 100+. Plenty of meatshields soldiers to throw at the goblins and even elves when I'm feeling a little feisty.

[Fredd]

All it means is how new you are to the game. Every one beginning needs at least to assign pop cap at 5. After first 2 hardcoded waves, will wind up with 20. Among this 20, if you can develop dwarves that can supply food, booze,excavating, furniture/building/ mechanical, trade good, and mood needs, you are set to raise pop cap when you feel you can handle the population increasing. Also being able to equip soldiers helps, but you can trade for these supplies, if resources are scarce. 100 population is a nice choice, for an experienced player. With the kids being born, should have a nice replacement pool for dwarves having too much fun

[ChairmanPoo]

Population impact on fps can be mitigated if they keep more or less still. So, since you can run a very efficient operation with <50 dwarves, I'm guessing that you could draft the rest and have them stand around in training chambers. Furhtermore, if you handle this properly they could be useful cannon fodder during sieges.

[Corona688]

You need a population of at least 80 to trigger goblin sieges (without any mods).

Unmodded and population <80 and just got a siege.  Granted it was a half-assed siege and I have NEARLY 80 but still, not a firm limit.