Calling all dwarf metagods!

[Mánagarmr]

Well, yes and no. You rarely have layers of obsidian, but it will always be found near magma in small quantities, and you can also create your own obsidian by pouring water into a magma pool or vice versa.

[Lancefighter]

exactly 
not really sure what else becomes armor other than cotton candy, but it would probably take some effort to gather cotton candy without armor 

Suppose you could always melt goblin armor after you drown them

[Mánagarmr]

Yeah, I mostly go with goblinite and also import hematite.

[Echo35]

I'm trying to be, but I always end up missing something vital and having to compensate on the spot. My current embark has flux, sand and CRAPLOADS of trees. Excellent for a smithing industry, right? Except it has NO weapon grade metal at all. No copper, no iron, nothing. Zinc, Nickel, Silver and Gold.

Yay me?

Always happens to me. I'll get Hematite maybe, but usually I end up with good Economic stone/metal, nothing good for weapons.

[Lancefighter]

egh.
That fort went meh - some goblins came, this time my guys had enough training to mostly destroy the ambush, but somehow one of them died and let a bunch of others to do tantrumy things.
Might be able still live on, but I'm not sure if its worth it really :x

[Mánagarmr]

Oh beloved tantrum-spiral...

[Lancefighter]

well that leaves me, Should i even bother sending my people out until after the opponents walk through a bunch of traps? Ambushes still set off traps, right?

[Mánagarmr]

Ambushes set off traps yes. I usually have a restrained war dog near my entrance, so ambushes will show up. Then they definately trigger traps.

[Winter Born]

Ambushes set off traps yes. I usually have a restrained war dog near my entrance, so ambushes will show up. Then they definately trigger traps.

You might try any restrained animal for that job  Pair of kittens anyone?

[snelg]

Ambushes set off traps yes. I usually have a restrained war dog near my entrance, so ambushes will show up. Then they definately trigger traps.

They always trigger traps, but I think it's only the cage trap that actually gives you the announcement and makes them visible. Stone and weapon traps will still trigger and you might still notice the blood/corpses/equipment appearing as invisible stuff walks into them.

Unless they're kobolds, in which case they don't trigger any traps. 

If you've got kobolds as well, it might be a good idea to chain an animal or two after the traps as well, so you've got one that can spot the kobolds even if something (ambush?) has taken care of the one outside.

[CogDissident]

Oh beloved tantrum-spiral...

So, funny thing about the tantrum-spiral. It is entirely avoidable if you embark with a proficient chef/brewer. The bonuses from having a legendary dining room to happiness stacks with both food and drink separately. If you have dwarves who eat in style, have perfect quality food, and perfect quality drink, they're un-tantrum-able. And if they eat one of the "legendary" meals your dwarf inevitably makes, you could kill off their entire extended family and they'll stay happy for as long as it stays on their list of recent events.

And about early fortress deaths due to invasion: I find a pit spanned by a pair of max-length bridges, linked to a lever that retracts the bridge can serve quite well to contain any invading armies. Just funnel some water into the pit once you get around to it, let them drown, and drain the pit again later. Good old dwarf engineering.

[Mánagarmr]

Yeah, I tend to have both a legendary brewer and cook after a while, and my dining rooms are always made of clear glass and fully masterwork engraved. It tends to keep my dwarves in a perpetual state of bliss But I wasn't aware that they were untantrumable, but now that you mention it, I've only ever had tantrum spirals in forts where the above wasn't finished yet.

[CogDissident]

Also, remember, they're dwarves. Size = Quality. So you can make a giant dining room with a ton of awful quality tables, and they'll still think it is masterwork. Makes putting it up in a hurry easy if you just churn out a ton of chairs/tables.

[Mánagarmr]

Not a bad idea. Thanks!

[Winter Born]

Ambushes set off traps yes. I usually have a restrained war dog near my entrance, so ambushes will show up. Then they definately trigger traps.

They always trigger traps, but I think it's only the cage trap that actually gives you the announcement and makes them visible. Stone and weapon traps will still trigger and you might still notice the blood/corpses/equipment appearing as invisible stuff walks into them.

Unless they're kobolds, in which case they don't trigger any traps. 

If you've got kobolds as well, it might be a good idea to chain an animal or two after the traps as well, so you've got one that can spot the kobolds even if something (ambush?) has taken care of the one outside.

I think there is a low % chance of a trap triggering for any kobold type creature so a long trap  hall may catch them as the odds for the series add up putting the animal closer to the center of a trap line will uncover them in the midst of the traps -- no escape