Originally posted by HeikoFennec:

So as much as I've played the game I too often fail. The latest was a loss when goblins from what is now clear to be a too close plains biome killed me mid-build of a base, thus removing access to the gear, resources and my ship. So how best then to go? I barely found enough iron to assemble an axe and shield as well as a torso armor, furthermore trying to pin down a decent source of the materials.

You do keep previous equipment right? I even have reinforced chests where my wife and I keep our previous gear (leather/bronze/iron/silver tags above them too)
and yeah, as pointed above, I start with some pallisade walls or raised ground and build a portal, then build whatever you want.