[JoeAltmaier]

After the first two weeks, there's the first year then the first five years and so on.

E.g. Living through the first winter will require a huge effort in stockpiling, which gets better the second year. Scavenging for the first 5 years turns to agriculture and animal husbandry and smelting.

[datavirtue]

Reality: You do what the local strongman tells you to do.

[wrycoder]

Yes. If you don't have mutual defense, bandits will clean you out and probably murder you unless you manage to hire the Seven Samurai.