Also, I would recommend running around in the UC desert for a few more days if you think your lads are a bit squishy. It's a pretty good place for early and mid-game, especially the W-NW edge where the desert meets cannibal country. There are some ruined settlements there and the Samurai and the Holy Nation constantly clashed when I settled there in my first game. Cannibals also turned up occasionally. It's easy to get strong there when the UC constantly save you from being carried away for dinner.
One spot worth considering for bases, albeit tricky to get to early on. There's a very fertile and resource-rich little valley in the south-eastern Fog Islands. I think you can actually see the greener spot clearly on the game's map, high up in the hills and above the fog. I made a small base there with 10 men and one pack bull. Built a wall to block some entrances, made two gates, and several farms in the middle of the valley, and then kept rescuing new recruits from the fogmen poles. There's iron, copper and plenty of wind around the edges. One major downside was that getting to Mongrel for emergencies can be a running battle.
Here's a late-game picture of parts of the base. It's a tight fit alright, but there was enough space for an arena back there.
