How do I get a large colony?

[Canute]

Mosttimes i use the mode Snap Out to calm down pawns.
That even work's on pyramaniacs. Only when a pawn is going to slaughter someone he can't stoped at this way.

[RimJimMcGee]

Any suggestions?

The only colony I've got to outright stupid population (58, I think, on a potato such that raids are detectable because my laptop shits its pants) was with the Medieval Times and Powerless mods on B18, and I found that (on Cassandra) I'd fairly regularly get raids of a size such that sheer numbers would guarantee there being ~10 recoverable raiders each time, albeit that many of them wouldn't be worth the bother.

I do reload like a shitebag, and this is B18, but my feeling across a few versions of the game (re: pops, rather than raiding, because that's A16/17 or whatever) and mods is that patience and/or reloading will do it eventually. So aye, get some butcher's slab of a defence, and sooner or later you'll have the meat you need.

God, what's this game done to me.

[Vlad0mi3r]

I have a colony of 7 pawns. I have 2 that I send out on long range missions, 1 for inside drop pod range.

The key to destroying any enemy base is the ability to use what is already present on the new map to destroy the base. You will need to send a pawn with good armour, shield belt and a sword. Construction skill is necessary in order to make a safe space for your pawn then the activation of a certain artefact will eliminate most of the defenders. If you want to collect any of the items present afterwards then drop in a pack animal and take what you want.

The shield belt and good construction skills takes care of any turrets. Remember its easier to uninstall a battery than kill a turret.

2 person team, Husband and Wife is good is used for long range missions where your drop pods don't reach. Some light weight high value items can keep them going and trading allowing them to take care of multiple bases before their return. 

[BlackHunter]

I want to write out one obvious tip - be nice with outlanders and rude with tribes. Tribe raids gives you much more people.

[B@R5uk]

There is always a sure way to get hostiles drop alive which is to bleed them out until they lose consciousness or hit moving threshold. Shooting off legs also helps a lot in this case as well as building long winding bowel from granite before your killbox. But beware! Reatreating hostiles tend to smash any doors on the way if it proves to be shortcut.