Start by creating a new game using Rise to Prosperity. Change settings a bit.
Change Raider frequency to Medium. This will activate the raiders you need. Set Raider free years to 2 if you feel 1 is not enough. Change Initial Bandit Camps to 1 or more so you have at least 1 ready.
Change Armament delivery to yes. This gives you 20 Polearms and 20 shields to make a force of 20 which should be enough to defeat some bandits.
Residential Requirements and Approval might help you, however, I was fine without changing them.
When in game, start with Logging Camp, storage, granery, 5 houses, market. Once this is done, try to expand fast with houses, Forager, Hunter, and other buildings you feel you need. Trading post is handy to sell timber so you can add farm or egg extentions to houses. My approval stayed above 50 so I constantly had people moving in to the new houses. It is hard to say how many houses you need, but all you need to be concerned about is 20 male for the militia.
If you goto the military section, try to create army, it will say how many men are able to be in the army. Once you have 20, create and send near a bandit camp. They should come out and just defeat them. Otherwise, you may need to wait until it gives you a message about a bandit army.