can you make an assumption after the first 6 chapters of who will survive those with skills or those without, why or why not

Yes............. you don't survive without survival skills; not in the world and situation they were living through!

I think you can have an idea. The Europeans, both French and British, were not used to the native type of warfare. On their own, without native alliances, they frequently got slaughtered through ambushes. Seasoned Bushmen like Hawkeye, uncas and Chingachgook look like they would survive a war better. An English soldier like Duncan Heyward seems stuck in his ways looking down on the natives. He might, at this point, not do so well.

And might I say how great it is to know someone is teaching this novel........... that makes me happy!