Hey I was just wondering how others start off in a new game usually. To be clear I don't really mean if it has anything todo with your starting picks/retorts though. Just generally how do you start off your game?

Not really interested in any starts not playing on Impossible as well as it's so much tougher. Think I will have to make a thread titled "How many ways does the computer cheat on Impossible" lol.

I normally explore for a tiny bit say 5 squares in every direction from my town with the 2 starting troops. I also put all Power to Mana so I can summon 2 Magic Spirits to continue exploring and bring my 2 units back to town so that I can raise the tax rate.

My Building order starts out:

Granary
Marketplace
Farmers Market
Sawmill
Foresters Guild
Miners Guild
Shrine
Library
Sage Guild
Alchemists Guild (I make sure I start in Myrror with Adamantium most times, Aranus w/Mithril similar)

I don't really consider this "cheating" as who would really put there main base somewhere with no strategic resources on purpose?! There really should be something in the game engine making it give your starting point at least 1 if not 2 bonus's as it's really not feasible to move your capitol ounce the game starts. At least not voluntarily (not counting Nature's Move Fortress spell as they would have to give all schools this ability to make it fair imho or hell just make it a Arcane spell)

Sadly I do not usually start making Settlers or Troops until this point as it's tough to make sure you have 2 units for each right off when all support is coming from 1 town.

My opening is
ES - From here on out, Stampede when trinkets proc
AMoC
BA
GT
SrS
...oops wrong game X-D

Really though,
-Transmute gold to Mana - Cast Magic Spirit - Build Granary
-Explore with Magic Spirit - Marketplace
-Farmer's Market
-If there are nice expansion spots with diamonds, ores or crystals nearby, I'll usually start making settlers. If it's pretty poop for expansion options, I go into Shrine.
-If I went Shrine, Library.
-At this point there's a 100 different options based on what is going on in the game. I play Life/Halflings too often and it makes expanding a lot easier. I don't know how you would do it on Impossible without heroism.

Wow wonder why you do this. I mean on Impossible you only start with 25 gold so that's not enough to get you a Magic Spirit yet, really it's only 12 mana.

Also I try not to spend any gold until I can make sure to have 100 in reserve for Heroes to show up otherwise you miss out on chances to higher them.

You're probably right, I could just push my power into mana generation for the first few turns, instead.