My 2 cents on the amount of starting recruits since that has been mentioned here and there.
I like starting with less recruits than it costs to make the first structure. This enables a player to take a few seconds to get their bearings, click on the build site, and get ready to click the build forge button so everyone start's at the same pace. This also enables slightly slower computers to shake off their early lag from loading a level. I hate RTSs that force players into a mad dash in the early game clicks to get production up and running. Even SC2 figured this out and now enables auto rally for the opening production rush so the computer controls it so everyone is on equal opening playing ground.
Note that it takes a whopping 10 seconds to start into construction to generate the 5 recruits needed. A minimal modicum of patience is advisable. It doesn't slow it down enough to hurt anything, and it give a bit of breathing room.
