Hello guys

our group is getting ready for our first match tomorrow night (finally). While we were reading the rules, some questions and doubts came across and we want to make sure that we have the best experience possible:) So here are the questions.

a) The first person that gets the speaker token is chosen randomly correct? the only way to change hands is via the Initiative strategy card?

b) At the end of the turn, i only get 2 used command counters (from the command pool) from the ones i've spent, even if i had 1 million?

c) Can someone bribe another player just to negotiate a trade contract? i get that the active player can be bribed, but why wouldn't a Mentak player (trade contract 1) bribe a Hacan (trade contract 3) player to get his contract? Hacan would be much better with other contract….

d) Can a player try to execute every secondary ability played in a turn with the Initiative Strategy card for free?

e) just to see if i got it right….every round you choose either a) strategy b) action c) transfer or d) pass. if you choose a), b) and c), you get to play again after every player has played in that round and until you choose d) correct?

Now i would like to ask for your advise. I own both the original game and Shattered Empires.

- Which combination of Strategy Cards do you think works better for a first match? I didn't want to use the Imperial one that comes with the original game.

- Im thinking in using the following additional rules for our first match:

a) Heroes (characters tend to add a bit of flavour to every game)
b) Sabotage run (who doesnt want to be Luke )
c) Race techs
d) Facilities
e) Custodians

im still thinking if i want to add the following ones: distant suns, shock troopers and age of empires.
Do you think it's a good mix for the first match? can you tell me if the distant suns option is a good choice for my first match? what about age of empires?

Thanks a lot for your advises