In Spring of first year, we draw a season card as "new recruits". Meanwhile, we all players have no stronghold. How can we place new recruits on the map?

Is the first year "new recruits" cars useless?

During set up, you should have each placed one stronghold in one of your home realm hexes. Therefore you can recruit there.

From step 8 of the setup on page 8 of the (original) rulebook: "Starting with the first player and proceeding

clockwise, each player places one of his stronghold tokens in any area of his home realm."

Yeah, you should start the game with 1 Stronghold in your home land.

Hmm, I wonder if you should start with a Stronghold?