@Juber can we get some information on the buildings (like size) by hovering the curser over in the "choose" menu? Although tbh it'd be more fair to the guild if every building was the same size. Some loons early on get the smaller building have that advantage, not sure if theres a difference in pop or cost.
The only difference costwise is ballistae cost twice as much to make as other troops. (Presumably because they're so much more capable of fighting with no losses).
Smaller goods buildings aren't really an advantage though. You should not be keeping your goods and military buildings built, normally. Take advantage of the 10 hr production cycles of normal buildings and the 1s production cycles of goods and barracks. Sell an amphitheater and build what you need when you have some coins and supplies to convert, 1-10 hrs later make your stuff. Then sell it and rebuild the amphitheater before you have to collect again. The same works with butchers if you prefer, mostly. but an amphitheater can afford space to build *any* goods/military production building in its space and the most flexibility in timing when you get on to do your make.
Edit
My initial setup this time around:
3 Expansions purchased with shards (100+150+200) - chose ones with no obstacles for now.
1 butcher built, rushed while enthusiastic for 50 shards, to start a tailor.
When tailor completed, rushed 4 times for 75 shards each to build 3 more tailors.
Total 800 shards (all free ones from last season).
The outlined amphitheaters have an unnecessary road connection - which enables them to be sold and replaced with a production building as needed leaving me a 10 hr window to convert coins and supplies.
This is still not a fully optimized start or anything (I know I'm not happy with my layout but I didn't have a fixed plan in mind because I was unsure how many shards I'd have available (it wasn't clear how exactly shards worked from the tooltip - other than that they'd be gone at the end of a championship) - and I had a lot more free shards available from last season that perhaps I should've planned something more). But it's definitely a faster start than last season to have 9 rooftiles and 4 tailors out the gate.