Canada's 'Advanced Preparations' is especially annoying - why would you want your first lab and your first workshop right next to each other? * (Not nearly as mainstream) that strategic bonuses which let you start with facilities already built are suboptimal because they don't let you choose how to lay out your base. Starting in Asia or Europe does not allow this kind of synergy. In other words, with each satellite facility you build, you can cover an entire new continent. You can cover your whole continent with two adjacent Uplinks, then cover South America with your third Uplink, then either add an Uplink to cover the other 3-country continent, or a Nexus to cover a 4-country continent. * (Somewhat mainstream belief) In terms of positioning, North American and Africa are good continents to start on, because they both have 3 countries.
* (Very mainstream belief) When playing on lower difficulties, strategic starting bonuses are much more valuable than tactical bonuses, since tactical deficiencies can always be made up for by good play.
