I think that the 500 shards at the beginning of a Championship season are intended to be "seed money". If a player spends them wisely they will be fine. With daily play, we will accumulate approximately 1.6M quantum actions. With this amount, we should be able to reach 450+ progress without spending diamonds or cash. IN getting to 450 we will collect 600 quantum shards. Placing 6 expansions (2 with shards, 4 with goods) will consume 250 shards. Removing impediments will cost another 35, give or take. Rushing buildings will cost 100 shards. So, we start with 500, collect 600 and spend 385. With discipline, we should be able to have a net shard profit of 715 shards (meaning we can afford to be less frugal in the later incursions). The goal should be to end an incursion with no fewer than 500 shards. Players that spend shards like drunken sailors will be behind the eight-ball.