>>527306509
I had the same problem but after finding out how to play I got addicted to it. You have to ride the line between cheesing and playing off the mechanics of the game while also putting in your own autistic RP to flavor it. As an example, My first serious successful play through was with the trader scenario and I traveled the wastes getting chased down by every spider and beak thing in the wasteland and taking refuge with any city to heal. Eventually I found reading descriptions that Samurais love Sake and Swamp people make it very cheap so I used the crazy atheltics developed from running for my life to make runs into the swamp and back into the Samurai towns to make some money. During this I met some NPCs that would join for free and some that were specialists in something I wanted to have. Eventually I made enough money to settle and had to fight hordes of hungry bandits trying to kill us all and now, to make a story short, dozens of hours later I'm raiding the Bugmaster's domain with my legion of loyal warriors and settlers while researching the final tier of technology.

Admitedly it is a slog to survive at the start when even malnourished bandits can kick your ass. I think characters should have better stats depending on their starting scenario but if you want an easy start just to get your foot on the door and not feel like you're a hobo you can do this: Go to a town with a good general store and steal an expensive item, chainmail sheets are usually the best and more common then run to a near city of a different faction or a waystation and fence it. Get a trader's bag and buy alcohol that you can profit selling (mos commonly rum to sell for +25% profi at the swamp) then continue to steal and buying and selling until you have a solid fortune and you can invest in recruits or weapons