For what it's worth the quests do have a relatively large impact on startup.
The best starting build order is now a lot more cemented in stone than it used to be due to the new quests:
Classic World:
Clay 1
Wood 1 * Completes a quest
Iron 1
HQ 2
HQ 3
Barracks 1 * Completes a quest
*Start farming
Clay 2
Clay 3
Wood 2
Wood 3
Wood 4 * Completes a quest
Warehouse 2
Warehouse 3 * Completes a quest
Wall 1 * Completes a quest
Paladin worlds:
Iron 1
Clay 1
Wood 1 * Completes a quest
Statue * Completes a quest
*research paladin
HQ 2
HQ 3
Barracks 1 * Completes a quest
*Start farming
Clay 2
Clay 3
Wood 2
Wood 3
Wood 4 * Completes a quest
Warehouse 2
Warehouse 3 * Completes a quest
Wall 1 * Completes a quest
That's where it now begins to branch, some people are better off making more troops to farm with at that stage, others are better off aiming for 9/8/6 mines for the next quest and then going into heavy troop production.