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Many people have a pre-set order for Councils.
The various profile paths unlock cards that only work for some councils.
The problem is, that the preset-path and the one you would need to run your profile optimally rarely match up. But it is often worth changing your Council plan for the profile path you choose.

So here is a list of wich councils you need to actually use the Stratagems of each Profile path.

Democracy:
1 Interior -> 1 Interior -> 1 Economic -> 1 Secret Service -> 1 Secret Service -> 1 Secret Service

Passives: This path is very heavy on the passive bonuses, so it does not need to dictate your Council choices.
Interior Council: will give you good non-military leaders. Ideal as Governors or to run non-miltiary councils
Secret Service: can later help, letting the masses rise up when you attack.
Gameplan: BP and Quality of Life

Autocracy:
1 Secret, 1 Staff -> 2 Staff, 1 Secret -> 1 Secret, 1 Interior -> 1 Secret -> 1 Staff -> 1 Staff

Passives: The opposite of Democracy in more then one way, this one is entirely devoid of passive bonuses. And the unit feats are not that great either. All the power is in those cards!
Secret Service Council: is basically the game plan for Autocrats. You got a special recruitment card, just for this council. And "Call to Power" has the enemy loose troops, without even firing a shoot.
Staff Council: is a close second. Your army will propably be more "mass then class", so the Staff side really helps
Gameplan: Secret Council and Staff Council

Meritocracy:
1 Interior -> 1 Interior -> 1 Interior -> 1 Secret -> 1 Secret -> 1 Secret

Passives: Aside from the food and Private Economy Passive, entirely focussed on Leaders
Interior: Nobody will have as Capable, Skilled and Happy leaders as you do. If you are only acustomed to Juniors and Mercs, you will be surprised what kind of people you will get from this path!
Secret Service: Later you can have the enemy workers come over to you, without even declaring a war - asuming you get lucky with a capable leader for this Council, that is.
Gameplan: Really good leaders and skill rolls!

Enforcement:
2 Interior -> 1 Interior, 1 Secret -> 1 Staff, 1 Interior -> Nothing -> Nothing -> Nothing

Passives: Focussed on having a really large army and good tax income.
Interior: Focussed on having a really large army and lots of credits.
Some extra Options for Secret and Staff. As other Society, no cards past T3 Profile
Gameplay: Early game Military Rush

Commerce:

1 Secret, 1 Eco -> 2 Interior -> 2 Interior -> Nothing -> Nothing -> Nothing

Passives: Private Economy, Happy Pops, Commerce
Interior: More ways to spend money. Invest it wiesely to make more back
Economic: Cash from nowhere for Private Economy
Secret: Have not used it yet, but could this be a tool to change somebody elses Ruling Faction?
As other Society, nothing past T3 Profile
Gameplan: Private Economy. Spend Money to make money.

Government:
2 Interior -> 1 Interrior, 1 Eco -> 1 Staff, 1 Interior -> Nothing -> Nothing -> Nothing

Passives: High BP, Public Economy, Happy Workers
Interior: Governors, BP, Workers, Colonists.
Economic and Staff: Spawn Free Folk
As other Society, nothing past T3 Profile
Gameplay: Really big Population and Workforce

Fist:
Pure Staff Council

Passives: Very high casualty tollerancy, combat bonus from nothing
Staff Council: As other Psychology, entirely based on it
Gameplan: "Let the Corpses of our fallen make a ramp, so you can get over their walls!". Combat bonuses for low qualtiy troops

Mind:
Pure Staff Council

Passives: Research and Cultural Adjsutment
Staff Council: as other Psychology, entirely based on it
Economic, Military Reserach and Applied Science: Half the bonuses are Research bonuses that only those councils use
Gameplan: Always the right tool for the right job. Convert the masses, high tech

Heart:
Pure Staff Council

Passives: Morale, Character Loyalty, People Loyalty
Staff Councils: as other Psychology, entirely based on it
Gameplan: Never surrender, never give up!

What do you mean by the order? I thought it might mean which council to create first, but that doesn't seem to be it.

He means what skills and specials you unlock by having high score in those things check by going to rep then mng then prof.

ORIGINAL: Atlanton

What do you mean by the order? I thought it might mean which council to create first, but that doesn't seem to be it.

Yes, I meant in wich orders you get the Councils.

A common opener seems to be:
Economic, Miltiary Research, Model design.
But if you do that, you miss nearly every single passive bonus and Stratagem Card your profile can unlock (There are 2 for Eco Council, and Mind boost reserach ones - but that is it).

If you do not start with Secret Service aus Authoritarian, you are missing the entire power of that Authocratic Profile.

I always start with all 8 councils formed. I have trouble getting leaders for some reason.

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

I always start with all 8 councils formed. I have trouble getting leaders for some reason.

That is one way to deal with it. But I guess the power of those councils leaders is all over the place.
You still want to have a Interior council to get decent leaders for each role. And retirement cards, to get rid of all those useless leader taking up money.

This was really useful! I will try Interior Council and Meritocracy as my next opener.

Informative & helpful post, thank you 'zgrssd'.

ORIGINAL: zgrssd
And retirement cards, to get rid of all those useless leader taking up money.

What do you mean?

Just put wage for non-deployed leaders (reserve pool members) for zero and they are free. Also as they have no job, it doesn't matter if they rebel or hate you.

Only annoying thing with them is when the game suggests useless leaders for positions, especially those faction leaders who are certain way for much grief if held in any minister positions or SHQ positions...

Personally I try to make advisors of them, as then they seem cause as little problems as possible (or if they are annoying enough, they get OHQ position in the Eastern Front and probably lose their life quite fast).

When they rebel they still get a unit of rebels, which can raise Danger in cities and cut off roads

ORIGINAL: Atros

ORIGINAL: zgrssd
And retirement cards, to get rid of all those useless leader taking up money.

What do you mean?

Just put wage for non-deployed leaders (reserve pool members) for zero and they are free. Also as they have no job, it doesn't matter if they rebel or hate you.

Only annoying thing with them is when the game suggests useless leaders for positions, especially those faction leaders who are certain way for much grief if held in any minister positions or SHQ positions...

Personally I try to make advisors of them, as then they seem cause as little problems as possible (or if they are annoying enough, they get OHQ position in the Eastern Front and probably lose their life quite fast).

Cutting the money, annoys every reserve pool leader - not just the useless ones.
And as was said, if the rebel they will get at least 1 free unit (as otherwise rebellion would be no danger).

In retrospect, the money drain was not as big as I firt anticipated. But the part where they keep getting proposed? Kinda a serious PP drain.

Hm, it does bring up some interesting tactics, such as keeping employed all good leaders and zeroing out the reserve, or maybe zeroing out the advisors instead and "promoting" all the useless into advisors attached to front-line military units. I didn't know about the free unit(s) for reserve pool rebels, although that is more of an annoyance than anything. Advisors can probably co-opt their military unit, so be careful.

In my latest game I have been playing a very defensive game with strong meritocracy and government and mind. A new one for me. (I usually play with a completely random start)
This game is amazing in that the experience of starting out recognising that you have to find a way to get a whole new balance of govt etc with dross left over from 200 years of getting by after an apocalypse in a completely hostile environment and it is actually fun to go through that process.
Anyway I was looking for some help with that and - very useful thread this. Thanks.