Some feedbacks on the early quests:
I am currently at Basic Steam Machines. I can't do the charcoal, because I can't craft the charcoal pile igniter (no wrought iron). I have done the water collection one for the netgain of 8 credits, but the water tank itself feels pretty underwhelming. I don't see my self ever being able to fuel a steam engine with that. I have started more steam machine for the bronze plated bricks towards the bronze blast furnace, but so far I only have the steam forge hammer. I found that I am unable to power a single steam forge hammer with my small coal boiler from the basic steam machines quest. Currently I am just hoping to mostly skip the steam machines. The Steam Macerator requires 2 diamonds, which means I need 256 credits and an integrated circuit - I am pretty sure for the later I need to be in the electric age.
So I am not exactly sure in which direction to progress, I could go for the forestry multifarm quest, but that would mean starting with rf when I am actually trying to do gregtech.