Note:

Before you decide to play Empires asymmetric expansion we strongly recommend to play Misty Waters, using the standard rules, at least once.

The same applies to the advanced variants mentioned on page 43-44 of the main rulebook. 

Rulebook

Q & A

Player's treasury screen to print & cut out

Some logic behind the rules

Empires Expansion

manual

Errata

Solo&Coop

manual