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So, don't look at me. I'm asking you guys that have been around a bit and have better feel for the game.

What would you advise to a rookie?

This is a pretty broad question, so really it depends on what you want.

Depending on what type of gang you want to play, I find numbers of bodies is better over having lots of equipment on a more elite gang.

For example having 6 guys with lasguns should yield better results than 3 guys with autoguns, combat knives and grenades.

Is there anything to avoid doing?
Since kit is assigned very gradually, and in restrictive ways, what kit combinations are a bad idea when starting out? Is there a must-have loadout to work towards, and a set path to getting it?
I'm going to start a Van Saar gang when I get time, but more in general?

I like that question: "What should I NOT do?"

I played a bit of Shadow War. What I am doing now is making a "Skirmish Gang" and a "Campaign Gang".

I second the lots of bodies approach to begin with. In early games everyone is rubbish so.you need volume of fire to.do.anything. Van saar look like they'll.be rubbish in CC, so maybe try not to focus all your guys on that, but it is probably worthwhile to have one or 2 close range specialists, whether that is cc armed or just with short range firepower for when those goliath get really in your face.

 Adeptus Doritos wrote:
I like that question: "What should I NOT do?"

I played a bit of Shadow War. What I am doing now is making a "Skirmish Gang" and a "Campaign Gang".

"What should I NOT do?"
DON´T treat Necromunda like 40K.

What does that mean? Well, don´t worry too much about the efficiency of your weapon loadouts.
I have seen a lot of starting Escher Gangs on the interwebz with lots of lasguns and nothing else because House Escher has a specialty/discount for these kind of guns. If you do this, your Necromunda gang will look like a faceless guard firing squad. But Necromunda is all about individuality. You even give your gangers names in order for them to stand out.
I still play my vintage Escher gang from the 90s with no duplicates and not a single conversion. Thinking about it now, I even don´t have a single lasgun in my present gang. Up to this day I have had four games in vs. Goliath in a 2D environment. Did I have a handicap in all those matches because all of my models were armed differently? I can honestly say no. You can have difficulties wounding Goliath gangers but that´s why you are bringing special/heavy weapons or a shotgun. Shoot them often and they start to bleed thus lowering their Toughness stat. Also remember that ammo is not as crucial as in the 90s version of this game because now you have a reload action.
All these new gang kits that GW published for the revival of this game are simply amazing. It just wouldn´t do them justice, if you are neglecting 90% of the weapon options. Though I could understand a more restricted weapon loadout for the gang, if the bulk of your gangers consists mainly of 40K guardsmen. I also field a chaos cult apart from my vintage Escher gang based on Steel Legion grunts with a Nurgle paint scheme. Why? Well, I have only painted one cultist from the Dark Vengeance set so far and wanted to try out the WD rules. This cult has a military theme and therefore four of the cultists have the same equipment loadout (Lasgun, Respirator, Fighting Knife).