Hi!
And welcome, Craig. I think you already got a lot of very specific and detailed feedback from Lugia.
One thing though: if you're new to modular, start slowly!
Don't buy three rows full of stuff at once without knowing what the things do. Get to know your setup. This will also help you to figure out what you really need and want. (And it will save you from selling tons of expensive stuff here again three months later!)
So, I really don't think that it is necessary to start with 7-8 VCOs. Start with two or three to see what they can do and how you want them to sound, which functions you like.
Apart from that, Lugias advise will really help - all the important stuff in there.

Best,
phineas