At the end of each turn I discard my hand and draw 6 new cards (unless otherwise directed by a special card in the previous hand).

When another player plays a hand that, for whatever reason, causes me to discard a card do I start my next hand with "x" cards or do I draw back to 6 cards to start my turn? How about if I have to KO a card? Same rules?

I ask, in part, because there is a Hawkeye card that says each player can either draw or discard a card. Why would anyone discard a card unless you can draw back to 6 cards at the start of your turn.

I currently play that I don't draw back to 6 cards and I basically get shorted the next round (as does everyone else).

Well it's each OTHER player draws or discards, for the Hawkeye card. So you can play it aggressively and make everyone discard, thus making them have less cards for fighting and recruiting. And the player of the Hawkeye card picks the mode the card has, not each individual player. So no one would probably choose to have themselves discard a card, but the Hawkeye player can force them.