[tmcc]

I agree with the basic expansion strategies above except that I emergency build colony ships immediately while dumping research into sensors, missiles, ship hull, point defense and projectile weapons.

I send the colony ships that are churned out each turn as far as they can go and then colonize the best world available and build re-supply first on those.

I also always colonize the best planet in my home system on turn 5 and build a space yard so that it will be ready as soon as the e-build rate on my home system is burned out.

I don't build a single a combat ship until I find an enemy.

Also in the early game I always optimize surveying by doing it manually.