Shame on me (or help me!!!)

[Taera]

I call myself SE4 fan, but look! I cant truly play!
OK, i play an organic race. The unexpected payoff is that i am already familiar with my Ice/Carbon-Dioxide race. You know, the rare thing that though is the only actually fitting for my race - fragile, highly intilligent insects.

I used to play SE3 quite a lot. Day and night. you know, the "One more turn" syndrome.
SE4 did a bad initial impression on me and i put it aside playing Quake, Civilization, Starcraft and such. Shame on me!

Now i return to SE4 and find my skills behind an average player here!
Yes, i can take a weak AI. Below the Medium Bonus the AI possesses no threat to me. And its aint no fun. I play on large galaxy, medium # of AIs, High Difficulty, Medium bonus. Neutrals and Normals. Mid-Galaxy (its the only place i know so far when i can find at least some ice/co2 planets).

I cannot win! Just cannot! Perharps i am doing something wrong?
Could someone share his expirience with me?
How you start the game, i mean. What to build, what to research.

Would be best if it was an e-mail, its easier to keep by.

Perharps my problem is that i NEVER use the AI cheating options, such as trading for their colonizing technology (human player would never accept, i hate to exploit the AI weaknesses) etc.?

Any, any help is appreciated. Post here, or better send it by e-mail to trouble11@hotpop.com

Thanks.