Ok...

[kerensky]

Form one new player to the next... the only game I ever beat was the demo, and that was because I ran out of turns. A good tip is to start a game with everything researched to see what weapons and ship sizes you like best. Then, when you start a new game, focus on the research areas that fit your tactics best and don't worry about teh rest till later in the game.

Personally, I have never beat a full Version game, and I've been playing for slightly more than a year. The closest I ever came was a game against the Kaelons when tehy ruled two thirds of the galaxy and I had the rest. By all rights I was the winner but they would enver surrender. To actually win the game would have taken months of real playing time of just capturing worlds...