Use a bigger map, with less enemies and fewer phase lanes. Just because a map is designed for 10 enemies, doesnt mean you have to have them, remove half. This will give you time to do things before getting into big battles early on.

If your betting beaten by normal AI's, use Easy's ! Nothing at all wrong with playing easy until you figure out the basics of the game.

Amassing a force, is dependednt on how fast you make money and accumulate rsources. That depends on your research and what you build where. So if your not able to match them force for force, your probably missing a few very key game things that allow you to, or your making bad strategy choices somehow. Its just a matter of learning from your mistakes and looking at what the game has until you find what your missing.

which race are you playing as and I can give you a better start to work off of perhaps then you are currently implementing.

I'm also having a lot of trouble with this game.

I've played a lot of RTS games, but this one I just can't figure out. The interface I'm just starting to get the hang of. I played every tutorial, and it still took me a while to figure out how to actually play. When I play an easy AI, their ships always are more powerful than mine, and I just can't get the hang of playing the game smoothly, like how I can play almost every CnC game. Any tips? I usually play as TEC.

not to say the TEC don't av their uses, mind you.  Also browse the strats sections, quite a few strat guides for each race, so you can take what you like an dump the rest, or make it better says Hannibal.

ignor Bapperus im a newbii too i have only really had this game 3wks on standard player levels and without training while i am the TEC jus access map settings at the bottom of the players screen change your pirates inactive and increase the tax income it make the game easire and besides if you want a fight with pirates you just travel to their planet but i must worn they are a natural defence against the enemy when borders clash!!!