Attacking
When first starting, keep attacking and do not allow your opponent time to recover. Focus on the weakest forces, then work your way through the rest of the fleet. Although you may lose some of your fleet, you can rebuild. Tap the "Max Power" icon when you start, then begin attacking. The better you do, the more stars you will earn, and the more you will be able to unlock later. Attack as many ships as possible to gain experience and reputation. This will also allow you to gain resources to strengthen your ships, and as well as the chance to capture extra ships.
Resources
Search your nearby islands to keep your resources such as gold, iron, oil, silicon and uranium in good supply.
Upgrades
Focus on maintaining the Command Center. The higher its level, the more buildings you will be able to build. Get it to level 3 to start seeing more available buildings. Maintain your port to make sure your docks are in working order. The more docks you have, the more space you can use to build an army. Then, expand by building a Science Lab (for development), an Arena (for battle practice), the Workshop (to create boost items), the Refitting Yard (to increase ship strength and capacity) and others useful structures.
