"After completing a mining station, it will automatically launch a freighter to begin mining dilithium.  You do not need to rely on this single freighter, though. Build another freighter or two at your starbase and instruct them to mine dilithium at the same moon.  Your freighters will queue up and mine the moon together, providing you with resources at a faster rate." - TEM

"

• Group your fleets using <control> # and add stray ships with
  <control><shift>#.
• Freighters can mine latinum as well as dilithium.
• Starbases have a lot of firepower. Put them in a place you want to
  protect, or to add a forward base of operations. Use their construction
  ships to build forward shipyards. Repairing costs less than replacing.

" - Marc

"Try to control areas of resource and bottlenecks. don't concern yourself with empty space unless you don't possess tachyon detection or you are surrounded by mutara nebulas(species 8479 only ((against)))" - manfromnan

"When grouping ships, it is advisable to group different ships to maximize their different abilities. I personally like grouping 8 assault ships with 4 science ships (the weapon enhancers and the special weapons ships) and 4 capital ships (F1-F4 of the advance shipyards, two of each). Placing them in the assault wall formation places the attack ships up front and keeps the science ships at the back. This is especially effective for defending areas. Remember to negate ship movement autonomy.

When besieging a base while wanting to preserve your ships, always place your assault ships at zero movement autonomy and in wall formation to protect your artillery placed behind the attack ships. That way, enemy ship fire will be directed at the attack ships while your artillery (also zero mobility, low alert) can neutralize structures. Scout ships placed at the lowest alert and mobility autonomy levels are essential in such operations." - Admiral New