Luck

What is the exact influence of luck in the game? I kinda have the feeling I'm to lucky in most of my games. I get terrific plantes, lots of bonusses and last but not least most races wont kill me when I'm very weak. In my current game I've been hanging on by my fingernails not to get crushed as I went for a poor starting position between the altarians (i'm neutral so they really don't like me much) and the korx. They were about the same strenght and insteed of killing me they went for each others throat. Still I was very vunerable and hoping the best untill the Yor and the Drath got kicked zo badly that they surrenderd to me! Now I have there homeworlds which gives me enough industrial capacity to kick all other races except maybe the drengin but they like me for now.
In short a very difficult game has been made very easy. As do all my games at one point or the other. If i'm in a jam luck will kick in and after a couple of turns I will be on top.
(btw i'm playing on genius AI, crippling I think).

I know luck will influence battles and anomalies but is there more?