I've been playing for a couple of years on and off, but nothing like some of these guys (and this is my first time on the forum so apologies to those who may have read similar postings a thousand times before)

I'd suggest concentrating on grabbing the bigger planets in your locale and let the ai grab the small ones. If you have one or two embasies (upgraded to culture centres when you've researched diplomacy) on each of your planets you should dominate the influence in the locale (ie your colour will show in that area in the mini-map) and the ai planets will start seeing the benefits of your culture. Throw in a suitably placed influence starbase near the small ai planets with some influence upgrades (hopefully you've been pushing the influence linked research) and hopefully you'll soon see little red skull and crossbones symbols sprouting up on the ai planets. Leave to cook at gas regulo what-not for a while and hey-presto the ai planet revolts and you've just got a free pre-developed planet added to your burgeoning and influencial empire.

That's assuming the AIs haven't already stomped you by that point. Couple of newbie tips here, the military AIs are impressed by might. If you can maintain a half decent fleet they're less likely to come bullying you. Also they judge the strengh of your fleet against their own, so if you can't make yours stronger make theirs weaker - how do you do that? Those militaristic guys love nothing better than stomping and killing, and they tnd to be on less than friendly terms with their neighbours. Open the Foreign Stats scren and click on the Treaties tab. click on the militaristic AI's icon and see who they've got issues with. Then talk to the ai and offer them a bribe to attack another ai, someone they don't like very much. Chances are they're itching to get stuck in anyway and they'll declare war for peanuts. Then sit back and watch two mighty fleets beat seven shades out of each other (also watch their economy and research get axed as they divert resources to their war effort.

Once again this is all very well as long as the guy they all hate isn't you. Keep an eye on the relations tab, and if AIs start getting cool or wary towards you bribe them with cash or old technology (don't give them state-of-the-art stuff i.e. anything you wouldn't want aimed at you) Another good way to stay in AIs good books is to trade with them and/or set up treaties. The report tab shows what it is about you that either enamours or annoys them.

Cool, now all you need to do is take over the universe... enjoy!!

Good point, my suggestions above referred to 'Tough' and below. For newbies I'd suggest that higher difficulty levels are a mixed blessing, you'll probably learn effective strategies more quickly at higher levels, but you'll also find yourself being turned into cosmic toast on an annoyingly regular basis (depends how much learning from your mistakes you can stomach?). I'm only now pushing the higher difficulty levels, it does make for a more rewarding game (especially when you win) and makes you think a lot harder, but I suspect if I'd started off at this level GC2 would be sat with all the other unplayed games gathering dust on a shelf. Learn to enjoy the game first before pumping up the difficulty level... it's not called masochistic for nothing!!