It is difficult to give you an exact year, but generally I start going after Dominators with a vengeance, once missile throwers are readily available, and I have a fast ship. The way I fight is to find a system with only me and the Dominators, then running around the perimeter of the system, with them chasing me, keeping the fastest one just inside missile range. Watch target strength and when you think the next missiles will destroy it. make a turn to pull the other Dominators away from the equipment so they don't shoot it on the way past.
I try to upgrade what I have as soon as I can afford it. It takes awhile for the next generation to become available, and upgraded equipment is usually = to the next generation.
If you go the galaxy map and click on a system it should show the uninhabited planets, and an "explored" next to the ones you have probed.
The RTS missions seem some what random, as to when you are offered them. A system that is recently liberated will offer them the most, but some times not right away. If I have liberated a system, I go around and collect nodes and equipment and drop them off at the planet where the "celebration takes place. Each time there I ask for a mission. It seems around 75% of the time I will be offered one.
Completing the RTS missions are not "mandatory". You gain CR's, experience points and sometimes artifacts. The one thing I like is that they don't use up game time. In other words, nothing happens outside while you are in a RTS. There is a RTS with method to kill one of the bosses, but there are also other ways to kill him. So RTS missions are up to you.
I have been playing this game since November '09, quite a bit, and don't have all of the answers yet, but I think I have worked out some decent strategies. I'll try to watch this forum if you have any other questions.
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