Strongbad - the way to win is to expand like mad land grab style until you bump into your neighbors, build up economic wealth and talent points until you can pursue your victory condition. If that's Warlord, use Dreadnaughts and Planet Killers to take out other players. If that's Trader, hoard wealth. If that's Researcher, collapse stars.

Warfare is only the requirement of one skill tree - Warlord. Wars happen, but if you can avoid them, you're better off. Warfare in the endgame is where it gets interesting. Warfare prior to the endgame is frankly, just a waste of resources.