Build Ships Without Losing Energy:
If you need more fleets, but your systems read low or slots are out of available energy, change the location of the construction to a neutral system (it can be inhabited or uninhabited). The ship will still have a cost in maintenaince and refined points, but it will save energy.

See What They See:
While in a battle, highlight any ship and hit Tab to get first person view point of that ship.

How to keep Captured Characters From Escaping:
When capturing enemies, it's always best to gang up on them with several good "name" characters, like Han, Luke, Madine, etc. Use a decoy. Have some (usually 2-3) Infiltrators or Death Commandos standing by at your return base. When you're successful, transfer the prisoner with the Infiltrators/Commandos to the FURTHEST POSSIBLE BASE from where you are. Try picking a base with a big allotment of troop training facilities. Once the troops arrive (R2 will announce because the prisoner is a "character"), send them to another base you've set up on the opposite side of the galaxy. Try shooting for a base with similar qualities at least 100 days away. If you nab the Emperor or Vader, it might be worth your while to put at least 12 Infiltrators with them.

Here's the trick: unless the destination is taken over by the enemy, the secret mission is out of touch until it reaches it's destination. With enough troops and SpecOps at the other end, and with an immediate launch back to where they just came from, they'll never escape. I've played games where I've had 24 of the enemy's 30 characters "in transit" and unable to escape (with 5 dead and only Vader eluding capture).

Thanks to Revolution readers Sith Keeper and Jason Thompson!