Maso Rushing Tips

Anyone have some of that!??
I think I'm screwing something up.

Playing on the smaller maps - have been getting best results on tiny

Government: Federalists or Populists

Picks: speed+1, pop growth +30, soldiering +10

75% military 25% tech until all systems are colonized
- not colonizing additional planets in system unless 18 or better

then 100% tech to diplomacy
after that I tech to deflectors that I can often trade can for impulse drive

here's where I get the problem, I either don't have enough population for a full out attack or I haven't gotten enough attack power (corvettes and survey ship occasionally the battleaxe, but very limited range)

I wait a couple turns building transports, build Soil Enhance/Habitat Impr, teching to Interstellar Tactics
30%/30%/40%

trade for a couple corvettes, take out the biggest or second biggest, which ever is closer

then to take out the second or third, I'm too slow!

and even though they are already at war, they have 2 frigates defending and when I get enough power, they have already built battle ships