Now do a shift-U. Listed there are the thresholds for each rank. On some servers, your defense also needs to be above .8 to advance past Lt. Commander. I keep dying. The best way is probably to talk with someone who knows how to play. It's generally considered rude to bomb or take planets out of t-mode.
Some servers punish people for trying.
When you first enter the Game, press 'B' and 'V' twice each. This makes the planets resources show up on the tactical and Galactic Maps. Click the mouse button on the updates number until you get the number you want. This way you won't have to redo your war settings every time you get shot down.