Ok from the tone of your comments I have to think your not even thinking of playing on Impossible Difficulty. Also the build I listed is primarily for a Tiny/Small galaxy with early win via extermination. Longer things go on the worse for you.

I never ever play this game on anything but Impossible anymore. Also sadly I don't usually have the patience for Large or Huge Galaxies either.

Ground Combat is something I nerf quite often as it does not effect much as I don't usually invade/conqurer enemy races 90% of the time. And it is also one of the things that is easiest to make up for with Rifle/Armor's as well as spec systems and Leaders. Unlike Ship Offense as I never research any other than the first 25% ones myself unless I manage to steal the thing I wanted in that category.

For instance when you get the chance for Optronic Computers, +50%, Neural Scanner has always been my choice. For Positronic 75% comps Planetary Super Comp is better to me. And I think Cybertronic 100% has the Structural Analyzers iirc.

As for Cybernetic not being useful just because you have Advanced Damage Control, well you must only send Fleets that Annihilate them in 1-2 turns of combat then as anything more and it would be self explanatory. I have had 1 of my Battle Ships take out 8 of the enemies single handedly when they declared war and attacked ME. Usually this happens when the computer thinks it has the edge so you can see why i always choose it.

Also on Impossible computer always seems to have reduced ship costs no matter what it actually says. To me it's not to smart to try to play the numbers game with them.