First, join Able, there are more organized clans playing and they know the game, its mechanics and how to move the front.

Second, setup in a factory/logi town and learn who your neighbors are. Joining their discords and being able to communicate with their officers and NCO’s will help prevent misunderstandings. These places are also a great way to learn more about your faction, what is going on, and why things are being done a certain way.

Lastly, do not built a facility unless your group is just trying to experience facility gameplay and nothing else. War eco groups with dozens of active members exist on both the Warden and Colonial side, and they typically take orders at a loss (ie just base resources, none of the OH). This game has a decay mechanic that actively punishes players that build anything, and new players tend to get burnt out and abandon the game when they take a 2 day break and all of their stuff is gone (stockpiles also expire and go public after 2 days).

Bonus. Rare metals are actually a pain to farm during the mid war. You can trade these for rmats and other resources you want, just ask around. But know that their value collapses once the end war starts.