kill explorer.exe is usually the best way to do it.

TA's strength is in decoupling matches from being mostly about controlling resource nodes and/or pulling off early raiding. The metal-maker unit coupled w/ unlimited energy production is brilliant, and allows games to develop from simply tactical skirmishes into full fledged strategic map domination. (Though in multiplayer the Arm's flashtanks and peewees can outgun their Core counterparts, if Core can build up a base defense and get to T2, the Arm needs to follow suit or they R screwed).

Multiplayer is where it is at bth, the AI just isn't good enough. Though I have had tons of fun playing SP (some maps in the map pack are brilliant SP games). Most of the campaign maps for either faction are pretty lackluster unfortunately, though you can still challenge yourself by, say, trying to win using only T1 or something.

TA's air units actually zoom around and 'fly' rather than just being 'floaters'; where actual tactics in mass air engagements will win out over shear numbers. It also has proper bombers, which require a 'run' on their target to drop. It is just way cooler than other rts of the same era.

Mostly micromanagement-wise TA is about managing your economy to auto-crank out vast numbers of units as quickly as possible (construction units set to guard factories add their nano-spray to the factory's production-rate), then 1-click assign fabricated units into a 'squad' and launch a massive attack. Whether it is ground, air, or sea, you will never be micro-ing individual units, rather you will be directing squadrons of air and platoons of tanks and fleets of ships in a game of cat-and-mouse vs like-sized enemy formations to gain dominance. If you are doing well, by the time your attack falters, their reinforcements are already built and waiting in your base...

Have fun!