well I'd sudjest, takeing a few models from the game and mucking around, then take a few primitives and use the deformer tool to make the general shape you want, then use the weld and erase vert tools to learn poly optomiseation, then bevel, sweep, and you're best frend, polydraw, this should take you about three months and by the end of that time you should have a working knowleg of what you need to know to make models in truespace for freespace, I would also sugest learning UV mapping but now that we have lithuwrap, this isn't such a bad thing anymore