Thanks to the STF, I've started taking more interest in ground combat but a few quick and brutally painful rounds in ground PVP has made me realize that I am fundamentally ill-equipped in knowledge and gear to properly compete. I looked around the forums and picked up a few tidbits of information here and there but it's very little compared to the plethora of space combat discussion that's going on here.

Is there a thread that I might've missed that contains a collection of ground combat PVP/PVE information?

Things like, what kits, weapons, shields, and armour are the most effective in PVP and PVE.
What tips and tricks there are for each class.
Or even basic questions like, "Why it is more worthwhile to run over and rifle butt your opponent in ground PVP"

Little things and big things, I wish to know them all but don't know of any group that dabbles in this area of STO extensively.

Here are two excellent threads to get you started:

Tips for Ground PvP by Slamz
The Comprehensive Ground PVP Discussion (Videos included) by Surgery

Those are focused on PvP, and may be slightly outdated via the Season One update, but they are very good for general tips.