Booking a RTW ticket using Star Alliance

Well yes, don't assume anything, look up the rules online which are not too complicated to follow. Sometimes the miles do not post automatically, but an online missing miles request is usually enough. Or if you're unlucky you might have to mail in your boarding passes.

Frequent flyer miles are great as long as you use them correctly. Being loyal or buying a RTW ticket with an alliance is incorrect usage, in my opinion. But always collecting miles with whatever airline (alliance) you happen to fly with and then using them to buy expensive tickets is a great thing. Or signing up for a free credit card to get 50k miles.

For example, here are the partner earning rules for United:

http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/marketing/custcomm/promotions/Pages/AirlinePartners.aspx

I've had to fight for mileage and this last trip which was Asia to N. America, my repeated requests for the mileage have gone ignored.

Did you verify if the fare you booked with the airline you booked it should grant you miles?
Some FF programs don't allow to earn miles with any fare but only with some fares (the specific fares will vary depending on the specific airline operating the flight).

Why don't you give us your home country (i think its uk hence the tax stuff), the time that you have to do this trip and time of year, and the budget or proposed price already on your tickets. Then let us work some stuff out for you. And how firm you are on your itineray.

My first look at your itinerary and I think you are definitely best using one ways, and some of the budget airlines are best. Re: accumulation of miles, some really cheap fares do not qualify for miles.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel, but you do seem to be jumping around alot. Provide the above and i'm sure we'll all give it a try.