SJ,
"They can also be useful as cannon fodder.
Drop a pile of them on a planet, and while the defending militia is distracted, pounding on their shields, your real warrior troops with the heavy guns can smash stuff. "
That is cruel, remind me never to join your army.
Hmm, cruel but I can wait to implement it.
I'm guessing that this requires something you have mentioned in the past:
First troops on the transport would be the shielded ones and the 2nd would be the weapons units? In short:
First on, First off, First Shot at.?