[Baron Munchausen]

Yep, gauging the force necessary to capture a planet rather than destroy it is often very tricky. Drones are actually useful for recon because you can launch one at your target and then check the planet's contents in the combat replay. That gives you at least something to go on in judging how much force to send in.

If a planet is heavily armed AND low population you have a problem. For these cases something tricky is needed. I guess the idea to build lots of troop transports and send them swarming in is a possible option. If you send a troop transport in alone it will try to capture even an armed planet. None of them can be decoys, though. If the transport doesn't have troops it won't attack the planet. I wonder if the AI is smart enough to have each one of them drop troops? Or would it stop after the first one? If so, you'd need a huge overkill in troop numbers to have enough in any one transport to conquer the planet.

[ June 13, 2002, 00:46: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]