not sure which forum topic to post thsi in :
As the above poster, I don't think I would want to get bogged down in too much more detail on invasions as I like the strategic over tactical. I wouldn't want to much more detail than the current lvl of brevity (Ground defenses might be nice but...). As not exclusively a war game or a tactical game it has to balance lvl of detail in a variety of areas. However I always lamented the fact that my ships in GC1 (could they if you left the United Plantets ?) generally couldn't use planetary bombardment. I hope they include ship to ground weapons, if they include ship design in GC2. Bombardment could quickly and simply damage the population and but also take out improvements, as a possibly unfortunate side effect, relative to the amount of weaponry brought to bear.
Also I didn't like that all the defending population are soldiers and I have to use my population on a 1-1 basis vs. defending population. I could wipe out an enemy fleet, orbit the planet with dreadnaughts but have to pull 30k of my pop to take out 40k of their population, spend money and only wind up with 1k pop planet. As suggested in another thread if your capital ships orbit a planet perhaps it should hurt moral or production of a planet through blockade.
Invasion in GC1:
1) It's a great strain on the populations of my planets, 2) Is difficult unless I have a decisive tech advantage or enough money to afford the invasion tactics. 3) You have to eliminate the entire population even if you are good or they were formerly your citizens.
Most modern wars involve a fraction of the population. A few hundred thousand to invade and occupy tens of millions. Perhaps if you didn't have to genocide every last member of the population (especially if they were origionally part of your empire but seceded) but could instead occupy and slowly integrate them with reduced production, if you had high influence. Perhaps the closer you are in morality, government type and the like could influence assimilation. Maybe troop ships could have higher support and costs, or even moral penalties but not require such a decimation of your population (although that was a nice way to eliminate pop pressures on planet moral). Wiping the enemy population out totally might be a preferable, although vile, option if you dont' want to deal with possible rebels in the future or moral problems on an occupied planet but it would be a choice. Just some thoughts, I'm sure it will be a great game which ever direction they take it