Taking over planets?

[h4]

I am confused how to take over enemy planets. I send in cruisers and they seem to do next to no damage to the stations before the 5 minute timer is up. What do i need to research to take over? Also is there some way to increase command points so i can bring in a bigger fleet? It seems hopeless trying to do enough damage with early tech cruisers.

[jkdmj]

first off try setting the combat timer to 12 when creating a game,. through consecutive turns one can move yopur fleet closer to the subject planet, therefore not starting at the rim each time (this gives more time on target) finally check what wepons you are useing on the planet. P.S. do not forget the political aspect of conquest

[Ryat]

Taking over an enemy planet is a basic glass from above and colonize over the dead. Beginning weapons do a slow job. A political/diplomatic means comes through research later but that gets complicated.

[h4]

Thanks for the replies. I must have missed the combat timer setting, that sounds helpful to use. And regarding the political/diplomatic stuff, I am playing the smallest map there is, so I can learn the military mechanics first.

[Amalgamachinist]

WHY. WHY. WHYYYYYY.
Why does everyone tries to glass planets from orbit, when you can have assault shuttles glassing it on suborbital trajectory, doing a lot more damage?!
In b4: because assault shuttle carriers are fragile as porcelain.

[Extreme Boyheat]

Laser/energy weapons barely damage colonies, ballistic weapons do a modest amount but what you really want are bioweapons or assault shuttles. You should have assault shuttles from the start and you can find bioweapons in the Biotechnology techtree.

As for actually taking over the population of a planet you need to research a few techs in the Political Science techtree, you can "occupy" a system and demand its surrender, though I've never succeeded in doing so as the AI is silly.

[Fendelphi]

Though I have never used it, there is also a bioweapon(virus) called Assimilation or something like that, that basically converts enemy population into your own.

[stp602]

Assimilation Plague doesn't work, unfortunately.

[Redwood]

I usually wait to invafe until I have Drednughts, cruisers just don't pack enough of a punch. Meson beams on a War dred makes short work of enemy planets.