Planetary invasion

Sounds interesting to me.

There is talk about improving invasions in a DLC or expansion. I am sure that it won't be an RTS setting it may follow what they are attempting with the ship combat coming soon. Which would be nice.

I'm all for more options in setting up the invasion, but as far as tactical control over the combatants, no way.

In my opinion, it would be best if the battle was divided into three phases, with the player determining how to go about each one. An evoloution of the Galciv 2's system.

Said phases being orbital, landing, and ground combat. Players pick an offensive/defensive option for each one.

Orbital phase would cover things like orbital bombardment of structures (Attempt to destroy random structures), clearing a path for landers (Refuse to act during this phase and risk any ships in the fleet that are not transports for increased roll in the next phase), shooting down landers, defending against orbital bombardments, tactical nukes, and various other pre-ground options.

Landing phase would be where you determine how your troops get down to the planet. Drop-pods (Very low risk of losing infantry, less combat strength), landing craft (High risk of losing, more combat strength), Decoys (Assured to lose some troops to get others through, normal combat strength), and so on. the defender has to try and guess your method.

Ground phase covers what your soldiers do on the ground, be it to set sleeper agents (Increase strength of next invasion), attempt to take over. Attempt as much damage as possible before retreating, or literally destroy the planet due to core detonation.

Each phase consists of both sides picking their options in secret, showing at the same time, and rolling.

I would love to see tactical control over both ground and space combat. And I would prefer a TBS over a RTS set up.

Seems we have to wait next patch to come, till we could discuss tactics. 

Anyhow, TBS is also my favor...but I guess it isn't a proper choice for multiplayer. Well...if we think about a 'tactical program' we install on fleets, not unlike shear/stone/paper, so the battles (even in multiplayer) could run in acceptable speed, this might be usefull. 

Well that is a matter of opinion and the players your playing with.  I love TC in MP and SP games as do most of my friends and GC3 would rock if it had it.  Auto-combat makes a game a bit boring especially  after spending all that time in the Ship Designer creating cool ships only to watch a movie when they fight and have no control over them.  That was the thing about GC2 loved the designer but hated the combat.  Also why I don't like the Dominion games because you create these armies but have no control over then when they fight.  

I do agree, Bellack. But...in multiplayer there is nothing more boring then to look on a monitor for ...5-20 minutes... while your comrades do fight out their combat. This will kill off the fun for the other players. I didn't see one game which managed to find a balance in there. The only thing I could remember which wasn't that problematic, was the simultaniously turn with Civilization 5...while it broke stability in most cases, which lead to countless saving-loading-reloading-aso. 

But at the current, GC3 has not even a simultaniously turn...it is player-after-player, which makes multiplayer not playable to me allready. So extending this waiting time will just cut off multiplayer in my eyes. But I'm curious how they will handle this part. 

As for singleplayer your choice will be an excellent idea...I'm totally in! 

Well actually I like how AOW3 does it. They have  simultaneously turn and when TC happens You can watch the battles instead of looking at a blank screen. And I do prefer this to Auto-combat any day.

Master of Orion 2 had sommething similar as well. It was not more than some units firing at each other and one side eventually winning, but it is better than having only a text popup.

"Master of Orion 2 had sommething similar as well. It was not more than some units firing at each other and one side eventually winning, but it is better than having only a text popup."

We're going to have something a heck of a lot better than a text popup once the combat viewer is finished.