AdeptScholar: I only have the option to bombard a planet upon removing defenders (w/ ships not even equipped with bombs), even with ships equipped with transports and troop pods...What gives?
hohiro: You need to build "transport ships" ... your upgrades are to board ships better.
Missed seeing these ships on the production list as I was looking in a couple of places without marine barracks (which come to find out, are needed not only for ground infantry defense, but also, required for offensive ground invasions, which makes sense even though that isn't relayed in the in-game description nor in the manual under invading that I could see...) Thanks for taking the time to assist.