Originally posted by PBI:
Of course, this whole discussion all depends on what rules set is being used. I'm not very familiar with Striker, but there are a few wargames put out by GDW in the Traveller verse and in almost all of these, ground combat is certainly possible, even viable, even when local space is controlled by one side or the other.
Striker doesn't make any assumptions at all about there being ortillery, nor exactly how to deal with it. Really, it isn't (quite) compatable with the CT of its day. It included conversions for using traveller naval craft in striker engagements, but not as ortillery.
Sadly, the only REAL ortillery covered are Meson Guns.
Invasion Earth is based upon the idea that it is too much a political need to TAKE Terra intact; it's an ideology issue, not a tactical nor strategic issue, that determines the need for ground takeover.
Realistically, the defense strategy for an undesired war of agression is moving large rocks at high velocities against their staging worlds. Eradicate their ability to repair and maintain.
The problem is that a black war strategem begats a black war strategem.
Large Scale ground combats need the following:
1) a target worth taking intact
1a) for intelligence gathering
1b) for ideological, propaganda, and/or morale purposes
1c) for resource acquisition
2) a viable force assault force adequate to the task
3) a defense force big enough to make it work
4) sufficient force interpenetration to prevent large scale force destructions... IE, close enough that you can't use ortillery nor deep-site mesons. Note force interpenetration need not be in the other force, merely in things the other force considers unsuitable for destruction.
5) accessability to invaders.
Much of striker is postulated upon local, effectively balkanized worlds, rather than the sweeping battles. Striker really limits itself to about regimental actions, BTW, due to play-scale.
Mind you, Invasion Earth uses regiments as the counting unit for larger counter's strengths...