History JustForFun / HowToInvadeAnAlienPlanet

# Use [[TheQuisling quislings]] well. They work great for putting a native face on your policies, and sapients take orders better from their own kind. Some native will be willing to help the occupation in exchange for luxury for their family and very little real power.

** Second Corollary: Analyze their technology from every possible angle. Is there anything seemingly harmless that [[SuperweaponSurprise could be used as a powerful weapon]]? Be sure not to overlook [[WeaponizedExhaust easily-weaponized non-weapons technology]] when making a threat assessment! (See those [[Literature/KnownSpace big cats]] over there? Ask them about this one; will ''they'' have stories to tell.) Keep in mind that [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy depending on]] [[HumansAreWarriors the species]], an effective LotusEaterMachine and an [[IKnowMortalKombat advanced military training simulator]] may turn out to be [[WarriorHeaven the same thing]].

# If you're sending scouts down to the planet, make sure none of them are the type to [[Film/{{Avatar}} sympathize with the natives]] and either [[DefectorFromDecadence defect]] or [[WesternAnimation/BattleForTerra sabotage your plans]]. I.E. if a spy candidate believes RousseauWasRight about the natives, insta-rejected! But if they believe RousseauWasWrong or HobbesWasRight instead, approved on the spot!

# If you must do combat against the natives directly, do yourself a favor and read [[Literature\TheArtOfWarSunTzu the Art of War]]. Sun Tzu knew what he was talking about. Wars are won or lost on simple things like logistics and maneuvering as much as they are with technology and numbers.

# If you must do combat against the natives directly, do yourself a favor and read [[Literature\TheArtOfWar the Art of War]]. Sun Tzu knew what he was talking about. Wars are won or lost on simple things like logistics and maneuvering as much as they are with technology and numbers.

** Exception: If you determine that the aliens have a good sense of humor and are prone to sarcasm, you may be able to jokingly state that you are looking for weaknesses if you can play well to their sense of humor an have already built a good rapport. Who knows, they may even correct you and volunteer that information themselves.

** Collary: If you ''do'' come in peace or at least decide not to fatally harm the locals but are incapable of hiding your true appearances or motives, [[BenevolentAlienInvasion consider having your invasion be diplomacy-based]]. Should things go well and [[VillainWithGoodPublicity you earn the affection of, or at least, get on the good side of even some of the most jaded and untrusting natives]], phases 3 and 4 should not be needed and you can just skip to phase 5.

** Collary: If your overarching goal is to breed with the natives to rebuild your numbers, ensure your follow-on orders don’t go against any [[PapaWolf Paternal]]/[[MamaBear Maternal]] feelings your soldiers may develop. [[ComicBook/{{Invincible}} No matter how bloodthirsty or superior you may consider yourselves, it’s going to suck when your soldiers start defying your orders en masse]] [[LoveRedeems because they’ve actual fallen in love with their selected mates]].

# If, after conducting intensive scans and careful research, you find that there is no protector on the planet...don't move forward with your invasion just yet. Gather intel from the other alien empires in the galaxy, first. If one of them's getting torn apart by a single individual or a small group of individuals hailing from the planet you're orbiting, call off your invasion plans. You've just found this planet's protector.

# Similarly, keep a constant watch for: [[Series/DoctorWho a small, innocent-looking blue box]], [[Franchise/StargateVerse covert military units with "SG" in the name]], [[Franchise/StarTrek saucer-shaped cruisers]], [[Franchise/SuperSentai giant]] [[Franchise/PowerRangers robots]] in general, especially if [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann they sport]] CoolShades or are piloted by [[Anime/NewMobileReportGundamWing teenage terrorists]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory nuclear weapon users]], or [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam Shonen-loving martial artists]], [[Film/MenInBlack well-dressed men in sunglasses]], [[Franchise/UltraSeries fin-headed humanoid giants]],[[VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars starships with ring-shaped FTL systems]], [[SuperHero vigilantes in colorful costumes who casually defy the laws of physics]], and anyone in powered armor, whether [[Franchise/{{Halo}} plain camoflauge green]] or [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} gold-orange with huge spherical shoulders]], whether they're trained military or [[VideoGame/HalfLife bespectacled physicists]] with [[CrowbarCombatant crowbars]]. Spot any of these, and you're better off staying home.

# Just because you ''can'' build the [[Franchise/{{Alien}} perfect combat organism]] or biological weapon capable of wiping out entire civilizations doesn't mean you ''should''. [[VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog It could just as easily turn on you and wipe you out]]. Even if you decrease its intelligence to make sure it doesn't turn on you, most of the time, this threshold is where the combat organism would be barely tameable. ** Corollary: If your species are parasites, why waste your time on constructing a new combat host species from scratch for invasions when you could use preexisting models that have already proved their worth over millions of years of evolution?