A player moved into and attacked a planet all ground forces were destroyed so the planet was not taken over, the defending player on his turn moved forces into the area to destroy the blockade, can he drop off any Ground forces when his planet is being blockaded before he destroys the blockade or does he have to wait to clear the surrounding ships first?

Are you trying to figure out if the troops are lost in the space battle to clear the blockade if the ships carrying them are destroyed?

No, can they be placed on the planet as soon as the player comes in to defend his planet after the failed ground invasion.

Follow the order of steps of a tactical action. You have to initiate and resolve space combat before any planetary landings.

Ah, that makes sense, so since the territory is occupied, the movement rules that allow you to move into a space and place ground units are superseded by the tactical rules since there are enemy ships in that space.

21 minutes ago, BruinsFan77 said:

Ah, that makes sense, so since the territory is occupied, the movement rules that allow you to move into a space and place ground units are superseded by the tactical rules since there are enemy ships in that space.

Well movement rules and tactical rules are the same thing. There's no action that allows you to just move. It's only one of the steps of a tactical action.

1. Activate system

2. Move units into active system

3. Space cannon

4. Space Combat (obligatory if 2 players have ships in the system)

5. Planetary landing

6. Production

So if you ever want to just move, or just produce units, you'll still have to take a tactical action and just skip the steps you won't be doing.

ah ok, so even though it says "invasion" for that phase it should be Invade\Land troops. Always assumed that Invasion was only meant for combat never really connected it to just landing troops on your own planet.

4 hours ago, BruinsFan77 said:

ah ok, so even though it says "invasion" for that phase it should be Invade\Land troops. Always assumed that Invasion was only meant for combat never really connected it to just landing troops on your own planet.

Ah. Yes. Invasion = landing GF's on an enemy-occupied planet and fighting; landing GF's on your own planet just to bolster your garrison; or landing GF's on an unoccupied planet and taking control of it without combat. That's why I prefer the term landing over invasion.