From Martians undone by germs to predators who insist on sporting duels, we explore the most ridiculous alien invasion tactics in fiction, and what they reveal about strategy, science, and human resilience.

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Credits:
The 10 Worst Alien Invasion Strategies
Episode 733; July 1, 2025
Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur
Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images 

Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator
0:00 Intro
0:48 10. The “Park and Wait” Strategy
2:02 9. Invading a Planet That Can Kill You
3:46 8. Single Point of Failure: The Hive or Control Ship
5:22 7. Telegraphing Your Arrival
6:50 6. Overly Convoluted Takeovers
8:30 5. Broadcasting Your Weakness
9:55 4. Playing Fair & Ritual Combat
11:54 3. Overconfidence & Underestimating the Locals
13:07 2. Hive Minds That Collapse Instantly
15:03 1. Ignoring the Home Field Advantage
16:06 Outro