Why does attacking a planet only destroy population and not the buildings?

Do our lasers only kill carbon based life forms?

If so I am a robot so it shouldn't hurt my people since they are made out of the same thing as most buildings.

Even though it's realistic.. I wouldn't want it to get implemented. I would like to capture a planet with artifact-rich structures intact.

The same reason that attacking your ship doesn't destroy your precious modules - its a game.

Alright, you got me on that one. It would be cool to see module damage, that could really effect gameplay and a battle even midstream.

Maybe that is an answer to the high level / low level problem. The high level have more modules and more to risk. Even if someone level 150 couldn't take me out, knowing that he could take out a module that cost me 13mil to repair would make me think twice about attacking him.

ooo you just gave me a idea for the sugestions section. =P

Um, crimson cluster missiles. I've had 50+ fired at me