How are you handling modern warfare in BTS?

[greenday_234]

I was wondering with all the changes/additions what is the composition of your modern military? What strategies have you found affective/ineffective?

Prior to BTS, my modern military consisted of mechs, Modern Armor and ass loads of bombers. The bomber strategy now being destroyed by the city limit and the mech/armor strategy severely weakened by the addition of Anti-Tank weaponry.

So those lucky enough to get time to play a few games in the modern era, (not me) how have you made sense from all these new additions to modern warfare?

[Blaupanzer]

The new AI has kept me from getting there for several starts so far. Suspect this will lead to strategy changes when I get there, if I ever do. I dropped back to Noble, can get an early lead, but find myself suddenly fighting for my life and losing my tech lead in the process, despite going in with a military lead AND a tech lead. Voted bananas due to that. Blake's improvements are amazing.

[Will9]

Modern warfare has changed some for me. The main change is move all my bombers to the first city I take on another continent. Therefore artillary is more imporant.

[greenday_234]

Will, how have you incorporated some of the new units, cruise missile, tactical nuke, stealth sub etc. into your strategy...if at all?

For instance, do you find that the cruise missile is a good substitute for the new lack of bombers

[Will9]

Cruise missles don't do enough damage for a one time use weapon (I know they do alot of damage, but only to one unit so a city with 9 units needs 9, or 3 subs ful, to weaken every unit). Then if want to get some more, you have to go to a city to load them. I'm not a big fan Nuking if the odds are far in my favor (the norm by this). I ahven't gotten to far into the modern age, but I think I will be using mobile aritillary. I have been using carriers more so I can keep some fighters of the coast.

[Solver]

Don't use missiles to just weaken units, that's good in rare circumstances. Use them to hit enemy Oil wells.

[Blake]

Tactical Nukes shouldn't be underestimated.

[greenday_234]

I was actually going to ask about that, why am I hearing so much talk about the Tactical nuke, aside from being cheaper? I would seem, from what little I know that it still carries all the huge negatives to go along with it. i.e. unstoppable global warming, huge AI negatives etc. Is there something special that I'm missing?

[Will9]

I've heard at CFC that they are immune to SDI.

[Blake]

The main advantage of Tacticals is the ability to punch through SDI, and lower cost - you get the same damage so paying less is nice (it's just a matter of delivery).

Mostly the Tactical Nuke is a substitute for bombers, either due to lack of oil, or where bombers can't reach, or because of too much air defense. Note that they are lethal bombardment, two volleys will destroy nearly any stack.

Ways to use:

Blast big land stacks.

Blast incoming stacks of ships (use from sub or cruiser).

As part of naval invasions to soften cities (use from sub or cruiser).

They make great gifts - give them to the enemy of your enemy.

The Global Warming isn't really a factor. Everyone suffers equally. Please don't quote me out of context on this .

[nbarclay]

Has Firaxis never heard the term, "nuclear winter"? Where in the world does their idea that nuclear weapons ought to cause global warming come from?

[Will9]

Originally posted by nbarclay
Has Firaxis never heard the term, "nuclear winter"? Where in the world does their idea that nuclear weapons ought to cause global warming come from?

I've always thought the same thing.

[frenzyfol]

Originally posted by nbarclay
Has Firaxis never heard the term, "nuclear winter"? Where in the world does their idea that nuclear weapons ought to cause global warming come from?

Right on!, theres probably a mod out there that turns it off...

[onodera]

I use a lot of Mobile Artillery now, as it can keep up with tanks. I can't understand why you need lasers to rivet tracks to howitzers, though.
Still haven't tried to use missiles, though. AFAIK, you can only use them from subs and cities, right?

[sirboxalot]

I thought nuclear winter was simply the insane amount of ash in the air (from a Mutually Assured Destruction saturation of nuclear weapon launches) causing the weather to look like winter, not actually become winter-like temperatures.

I'm no global warmingologist, but it seems that the massive amount of energy released by nuclear weapons would perhaps heat the planet a fraction of a degree.