Integrated Defense -- tool or toy?

[Shogun Gunner]

I know most of you, the hard core civ players, will say that their games never reach deep into the Modern Age. In fact, many serious civ players strongly desire games in the ancient to medieval periods -- swords and arrows, not tanks and nukes.

In any case, this poll is about the Strategic Defense Initiative and whether you build this small wonder. It's 500 shields, requiring Integrated Defense science advance, and you need five SAM batteries already constructed in your cities. All this buys you a 75% chance to shoot down incoming nuke missiles.

Is the SDI worth it? Have you ever built this small wonder as an integral part of your defense, just for fun, or not at all?

Lastly, any interesting stories to share regarding Integrated Defense? I experienced a bizarre RNG - in my favor - 12 incoming missiles all shot down successfully, and much to my citizen's relief! I did not retaliate with nukes because I'm very concerned about the environment.

[alva]

that their games never reach deep into the Modern Age

Never even seen them.

I think I even reached modern only once or twice.

[Solomwi]

I always build it if I get that far, because by that time, I can easily spare a 75-100 shield city to crank it out and not even feel the hit in my military. More than once, I've been sucker punched with nukes, too. By then, like you say, I'm just playing out a won game for fun, but I still don't like getting nuked.

[vmxa1]

In the few games that I played that far, I will build the SDI. This usually not required even in a conquest game, but I have been nuked at Deity and Sid a few times.

It is very nice to see as many as 9 straight nukes blasted and well worth the price. Ideally you have cut them off from any UR, but on a huge map at domination or conquest, it is not always possible.

[Paddy]

indeed

better safe than sorry

[gunkulator]

Needs a fourth option: My games never get that far.

[Modo44]

Never researched this tech in Civ3. Never researched a number of techs in the Modern Times...

[Dis]

the problem is that's an optional tech and not necessary for building a spaceship. Unless you disable the space ship option, if you don't get your ass moving on the space ship techs, you're going to lose the space race.

the only time I have built it was like during my first game on chieftan level. I was so far ahead, I didn't have to worry about losing the space race. I also didn't have to worry about nukes either... But I still wanted to build it.

[joncnunn]

Voting

This tech is so far past what's needed for the space ship that the only time I reached this tech was when I purposely didn't build the space ship going for cultural as Babylon.

[Arrian]

I think I might have built it once.

The thing is, if I do actually play a game out into the modern era, I'm most likely going for a SS win. That doesn't require researching Integrated Defense.

-Arrian

[vmxa1]

Like I said, Conquest or Domination only games, it is quite common to get well into the modern age. There is no culture or SS win to worry about.

[Whoha]

My strategic defense initiative involves conquering every uranium patch

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Whoha
My strategic defense initiative involves conquering every uranium patch

I can do better. Nobody ever gets to research technologies needed to use it.

[Shogun Gunner]

I like to play without UN, Space ship or culture victory conditions. Assuming a challenging game, then it's tough to win on domination and I'll play games deep into the modern era. I like the modern toys

That being said, I think the game is stronger in the ancient/medieval eras. There's something a bit tedious about moving the units all the time...and the AI's strategy, which is bad in the early game, gets worse in the later game.

[Dry]

I don't play at those high difficulty levels.

I don't remember an AI building a single nuke.
I don't even remember having seen an AI tactical missile

Seen AI tanks.
Seen AI Mech Inf (very few, but yes, have seen them).
Never seen AI Aegis
Never seen AI ModernArmor
Never seen AI Jet