Integrated Defense -- tool or toy?

[vmxa1]

You are wise to avoid it, if you get that far, build some as a MAD function, it often works.

You will see to your horror that dropping nukes on a civ with SDI is a very frustrating task. The beam shots out time after time and away goes 500 shields. You need three hits on the same city to wipe all the units in that city, so it can be very expensive vs SDI.

[Grim Legacy]

Sounds frustrating. I recall a few games long ago in which I did build one or two nukes to deter others. It never came to an exchange and I just realized I've never even seen the SDI beam!
Anyway I guess my avoidance instinct paid off this time, although being wise has little to do with it.

[Redstar]

as far as i can tell, the ai never launches nukes 1st...

[vmxa1]

I can't say about it in C3C, but I am pretty sure I had the AI launch first in the vanilla version. I think I had one other first launch about 16-18 months ago, but I am not sure what version I was using then and I only play without mods.

It is not common for me to see nukes, so I can't say if they need any certain conditions or not. IOW I would not see them with nukes and me not on many games.

Maybe some others will address thier experiences.

[Shogun Gunner]

Originally posted by Redstar
as far as i can tell, the ai never launches nukes 1st...

Oh yes they do.

[Redstar]

i must be doing something right then.

The Ai has always counted on me to start lighting up the sky with armegeddon particles

[Aqualung71]

Originally posted by Redstar
as far as i can tell, the ai never launches nukes 1st...

They certainly do......and here is a nice little action shot of a nuke that I took towards the end of AU501

And now back to the point.....AU501 is the last time I remember actually building the SDI, about a year ago.