Meltdown!!!

[Feyd]

Okay...I'm in the late game and I'm running away with a win. Being the production freak I am, I build factory upgrades ASAP, but I'm given pause when it comes to Nuclear plants. For 50% more production (upgrade from the Hoover Dam Hydro Plants) dare I risk nuclear meltdown?

What happens if a meltdown should occur? What is the likelihood of a meltdown in a peaceful, well-upkeeped city? What if I'm beseiged? Finally, if there is a meltdown will it throw me out of the game or will it be more of a nuisance?

As there is not much help in the civilopedia on the subject (imagine that) I was wondering if anybody out there knew the statistics or affects of nuclear meltdown...

Your humble servant,

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Meltdowns happen when your city goes into civil disorder for a long time. I always put em in. Less pollution, unless they meltdown of course. Then I guess its like a nuclear blast.

[Coracle]

Any chance of getting a meltdown if the city is attacked by stealth bombers targeting nuclear plants??

[notyoueither]

It's not that bad.

It pollutes all surrounding squares and can degrade the terrain, like a nuke. The population is halved, like a nuke.

I don't recall losing any other buildings, unlike a nuke.

It only has a chance of melting down if the city goes into disorder. That shouldn't happen if you let the governor manage moods or if the city is already at max population. Be careful though in the case of the sudden loss of a luxury or 2 through disrupted trade.

I have had a melt down on the same turn as the city goes into revolt. Kind of a nasty one-two...

[notyoueither]

Any chance of getting a meltdown if the city is attacked by stealth bombers targeting nuclear plants??

I doubt it, but I've never seen a Nuke Plant hit by bombing.

[Jaybe]

Feyd,
My recollection from 4-5 months ago is that my meltdown city lost about half its population, and I suddenly had plenty of work for my workers. All 8 (or was it 20?) tiles were polluted. While probability increases while in anarchy, anarchy is NOT required. Mine did not occur during anarchy.

There was Firaxis talk of meltdown probabilities some months back here in the forums.

If I have a factory and a powerplant (especially if Hoover Dam), I generally do not replace my powerplant with nuclear plant.

JB

[Feyd]

Thank you all!

I went ahead and built them and had 180 production in my Iron Works city. The next closest was 140 which is still something! It wouldn't had mattered if I didn't want to build modern armor in a single turn .

Anyway, thank you for the quick replys and since I constantly have my civ set on governer control of citizens (He perempts riots...before they even happen he hires entertainers which means I never lose a turn...EVERYONE should consider this function with the cities set on production). More nuclear plants for everybody!

The man, the myth, the pathetic...

Feyd

[SpencerH]

So nuclear plants increase production on top of the effect of Hoover dam ?

[zulu9812]

Yeah - normally each plant replaces the old one. However, when you are given the plant by a wonder it's always there no matter what. Thus, if barbarians sacked a city and destroyed the hydro plant, if you had Hoover Dam you'd still have the hydro plant in that city.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by notyoueither .

I have had a melt down on the same turn as the city goes into revolt. Kind of a nasty one-two...

In one of my first full games I went into a nasty tailspin towards the end of the war, deciding not toswitch from dem to republic. kept flipping to anarchy and back. Had, IIRC 4 meltdowns in the span of a few turns. Pretty annoying, esp. if it happens to the capital.

[Skanky Burns]

We know that the hydro plant always exists no matter what, but the question is - Does it actually increase production on top of the nuclear plant's increase?

[Jaybe]

SpencerH,
No, I DO NOT believe nuc plants are in addition to Hoover Dam. But their production increase is greater, and their pollution is nil (like Hoover -- unless they blow). [I am at work now, will check again when I have the docs, at home].

There are Factories and then there are Power Plants. You can have only one active Power Plant. Their production and pollution values vary.

Zulu,
Yes, Hoover Dam "gives" a free Hydro Plant in each of the qualifying cities.

JB

[Jaybe]

Here is the list of Production enhancers. I forget if this list came from Apolyton or from CivFanatics (sorry).

Identity; Production; Pollution; Replaces; Maintenance
Factory; 2; 2; (N/A); 3
Manufacturing Plant; 2; 2; NO; 3
Coal Plant; 2; 2; Yes; 3

The non-polluters:
Hydro Plant; 2; 0; Yes; 3
Nuclear Plant; 4; 0; Yes; 3
Solar Plant; 2; 0; Yes; 3

... and other polluters:
Offshore Platform (2 pollution)
Airport (1 pollution)

So we see from above that you can have Factory, ONE of Coal/Hydro/Nuclear/Solar Plant, AND a Manufacturing Plant all active at the same time.

Personally, I have never built a Coal Plant. I have always waited for Hoover Dam. (Then, before I got this list, I would build a solar plant and find that it didn't improve production over the Hoover-installed Hydro Plant).

JB

[Edit: fixed nuclear plant production factor]

[Tuberski]

According to the civilopedia, the nuclear plant reduces pollution.

[Soren Johnson]

Originally posted by Skanky Burns
We know that the hydro plant always exists no matter what, but the question is - Does it actually increase production on top of the nuclear plant's increase?

No.