Nuclear First Strike

[solodar]

In a recent game, I (Japan) launched a late-game nuclear first strike on my only remaining opposition, Greece. I stole troop plans beforehand and targeted some of my dozen ICBMs on his 6 or so nukes, trying to launch a first strike to wipe out his nuclear reserve before my MAs crossed the border. Problem is that all his ICBMs survived even as the MIs stacked with them were decimated.

So, are ICBMs immune to nuke attacks, more likely to survive, or did I just get unlucky? Because I would have used my nukes elsewhere (strategic resources, MI stacks, railroad chokepoints, etc.) if I thought this was going to happen.

As an aside, the AI nuke retaliation was awful. Went after apparently random low production distant cities rather than my MA SoD, my capital, my IW city, my sole source of Oil, etc etc. SDI worked nicely though.

solodar

[joncnunn]

Yes, I think nuclear units are immune to nukes to promote the real-life MAD deterance. (BTW, that is the primary reason why India & Pakinstian haven't gone to war recently over Kasmir; both sides have known for over a decade now that the other side has nukes.)

Yes, AI targeting with Nukes leaves much to be desired.

[Datajack Franit]

Hehehe imagine India nuking Pakistan and destroying all its nukes due to the attack's strenght with Pakistan watching millions of its people die and their chief says "we cannot strike back, we have to wait the end of their turn"

[Knightblade pDM]

Yes, nukes are undamaged by an opposing civ nukes, so the only way to destroy opposing nukes is to capture or raze the city.

[Tattila the Hun]

Can nukes be modded capturable? I'd love to snoop out the location of one of enemy's ICBM's, then take the city with conventional forces, and launch against the enemy capital.

A'la Apocalypse War in Judge Dredd.

"Let's kick them back to East Meg One!"
"Where?"
"Well, let's just kick them!"

Naturally I'd be without the bombs myself, for some reason...

[joncnunn]

Datajack Franit, it would probably be Pakinstan using nukes first (in response to the Indian army about to break thru and cross out of the disputed Kashmir province and into Pakinstan proper with the Pakinstan army having problems holding the line.)

[Datajack Franit]

I still ask for a world ecologic collapse to be triggered after a dozen of ICBMs

[Arrian]

Somebody posted some incredible screenshots a while back: before and after a massive nuclear war. I think it qualifies as an ecological disaster. It was very, very ugly.

-Arrian

[MoonWolf]

If you use a nuclear strike in a (mass) regicide game, can you kill your oponents kings/queens that way or are these units imune as well?

I saw a picture of a post-nuclear war game too. It was desert everywhere! I haven't really experience a real nuclear war myself though... (hmmm, thinking of making a scenario)

[Datajack Franit]

Somebody posted some incredible screenshots a while back: before and after a massive nuclear war. I think it qualifies as an ecological disaster. It was very, very ugly.

EHM it was me!

[Datajack Franit]

You can find that thread HERE

[Arrian]

Well, that doesn't qualify as a "world ecologic collapse?"

-Arrian

[Datajack Franit]

kinda

[steven8r]

previous Nuke Post

I, too remember a previous post--even prior to this one.

I think the title was something like, "Teraforming w/ Nukes" or something similar.

IIRC, most of the bay in Aztecs was converted to desert.

While a little disturbing, it was still kinda cool.

[Carver]

Originally posted by MoonWolf
If you use a nuclear strike in a (mass) regicide game, can you kill your oponents kings/queens that way or are these units imune as well?

The regents can be killed in mass/single regicide games. The AI handles this poorly. The regents are usually in the core cities founded early, exactly the ones you would select for nukage. The AI needs to learn to hide the regent up in the mountains as I do. (but don't hide them in the jungle, as they can die from snake bites)