Is there a difference between ICBMs and Tactical nukes, like a Hydrogen-atomic kind of thing? Because it seems to me that the ICBM has a much brighter explosion.
And how often do you gys use them? I find that all the unworkable plots and constantly sending workers to clean them up is enough for me to use them once or twice in a game, if that.

I do not know the exact characteristics between the two "bombs," but I'm along the line you are. I can't even remember when I've had a chance to really use atomic weapons. Either they're just not needed cause I have enough control over everyone, there's a UN resolution about them (though now you can defy resolutions), or by the time I get them wars are far and few between.

I think the brightness/size of the flash/explosion is more down to the kT TNT the warhead was adjusted to or the maximum payload for that paticular system.

(My guess)

Edit: For the poll, launch after lost space race. However I play with space race off so they can't dodge war. I only ever spam the nukes if my pinultamite invasions fall on their backsides and its too late to recover that strength. Throw the dummy out time!

Oh and welcome to Civ Fanatics!

I've never built an atomic weapon in Civ IV. I did World Builder a few in once, just to try them out, but that's about it.

Bh

I like to play with them, just to have anothery advantage. It softens the AI up a bit until they get them. By that point you have SDI, albiet a bit slower now with the BtS Tech Tree.

Its rare, unlike vanilla, to be carpet bombed with them now I feel.

I build them but rarely use them. It's interesting to not ban production at the UN, and then let there be a big build up in the world :crazyeye:

There doesn't seem to be any difference in the damage the missles do. The differences are;

1)ICBMs can be fired from any point on the planet to any other point, whereas tactical nukes have quite a short range.

2)Tactical nukes are much less likely to be intercepted by SDI than ICBMs

3)Tactical nukes are much cheaper than ICBMs

I do use nukes occasionally (though I often build up a stockpile and then ban them beforehand to stop things getting out of hand). I'm particularly fond of using them to kill colossal AI naval SoDs - no fallout to clean up.

I don't like any of the poll options so I won't vote

I presumed the OP was reffering to the size of the mushroom cloud which is different between ICBM and TN.

I felt the same way bonafide11. I am afraid a little of my manliness permanently drifted away after I clicked on a rebuttal that included the exclamation "Flower power!"

Somebody set us up the bomb

I've used 'em to crush modern invasion stacks about 130 units strong. Shaka was using them surprise surprise.

That's it.

Nukes are maybe my favourite unit. It's really cool to just crush the AI after being treated like an idiot for 6000 years.
I also use them to eliminate big stacks, or launch a surprise attacks with tactical nukes from submarines to make their coastline glow.

I just turned off global warming, so now I can use them without turning the world to a desert.

build them but rarely use them

I always build them when i can, some games they get banned early before the Manhatten Project.

I wont often use them though unless its really needed to soften up a really strong city before an invasion, or if im being overrun just to try to wipe out some units.

The other time i will use them is when im really really angry because i have lost a city or lost out in some way against a superpower, then i will drop a bomb or two on their best two cities just to get some revenge and make myself feel a little better :) Sometimes it can even knock them back enough to make them second instead of first. I still lose but atleast they come second instead of first!

Especially in multiplayer, it always seems to be a cold war. I know I have them, they know I have them, but they're never actually used. Oh, and I never build tactical nukes because they have such a short range. It's not too much more to just build the full thing.

I always attempt to control all the world's uranium in some way or another. Then I build piles of nukes, but I never plan to use them (unless there are extenuating circumstances).

However, if the effect of nuclear winter has already started (i.e. from someone's nuclear power plant melting down), I may be a bit more open to using them.

I like to have them as a deterrent; the AI seems to be nicer to you if you have a stack of nukes waiting for them should they sneak attack you!

Multiplayer with nukes is fun! Currently have a game with some mates and there are quites a lot of forts along my borders with a few tactical nukes just to keep him on his toes!

I use them, but I've modded them to make them like the civ2 nukes. (ie, good).

Somebody set us up the bomb

rofl! :D

Do you have the link to that by any chance?

After I launch the space ship I build a ton of nukes and when my spaceship is within ~2 turns of arriving I launch them all :)

I've never built an atomic weapon in Civ IV. I did World Builder a few in once, just to try them out, but that's about it.

Bh

:agree:

I've used nukes in one game, and one silly MP LAN game starting in modern age, but that's it. The Global Warming alone is enough that I wouldn't throw one. Even if I got it free and suffered no diplo modifier, these are just extra minuses (they're realistic though, GW isn't :mischief: )

I've changed the values in GlobalDefines to make the nukes realistic. All units are destroyed by them now. So, having said that, nukes for me now make great Stack O' Doom killers (including wiping out huge invasion fleets). But even with the changes I made I rarely use them (first). Unless it's against Mansa Munsa. :mad: Or Montezuma. :mad:
:mischief:

I've changed the values in GlobalDefines to make the nukes realistic. All units are destroyed by them now

I think it is enough to drop 2 ICBMs to wipe out all the units... do I remember right ?

It depends on games , anyway I prefer to raze cities ( if far away ) instead of capturing them therefore usually I drop nukes to soften my enemies without caring about units inside.Usually I do that through the fog of war cause I know where the city is. If I want to raze cities I drop 2/3 nukes on a single city and then clean up the dirty job with marines by sea or by ground stacks when possible.

Also in this second case I don't care about units inside enemy cities....

I'm not good loser so I think I need some nukes in my current game.

I think nuclear weapons on any difficulty above warlord is a waste of time personally, unless you have a massive tech lead.

The main kicker is the fact that once you get the manhattan project, everybody can build nuclear weapons. This potentially could make them worse than useless.

Well, unless you're playing a team game. That way I'd say nukes have the potential to be useful.

With that said though, I am a massive nuke newb so if there's an article on proper nuke usage, I'd be open to reading it. :)

Somebody set us up the bomb

All your cottages are belong to us.