Are Nukes worth it?

[Capt_Slappy]

I originally played the Civ series a long time ago, and I decided to purchase Civ4 based on the reviews it recieved. I played through the game once so far, and I managed to get ICBMs (by 1920 no less). I was so excited that I decided to declare war on a neighboring nation, also the weakest nation in the game thus far. I nuked their capital city four times. From what I could tell this did nothing. I still had to roll in there with my Navy Seals and fend off loads of defenders before I was able to capture the city.

Is there a point to having nukes? Besides causing global warming? Aside from that there was no real effect from using them.

 

[Reiner]

it is really useless

 

[Gufnork]

I once got in a war with Hatshepsut that I didn't want to be in, her land was far away and I was busy winning the space race. I asked for peace but she refused. I closed the dip screen, nuked her capitol then asked again. This time she was more than willing to accept peace. I kept the rest of my nukes on standby in case my main competitor would get close to finishing the space ship. I had a spy keeping tabs on her empire, when she was halfway complete with the last part I would have nuked that city to smithereens.

ICBMs are not for wars of conquest. They're for wars of destruction. They're tools of diplomacy. One person even suggested nuking all the other empires so that your population would be enough to score a diplo win. You wouldn't expect nukes to be the best tool for creative people.

 

[Arkalius]

Yeah... if you want to take over another nation's cities, it would be kind of stupid to blow them all to hell first and ruin the land they sit upon. Nukes are not really meant as a supplement to a force of conquest.

 

[Capt_Slappy]

I agree. Although, I was not trying to "take over" the nation. The best way to describe it was...well, genocide I guess. I wiped Greeks from the face of the planet.

 

[enediol]

I thought the mushroom cloud was pretty cool

 

[quazi]

Shifting the population balance for diplomatic victories is another important use for nukes. Being able to vote yourself to victory is certainly useful.

 

[Grand Fromage]

Nukes can kill the defenders first, you might just have to nail the city a few times. Unfortunately, until a mod is released that allows nukes to completely destroy a city, they have limited use.

 

[dog77_1999]

Don't forget, if they started off with really nice grassland and you started near the poles, nukes are a great way to heat of the world to your favor.

 

[R3dKnight]

Use it as a 'convenience' alternative arty early on. I did that when I find my cannons to be too slow an frustrating to conquer europe. I simply brought infantry and call strikes on cities before I attack them. The trick is to aim the center of then nuke just one square away from the city so your forces won't get caught in the blast.
Some May survive but they have less than 50% strenght. Easily mowed down.

 

[duezeone]

Shifting the population balance for diplomatic victories is another important use for nukes. Being able to vote yourself to victory is certainly useful.

haha ive never thought about doing this, ill have to try that out.

i think there is a politicol bonus like if you have nukes then other civs are less likely to attack you, but if you tech there before everyone gets bomb shelters then it would definitely be worth it.

 

[Randle]

I originally played the Civ series a long time ago, and I decided to purchase Civ4 based on the reviews it recieved. I played through the game once so far, and I managed to get ICBMs (by 1920 no less). I was so excited that I decided to declare war on a neighboring nation, also the weakest nation in the game thus far. I nuked their capital city four times. From what I could tell this did nothing. I still had to roll in there with my Navy Seals and fend off loads of defenders before I was able to capture the city.

Is there a point to having nukes? Besides causing global warming? Aside from that there was no real effect from using them.

Two successive nukes on a city without shelters will drop the population almost 2/3rds and leave 2 or 3 units with very little health. If you have units that can get to the city in 1-2 turns, you should be able to take it very easily.

They're also useful if you need a few more percentage point of world population for a domination or diplomatic victory.

 

[MightyMac]

I never see nukes as an offensive option. Purely weapons of deterence. However the tip on change pop. points for a domination or diplo victory are interesting.

 

[Randle]

I never see nukes as an offensive option. Purely weapons of deterence. However the tip on change pop. points for a domination or diplo victory are interesting.

Of course, your sig tells a different story.

 

[qaturn]

I couldnt get the nukes to move, what am I missing?

 

[picus]

I use them mostly if I need/want a war to end. The AI becomes remarkably willing to push for peace if you drop a few nukes on their production cities.

 

[Corlindale]

I couldnt get the nukes to move, what am I missing?

You can't move Nukes outside their city of production, but you don't need to since they can hit any enemy target on the map. Just click the bomb button and then click on a large enemy city...and guess what happens next

 

[spiceant]

i find it kinda useless they cant empty small citys for years (look at hiroshima or w/e the city was called that was nuked as first in history).
on higher difficultys you really gotta find neutral spots to fire your nukes on because your opponents will long before have SDI's.

 

[Steven1688]

It seems like the vast majority of my nukes get shot down by the target.

 

[wilwil]

i would like to nuke the oppopnent city, lower its def and eliminate the armies in it